Students interested in filling the only student voting position on the University's Board of Trustees must leave applications in the HUB desk suggestion box by March 7.

"You must have a University-wide perspective, but it is more important to have a long-term perspective," said Student Trustee Christina Henke. "The student trustee sacrifices the short-term for the long-term."

Henke, who attempted to resign last spring due to academic and time constraints, has served on the University Board of Trustees for the past three years. The state Secretary of Education refused her resignation.

Former Governor Milton Shapp began choosing a student to serve on the board in 1971, and Governor Robert P. Casey now selects six of the 32 trustees. Other board members are elected by alumni and leaders in industry, agricultural and the corporate world.

The selection process is lengthy and includes a number of steps, said Ken Martin, Graduate Student Association president.

-- Student applicants must provide a detailed application, two reference letters and a transcript.

-- An interview with a committee made up of the University Student Advisory Board will follow. The committee interviews 10 to 15 people from about 100 applicants and consists of Henke, Martin, Council of the Commonwealth Student Governments Board of Trustees Representative Brian Donaldson, and Undergraduate Student Government President Jayne Althaus.

Committee members all have been representatives on the board or have served on the board.

-- The committee then submits three to five names to the Secretary of Education, who will interview these applicants and make recommendations to the governor.

-- The governor makes the final choice.

-- The choice is confirmed by the state Senate.

"I went for my interview in Harrisburg in June," Henke said. "I was appointed by the governor in July and approved by the senate in October."

Henke said qualifications for the position include academic ability, understanding of University and student concerns, service at the University, Pennsylvania residency and affiliation with the University for the next three years.

Henke stressed the importance of students knowing about all aspects of the University and concerning themselves with long-term over short-term goals.

"It is important that the student trustee not just take care of certain group's concerns but all concerns," she said.

"You make decisions for the next 10 to 15 to 20 years in the future," she added. "You're not a good trustee if you are worried about making an impression fast."

The student trustee has the added responsibility of communicating with students and relating some of his or her concerns to the trustees, she said.

Henke said the student trustee can fulfill their responsibilities through membership in University Student Advisory Board, establishing a network of representatives to keep in touch with students and meeting with administrators.

Henke said she published newsletters for all of the campuses, maintained a suggestion box at the HUB desk and sent handwritten letters to trustees to express concerns.

Althaus said the trustee should develop relations with the new administration immediately.

"We need to work on building a solid formation with administrators and come off strong," she said. "I don't want someone who is going to wait to see what the administration is like but someone who is going to jump right in."

Donaldson said the student trustee should be interested in student concerns.

"I'd like to see somebody unpolitically involved and more for the good of all students and not just one organization," he said.