Rodney Hughes (graduate-economics) will serve as the Penn State Board of Trustees' student member, a non-voting position, effective July 1.

Hughes will step from the classroom into the boardroom when he attends the trustees' May 16 meeting at the Nittany Lion Inn, the final meeting of the 2007-08 academic year.

Gov. Ed Rendell's appointment of Hughes was confirmed Tuesday by the State Senate, said Chuck Ardo, Rendell's press secretary.

Hughes, Class of 2007, will replace Galen Foulke, who has served in the position since Rendell appointed him in July 2005.

Foulke did not respond to multiple calls for comment by press time yesterday.

Hughes said his economics background will allow him to offer a unique perspective during tuition discussions.

"I want to think about how Penn State uses its resources and if everything the administration does is consistent with our mission for the university, and, even before that, if we have a good definition of what our mission is," he said.

Being a student at University Park -- first for four years as an undergraduate and now for a five-year Ph.D in economics program -- allows Hughes to speak for all aspects of the student experience, he said.

"There are more groups than just University Park undergrads," said Hughes, adding that he plans on focusing on graduate students and those at Commonwealth Campuses, too. "I want to take advantage of being at University Park and being accessible to all the students here first and giving them a forum to voice any concerns they have."

Rendell has been reviewing candidates since early March, Ardo said.

"Rendell believed that [Hughes] was well-qualified and would do a good job representing the voice of students to the Penn State Board [of Trustees]," he said.

Paula Ammerman, the board's director, said it is impossible to provide a complete preview of the board's May 16 meeting.

"The agenda is still under some development," she said.

The board is expected to approve Damon Sims for the position of Vice President for Student Affairs. Sims is Penn State President Graham Spanier's recommendation to fill the position occupied by interim Vice President for Student Affairs Gail Hurley since Vicky Triponey's resignation Sept. 13, 2007.

Although the full board agenda was not available by press time yesterday, the proposed $3.4 million OW Houts property purchase on West College Avenue and Buckhout Street will also be discussed at the meeting, according to Penn State Live, live.psu.edu.

"It came open totally unexpectedly and a large piece of property next to Penn State's land here in University Park is a tremendous occurrence," Vice President for University Relations Bill Mahon said.

The release lists the property as 5.33 acres; 4.64 of those acres have been offered to Penn State for $3.4 million.

The property gets its name from the OW Houts & Son retail building that closed this January, according to Live.

The Live statement also says Penn State has been given an option-to-buy agreement with the Minit Mart, 913 W. College Ave., for $1 million. The university would owe $500,000 at purchase time, with the balance paid in full by 2020.

"We want to act quickly and so the proposal to purchase it will come before the board at the main meeting," Mahon said. "We then have to think about the best use for the property."

The Live statement also states the property must undergo an acceptable property environmental assessment.

-- Collegian staff writer Mandy Hofmockel contributed to this report.