Ohio representative Jimmy Stewart met with members of Graduate Student Senate last night to discuss senate's resolution recommending student trustees be given voting rights.
Stewart said that he hadn't heard about the issue until it was brought to his attention by Maggie O'Toole, the president of Students for Effective and Accountable Leadership, and asked senate to explain its stance on the issue.
Giving student trustees a vote is a bit of a national trend, said Drew Pusateri, senator for the College of Education, adding that, according to his research, somewhere around 25 percent of universities allow this.
Because approximately two-thirds of university funding comes from students, it is important to give the fee-payers of the institution a voice, said Dominic Barbato, senate president.
Stewart said that he would take the proposal to interested parties in the Ohio statehouse, but he would need to address concerns with university and state administrators before he could commit to writing a bill.
Stewart warned senate that the process to obtain the rights is potentially lengthy.
I say that not only to caution you
but to tell you to keep hope Stewart said. You would be amazed at what happens when you keep trying.
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Ashley Lutz
