A bill requiring the student representative of the Board of Regents to resign by the end of the academic year following his or her departure from school passed the Iowa Senate on Tuesday.

Currently, Gov. Tom Vilsack appoints one student from one of the regents’ universities to represent students of all three universities. This representative has always been appointed to a six-year term, like the other members of the board.

The motivation for this bill is the concern over turnover and the fact that many regents’ students graduate during their six-year term, said Dee Egdorf, Graduate and Professional Student Senate president.

“Our concern is that if they stay for the six years, they’ve graduated and are no longer in touch with student perspectives,” Egdorf said.

In January, Vilsack appointed a new student regent, Jenny Rokes, from the University of Northern Iowa. She replaced former University of Iowa student Neala Arnold, who resigned after graduating in May 2003.

Arnold had been appointed to the full six-year term when her appointment by Vilsack came before the Senate, but after graduating, she was told that if she didn’t plan to return to a regents’ school by Dec. 31, 2003, the senate would not approve her continuation as regent student. She then officially resigned Dec. 31, 2003.

According to the bill, the term of the student member of the Board of Regents expires a year from the time the student graduates or is no longer enrolled in a regents’ university. However, if the student re-enrolls in a regents’ university in that time, the student’s term is again in effect.

Arnold sat on the board for a about a year and a half before resigning.

“It takes a year to learn everything,” Arnold said. “It’s like they’re pushing us out before we’ve learned enough to become a valuable voice.”

The Board of Regents has voiced concern that if this bill is passed, the student representative would be “on an unequal status” with the other members of the board, as all the rest serve six-year terms.

Having the student serve a six-year term consistent with that of the other board members is one way to make the student “more equal” to the members who are older than them, Arnold said.

“A student who has just graduated can offer a much broader perspective above what a student who hasn’t can. They’ve experienced more on the board, as well as in real life,” Arnold said.