Home > Trusteeship Article > Students on Boards: How Student Trustees Provide Value

FEATURE

Volume 34, Number 3 // May/June 2026

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Students on Boards:
How Student Trustees Provide Value

By Dana Wilke

While not all higher education institutions have student trustees, those that do find it valuable to include a student on the board. While students may find themselves in the position in a variety of ways, whether they are voted in or appointed to the board, their voices can be a powerful tool for boards looking for the perspective of students on their campus.

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Dana Wilke

TAKEAWAYS

The role of student representatives on boards, referred to as student trustees, varies by institution. Student trustees can be elected or appointed to the role.
Some student trustees are given voting privileges, particularly at public institutions. Those who aren’t able to vote might have voting rights at the committee level. The question of whether a student is voting or nonvoting member of the board depends on the institution.
Student trustees are often considered to be the voice of the students in board and committee meetings. They help provide useful insight into the general sentiments of the student body—a perspective that otherwise might not be present or even fully considered. However, while students on boards can provide a student perspective, they are not the voice of all students, and they must uphold their fiduciary duty as trustees (if they are fiduciaries/voting board members) and consider the entire institution in board meetings rather than just the student body.
Boards with student trustees should try to make the student feel included in the functioning of the board and not consider them as just students. This can be achieved in a variety of ways, including mentoring and orientation. Boards that don’t have a student trustee and are considering adding one (or more) should carefully consider the role the student trustee will play on the board and how they will be properly onboarded.