“Your name does not have
to be Barack Obama to make a
change or be part of policy making.
You can make a change and
affect decisions on the Fresno City
College campus. That is why the
Associated Student Government
exists,” said Sergey Saluschev,
president of FCC’s Associated
Student government.
Saluschev said during an
interview on Sept. 15 that ASG is
“the body that consists of students
selected by students, designed to
provide a bridge of communication
between the students and
administration.”
Saluschev, who is from
Russia, said students should take
advantage of rights which their
counterparts in other parts of the world do not have.
He explained that back in Russia, “It
just does not exist, the notion of students
being advocates for other students at the
equal level of college administrators is
something that is just not there,” leading to
what he called a “culture shock” when he
first arrived in the U.S.
Saluschev’s life was different back
in Russia, but he said that Russia isn’t that
much different from the United States; “just
that the poverty level was higher,” he said.
“Back there, economically I was from lower
middle class; we were not poor, but we were
not rich. Life was a little bit more simple;
for example the majority used public transportation
as a means to get around the city.
Here a personal vehicle is the norm, which
to me was very bizarre, because back there,
it was almost like a luxury.” What many see
as normal, others see as a privilege; that is
why it is so important
for FCC students to get
involved in student government
and in effort to
better the campus and
student life.
Saluschev said
FCC students who have
issues they want addressed
should go to
their representatives
and expect ASG to do
a great job listening
and fighting to make a
change. He said, “It is
crucial to have students’
participation in order to
be informed of what the students concerns
are and have students’ perspective on different
issues for proper representation.” If you
ask why you should be aware of ASG and its
activities, Sergey explained, “We advocate
on their [students] behalf.” He added that
ASG is here for students and if no students
participate, how can they properly represent
what students really want?
“Students who are interested in
events and want to participate in one way
or another can go out on campus to one
particular area and see what’s
happening,” Saluschev said. “It
just takes a little time.”
Many who know the
ASG president say FCC is so
lucky to have a leader who
loves to dedicate his time and
life to “service people”. “You
do not need a title,” he said to
be involved on campus.
Saluschev warned students
not to take their freedoms
for granted. “What I want to get
across to the students is to be
more proactive and take responsibility
for their environment.
Being apathetic and indifferent
will not improve their educational venues
or horizons,” he said. “For the longest time
during the Soviet Union, there were only
specific appointed individuals who were
making all the decisions and you had to go
along with the policy. If you didn’t agree,
you would face the consequences. You
would be potentially prosecuted or jailed,
or you just had to remain silent.”