When walking around the Danforth Campus, you may see University leadership figures like Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Dr. Anna “Dr. G” Gonzalez at a Fun House or Dean of Students Rob Wild on the way to his next meeting. You may, on the rare occasion, even catch a glimpse of Chancellor Andrew D. Martin walking around. These iconic administrators are crucial to WashU’s daily functions; however, there is another group of key executives that go largely unseen by the student body: the board of trustees. 

Since WashU’s founding in 1853, the board of trustees has served as the chief governing body of the University. The board oversees new degree programs, budgets, the appointment of the chancellor, and the $12 billion endowment, of which they delegate responsibility to the Washington University Investment Management Company (WUIMC), established in 2006. The board is separated into 10 committees, including Facilities and Campus Planning, Academic Affairs, and Student Experience. The board is composed of roughly 40 voting members, as well as two undergraduate and two graduate nonvoting representatives, chosen by the University Representative Selection Committee. Despite attempts to include student representation, the board notably lacks direct student-elected and affinity group representation. 

Student-elected and affinity group representation on the board of trustees has existed in the past, with the Student Union (SU) President and the Association of Black Students (ABS) President being given nonvoting seats. An SU Senate resolution from 2015 called for the addition of a third SU representative. It was approved by an 80% vote by the student body in the spring election that year. Since the introduction of the University-nominated representatives, with two undergraduate student seats, the previous seats have been removed. There are currently no seats for the SU President, ABS President, nor a student-approved individual. In recent years, the SU Executive Board has advocated for an SU student representative seat to be reinstated, to no avail. 

Members of University leadership have expressed that although they are interested in fostering a relationship between the board of trustees and SU, it seems to us that they do not wish to reinstate a nonvoting position due to the diverse nature of the student body. It appears to us that in their view, it is more equitable to hand-select representatives. Conversely, the entire undergraduate population is eligible to vote in SU elections, ultimately electing the SU President. Therefore, the SU President has a unique responsibility to over 8,000 undergraduates which the other two representatives, chosen for academic and extracurricular merit by University administrators, do not. 

Not to mention, in today’s turbulent climate, WashU students from marginalized backgrounds need institutional support more than ever. In the summer of 2023, the Supreme Court overturned Affirmative Action — a federal initiative designed to provide the fundamental right to access education. Universities are no longer exclusive to affluent white students, but the effects of the Supreme Court’s decision may already be unfolding with WashU admitting fewer students of color in the Class of 2028. At WashU, cultural and affinity groups do more than just welcome students into academic spaces; they create a sense of belonging, making this campus a place all students can truly call home. Given the critical role they play in fostering community and representation, it is time they have a seat at the table.

WashU has a history of recognizing the importance of student advocacy. In 1983, the Association of Black Students (ABS) successfully secured a student representative on the board of trustees, and in 1986, their president ensured this position became permanent. The precedent set by Black student leaders proves that advocacy leads to meaningful progress. Yet today, no affinity group has its president or executive board members serving as an advocate on the board of trustees. 

This absence is particularly concerning given the university’s student demographics: 20.2% Asian, 12.8% Hispanic, 9.2% Black, and 6% Multiracial. Even if University-chosen representatives come from an underrepresented background, they alone cannot fully represent the collective work and perspectives of the multitude of campus affinity groups. Moreover, these representatives change from year to year, meaning students of color are not guaranteed a consistent voice in board meetings.

WashU has made notable strides in expanding access, including increasing Pell-eligible enrollment and hiring new Multicultural Outreach Interns in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions to liaise with affinity groups. However, what happens when these students arrive on campus? Who ensures they have a lasting voice in decision-making? Representation cannot stop at access, it must extend to influence. Now is the time to institutionalize the perspectives of affinity groups at the highest levels of university governance.

Peer institutions, including Cornell University, Duke University, and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, have made this urgent investment in direct student representation. These schools either directly instate student-elected officials to their respective boards, or have ensured that the undergraduate student body has the opportunity to directly vote for their representatives. Although WashU has made similar efforts to bring in student voices to the board of trustees, it is necessary to take into account student approval and institutionalize direct student representation. 

This is not to say that the University-chosen representative positions ought to be removed — more representation is almost always more fulfilling and provides the board with a deeper understanding of daily life at the University. The addition of new representative positions will only complement the current infrastructure in place. In a time of divisive rhetoric, a dramatically changing political scene, and concerns about free speech on campus, it is clear that the University ought to work to expand its democratic processes to further involve the student voice. 

Restoring and expanding student representation is not just about inclusion — it is a necessary step in creating a University culture that listens to its students, values their diverse experiences, and responds with meaningful action. To ensure equitable, democratic, and representative student governance, WashU must not only restore the Student Union president’s nonvoting seat, but also aim to include representatives from our campus affinity groups on the board of trustees.