ASBSU encouraged to support education bill

The Associated Students of Boise State University were given a bill proposed by ASBSU Chief of Staff Tim Flaherty during Thursday’s Senate meeting that would provide for the appointment of a nonvoting student member to the State Board of Education.

Tim Flaherty, a junior at BSU, passed around a bill that he and other members of ASBSU are shopping around the state Legislature to the Senate and guests of the Senate.

Flaherty said they had taken a large lobbying effort this past summer as they met with many key players in the state Legislature.

In the meetings, Flaherty said they spoke with the state Legislature about an idea that would put a student on the State Board of Education.

The proposed bill was prepared by Flaherty and other members of his staff. Flaherty said they met with many members of the state in the last month about sponsoring the specific bill, and they showed some interest.

At this time, Flaherty said he could not speak publicly about who the legislators were and what they said regarding the proposed bill.

Flaherty said he spoke with the chairman of the Senate Education Committee who said that higher education will be discussed this year in the state Legislature, but how much action or what action would take place is unknown, and there would probably be big changes.

At that time, Flaherty said the chairman was supportive of having a student on the State Board of Education for many reasons.

“It would allow students of higher education to have a voice,” Flaherty said. “The State Board of Education has a policy, at least that is what I’ve heard, that they do not speak to student leaders, but rather they have open forums and student leaders are welcome to attend the forums at state board meetings.”

Flaherty also said having a student on the State Board of Education would allow more direct contact and a little bit more influence in the policy that governs students.

Flaherty said some members of the State Board have had mixed emotions about it, and Flaherty asked for the support of ASBSU in moving this bill forward to the state Legislature.

“Communication with the state board has not been a problem, but in the past and today for other universities, it has been a problem getting their voices heard at the open forums,” Flaherty said.

“I think it’s really a good idea,” said BSU student Alex Daw. “I think it’s really important that we get a student voice on the board.”

Daw also said he encouraged the ASBSU Senate to support the bill.

Alaska, Washington, Oregon and Arizona are some of the states already involved with having students sitting on their State Boards of Education.

According to the bill, one of the appointed positions on the State Board will be reserved for membership by a student appointed by the governor.

The student shall be registered as a full-time student at one of the following institutions of higher learning: Boise State University, Idaho State University, Lewis and Clark State College, or the University of Idaho.

The institution from which the ex officio nonvoting student member will be selected shall follow this rotation: first Boise State, then Idaho State, then Lewis and Clark, then the University of Idaho, then return to the top of the rotation. The next ASBSU Senate meeting will be held Tuesday in the Student Union Forum from 4:40 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Ryan Mortensen
News Writer

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