The state Senate has confirmed Lawrence J. Flint, a senior at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania, to serve as one of three student members on the Board of Governors of the State System of Higher Education.

Flint is president of the Student Cooperative Council Inc. at Lock Haven and serves as parliamentarian of the Board of Student Government Presidents, which comprises the student leaders from each of the 14 state-owned universities.

A secondary education major with concentrations in physics, chemistry and general science, Flint expects to graduate in December. He is a resident of Hallstead, N.Y., and is the son of Thomas and Joan Flint.

The 20-member Board of Governors has overall responsibility for planning and coordinating the development and operation of the State System. The governors establish broad fiscal, personnel and educational policies under which the System universities operate. The three student members on the board have full voting rights.

“Our student board members are equal participants in all of our discussions and policy-making decisions,” said Board Chairman F. Eugene Dixon Jr. “The perspective they bring to the Board on behalf of our more than 94,000 students is critical, and, indeed, essential, if we are to meet fully all of our students’ needs.

“Serving students is why we exist,” Dixon added. “We need to listen to their opinions and to their ideas.”

“Through his leadership position on the Board of Student Government Presidents, Larry Flint already has provided invaluable service to the System,” said System Chancellor James H. McCormick. “As a new member of our governing Board, his contributions as a spokesman for our diverse student body will become even more significant.”

Student members are selected from among the university student government presidents serving at the time a vacancy occurs and, once confirmed, may serve until their graduation. The other student governors are Christopher J. Cerski from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania and Jason B. Bozzone from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania.

Other members of the Board of Governors are Dixon of Lafayette Hill; Vice Chairs Kim E. Lyttle of Pittsburgh and R. Benjamin Wiley of Erie; and Syed R. Ali-Zaidi, Shippenville; Muriel Berman, Allentown; Rep. Jeffrey W. Coy, Shippensburg; Daniel P. Elby, York; Glenn Y. Forney, Brandenton, Fla.; Charles A. Gomulka, Pittsburgh; Secretary of Education Eugene Hickok Jr., Harrisburg; Sen. F. Joseph Loeper, Drexel Hill; Rocco A. Ortenzio, Lemoyne; Gov. Thomas J. Ridge, Harrisburg; Rep. Jere W. Schuler, Lampeter; Sen. Patrick J. Stapleton, Indiana; John K. Thornburgh, Pittsburgh; and Christine J. Toretti, Indiana.

Flint has been involved with the student government organization at Lock Haven since January 1994. He served as vice president of the Student Cooperative Council before being elected president in April 1996. As a student senator, he initiated the formation of the University Judicial Board.

The student organization at Lock Haven University administers a $1.5 million annual budget, providing funding for athletics programs, student activities and vending services on campus, and operating the campus bookstore and student snack bar.

Flint has extensive work experience with the Greater Pittsburgh Council of Boy Scouts of America, including having served as retail sales director of the Heritage Scout Reservation during each of the past four summers. Also, for four years he has conducted environmental education sessions for elementary school students attending programs sponsored by the Scranton-Pocono Girl Scout Council. Flint is an Eagle Scout and received the Outstanding Citizen Medal from the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

The State System of Higher Education comprises 14 universities throughout the Commonwealth, and is the largest provider of higher education in the state. One of every 29 Pennsylvanians is attending or is a graduate of a System university. The State System is the 17^th largest employer in the state, with more than 11,700 employees.

The 14 state-owned universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. The System also operates branch campuses in Clearfield, Kittanning, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers.