The University of California is one of the world’s largest
higher education and research institutions, with 179,137 students
and 32,860 academic staff members on 10 campuses; and policy that
impacts everyone is made by one body.
The UC Board of Regents is the governing body of the entire
university system. Included on the board are political
officeholders, business and social leaders and prominent alumni
““ and one student.
One student, out of 26 board members, many of whom are
multi-millionaires, has both a voice and a vote on matters of
admissions policy, student fees and university administration.
This year’s student member, Dexter Ligot-Gordon, who is a
student of political economy of industrial societies at UC
Berkeley, has served as a voting regent since July, and has already
earned the respect of the board.
“He’s a very sincere individual who works hard and
does his best to fully represent the student community,” said
Regent Ward Connerly.
“Dexter is a sound regent and he pushes his issues
well,” said Regent Velma Montoya.
Ligot-Gordon plans to devote much of his tenure to outreach,
which he believes is crucial to the UC’s mission.
“(Outreach) is what provides access to the
university,” he said.
Student-initiated outreach, for example, “allows (high
school) students to see people like them in college,”
Ligot-Gordon added.
Life as student regent has not always been simple. Ligot-Gordon
likes to tell others that when he first attended a regents’
meeting, he went in through the wrong entrance and was blocked by
UCPD officers as he stepped over the velvet rope around the table.
Now, things go more smoothly.
“Many of the regents have been able to listen to me when I
have a good idea,” he said.
Still, the job is far from easy.
“There are days when it’s nerve-racking,” said
former student regent Tracy Davis.
Though the student regent is appointed to look out for
university-wide interests, rather than serve as a representative
for the student body, the position nonetheless ensures that student
perspectives are heard at regents’ meetings.
“The student regent gives us access to the board that we
would not otherwise have,” said Steve Klass, president of the
University of California Student Association.
UCSA supports Ligot-Gordon’s positions on outreach, low
student fees and opposition to the Racial Privacy Initiative, Klass
said.
The RPI, a California ballot initiative supported by Connerly,
would ban the collection of racial information in most areas of
state business. It is scheduled for a vote in March 2004.
Klass believes that an additional student regent, an idea
suggested by last year’s UCSA president Kenny Birch, would be
an improvement.
“I think it’s great to have two voting (student)
regents at the same time,” Klass said.
UC alumni are represented by two voting regents and two
non-voting members. Ligot-Gordon believes students should have the
same presence on the board.
“I don’t see why the students don’t have that
same access to the board,” he said.
Connerly thinks an additional student on the board would allow
for broader representation of student views.
“One student cannot represent the divergent viewpoints of
the entire student community,” Connerly said.
Montoya doubts a second student regent would have a major impact
on the board’s decisions.
“I don’t think they’re going to swing anything
with an extra vote,” she said.
Given that only one student has an official voice on the board,
some regents feel that more interaction between regents and
everyday students is desirable.
Town hall meetings and public e-mail addresses would improve
interaction, Connerly said.
Ligot-Gordon and Davis agree that students should be more
involved on campus and in the community.
“If (students) don’t vote, we don’t have
political power,” Ligot-Gordon said.
According to Davis, those who don’t get involved pay the
price.
“If you don’t participate, you can’t
complain,” she said.