College students throughout the Commonwealth may have more involvement in university administration if legislators accept three bills now being pushed by student activists. If passed, the bills would require all state universities and colleges to appoint one or more students to non-voting positions on their governing boards.
Only four Virginia universities -- James Madison, George Mason, Mary Washington and the University -- already appoint student board members.
Whether a university has a student board member is outlined individually by school in the Virginia Code. These bills would universalize the requirement to have a student member.
Tommy R. Smiegel, Old Dominion University's student body president, and 14 other student leaders from four colleges found Senate and House support for the bills in Richmond last week.
Supporters of the bills said students offer invaluable perspectives to administrators.
"It's a real bonus to have a student member, and in many ways the student member is the most influential person on the Board because you have one student [compared to] 16 members who are not students," University Rector John P. Ackerly III said. "What the student has to say is very influential."
William & Mary Rector J. Edward Grimsley said he is not familiar with the bills, but he said he favors student involvement with the board. Grimsley said although William & Mary does not have a student board member, "the idea that there could be some student involvement ... would not be an alien concept."
Although the bills are not yet on the legislative agenda, they have garnered support from several delegates.
"I think it's a perspective the BOV could use [because] students in the university are active [in university life], rather than the perspective of graduates and alumni," Del. Mitch Van Yahres (D-57th) said.
Opponents of the bill have argued that a student board member presents a conflict of interest because some board discussions are confidential or involve the evaluation of faculty members. But these bills would let the boards exclude their student members from some faculty-related discussions.
A student member is only "one voice out of 18," Van Yahres said. "I don't see where there could be a conflict of interest, and he or she could always abstain" from discussion.
To avoid potential problems, universities also should select their student board members carefully, University student Board member Robert Schoenvogel said. The University selects its student Board member based on a written application and a review by students, faculty and administrators.
"Hopefully the student chosen would be mature enough to handle any [sensitive] discussions," Schoenvogel said.
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