Student Regent Jodi Anderson and Student Regent-designate Adam Rosenthal answered student questions and responded to concerns during a Jan. 21 campus visit to UCSD.
A graduate student at UCLA, Anderson represents the approximately 200,000 students in the UC system as the sole student with voting powers on the UC Board of Regents.
“We can do a better job as a board of educating ourselves on the student perspective, but we are working on it,” Anderson said. “And the student regent tries to bring [students’] concerns to the Board of Regents.”
The student regent is appointed annually through a written application and several interviews with members of the UC Students Association and Board of Regents. Once appointed, the student serves one year as a regent-designate, who sits on committees but has no vote, followed by one year as the voting regent.
Anderson currently votes on the 26-member board and deals with a wide range of issues affecting the 10 campuses.
“We are in a precarious situation with an increase in fees and a reduced return to aid,” Anderson said. “This is the wrong message to send, and it has a negative impact on students. It takes us one more step away from accessibility to low-income students. While one year won’t make or break a student’s ability to pay, I’m worried that it is the beginning of a trend.”
Anderson was instrumental in crafting the regent-approved resolution making outreach programs a funding priority for the University of California in order to “give more leverage in future fights,” she said.
Sixth College Senior Senator Matt Corrales said he was concerned that only one student receives a vote on the Board of Regents, but commended Anderson and Rosenthal.
“There is a lack of accountability [for the Board of Regents] and there should be more voting student regents,” Corrales said. “But they are doing a great job representing student concerns, and I appreciate their support for student-initiated outreach.”
Rosenthal, next year’s student regent, said he sees the need for a balance to the job.
“If you vote like a student, [the Board of Regents] will treat you like a student,” Rosenthal said. “We need to vote on what is best for the university as a whole. Many previous student regents have been so busy as advocates for students, they don’t see the bigger picture of the university.”
A law student at UC Davis, Rosenthal said he had concerns about the future of education and the university when he applied to become the next student voice on the board, but sees the position as an opportunity.
“It is amazing how dedicated the regents are and how much they care about the school,” Rosenthal said.
Both Anderson and Rosenthal said they urged students interested in serving as student regent to apply for the position.
Applicants must be able to serve a two-year term, during which they are enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at a UC school. Applications for the position are available at http://www.universityofcalifo-rnia.com/regents.
