Governance and Legal Affairs
Section 217 Selection of University of Maine System Board of Trustees Student Members

Effective: 11/6/23
Responsible Office: Clerk of the Board, Office of the Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs, University Student Government Associations

Policy Statement
Private and Special Law 2023, Chapter 14 requires that effective no later than July 1, 2024, the University of Maine System Board of Trustees (herein referred to as the Board) include two student members, one who is a full-time undergraduate student in good standing and the other who is a full-time graduate student in good standing. The Governor of the state shall appoint the undergraduate student member based on the joint recommendation of the undergraduate student government associations representing each student body at the University of Maine, the University of Maine at Augusta, the University of Maine at Farmington, the University of Maine at Fort Kent, the University of Maine at Machias, the University of Maine at Presque Isle and the University of Southern Maine and the graduate student member based on the joint recommendation of the graduate student government associations representing each graduate student body at the University of Maine, the University of Southern Maine and the University of Maine School of Law, though the graduate student may be enrolled at any UMS university.

The two student members of the Board may not be from the same institution at the time of their appointment, and each must be enrolled at a different institution than their immediate predecessor.

Each student member of the Board serves a two-year term as a full voting member, and is subject to all relevant State laws and the policies and responsibilities of the Board, including, but not limited to, those detailed in the System’s Charter (Private and Special Law 1865, Chapter 532); Board Policy 103, Bylaws of Board of Trustees; Board Policy 206, Ethics Code and Conflict of Interest; and University of Maine System Board of Trustees Operating Principles. Consistent with this, a student member of the Board may not send a proxy in their place to Board meetings in the event they are unable to attend.

This policy details the process by which student members to the Board are recommended to the Governor for appointment and confirmation by the Maine Legislature.

Definitions
Full-time: An undergraduate student shall be deemed to have full-time status if they are matriculated and enrolled in 12 credit hours or more per regular (Fall/Spring) semester. Meanwhile, any matriculated graduate student enrolled in three or more credit hours per regular (Fall/Spring) semester is considered full-time for the purposes of this policy, as are doctoral students who have been admitted to candidacy or who are on approved internships and are enrolled in at least one credit each fall and spring semester.

Good standing: A student shall be deemed to be in good standing if they are not on probation or under suspension for any reason.

Undergraduate student government association: Recognized undergraduate student government associations include: the University of Maine Student Senate, the University of Maine at Augusta General Assembly, the University of Maine at Farmington Student Senate, the University of Maine at Fort Kent Student Senate, the University of Maine at Machias Student Senate, the University of Maine at Presque Isle Student Government Association and the University of Southern Maine Student Government Association.

Graduate student government association: Recognized graduate student government associations include the University of Maine Graduate Student Government, the University of Southern Maine Graduate Student Board and the University of Maine School of Law Student Bar Association.

University of Maine System Student Trustee Selection Council: The UMS Student Trustee Selection Council is responsible on a biennial basis or more frequently as needed for reviewing candidates provided by each eligible student government association and bringing forth a single candidate and an alternate for each position on the Board reserved for a student member.

The members of the Council responsible for selecting the undergraduate student who the Council will recommend to the Governor for appointment to the Board include the President of each undergraduate student government association or their designee and the undergraduate student representatives to the Board. The members of the Council responsible for selecting the graduate student who the Council will recommend to the Governor for appointment to the Board include the President of each graduate student government association or their designee and the graduate student representatives to the Board. In the event that an individual who would otherwise serve as a member of the Council is a candidate, they shall not be eligible to participate in the selection process and the student government association at their university shall designate one of its members to take their place as a Council member.

Prior to July 1, 2024, the Council will be chaired by the current student member of the Board, but they shall not be a voting member. Selection processes that occur after that date will be co-chaired by the President of the student government associations from which the most recent student members of the Board were enrolled, and they shall be voting members.

Procedures

Each undergraduate and graduate student government association shall determine its own process for selecting a candidate to serve as a member of the Board to put forward by Dec. 1, 2023 and every two years thereafter, or as needed because of a vacancy, to the System Student Trustee Selection Council, provided that process is inclusive, fair and that decisions are made entirely by students. Each student government association must adopt a policy detailing its selection process, which must be accessible to all members of the student body, including by being posted on the association’s public website. In making their recommendations, both individual student government associations and the Council shall strive to put forth qualified candidates who are representative of the student body and who enhance the knowledge and diversity of the Board, including as it relates to education; experience; age, gender and gender identity, race, and socio-economic status; and geographic representation within the state.

To inform the selection process, the Board Office shall make a prospectus available on its website that overviews the responsibilities and commitment of a student member of the Board and student government associations are encouraged to make that prospectus available to all interested candidates. Within available resources, the Board Office will also provide administrative support to the Council as requested by the Chair(s), including scheduling and hosting of virtual Council meetings.

The undergraduate student government association from the university where the most recent undergraduate student member of the Board is/was enrolled and the graduate student government association from the university where the most recent graduate student member of the Board is/was enrolled may not bring forth candidates for the Council’s consideration, but the Presidents of those associations and the student representatives to the Board from those universities do participate in the Council’s selection as detailed above.

By Jan. 15, 2024 and every two years thereafter, or as needed because of a vacancy, the Council shall determine and report to the Board Office its recommendation of an undergraduate student and a graduate student to serve as a student member of the Board, as well as alternates for each position. The Council shall determine its own process for making its recommendations and submit an overview of that to the Board Office, along with the names, contact information, and materials on the recommended candidates that were considered during the selection process (e.g. CV/resume, letter of interest, etc.)

The Board Office shall have no role in vetting of candidates but will provide the candidates the appointment materials required by the Office of the Governor and the Legislature, and will then transmit the Council’s recommendation and completed materials to the Office of the Governor no later than Feb. 1, 2024 and every two years thereafter, or within two weeks in the event of a vacancy unless another time frame is mutually agreed upon. Required appointment materials typically include, but may not be limited to, a current resume, tax clearance and the questionnaire for all confirmable positions that must be provided to the Legislature by the Office of the Governor. Candidates are also subject to a background check. If a candidate does not provide completed materials by the aforementioned deadline or if the review of submitted materials by the Office of the Governor prevents the nomination including because of ethical concerns or findings from the background check, the Board Office will notify the Council and begin to work with the alternate candidate recommended by the Council to prepare required appointment materials for submission. In the event that both the candidate and the alternate cannot be appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Legislature, the Governor shall appoint a student member to the Board at their discretion.

Student members of the Board serve a two-year term until a successor is appointed, except in the event that they are no longer a student at the University of Maine System, they no longer meet the eligibility requirements of this policy and P & SL 1865, Ch. 532, or they resign prior to the expiration of their term, at which point the seat is vacated until a successor is confirmed for a new two-year term. However, a student member of the Board may continue to serve for up to two months following their graduation if they so choose and are available to participate in official Board activities. If a student member of the Board seat becomes vacant, the Board Office will immediately notify the members of the UMS Student Trustee Selection Council, who must recommend a new candidate and an alternate candidate within 60 days, unless a greater duration is practicable due to the Legislature’s schedule and mutually agreed upon by the Council and the Board Office.

If the student government associations do not make a joint recommendation by Jan. 15, 2024 and every two years thereafter or as needed, as required by law, the Governor shall appoint the student members to the Board at the Governor’s discretion, but shall not appoint a student from the institution at which the most recent student member to the Board was also enrolled.