Issue date: 6/25/09 Section: News

Student Government Chief Justice Joseph Reed speaks to the Student Senate about shared governance and open discussion between the student body and the administration. [Click to enlarge]

The Student Government Association met Wednesday to discuss the interim administration and the Board of Regents. Interim President R. Bowen Loftin opened the meeting, stressing the importance of shared governance in the University administration.

"Shared governance to me is simply communication," Loftin said. "That's why I'm here."

The interim president expressed gratitude for former president Elsa Murano, citing her support during Hurricane Ike.

"That was a very difficult event," Loftin said. "She was there to support me."

Loftin acknowledged the difficult transition between presidents.

"We've taken some hits," Loftin said. "The major thing I can do is do things like this - listen to you, understand what concerns you have, and do my very best to try to answer those concerns."

He asked students to present their concerns to him, and to the University administration.

"If I can do more, let me know what that is," Loftin said. "I'll talk to you as openly as I possibly can."

Students from the SGA stressed the need for rationality in communication.

"We don't want to be reactionary," said SGA Chief Justice Joseph Reed. "We don't want to be emotional; we want to be logical, we want to base things off of facts and we want to make statements that represent the student body."

The definition of shared governance is disputed, and means different things to different people, Reed said.

"I talked to Morris Foster today, the chair of the Board of Regents," Reed said. "His definition of shared governance is different from what the faculty think … Not everyone's going to be happy."

The meeting with Foster went well, according to Student Government members who attended. Topics discussed included the past experience of Foster, an overview of the presidential selection process, and a discussion on shared services, said campus liaison Mark Womack.

"The meeting was very productive," Womack said. "Foster was very transparent about the issues of the past few weeks."

Other students at the meeting agreed.

"We feel that we got straight answers. He didn't try to deceive us," Reed said. "I believe every word that he said, and he said they have not outlined a process right now for choosing the next president."

Shared governance will be a priority for the administration, and student concerns will be taken into account, said Texas A&M System student regent Hunter Bollman.

"I will be the biggest advocate in the world for students," Bollman said. "I do have a seat at the table."

For shared governance to work, students need to make sure their voice is heard, Loftin said.

"My job is to listen," Loftin said. "I urge you to communicate."

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