Of the three candidates who applied, Governor Jay Inslee has named Takhimna Dzhuraeva the student trustee of Bellevue College.
A student trustee represents the student government and the student body at board meetings where the future vision and decisions of the college are taken and discussed.
The college president, Dr. David Rule, is then appointed to carry out the vision of the college.
The student trustee must be a student enrolled at the college, must have previous experience with student activities and student government and previous interaction with legislators in Olympia.
Dzhuraeva was last year’s student body ASG president and fit the criteria neatly.
The decision is ultimately Governor Jay Inslee’s decision, though the Assistant Dean of Student Programs Faisal Jaswal a member of the OSLA, a member of ASG and a student interviewed candidates who applied.
“My job as a student is to present my student opinion to help them govern the school by establishing and focusing on vision and mission that best serves the community,” commented Dzhuraeva.
The board of trustees meets every six weeks, however this position is not limited to those six-hour meetings. Dzhuraeva stated that she stays in touch with what is happening on campus and the role ASG is taking.
The current ASG President Zawdie Stephens-Terry will decide on legislative goals with the current ASG. Dzhuraeva works closely with them to be aware of these goals and any issues the student body is facing. This is so she can transfer the student message to the board of trustees and make the most informed decisions.
Two years ago, BC was the first of 54 community colleges of 34 in Washington state to appoint a student trustee. BC’s initiative is seen as an example by other community colleges in the region, as other community colleges’ board of trustees vote on whether the position is necessary or not. The argument against student trustees is the short period of two years that most students attend an average community college.
After the bill for the student trustee was passed, Robert Rowe was the first to represent the student population, now followed by BC’s second student trustee Dzhuraeva.
It is a volunteer position of which Dzhuraeva said, “I am serving and giving my time and all the knowledge I’ve gained in the last four years to better student life at Bellevue College.”
She commented on her status as an international student stating that it gives her a different level of awareness to what is happening on the BC campus.
Decision making at board meetings includes school budgets, campus buildings, bills and funding for part time and full time faculty and other policies.
Dzhuraeva’s term has begun and will end in June 2014.