December 13, 2022
For Universities to Thrive, Students Need a Seat at the Table
By Lisa Herforth-Hebbert
The board of trustees is one of the most influential decision-making bodies on a campus, yet many of them lack adequate student representation.
By Sena Wazer
At many universities, the board of trustees is the most important decision-making body on campus, overseeing the school’s budget, selecting presidents, and deciding the range of climate action the university pursues. The board at the University of Connecticut is no different, comprising 21 members with nine faculty representatives. Only two trustees are students themselves, with the vast majority of the board never feeling the effects of its decisions.
At UConn, activists have increasingly turned to the board as the object of their advocacy. “We know that the BoT is the group that is most powerful in making university wide decisions, especially those that are financial.” said Musa Hussain, UConn senior and president of the UConn Environmental Justice Front.
In March, seven students held a sit-in during a BOT meeting to call for climate action while another group of students showed up to protest UConn’s handling of sexual assault cases. As students shared their concerns, the BOT chair attempted to cut students off and stop them from speaking.
