Tiffany Schlein
Year: Sophomore
Major: Global Studies, Spanish
Hometown: Lebanon, OH
Activities: Student Senate International Affairs Commissioner, Member of the International Student Union
What do you think is the most important role of the student trustee?
Well the main job of the student trustee is, you know express the student opinion on the board of trustees, that’s a pretty cookie cutter response, but what I see happening if I get the position, is just really advocating for student interests that aren’t always acknowledged and making sure to preserve what we have, in my resume I mentioned how it’s important for the trustee to see what we’ve done, what’s passed, to determine what to do and how that affects the future. It’s an all around temporal kind of position.
What do you think is going to be the big issue for the next two years?
Well, obviously financial issues are a big deal everywhere, especially here, we talked a lot about different things and different groups with the money situation and the budget cuts, and balancing at the forums and things like that. So, really keeping the student perspective in mind and things like that on the board.
I think we’re also going to have, not attendance problems, but attendance issues that need to be addressed as cuts get made and things aren’t as appealing here, like our numbers are going to go down here and that’s not something that we want at all.
What do you think you would do well in office?
Well, I’m fairly informed about how the money works, and how different parts of the university work because of being in Student Senate, just more knowledge than someone who is less involved. I’m currently a commissioner so I work to advocate issues and things like that.
I mentioned it on my essay, so, if you want to use it or not, it’s your call, but I really care about what I do. It’s really important I’m not just someone who’s looking to be a figurehead but looking to really work.
What is your position on student trustee voting rights?
I think being able to vote as a student trustee would be beneficial to everyone because not only would we get to say things, but it would be recorded in a way that … can hold you more accountable.
Not that the students are ignored or anything like that at all but just that it would create more of a record of accountability.
So I think it would be a good idea, do I think it’s a central issue, maybe not with the things that are going on in the university, like I said as long as the voice of the students isn’t being ignored, then maybe a vote is something we could work on later. I wouldn’t call it a non-issue, though.
Should the Budget Planning Council meetings be open to the public?
I’m probably a little neutral to that, too just because I think if it were open in full and just anyone were allowed to speak it would maybe push back some of the progress some of the things would have to be explained more, but I don’t think that information should be secret.
I think the information should be open but the meetings themselves closed.
