After years of protest, debate and compromise, students have finally gained two seats on the university’s Board of Trustees.
The Board of Trustees is an appointed group of people which supervises the policies, actions and involvements The New School has. Up until quite recently, this board consisted of 43 members, ranging from businessmen to anthropologists. On Feb. 4, the board voted on and gained two new trustees, two students — Nicolas Galván and Ingrid Kvangraven.
“I am excited about exploring the new venues for collaboration and communication between students and the Board of Trustees that our new positions allow for!” Kvangraven said.
On Feb. 3, the University Student Senate held a townhall meeting, with the hopes of discussing their positions on the board with other students. Though only one student attended, the senators were able to explain the process of trusteeship and what they are looking forward to.
The student trustees will be members of the University Student Senate, nominated by their fellow senators. Each nominee will have to be approved by the Committee of Trusteeship, the Executive Committee, and finally voted on by the entire board — the same process non-student trustees must go through. Once elected, the student trustees will act as full members on the board, attending all meetings and voting on all decisions.
Kvangraven is going for her PhD in Economics at NSSR, and has earned degrees in Development Studies and Human Geography from the London School of Economics and the University of Oslo. She has worked as a political advisor for a Norwegian economic justice organization, along as the Executive Editor of the New School Economic Review and a student advisor.
Galván is a triple major in Jazz Saxophone, Politics and Education. He has taught in Hong Kong and Malawi, and has interned under Charles E. Schumer, the United States Senator of New York.
“I am honored to be representing the student body and The New School. It is my hope that during my time as student trustee I will be able to establish a culture of zealous advocacy and create equitable and effective structures that will outlive my time at The New School,” Galván said.
Each student trustee will serve a 2-year term — except for Galván, who is graduating this May, and will only be able to serve a 1-year term. Kvangraven will be a student trustee for the 2016-2017 school year, along with whomever takes Galván’s place. Kvangraven hopes her experience with the board will help her to guide her new partner, whoever that turns out to be. This tradition will carry on throughout the student trustees in the future, she said.
Explaining that both Galván and herself are still figuring out how to make their roles as student trustees most effective, Kvangraven said that they are planning to create a website where students can have a fuller understanding of the many issues that the student body faces.
“In addition, we will be writing columns for students on BoT matters. Any feedback on how to best reach students is very welcome!” she added.
The student trustees hope to start a column on the USS website and social media platforms about the Board of Trustee meetings in an effort to improve transparency, though they must sign a confidentiality contract which will limit what they can share with their fellow students.
Having student trustees will be a first for The New School, and it’s something the student body has been working towards for years. The 2009 protests were a pivotal moment in the fight for this representation. Debates and arguments with University Presidents and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees over the course of seven years has led to this significant moment for the school.
“This is a victory for everybody in The New School community, and I want to make it very clear that through commitment and collaboration, we, the students, have the ability to create immense change at this University,” Galván said.