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March 28, 2024

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Spring Housing Guide

Notice: Trustee needed

Senior Matt Clever will graduate in May, and in his absence the representative position to the Board of Trustees, one of the most influential undergraduate positions at the University, will be filled by a new representative.

The process of finding the next two-year representative begins this week.

Applications are due Friday, Feb. 11 and interviews will be conducted next week.

Clever, who has been working with the trustees for two years, said it is a challenging and exciting role on campus.

“When I first began, I didn’t realize the magnitude of the position,” Clever said. “The representative must be someone who cares about the University and the students. It can be difficult at times, so you need the passion to keep working and fighting.”

The Board of Trustees is a group of 11 individuals who are authorized by law to do all things necessary for the proper maintenance, and successful and continuous operation of the University.

All positions are appointed by the governor of Ohio. Clever was appointed by Bob Taft two years ago.

“If the governor’s office calls you that’s when it really hits you,” Clever said. “It is really a very formal process at first.”

Bowling Green’s Board of Trustees is comprised of nine alumni who are now professionals in their various fields. The other two positions are occupied by one graduate student and one undergraduate student.

“To be successful, a student representative must maintain a good relationship with the trustees — that’s how you do your job,” Clever said. “You have to get the trustees to listen to you.”

The student positions are non-voting positions, but rely on the impact the student representatives can have in conversation with the board.

Clever said he was surprised to find how receptive and accepting the trustees are to the student representatives.

“My biggest surprise was how much they care about the University and the students,” Clever said. “I was surprised to find how selfless they were.”

The representative position is non-compensative and Clever said he worked an average of 15-20 hours a week on issues related to the position.

John Moore, alumnus and independent consultant for economic and community development, joined the Board of Trustees in 2003 along with Clever. Moore said the next student representative has a lot to live up to in order to fill the empty spot.

“Matt has been an excellent representative in the standpoint of being clear and concise in outlining what is going on campus — things we wouldn’t necessarily hear or have insight into from the students’ perspectives,” Moore said.

All public universities have student representatives on their Board of Trustees, but not all of them specify that one be one graduate and undergraduate student like Bowling Green requires. Moore finds this very important.

“I think if you don’t deal with both of those student populations you are going to fall short in making the University one that has high credibility with graduate students and undergraduate students,” Moore said. “It’s sort of a no-brainer.”

Applications can be picked up at the front desk of the Student Union or in the Undergraduate Student Government office located in room 404 of the Student Union.

After applications are collected Friday, applicants can expect individual interviews and five applicants will be chosen by the Student Board of Trustees Selection Committee. The selection committee will then give the five applications to the governor’s office.

Clever said he has some words of advice for the next representative.

“Make sure you stay informed and involved in a lot of committees and groups,” Clever said. “You get to meet a lot of nice people at the University. It is a lot of fun to watch the growth take place from the inside.”

He hopes the next representative will continue the good work he has seen the Board do over the past two years.

“People think of Bowling Green as an individual institution, but it is part of the state education system,” Clever said. “So the position does not just represent BG, but the entire system.”

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