Dawna Williams
Running for: ASLC President
Major: Education Administration
G.P.A. 3.53
Why are you running for ASLC?
The job requires someone who can perform a delicate balancing act of working with and for a diverse body of people. Someone who has and will dialogue and work diligently with faculty and staff to overcome systemic problems that have plagued the student faculty/administration relationship for years. In addition, someone who can focus on solutions to difficult problems, not just someone who focuses on the problems without a plan to fix them. I'd like to be a President who focuses on some of the wonderful things about Laney and share them with the community and prospective students. I want to [EXCEEDED WORD LIMIT]
What experience do you have that qualifies you for the position?
My professional career which began as a Property Supervisor for a property management firm specializing in housing chronically homeless adults and consumers with HIV, managing over 100 employees and 15 properties. I honed my networking and public relations skills here having to meet regularly with city officials, conducting tours of our controversial programs. I’ve worked as a Public Relations Specialist for the Northeast Vocational District in (Columbus, OH) and served as Student Body President of my high school. I’m a confident, seasoned and active student at Laney and serve as Vice President and Co-founder of Alpha Lambda Co-ed Service Fraternity,
What are your top three (3) priorities if elected?
- Communication: Increasing transparency to improve communication between the Administration and the Students. Using all media outlets at our disposal to communicate vital information to the entire Peralta family.
- Financial aid workshops to increase student’s knowledge of the process and improve the working relationship between the financial aid department and students.
- Working with programs such as EOPS, ESL, DSPS, Veterans, International Students to ensure that these students have the essential services and support despite budget cuts.
A willingness to take responsibility even if that means your decision will not be the most popular one as no one can lead without being criticized or without facing discouragement. A potential leader needs mental toughness and who sees things as they are and is willing to pay the price.
Laney College is considered to be a very diverse campus. Is diversity at an educational instutition important? Why?
Laney has a wonderful diverse student population and manages to foster genuine interaction across race and ethnicity which provides opportunity for many students to learn from their peers of different cultures, values and experiences. This perspective is extremely helpful to students and allows students to gain an appreciation of different view points and how to interact with people from diverse cultures.
Many students at Laney College, particularly Black students, claim to have difficulties with financial aid. Do you have any ideas/plans to increase students' access to financial aid opportunities?
I've been working with Bob Fleming and the staff at the financial aid department to put on a student coordinated workshop, to aid the students in getting through the financial aid process with greater ease and efficiency. The workshops will be designed to answer the students questions about timelines, document requirements, student responsibility, deadlines and payment allocations. I believe that easing the burden on the financial aid office by increasing and improving our educational workshops will also relieve the anxiety students feel about this process and improve the relationship between the students and the department.[EXCEEDED WORD LIMIT]
