Background
In 2005, the 79th Texas Legislature authorized the Governor to appoint a nonvoting student regent for each university or university system. Section 51.355 of the Texas Education Code provides for the annual appointment of one student regent to a university system board of regents.
To aid the Governor in his selections, the chancellor of each university system must recommend students based on applications submitted by each president on behalf of the institution’s student government organization. The student regent serves a one-year term, from June 1 through May 31 of the following year. The UT System Student Regent has the same rights as regularly appointed board members, except the right to vote or be counted towards a quorum for official board business. The position serves without compensation, but the student will be reimbursed for expenses incurred during official Board business.
Students interested in applying to represent the UT System as the Student Regent should contact the student government organization on campus to find out about the campus-level application process and important deadlines.
Minimum Time Commitments for a UT System Student Regent
- Meeting Attendance. The Board has regularly scheduled meetings four-six times per year. These meetings involve two full days of meetings, social events, and travel. Also, special called Board meetings occur throughout the year as external circumstances warrant and do not follow a regular schedule. A special called meeting is often conducted via teleconference, but could require a full day of meetings and travel.
- Meeting Preparation. Required reading for a regularly scheduled meeting generally involves 300 plus pages of material that may require anywhere from six to ten hours to review. The volume of material to read in preparation of a special called Board meeting will vary based on the number of topics placed on the meeting's agenda. Required reading materials are generally sent to the Regents ten days prior to the scheduled meeting.
- Regent Orientation. One full day is scheduled as an opportunity for the offices of System Administration to brief new Regents on the responsibilities and value added by those offices to the UT System.
- Training. Four hours is estimated for obtaining training or reading on subjects such as conflict of interest issues, ethics, open meetings, and open records requirements.
- Review of Regents' Rules. The Regents' Rules and Regulations are the policies established by the Board of Regents. Eight hours is estimated for a new Regent to become familiar with the content of those Rules.