In the Spring of 1979, the Board of Trustees initiated the practice of electing a new Denison graduate to the Board as the “Recent Student Trustee” and in 2011 voted to add a second Recent Student Trustee so that each graduating class might have representation on the Board. Caitlyn Battaglia ’13, the thirteenth graduate to serve in this capacity, was selected in 2013 and will serve through April 2015. Carlos Maciel ‘14 was selected last spring and will serve through April 2016. It is time to begin the search for the second Recent Student Trustee, to serve from October 2015 through April 2017, and we are writing to encourage you to consider submitting a nomination.
Members of the Class of 2015 are eligible for nomination. To qualify for consideration, the successful candidate should have a clearly demonstrated commitment to academic excellence, a record of contribution to the quality of campus life, and the ability to articulate student perspectives on issues that come before the Board.
The responsibilities of Board service are considerable. The Board is the governing body of Denison University and sets broad policies for the College. In addition, the University President and his senior administrators answer directly to the Board. All Trustees must have both willingness and scheduling flexibility to participate in three, two-day Board meetings each year (October, January, and April), and all serve on at least two standing committees. Additionally, the Recent Student Trustee has an obligation to keep in touch with current students, to sample student experiences, and to remain acquainted with student perspectives.
Nominations should take the form of a letter addressed to Student Trustee Nominating Committee, Office of the President, 100 West College Street, Granville, OH 43023. Your letter should contain a brief paragraph describing the nominee’s potential to be an effective Trustee and should also provide information relating to the qualifications outlined in the second paragraph of this memo. Nomination letters should be marked “Confidential” and must be received in the President’s Office no later than Friday, February 20, 2015. Students who accept their nomination will be asked to provide a resume, a short statement of interest, and related materials by March 2, 2015.
A screening committee of students, faculty, and staff will be appointed to review all nominations. The screening committee will interview the top candidates, tentatively during the week of March 23, 2015. The committee will then recommend two or three finalists to the President and the Committee on Trustee Affairs for further review. The final selection decision is made by the Board of Trustees.
We encourage your thoughtful participation in this important effort to bring to the Board an outstanding member from the Class of 2015.