Safer parking spaces, book prices and housing affordability are just some of the many concerns El Camino College students raised during an informal Town Hall event on Thursday, Feb. 19.

The Associated Students Organization hosted the Town Hall meeting in Room 109 at the Communications Building from noon to 2 p.m.

“This is a forum for anyone to talk about anything that might be affecting them,” ASO Director of External Affairs Jocelyn Coenmans, 20, said.

Coenmans, a political science major, asked attendees to scan a QR code for a survey that is available until the end of March, write their concerns on the white board or on an index card, and pick out a free Jersey Mike’s sandwich courtesy of ASO.

Student concerns listed on the white board included: “safe parking,” “science courses offered,” “price of books,” “paid jobs for students,” “housing affordability,” and “job security.”

Members of the ASO will then use the feedback they received from the survey for lobbying trips to Washington, D.C. and Sacramento, California in February and March.

“What we’re planning on doing is just talking to [legislators] about a couple of issues,” Division Council Member of Natural Sciences Jacob Rodriguez, 18, a biochemistry major, said.

These issues will include AI use, parking, safety, getting more speed bumps and speed signs, and educating students about the speed limit at El Camino College when he speaks to the California Community College Senate in San Francisco.

Film/video major Miesha Johnson, 28, hopes that ASO can help add more film classes during the spring semester so she can complete her degree and transfer in a timely manner.

Johnson said that she was waitlisted for a screenplay analysis course, which is only offered during the spring semester.

“It’s really important for us to have… student stories and student-backed data behind us for our lobbying efforts and to make sure we’re really prioritizing what the students want us to advocate for them,” Coenmans said.