Students show interest in OU trustee position

by Brittney Martini
For the Post

The number of applications for a student spot on the Ohio University Board of Trustees rose by one candidate from last year — bringing the total number to 12 — despite increased advertising efforts by the selection committee.

Each year the Ohio governor selects one student to serve a two-year term on the board of trustees at each of the 13 public universities. The two student trustees on each board have influence over decisions and give opinions, but have no voting rights.  Last year, 11 students applied for the position at OU.

This year, more students expressed interest in applying to fill the position that will be vacated by graduating senior Amy Vargas-Tonsi, said OU junior Barry Spurlock, who was selected last year as a student trustee. More than 20 OU students showed up for an informational meeting April 8.

 The selection committee spent around $1,200 to make fliers and place advertisements, receiving funding from Student Senate, which organizes the application process.

Committee members also sent out mass e-mails and asked professors to make recommendations, said OU Student Senate President Jim Hintz, who served as committee chairman.

Despite the lack of a significant increase in the number of applications, the diversity of the candidates improved, Hintz said. A student from the College of Osteopathic Medicine and one from a regional campus applied — two areas that do not usually yield candidates.

“What we’re looking for is not the numbers, but the quality of the applications,” Hintz said.

The student trustee selection committee is made up of the two student trustees and three Student Senate members. Adviser Mike Sostarich, vice president for student affairs, guides the committee to narrow down the pool of applicants to five, but the committee does not make the final decision.

“We’re basically a filter,” Hintz said.

Interviews will begin Friday and by May, the student trustee selection committee will send their top five choices to Columbus.

“Everyone who turned in an application, regardless of criteria, gets interviewed,” Vargas-Tonsi said.

During the interview, the committee focuses on the applicant’s leadership experience and ability to communicate effectively.

“We take all of the person’s background into consideration. We look for someone who has proven experience and leadership,” Spurlock said.

The governor’s office usually appoints the trustee during the summer. A representative from the governor’s office can chose whether or not to interview the five final candidates. Vargas-Tonsi said she was selected without an interview when she applied her sophomore year.