On Tuesday, Feb. 4, the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) passed Resolution 27, which states that there should be a USG appointed student representative on the university’s Board of Trustees.
The Board of Trustees is responsible for ensuring the success of the University, according to Douglas Scrivner, a member of the Board of Trustees and the chair elect. The Board ensures that it follows its own documented law while overseeing administration. It also oversees the provost’s office and is ultimately responsible for handling sensitive issues, overseeing campus projects, personnel matters and budgeting.
“We want students to be more involved in the decision making process,” said USG Vice President Katrina Yoshida. “It’s been something that’s been in discussion for a while, we just think that the student voice should be heard on higher levels of administration.”
The resolution was written by AHUM Senator Josh Wehe and was passed unanimously. It states that the student representative on the Board of Trustees would be in charge of ensuring that the interests of the students are being taken into account, according to Yoshida.
The resolution states: “Be it resolved, that the USG demand, through the appropriate administration, that the Board of Trustees include a student representative. Be it further resolved, that the student representative has voting privileges on the Board of Trustees, be it further resolved, that the USG decide who the student representative is on an annual basis.”
Scrivner has attended USG meetings and is aware of the interest in student representation on the Board.
“Personally, although I do not speak on behalf of the Board, I think that the notion of a student member is one worth exploring,” said Scrivner, “but there are challenges that will go along with it.”
According to Scrivner, the members of the Board are established by university bylaws. The Board also has a limit on its size, 26 members, set by the Charter. DU’s Charter is an internal resource that evaluates the university as a whole, according the the department’s website.
“Members of the Board have to be nominated by the Trustees Affairs Committee and these nominees are presented to the Board, who select the new Board members,” said Scrivner. “The [USG] Resolution seems to suggest something differently, but as the bylaws stand, this would be the process of selection.”
The Resolution states that the student representative be selected by USG themselves. According to Yoshida, now that the Resolution has been passed, USG President Mike Schutte will submit it to the Board, as well as the provost and chancellor’s office.
“Students feel like they are not being represented, we’ve done research and other schools have student representation on their boards,” said Yoshida. “We don’t think it wise that the administration make decisions without student representation. While suggestions can be made [to the board] we don’t know if they’re following through on them and that’s still different than being at the table.”
Scrivner states, however, that student feedback and suggestions are always taken into consideration with the Board.
“There are vehicles of student leadership to share issues,” said Scrivner. “These are taken very seriously. It is an important element and it is also important that the members do not represent any constituency. They make decisions in the best interest of the university.”
Yoshida says she hopes the resolution will help ensure the student voice is taken into consideration.
“We just want the students’ voices to be heard,” said Yoshida. “Even if we are unable to get a member on the Board, at least it’s a start.”
