As the new student trustee for Shippensburg University, I would like to initiate a student trustee report in The Slate. Before getting to the details of the report, I would like to first address the unique role that the student trustee plays and what the Council of Trustees is.

The Council of Trustees serves as an advisory board to the president of the university. The council works to ensure the mission of the university is maintained and the strategies to achieve the short and long-term goals are best fulfilled. 

The council consists of 11 members, including the student trustee. The role of the student trustee is unique to the council in that the student trustee represents the entire university body and provides important insight into the student perspective. This is extremely important because many of the trustees are not on campus regularly, since they are not students. 

Therefore, it is crucial that before important decisions are made, the effects on the student population are considered and presented by a current student, being the student trustee. It is important to note that the student trustee is a voting member of the council as well.  

The Shippensburg University Council of Trustees held its first meeting of the 2024-25 academic year at the Iron Valley Golf Course in Lebanon. This was part of the alumni golf fundraiser, which was hosted after the meeting. 

The meeting was routine.The previous meeting’s minutes were approved, as well as changes to the committee structure of the council and the 2025 meeting dates. Reports were then given by SU President Charles Patterson and the four divisions: Academic Affairs, Administration & Finance, Enrollment Management & Marketing and Student Affairs.

Reports were also given by the different faculty unions, the Alumni Association and the Graduate Student Association. During those reports, the council approved the succession plan in the event the president of the university becomes incapacitated and the approval of the budget. 

All the public meeting minutes are made available on the Shippensburg University website. 

The next public meeting will be held on Nov. 15 in the CUB MPR. All students and members of the public are welcome to attend the public meeting. 

Please continue to voice your concerns or ideas to me at ca6053@ship.edu, so I can bring them up during the meetings and ensure that the council is presented with the most accurate representation of our diverse campus community. 

I take the role of student trustee very seriously. It is important to me that the student body of Shippensburg University is properly represented to the council as decisions are being made, because it is the students who make this campus so great.

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