During their meeting this weekend, members of the Corporation, the University’s highest governing body, approved a reformed process for electing new alumni trustees, wrote President Christina Paxson P’19 in a community-wide email Saturday.
Starting spring 2017, undergraduate and graduate students in their final year of study and alums who have graduated within the last five years will be eligible to vote for new alumni trustees, previously referred to as “young alumni trustees,” according to a University press release.
Two positions on the Corporation will be reserved for new alumni trustees beginning July 2017, Paxson wrote. The new alumni trustees must have graduated within the past three years when their term begins and will serve on the Corporation for two years.
“The new alumni trustees … will contribute an important perspective grounded closely in the student experience, often acting as an interface with current Brown students,” Paxson wrote in the email.
This is the first time the Corporation is allowing a significant number of current students and alums to vote for their new alumni trustee member. Kayla Rosen ’14, one of two current young alumni trustees, was the first trustee in her position to be elected by a student committee made up of members from the Undergraduate Council of Students, Graduate Student Council and the Alpert Medical School Council, The Herald previously reported.
The Corporation meeting also served as the first meeting for six new trustees, including Mya Roberson ’16, Paxson wrote. Roberson serves as the newest young alumni trustee alongside Rosen. The meeting was the first to be held under new leadership headed up by Chancellor Samuel Mencoff ’78, Vice Chancellor Alison Ressler ’80 and Treasurer Theresia Gouw ’90, who were appointed last February.
The Corporation met with students and faculty members to discuss progress on the Building on Distinction and Pathways to Diversity and Inclusion plans as well as the BrownTogether campaign, Paxson wrote. Members met with undergraduates to discuss international student experiences.
The Corporation also formally accepted gifts and pledges totaling $91 million that were given since the body’s last meeting in May, Paxson wrote.
