Since 1977, Utah’s Governor has appointed a public college and/or university student to represent Utah students on the state’s Board of Higher Education. Under the new Utah Board of Higher Education, there are now two student members, one representing the state’s degree-granting institutions (research universities, regional universities, and community colleges) and one representing the state’s technical colleges. Student Board members are voting members and serve at the Governor’s appointment for one year.
Any eligible USHE student is encouraged to apply.
Eligibility:
- Applicants must be enrolled in a degree or certificate program at a Utah public research university, regional university, community college, or technical college.
- Degree-granting student body presidents serving during the 2022-23 academic year are not eligible for this position.
- Degree-granting students must remain enrolled through the 2022-2023 school year.
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Technical Education students must be enrolled at the time of their appointment.
Responsibilities of Student Board Members:
- The Student Board members are expected to attend all meetings of the full Board
- When: The full Board of Higher Education meets every other month. These recurring meetings typically take place on Fridays, but additional Board meetings may occur outside of regularly scheduled events. A current meeting schedule is found on the Board Meetings and Events page.
- Where: Various Utah college or university campuses; virtual option available
- Time commitment: The full Board meetings are approximately 6-8 hours per meeting (roughly 36-48 hours total during one-year term). All other additional Board meetings are typically shorter (1-2 hours).
- The Student Board members are expected to attend all Student Affairs Committee meetings:
- When: The Student Affairs Committee meets once every other month (in the months when the full Board does not meet). Meetings typically take place on Fridays.
- Where: Virtual
- Time commitment: Approximately 1-2 hours per meeting (roughly 6-12 hours total during one-year term)
- Student Board Members are expected to attend all Academic Education Committee (AEC) Meetings or all Technical Education Committee meetings. The degree-granting Student Board Member attends the Academic Education Committee and the technical college Student Board Members attends the Technical Education Committee:
- When: The Academic Education and Technical Education Committees meet every other month (in the months when the full Board does not meet). Meetings typically take place on Fridays.
- Where: Virtual
- Time commitment: Approximately 1-2 hours per meeting (approximately 6-12 hours total during one-year term)
- Student Board Members are expected to lead the USHE Campus Safety & Equity Advisory Council (CSEAC):
- When: CSEAC meets once each month on a day and time set by the Chair and Vice-chairs. (The degree-granting Student Board member acts as Chair of the Council and the technical college Student Board member acts as one of two Vice-chairs.)
- Where: Virtual
- Time commitment: Approximately 1 hour per monthly Council meeting. Other planning and preparatory meetings are required of the leaders of the Advisory Council (approximately 4-5 hours per month, 48-60 hours during one-year term.)
- Student Board Members are expected to prepare for all Board and Committee meetings by reviewing the meeting agendas, reading materials, memos, etc.
Compensation:
The Student Board members will receive a scholarship for the academic year in which they serve. All Board members, including the Student Board members, receive reimbursement for travel to and from Board meetings or other events associated with their duties, as well as a small stipend for their attendance at monthly Board meetings.
Interview, selection, and notification:
- Degree-Granting Institution Student Board member process:
- This initial review committee consists of Student Body Presidents serving in the Utah Student’s Association.
- USA will analyze all applications and invite select candidates to participate in a first-round interview. Invitations to interview will be extended in early April. First-round interviews will take place in mid-April and will be conducted by members of USA. Current Student Board members will sit in on this interview, but will not weigh in on the selection processes.
- Following the first-round interviews, the review committee will select three matriculated students as finalists for consideration by the Governor.
- Each finalist will receive communication from and a second-round interview with the Office of the Governor, likely in late April or early May.
- The appointed candidate will be placed before the Utah Senate for confirmation. Once confirmed, the Student Board member will start their term on July 1, 2023.
- All applicants will be notified of their status before June 30.
- Technical College Student Board Member selection process:
- Staff from the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education (OCHE), and student representatives from Utah’s technical colleges will review applications and select candidates who will receive an interview.
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OCHE staff will interview candidates and select finalists.
- Finalists are forwarded to the Governor for consideration. The Governor’s office conducts second interviews and selects the Technical Education Student Board Member.
- The selected candidate will be placed before the Utah Senate for confirmation.
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The Student Board Member will serve a term that ends June 30, 2023.
