For the first time in approximately five years, an undergraduate student has been nominated for the student regent position on the UC Board of Regents for the 2010-2011 school year.
Jesse Cheng, an Asian American studies student who just finished his third year at UC Irvine, was nominated by the University of California Regents’ Special Committee to Select a Student Regent.
The nomination will be voted on by the entire UC Board of Regents at its next meeting on July 15.
Cheng has a long record of campus- and UC-wide involvement.
According to a statement issued by the UC Office of the President, Cheng served as external chair for the Asian Pacific Student Association, executive vice president-elect for the Associated Students of UC Irvine, Academic Senate representative for the Council on Education Policy and as the chair of the UC Student Fee Advisory Committee.
The recent budget crisis facing the UC system is what inspired Cheng to apply for the student regent position.
“I feel the ground the university is based on is shifting every day. For example, with the state funding and Cal Grants, we’re never sure where it’s going to go,” Cheng said.
“The university is having some difficult times, and I wanted to stand up for the important issues and advocate for them,” he added.
Cheng has the support of his predecessors, former student regent from UCLA, D’Artagnan Scorza, and the 2009-2010 student regent from UC Santa Barbara, Jesse Bernal.
“They were all great candidates. What’s great about Jesse is that he provides a unique undergraduate perspective,” Scorza said, citing his participation on the selection committee.
“He’ll bring passion and insight from his strong advocacy background.”
Bernal agreed with Scorza.
“I think he’ll give a valuable perspective on the board that hasn’t been there in years,” he said.
If voted in, Cheng will act as the student regent designate during the 2009-2010 year. In this position, he will essentially learn how to be a regent; he will have the same responsibilities and the ability to participate in committees and give his input in discussions. However, he will not be able to vote until his term begins in July of 2010.
“He will have a place of his own, but I will be there to mentor him, answer any questions and work as a partnership,” Bernal said.
Cheng said he hopes to focus on diversity, accessibility and affordability during his term as student regent. He said that he thought these issues affect students on a day-to-day basis.
“I come from a community where the expectation is to go to college, but that same community doesn’t always have the resources to do it. The sacrifices that your parents make become greater and greater,” Cheng said.
Both Cheng’s predecessors had some words of advice for the nominee.
“Jesse will be expected to move on board pretty quickly. He can speak at meetings and give input,” Bernal said. “The Regents really respect the students on the board and value our opinions.”
Scorza expressed what he thought is most important to being an effective student regent.
“Understand the role of the student regent. You’re not there to be an administrator or prop up a special interest but to bring a student perspective to the policy-making process. That makes a student regent successful,” Scorza said.