The Penn State Board of Trustees has a long history of being prominent members of the community. The current members include a retiring state senator, a judge and a former managing editor of the New York Times.

Not exactly a shabby group.

But much of what the board does is cloaked in mystery. When a group of student protesters came to the trustees meeting last week, they were turned away. It wasn't the place for them to voice their concerns.

The trustees look at the big picture. They approve tuition and room and board increases. They take a look at the university's major construction projects.

Meeting six times a year, they don't see some of the minor policies that affect our students. They see a façade of good results that the administration has created. These results are good for Penn State's long-term success, but they sometimes ignore the students' discontent.

While the board cannot be expected to hear all complaints launched by the students, they should be listening to the students somewhat.

The protesters who showed up at this past meeting were asked to leave from the previous Board of Trustees meeting this past September.

Obviously, they have something to say. So, the board should let them talk.

As the governing board of the university, the trustees need to know what students are thinking. The students are a better sounding board of university life than the administration. They are the ones who live here, who pay tuition and who take classes from the university's faculty.

The Board of Trustees owes the students their ear. If they hope to make the best long-term decisions for the university, then they need to hear from the people who will one day be on the board.