The University Student Advisory Board will send a letter to University Board of Trustees President J. Lloyd Huck requesting that each final candidate for University president meet with student representatives.

Huck is chairman of the Trustee Presidential Selection Committee.

"I think that it is common courtesy," said Graduate Student Association Vice President Frank Arlinghaus. "I know that the candidates for other positions meet with all sorts of groups and meet with students who are affected by the position."

Huck said he is uncertain whether candidates would agree to such interviews, but added he has no objections if the candidates do not.

"It would depend largely upon the candidates' willingness to be interviewed by student groups," he said. "I will respect the wishes of the candidates."

Arlinghaus said the purpose of the meeting will be to give whomever will be the new University president input on student needs.

The request does not specify which student representatives the candidates should meet but USAB members said the candidate could meet with USAB, students from racially and ethnically diverse groups or different student leaders.

Currently a graduate and undergraduate student serve on the Presidential Search Committee.

The search committee is responsible for limiting the candidates from five to 10 people and the Trustee Selection Committee will make the final choice.

USAB Vice President Ken Martin said the committee can choose anyone they want and that the five to 10 names are recommendations.

"We want to make sure there is student input beyond the presidential search and screen committee," Martin said. "This will allow input from a wider group of people."

Huck said he was unaware of any university that requires presidential candidates to be interviewed by students or any which have students on the body which makes the final decision.

USAB members agreed it will be beneficial for both the students and the candidates to meet.

"Any applicants that make the final stages should be given the opportunity to meet with students," said Ron Fischer, liaison for the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments. "If they are going to be the future president, they should want to meet us."