Twice a month, a group of OCCC students gather to review and vote on issues that affect all students — such as tuition increases, fundraising ideas and other topics that pertain to the college community, said Diversified Studies major Lisa Lasater.

Lasater is the chair of that group, known as The Leadership Council, or TLC.

According to the college website, TLC — made up of a representative from each of the clubs on campus, plus at-large members through application — “provides a forum for exchange of information between the student body and college administrators. TLC members have direct input into many of the decisions on campus that affect students.”

Lasater said currently there are 40 active campus clubs that represent the student body through TLC.

“It’s an organization where the voice of the student … is heard,” she said.

It’s through information gathered at TLC meetings that the college administration becomes aware of what is important to OCCC students, Lasater said. She said, as part of her TLC leadership role, she attends Presidential Advisory Council meetings.

PAC is a sounding board where representatives from each campus employee group and two student representatives from TLC meet monthly with President Paul Sechrist to discuss OCCC issues.

“For example, [TLC] voted at the very last spring semester meeting about raising tuition,” she said. “That was not an easy-going, 100-percent, across-the-board, unanimous vote of, ‘yes, let’s increase the tuition.’

“That was discussed [at] length over several (TLC) meetings to get that OK’d as the student body.”

Once TLC members agreed on the increase, she said, that information was relayed to Sechrist at the next PAC meeting.

And, Lasater said, just as TLC information is discussed at PAC meetings, information gathered at each PAC meeting also is discussed at TLC meetings.

She said to be a member of TLC, students must be an officer in a campus group or organization.

Lasater is president of the Future Alumni Network.

Lasater said joining a campus club or organization is something all students should consider.

“It’s a great way for students to get involved on campus, to find friends and to network,” she said.

Once a member of a club or organization, Lasater said, there are a number of leadership positions students can sign up for.

“It takes a little extra drive to want to be in leadership, to take it and go from there.”

She said students who are interested in finding out who TLC members are or learning more about what the group does also can attend a meeting.

Lasater said being in The Leadership Council has enhanced her academic journey at OCCC and given her a learning opportunity.

“I don’t think, personally, I would enjoy coming to school just to go to class and go home and study … ,” she said. “I don’t think that would complete me as an individual, because I know there’s more out there.”

For more information about the Leadership Council, contact Lasater at lisa.d.lasater@my.occc.edu or Student Life at SLstaffDL@occc.edu.