2008 Woodie Awards
BOG searching for full-time student member
Lindsay Lorenz
Issue date: 11/29/07 Section: News
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11/29/07 - A unique opportunity is up for grabs for one Rhode Island resident. The Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education is looking for one University of Rhode Island student to sit on its governing panel.
The board, an 11-member panel of volunteers, includes public figures and, by state law, one student from Rhode Island who is enrolled full time at a state institution. The student seat rotates every two years among Rhode Island College, the Community College of Rhode Island or, as in next year's case, URI.
The last time a URI student sat on the board was in 2003. Andrea Hopkins, URI's vice president of public affairs, said the student, a Continuing College of Education student, was untraditional.
"She had children in college, her son was at the Kingston campus," Hopkins said. "Yet she was a very vocal representative of all kinds of students, and that was what we wanted on the Board of Governors - a student's perspective."
Hopkins added that the position is a unique opportunity because the student will represent all three institutions.
The current student board member, Sarah Courtmanche, is from RIC. Her term will expire Jan. 31, 2008. A URI student who plans to spend at least two more years as a full-time student will take over the position and continue to serve until Jan. 31, 2010.
"It's a wonderful opportunity to practice leadership and public speaking," Hopkins said.
The board makes decisions and sets policies on everything from tuition, adding and removing majors and degree-granting programs, and new construction projects.
Hopkins said the position is not one to be taken lightly. "There's definitely a time commitment," she said.
Aside from regular board meetings, which occur about every six weeks, the student will sit on a committee, which requires attendance at additional meetings that vary in frequencies. On top of that, students must keep up with the reading the position requires and conduct research as well.
The board, an 11-member panel of volunteers, includes public figures and, by state law, one student from Rhode Island who is enrolled full time at a state institution. The student seat rotates every two years among Rhode Island College, the Community College of Rhode Island or, as in next year's case, URI.
The last time a URI student sat on the board was in 2003. Andrea Hopkins, URI's vice president of public affairs, said the student, a Continuing College of Education student, was untraditional.
"She had children in college, her son was at the Kingston campus," Hopkins said. "Yet she was a very vocal representative of all kinds of students, and that was what we wanted on the Board of Governors - a student's perspective."
Hopkins added that the position is a unique opportunity because the student will represent all three institutions.
The current student board member, Sarah Courtmanche, is from RIC. Her term will expire Jan. 31, 2008. A URI student who plans to spend at least two more years as a full-time student will take over the position and continue to serve until Jan. 31, 2010.
"It's a wonderful opportunity to practice leadership and public speaking," Hopkins said.
The board makes decisions and sets policies on everything from tuition, adding and removing majors and degree-granting programs, and new construction projects.
Hopkins said the position is not one to be taken lightly. "There's definitely a time commitment," she said.
Aside from regular board meetings, which occur about every six weeks, the student will sit on a committee, which requires attendance at additional meetings that vary in frequencies. On top of that, students must keep up with the reading the position requires and conduct research as well.