By snoadmin
When it comes to knowing what challenges students in the Cal State University system face, nobody knows better than the CSU students themselves.
This is why there are two students that sit on the CSU Board of Trustees. Currently, student trustees are only allowed to sit on the Board if they are of at least junior status. However, legislation has been proposed by Sen. Marty Block (D-San Diego) to extend the opportunity to sophomores.
The role of the student trustee is one of the highest and most powerful positions a student can hold in the CSU. The student trustee acts as the voice of the entire CSU student body.
Student trustees are bright and motivated people that want to represent their peers.
Why wouldn’t sophomores be good representatives for the students? Is it because they may not be as prepared to handle the position as compared to a junior or senior?
A student’s class standing should not be a factor in deciding if he or she would make a good trustee.
In the end, only the best candidate for the job will be chosen. By only allowing juniors and seniors to apply, the CSU is eliminating a crop of smart and enthusiastic students who could be right for the job. It’s possible that an overachieving sophomore could be a better candidate than any junior or senior.
It also makes sense to extend the student trustee position to sophomores because of the job’s two-year commitment.
Student trustees do not have voting power during their first year. It is only in their second year when the student trustees get to vote in Board meetings. It would make more sense to have a sophomore sit on the Board without voting power and in their junior year be given the power to vote. Then the student would have their senior year to focus more on themselves, their institution and getting out of college in time.
Also, opening up the job to sophomores would also create greater competition for the position due to the increase in the number of students who are eligible to apply.
Therefore, there shouldn’t be much opposition to broadening the candidate pool for CSU student trustees.
