The Board of Governors is a 20-member body that provides oversight of the State System and includes three student members who are appointed by the Board. The students are full-voting members and have all of the rights and responsibilities as the other members. Student members serve from the moment they are sworn in until they graduate (or leave the Board for some other reason).

Appointment Process 

The process to appoint a new student member is a collaborative effort between the Board, the Chancellor, and the university Presidents. To be considered for an open student seat, applicants must first secure the nomination from their respective university president. (Each university president may nominate only one student per search cycle.) 

  • Nominees may be any undergraduate or graduate student who has completed at least two full-time semesters at any level at any State System institution.

  • Nominees must be in good academic standing at the time of nomination, appointment, and throughout service. 

  • Nominees must provide to their president: 1) a letter of intent declaring their interest in serving as a member of the Board of Governors including expected graduation date, 2)  a current resume, 3) a copy of their unofficial transcript showing good academic standing, and 4) any additional materials requested from the president to help in the vetting process.

  • After nominations from the universities are received at the system level, the Board of Governors will review and appoint as many students as are needed to fill any open seats. 


Requirements and Responsibilities

Members of the Board — including student members — are expected to attend all quarterly board meetings each year plus any committee meetings and/or special meetings that might occur in between. (View the quarterly meeting calendar.) Meetings may be held either in-person or via phone/ZOOM depending on the circumstances. For members who travel, reimbursement for approved travel expenses is provided. Board members receive no other compensation.

Board members are required to follow the state's open records laws, ethics laws, and requirements for reporting of financial interests. As volunteers working within the State System, Board members are expected to undergo criminal background clearances in accordance with the Board's policy on the Protection of Minors.