2008 Woodie Awards
CGA President elected to Board of Governors
Jim Williams
Issue date: 10/19/06 Section: news
- Page 1 of 1
The Bloomsburg University Community Government Association (CGA) President, Josh O'Brien, has been appointed to serve on the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) Board of Governors.
To become a governor, a candidate must be a student government president, which narrows the prospects down to 14-one representative for every state system school. Candidates are then interviewed by The Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Governors, followed by the forwarding of the names of those selected to the governor for appointment. The final step is confirmation by the state Senate.
O'Brien plans to work in campaign politics for some time. He is considering law school and his ultimate goal is "to cap [his] career in the U.S. Congress either as a member or Chief of Staff."
The process of becoming a board member, with the exception of the election to President of the Community Government Association, does not involve an election. Rather, it is a gubernatorial appointment.
David Hill, one of O'Brien's advisers, has known him for two years, and called his appointment "a logical step." Hill said, "he's had a desire to serve." Hill noted that O'Brien tries to serve students and, in doing so, "embrace the political process."
"It is my hope to successfully usher plans for renovations here at Bloomsburg as well as other schools through the process," said O'Brien. He added that it is the governors' job to help "schools who are facing issues of financial and physical short-comings," and he said that there are many of them challenged by these issues.
"It is my personal primary responsibility to represent the needs of the students within the SSHE," O'Brien commented. "Tuition is a major concern which myself and my two fellow student board members will be looking at closely,"
he added.
Primarily, the Board of Governors is a reactive group, as O'Brien said, "dealing with situations as they arise."
Members of the Chancellors staff asked O'Brien to consider joining the Board, and after knowing what former CGA president Nate Conroy did last year, he became interested. O'Brien, however, did not expect someone from Bloomsburg to be appointed two years in a row.
To become a governor, a candidate must be a student government president, which narrows the prospects down to 14-one representative for every state system school. Candidates are then interviewed by The Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Governors, followed by the forwarding of the names of those selected to the governor for appointment. The final step is confirmation by the state Senate.
O'Brien plans to work in campaign politics for some time. He is considering law school and his ultimate goal is "to cap [his] career in the U.S. Congress either as a member or Chief of Staff."
The process of becoming a board member, with the exception of the election to President of the Community Government Association, does not involve an election. Rather, it is a gubernatorial appointment.
David Hill, one of O'Brien's advisers, has known him for two years, and called his appointment "a logical step." Hill said, "he's had a desire to serve." Hill noted that O'Brien tries to serve students and, in doing so, "embrace the political process."
"It is my hope to successfully usher plans for renovations here at Bloomsburg as well as other schools through the process," said O'Brien. He added that it is the governors' job to help "schools who are facing issues of financial and physical short-comings," and he said that there are many of them challenged by these issues.
"It is my personal primary responsibility to represent the needs of the students within the SSHE," O'Brien commented. "Tuition is a major concern which myself and my two fellow student board members will be looking at closely,"
he added.
Primarily, the Board of Governors is a reactive group, as O'Brien said, "dealing with situations as they arise."
Members of the Chancellors staff asked O'Brien to consider joining the Board, and after knowing what former CGA president Nate Conroy did last year, he became interested. O'Brien, however, did not expect someone from Bloomsburg to be appointed two years in a row.