In his final year at Laney College, ASLC President and Peralta student trustee Carl Oliver has announced plans to decrease the gap between students and their representatives.

In a series of council meetings, Oliver has promoted the ambitious ASLC Student Leadership Development Project — an interdisciplinary independent study program open to Laney students from all departments, with a focus on business, management, and sociology.

The ASLCSLDP, as Oliver abbreviates it, is part of a broad strategy to foster engagement in campus politics among the students. Oliver plans to promote his organization through a frequently published newsletter, written by students in his program, as well as through the Internet, with an aggressive approach to social media and an active plan to update the ASLC’s website.

Oliver, an Oakland native who has also resided in Pittsburgh, Tracy, and Berkeley, claims that he feels “a special connection to the community of Oakland” and relates to the campus’s student culture.

After a year as ASLC president, a position he ran for “to challenge [myself],” he has decided to take on what he sees as “poor governance” by the Peralta Board of Trustees. In his view, the board has violated the terms of Shared Governance, which requires student representatives to participate in policy discussions affecting students.

Additionally, Oliver has criticized Peralta Chancellor Jose Ortiz’s cancellation of the ASLC private bank fund. According to Oliver, the ASLC has “no idea how much money” they have access to, and must rely on infrequent budget reports from the chancellor’s office. He is, however, grateful that his $75,000 budget request for the ASLCSLDP was approved.

Oliver is spending his last year working toward an AA degree in math before transferring to either San Francisco State University or UC Davis, where he plans to major in Urban Studies and Urban Planning, before a final transfer to Harvard “if [he] can get in.”

In addition to his plans to revamp the ASLC’s public image, he also plans to make Laney College more aesthetically appealing and relaxing to students. He has announced plans to bring game rooms to the 4th floor of the Student Center, in addition to adding silent TVs to campus. Oliver hopes these changes will create a more friendly atmosphere to the school. He had also asked the school for new electrical outlets to be installed in the walls, replacing many of the old, outdated ones.

“Students should be out to support students,” Oliver says about his role in the ASLC. “This is our campus. We need to take ownership of our campus and inform the college of what we need to succeed as students.”