Story and Photo Illustration by Hannah Kampitan, Co-Editor-In-Chief
Associated Students (AS) presidential candidate Alec Gibson dropped the race due to injury and will no longer be on the AS Redo Election ballot.
The AS presidential redo election opens Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at 9 a.m. and closes on Thursday, April 10, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. The race will be between the remaining candidates, Jordy Galan and Angel Hernandez.
For more information on why a redo election will take place, read our previous article here: link
Gibson, a first-year student who currently serves as a senator in the council, stated he sustained injuries during spring recess, making it difficult to campaign.
“Unfortunately, I got into a scooter accident last Thursday, and I am injured,” Gibson said. “It is difficult for me to get around, and campaigning would be very difficult for me to accomplish. I would never want to run a campaign that I could not put my full effort into for the student body.”
Prior to the accident and the redo election, Gibson credited his campaign success to the mobility that allowed him to do grassroots campaigning, meeting students face-to-face by walking around campus.
“A big part of what I was doing was reaching out to people…more grassroots campaigning, walking up to people, telling them about my campaign, initiatives…I found a lot of success with that. I feel like I was really able to connect with people…which, you know, makes me feel very motivated to continue running.”
Gibson’s campaign included plans for a centralized scholarship database–independent from the Cypress Foundation Scholarships–and initiatives to preserve the campus food and book pass.
Galan and Hernandez will continue their presidential race. Before voting, enrolled students at Cypress College are encouraged to read each candidate’s statement on the Associated Students Canvas page.
In independent interviews with Galan and Hernandez (before Gibson dropped from the race), they stated their respective goals, initiatives, and feelings about taking office.
The candidates are presented in alphabetical order.
Jordy Galan, current 2024-2025 AS Vice President of Student Organizations
Galan’s main initiatives center on improving campus safety and handling student conduct. He stated his plan for a second Campus Safety office by the library to create more presence: “From what I’ve seen, most of the incidents that happened around campus are by the library or by the SEM building. We do have [Campus Safety] vehicles around, but you never know…there’s not much presence there,” he said.
In response to how he would garner funding for a second Campus Safety office, he stated that a possibility is using an existing area in the library.
“Instead of making a building, there’s a room under the library on the corner, under the breezeway that is used by, I believe, faculty. We can use that instead for a campus [safety] headquarters…having one of those campus safety officers in there, just in case anything happens,” he said. “Or like a pop-up office. It just depends on how much the faculty and the president would want to put into it, cause there’s also construction [on campus] like temporary homes, or like temporary middle offices.”
According to Galan, he additionally wants a system that blocks and flags students who get kicked out of campuses for sexual harassment or misconduct, and for students to be interviewed by college admission faculty if they want a second chance: “[the purpose is] for students to get checked. They would have an interview process. We want to make sure that people don’t think that it [getting flagged] is a barrier to attending school. I’m talking to Rising Scholars to make sure to touch base with them, I want to talk to the deans, and Admissions and Records…It’s a big project that would take a few months…a full year. There’s only so much I can do being a vice president of clubs. It would be effective as president, who’s in meetings with all the advisors, all faculty, and the [college] president.”
Additionally, he hopes to continue providing direct support to campus clubs from his experience leading as Inter-Club Council chair.
Regardless of whether he wins, he would advocate for his opponent’s policies: “I would want to help them with their policies. It’s not like we’re going to give up on the policies…But I would expect likewise [if I lose]…May the best policies win.”
Angel Hernandez, current 2024-2025 AS senator.
Hernandez’s main initiatives are centered on increasing student engagement and representation. According to Hernandez, he believes that different marginalized groups on campus require unique support and recognition based on specific needs.
“All of them face disparities,” he said. “You have to help them in different unique ways, you can’t help them all the same way because they don’t all need the same things…some need recognition, some need more programs, some need more protection.”
To help these communities, he plans on creating a committee that concentrates on workshops, potentially opening outreach positions.
His motivation to incorporate more workshops started with his “Know Your Rights” workshop, where he communicated with an attorney to educate communities on navigating their rights, particularly those affected by the Trump administration: “the administration right now, with undocumented immigrants being deported and families being separated, [the workshop] shows that Cypress stands with them. We went over facts from the lawyer on how to protect yourself, how to stay away from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and what to do if you ever get contacted or approached by them.”
Moreover, he stated his plans on collaborating with more campus clubs and programs: “I’ve known how common disparities are, and how students don’t have enough resources and are too embarrassed to ask for help…I want to incorporate the clubs and programs to do our [AS] events.”
Hernandez stated that he would be happy regardless of who wins: “Their statements are just as good as mine…I’m going to be happy knowing that it’s one of us…because all of us share the same goal. If it’s not me, I know my goal is still going to be done through them… A senator can do a lot more, if not the same, as a president.”
To vote in this redo election, enroll in the Cypress College Associated Students’ Canvas page. A notification will appear on the Canvas dashboard for enrolled Cypress College students.
