Applications sent out by the Student Government Association for students interested in serving on the next WSU presidential search committee will close tomorrow, Dec. 4. 

The Kansas Board of Regents requested SGA to recommend three students to serve on the closed committee that will select the next WSU president. 

While KBOR has yet to announce what the entire structure of the search committee will look like, President Blake Flanders shared during a KBOR meeting on Nov. 18 that he hoped to honor the request of SGA and the Faculty Senate that 50% of the committee be made up of WSU students, faculty and staff. Out of the 20 members that served in the 2019 search committee, there were two student representatives and five faculty and staff members.  

Student Body President Rija Khan said that students should take the opportunity to make their voices heard.

“It is important because students are the main and largest stakeholders of this university, period,” Khan said in an email to The Sunflower. “Every single decision that is made on this campus affects and impacts students one way or the other.

“SGA is working day in and day out to ensure that we are given our spot and space at the table and an effective part of shared governance both on and off campus. This is another example of how we need to make sure that we keep it, all while utilizing the collective voice to the best of our abilities.

“It is important because students are the main and largest stakeholders of this university, period. Every single decision that is made on this campus affects and impacts students one way or the other.”

Applications will be looked through by a committee made up of members of the student government cabinet and the speaker of the senate, Vice President Mackenzie Haas said at Wednesday’s SGA meeting.

Khan said that SGA is looking for students who can bring a voice for the student body.

“I am looking for students who can represent the entire student body, all 16,000 students. I do not expect the other students on the committee to agree with me on everything, I want them to use their voice and bring their perspectives,” Khan said.

Khan said she is also looking for students with flexibility since the presidential search process will not be easy.

“I want students to also know that this service will be very time-consuming with lots of meetings and discussions,” Khan said. “There might be a month or two where the committee might not meet due to the collection of applications but once the meetings start the committee could meet as frequently as twice each week or once every week for a few hours at a time.

“Additionally, I want students who will ask questions, engage in the discussions and truly represent all corners of our student body.”

Students can apply using this link. Applications are due by 12p.m.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was updated to add quotes by Student Body President Rija Khan and to fix a typo.