WHEREAS, From 1971 until 1984, the Cornell Board of Trustees had five student-elected members; and

WHEREAS, In 1984, the Board was contracted from 62 to 42 members, reducing the number of student-elected members from the Ithaca campus to two; and

WHEREAS, When the Board was expanded to 64 seats in 2002, the three lost student seats were not restored; and

WHEREAS, Since 2006, when the two student seats were split between graduates and undergraduates, undergraduate students in even-numbered class years have not had an equal opportunity to run for the Board because they are required to run as freshmen; and

WHEREAS, Improving the critical ability for students to communicate to the Board of Trustees would help the Board understand and improve students’ lives and the Cornell experience for all members of campus; and

WHEREAS, Improving the ability for students to understand the rationale behind Board decisions would ease campus tension and promote a more productive campus dialogue for all involved; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the GPSA wishes to draw the Trustees’ attention to these standing issues with student representation.

RESOLVED, That the Board Membership Committee consider solutions to these issues, including adding another student trustee to the Board.

RESOLVED, That the GPSA expresses its willingness to work with the Board of Trustees to determine how students can be best represented on the Board.

RESOLVED, That this resolution be sent to Peter Meinig, Chairman of the Cornell University Board of Trustees; Darrick Evensen, graduate student-elected trustee; and Alex Bores, undergraduate student-elected trustee.

Respectfully Submitted, Evan Cortens
President, Graduate and Professional Student Assembly

Nicole Baran
Executive Vice President, Graduate and Professional Student Assembly

Natalie Raps
President, Student Assembly

Melissa Lukasiewicz
Chair, University Assembly