Apparently, students don’t have time for the University Board of Regents.
Since only two students applied for the student regent position, the Regent Candidate Advisory Council pushed the deadline back to Dec. 1, Chairman Bob Vanasek said.
The application deadline has been extended in the past for the same reason, he said.
With about 58,000 students on the Twin Cities campus, some students might think more would be interested in the position.
Michelle Richie, a speech pathology sophomore, said she wouldn’t want to apply because she is sure someone else would get it.
“I would think I wouldn’t have a chance,” she said.
Many students don’t even know what a regent position is, Vanasek said. This could have contributed to the low application numbers, along with the 10-hour weekly time commitment. The position is also unpaid.
Biochemistry sophomore Amy Ewert said since she is taking 28 credits this semester she just wouldn’t have the time to be a regent.
“I don’t really do anything except for homework,” she said.
Aside from her busy school schedule, Ewert also said she doesn’t really know what responsibilities a regent has.
Regents monitor the University and approve policies, educational programs and annual budgets, according to the Regent Advisory Council.
A regular job can also make the time commitment harder for some students.
University sophomore Stephanie Meyer said between her 16 credits and working 30 hours a week she doesn’t have any extra time.
“I work and go to school,” she said. “I just don’t know about (being a regent).”
Having a say in the way the school is run is interesting to some students, but doesn’t outweigh the amount of time it would demand.
Speech pathology sophomore Evan Figg said he’s interested in having authority, but the time commitment is too much, especially since it’s a six-year position.
“I’d totally be interested in that,” he said. “But I don’t know if I’d have time right now.”
Nathan Wanderman, an economics, political science and American studies senior, said he hopes to have his application in by Wednesday.
He said he always planned on applying, but when he found out the deadline was being pushed back, he decided to procrastinate and fill out the application later.
Wanderman has been a student representative to the Board for two years and said he is interested in the opportunities being a regent has to offer.
He said he knows it’s a big time commitment, and that’s why he’s would take out student loans if he gets the position, instead of working.
“If I’m willing to put in those hours for a job, then I think I can squeeze my pocketbook a little bit and put in those hours for the regents,” he said.
Wanderman said the experience would pay off in the end, even though he would be losing money in the beginning.
“I may not be making money at the time,” he said, “but Ö it’ll give me an expertise that’s pretty unique among my peers, and hopefully I can get that money recouped down the road.”