Three finalists for the UA student regent selection process will have their applications and résumés sent to Gov. Jan Brewer sometime this week for further review.
After the governor comes to a conclusion, the Arizona Senate must confirm the selected individual. The governor and senate will look over all of the information pertaining to the candidates to ensure that the chosen student will appropriately represent all college students from the three Arizona universities.
The 2009 UA Student Regent Selection Process has been underway since Sept. 9 and will conclude sometime in January, the next time the Arizona Senate is in session. On Nov. 18, the three students — Taylor Bell, William Holmes and Cheyenne Walsh — made an appearance at the Associated Students of the University of Arizona senate meeting. Many members from the selections board were present and spoke about the candidates. They all concluded that each of the finalists are highly qualified and have the résumés to prove it.
Executive vice president and chair of the 2009 selection committee Emily Fritze said she is confident that any of the three students would make a wonderful representative.
“”They are all highly qualified and have different background experience and passion for student advocacy,”” she said.
The Arizona Board of Regents selects a student from one of the three Arizona universities each year to represent the student body of the Arizona university system. The chosen individual sits on a board that consists of 10 adult regents and two student regents. The term is two years long, but for the first year, the individual works more as an apprentice.
“”Student regents definitely have a say in the decisions made, but for the first year they are non-voting,”” Walsh said. She is a first-year law student at the UA who obtained her undergraduate degree in Tucson before getting her master’s degree from Arizona State University.
“”The student regent has the opportunity to be the voice of what students want and need and delivers that to the board,”” she said. Walsh’s qualifications include working as a research intern for the Arizona State Senate.
“”I have existing relationships with the legislature and a lot of advocacy and government experience,”” she said.
Bell, another first-year law student who earned his undergraduate degree from Biola University, said he is a good candidate for the job.
“”The next regent is really going to have to fight for funding and get creative. I think I have the abilities to do that,”” he said. “”I would bring a unique perspective, balance and understanding.””
The third finalist, Holmes, is an economics and political science senior.
“”I found the process to be a great personal learning experience and challenge,”” he said.
Holmes said he is passionate about student issues and a proponent for universal education in Arizona.
“”I want to be the next student regent because I feel that if an individual academically qualifies and desires to attend an Arizona public university, then they should have that opportunity to do so and better their life through education,”” he said.
Until Gov. Brewer makes her decision and the senate passes it, the student finalists and selection committee can only anticipate the conclusion of the process.
“”It’s in their hands now, and at some point there will be more interviews,”” Bell said. “”Hopefully we won’t have to worry about it until after finals.””
The term of the future student regent will not begin until July 2010.
