A&M System Student Regent
In 2005, the 79th Texas Legislature authorized the Governor to appoint a nonvoting student regent for a university system board of regents. Section 51.355 of the Texas Education Code provides for the annual appointment of one student regent to a university system board of regents. This statute defines the powers and duties of a student regent, establishes the appointment and application procedure, and provides qualifications to be appointed and to remain a student regent throughout the term. In the statue, “student government” means the representative student organization directly elected by the student body of a general academic teaching institution or medical and dental unit.
The Chancellor of each university system recommends, to the Governor, at least two students from the applications submitted by participating universities. The student regent serves a one-year term from June 1 through May 31 without compensation, but is eligible for reimbursement of expenses incurred during official A&M System Board of Regents business.
Student Regent Term Commitment:
- Meetings attendance: The A&M Board of Regents meets quarterly with special meetings arranged as needed
- Meeting materials: Required meeting materials are generally sent to the Board at least 10 days prior to the scheduled meeting to allow time for review and preparation prior to the meeting
- Travel: Campus visits, social activities and travel to board meetings
Powers and Duties
Although the student regent is not a member of the board of regents he/she has the same powers and duties as the members of the board, including the right to attend and participate in Board meetings, however, the student regent:
- may not vote on any matter before the board or make or second any motion before the board; and
- is not counted in determining whether a quorum exists for a meeting of the board or in determining the outcome of any vote of the board.
Application
The A&M System Office of Academic Affairs is charged with coordinating and facilitating the student regent selection process with each System member. Each System member is required to use the applications available at the following links to solicit applicants for the position of student regent. Eligible students do not need to be a member of the student government; however, the student government solicits the student regent applications on behalf of their respective university.
** The candidate must complete both the A&M System Application for Student Regent and the Office of the Governor Appointment Application.
| A&M System Application for 2023-2024 Student Regent | Office of the Governor Appointment Application |
| [Guide for Student Regent Application] | [Guide to the Appointment Application] |
Per the Student Regent statute for university systems (Sec. 51.355, Texas Education Code), the institution at which the current student regent is enrolled may not submit applications for the appointment of the next student regent.
Deadlines and Timeline
| November 1 | Not later than November 1 of each year, the student government of each general academic teaching institution and medical and dental unit in a university system shall solicit applicants for appointment to the next regular term of the position of student regent. This regular term will be from June 1 through May 31. |
| January 1 |
From among the applications received by the student government, the student government shall select five applicants as the student government’s recommendations for the position of student regent and send the applications of those applicants to the chancellor of the university system. Please note: While the statutory deadline is January 1, due to most students being away from campus for most of December and January, student governments are strongly encouraged to submit their recommendations to the chancellor well in advance. We request they submit by December 1. |
| February 1 | From among those applicants, the chancellor shall select two or more applicants as the university system’s recommendations for the position of student regent and shall send the applications of those applicants to the governor not later than February 1. The governor may request to review all applications for the position of student regent received by the student governments and may request an applicant to submit additional information to the governor. |
| June 1 | On June 1, or as soon thereafter as practicable, the governor shall appoint one of the applicants to serve as the student regent for the system for a one-year term expiring on the next May 31. The governor is not required to appoint an applicant recommended by the chancellor, but may not appoint a student regent who did not submit an application to the student government of a general academic teaching institution or medical and dental unit in the system as described by Tex. Education Code § 51.355. |
Eligibility Requirements
To be considered eligible for appointment as student regent, a person must be enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student in a general academic teaching institution or medical and dental unit in the university system and be in good academic standing as determined by the institution at the time of appointment. The person must remain enrolled at the institution throughout the person’s term as a student regent. For purposes of this subsection, a person is considered to be enrolled in an institution or unit for a summer term if the person was enrolled in the institution or unit for the preceding semester and:
- is registered or preregistered at the institution or unit for the following fall semester;
- if the person has not completed their degree program, is eligible to continue the degree program at the institution or unit in the following fall semester; or
- if the person completed a degree program in the preceding semester, is admitted to another degree program at the institution or unit for the following fall semester.
Also, the statute provides that: “Throughout a student regent’s term, the student regent must maintain a grade point average of at least 2.5 on a four-point scale.” Failure to maintain such qualifications will result in the governor declaring the position vacant and subsequently filling the position.
Reimbursement of Expenses
The statute provides that: “a student regent serves without compensation but is entitled to be reimbursed for the actual expenses incurred by the student regent in attending the meetings of the board of regents, subject to the approval of the chairman of the board of regents.”
Current Student Regent
Demetrius L. Harrell, Jr.
Term: June 1, 2022 – May 31, 2023
Mr. Demetrius L. Harrell, Jr. is pursuing his degree in Criminal Justice with a double minor in Sociology and Legal Studies from Texas A&M University-Commerce.
Click here for Demetrius’ full bio.