Column should have clarified application process

The column (“”New regent disrespects Arizona’s students,”” April 18) regarding the new student regent wasn’t clear about the Arizona Students’ Association’s role in selecting the student regent.

While it’s true that ASA is involved in the process, selection and recommendation of student regents is ultimately up to the respective student governments. ASA successfully lobbied for the creation of a student regent position in 1978, again in 1989 to make the seat permanent and finally in 2000 to add a second non-voting student regent seat. It has become a national model for the statewide student voice on university governing boards.

Through a careful and comprehensive selection process, student governments interview and recommend student regent candidates to the governor — the decision of whom to recommend to the governor is in their hands.

Both student regents serve as ex-officio members of the ASA Board of Directors.

ASA looks forward to working with all new and returning Regents in the coming year.

— Elma Delic, Arizona Students’ Association chair