Clemson, like most universities around the country, has a board of trustees who are part of the determining process for where the school’s money should be spent. The results of these meetings affect not only the school itself, but the students and teachers at these colleges as well. This is why it’s important to be very selective about who is serving on the board, as they make decisions that will impact everyone at the university. This is also why full representation on the board matters, especially for the students.
Students and teachers are usually the most impacted with collegiate decisions, such as those relating to parking concerns, mental and physical health services and other campus-related topics like construction or building refurbishments. And while the board at Clemson has done a great job at keeping the students’ welfare in mind, there are certain times when it would help with the decision-making if a representative from the student body could make the case for certain items being prioritized over others.
Despite movements from CUSG members to affect change on representation for those on the board, there has been some push-back, for numerous reasons. And while most of the obstacles against achieving this goal have been shown to not outrightly speak against a student representative, there are still no specific updates about a new member added to the board.
Allowing a student to be present during discussions s that directly affect Clemson is important for many reasons. First and foremost, students are the ones who pay to attend college and should have the knowledge that someone in the same situation as them is adding insight to where these funds go. The idea of one’s peer being a part of something that directly affects a group, especially one as large as an university, is comforting in that it helps feel like everyone is getting a voice. To have a student who lives on campus or commutes to school on the board is extremely helpful t because they’re living in the areas getting affected by the board’s decisions. A student representative would see and experience the outcomes of decisions which can benefit everyone in the long run.
The students at Clemson are ready to be involved and to work with the board of trustees in decision-making processes. Although there are differences in stages of life and title, at the end of the day everyone wants the same thing: to make Clemson University the best it can be.
