Chaparral 2023-2024: Salutations from Senate President Cameron Hastings

Salutations from Senate President Cameron Hastings

Cameron Hastings shared an honest word about leadership and coming on as Senate President for our September issue. Let's here more about what she had to say: 

What is your name and role at GCC?

I'm Cameron Hastings, Professor and Department Chair of Political Science and Academic Senate President.

What motivated you to be Senate President?

I never really intended to be Senate President. I always supported other people when they took on this leadership role, but I never saw myself in that position. Until, several people close to me urged that I take it on because I had the experience to do it. I don’t think many of us feel ready to take on a leadership role like this. However, I also knew that I could lean on several former presidents for advice and counsel, which made me willing to try. I view one of my main jobs as a recruiter, generally recruiting colleagues to join the Senate as well as motivating them to be involved in other, more specific capacities within the Senate. All of my work is in the service of ensuring we have a strong future of Senate leadership.

Where can people find you if they have questions?

My faculty office is Sierra Vista (SV) 254. Most of the time, I can be found in my office because I can hear the energy of the surrounding classrooms and my colleagues. My email is hastings@glendale.edu and I am pretty good about getting back to people quickly.

What is one thing you want GCC folks to do now that they know about you and your work?

I fell into the Senate when my former Political Science colleague and former Senate president, John Queen, asked me to participate on a Senate task force. To me, the Senate was this weird campus body that existed on campus but I had no idea what it did. Once I started dipping my toe into task force work, I was introduced to the wide range of Senate issues that directly impacted me as a faculty member as well as my students. So, if you see an email asking for participation on a task force, to join one of our subcommittees, or to attend a Senate meeting (which are open to everyone, not simply Senate-appointed representatives), then please take advantage of the opportunity. Our Senate represents faculty voices across every discipline on campus, and we are stronger when we have broad engagement.