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Though the name includes the word “student,” Ohio University administrators say the role of a student trustee stems more from the latter part of the title.
Allison Arnold and Amanda Roden, OU’s current student trustees, do not have the right to vote but are still instructed to act similarly to the normal voting members.
“(Student Trustees) are expected to represent the university as a whole — not just a student’s vantage point,” the student trustee information packet states.
Peter Mather, secretary to the Board of Trustees, said he feels student trustees are key in bringing student perspective to the board but, at the end of the day, should be seen as representatives of the state — not student advocates.
“The students are appointed by the governor,” Mather said. “That suggests that they have a larger governing role than just being representatives or advocates for students in particular.”
Roden said OU Student Senate, rather than student trustees, should advocate for students through presentations to the board. She added student trustees have to be focused on the holistic university perspective — a job description her new counterpart disagrees with.
“To separate the two (words, student and trustee) is just illogical,” said Keith Wilbur, the newest student trustee who will replace Arnold, of his title. “(We need) unity of the student and trustee perspective, because ultimately, that’s the nature of the role.”
Ohio student trustees are only able to voice their opinions, but OU President Roderick McDavis says they are effective without a vote.
“When I speak with elected officials in Columbus, my perspective is ‘this is a person who has a vote,’ so there is a difference in terms of that relationship,” McDavis said. “When you’re in a non-voting position, for me, I’m much freer to talk about things.”
Wilbur does support student trustee voting rights, while Roden and Arnold do not.
McDavis said that though OU has not actively lobbied against voting rights — an accusation he called a “misunderstanding” — top administration is concerned student trustee voting power would detract from the trustees’ current role.
“When you’re in the privacy of an office … you’re freer to say things. It’s all about influence,” McDavis said. “A big part of what occurs on a campus is one’s ability to influence the decision-making process.”
Administrators fear conflicts of interest may arise from voting rights as well.
“Because they are directly impacted by board votes on tuition rates, fees, program and curricular issues, student trustees may be required to recuse themselves from votes on those subjects (if they have voting rights),” said Jennifer Kirksey, chief of staff to President McDavis, in a statement.
For McDavis, influence is shown through frank, closed-door discussions — not public votes.
“It’s the input that’s important to the decision making process,” McDavis said. “You do that best through one-to-one meetings and personal contacts.”
dd195710@ohiou.edu
