It is a safe bet that the majority of Iowa State students do not have a fax machine in their dorm rooms. But for Lisa Ahrens, the only college student on the Board of Regents, it’s a necessity.

The Board of Regents, which governs the three public universities in Iowa, dictates both major and minor aspects of student life, from tuition increases to the new scoreboard at Hilton Coliseum.

Ahrens was first appointed to the Board of Regents last May. Although she is considered a “regent,” meaning she has the same voting power and influence as members of the board, she is the only student on the board.

As a sophomore double majoring in agronomy and agricultural business, she is only a couple days shy of her 20th birthday.

Ahrens said being the youngest member of the Board — by a good 10 or 15 years — can be “overwhelming.”

“It’s neat to bring a student’s [perspective] to all the decisions,” she said, while adding that it is a common misconception her appointment to the Board means she represents the students of ISU. She is actually a representative of all tax-paying citizens in the state of Iowa.

Ahrens, who was “surprised” when she was appointed through the nomination process last year, said some students have an “easy stereotype” of Board members.

“They really do care about the students,” she said, noting that because of her appointment, she usually gets a broader view of university issues than the average student.

Ahrens said at times she is in awe of the “the wealth of knowledge” regents bring to meetings. She said she enjoys the challenge of being on the Board.

Although she was relatively familiar with the Board of Regents, Ahrens said she was surprised at the amount of press coverage.

She said she is not always comfortable with the media — and its criticism.

The issue of raising next year’s tuition by 3.9 percent was decidedly one of the most painful times Ahrens has endured since her appointment to the Board.

“Tuition was the hardest time,” she said. “[Raising tuition] is not something I like to do. I have to pay my tuition, too.”

Ahrens said she received about 35 telephone calls and e-mails from students concerning the increase, and she made a point of answering each comment.

The occasional criticism obviously bothers her, but Ahrens, despite wanting to remain “low-key” on campus, realizes it comes with her job.

“It’s a part of the game,” she said. But, she said, a Daily editorial that ran when she was first appointed, stating she was “only a freshman” and not experienced enough to be on the Board, “still hurts.”

She countered that view by saying that being a student at ISU during her six-year appointment to the Board will help her be a better regent.

As a regent, she is required to attend one meeting per month, 11 times per year, but Ahrens was quick to point out that her work with the Board is not limited to one meeting a month.

She also has to prepare for the meetings by reading a 250 to 300-page docket that summarizes the meeting plans, and she regularly receives regents-related mail.

In fact, Ahrens said the post office had to give her another mailbox just to keep up with the amount of mail she receives.

Ahrens, who lives alone because of her busy schedule, also received a fax machine in her Friley Hall dorm room.

She works for Future Farmers of America in Des Moines, so her schedule is even more hectic. She said she keeps track of her commitments with an ever-present Franklin planner.

Ahrens also wears more business suits than the average student, and she added that buying professional attire slightly hurt her pocketbook.

However, it was important to her that the Board take her seriously, she said.

Her fellow student colleagues also have respect for Ahrens.

Bryan Burkhardt, president-elect of the Government of the Student Body and sophomore in engineering, said he is looking forward to working with Ahrens next year to improve student life both at ISU and across the state.

Burkhardt said he first met Ahrens through their President Leadership class.

“She’s a very busy person, [who does] a lot of different tasks, and she seems to do them all very well,” he said.

She also gets the chance to work more closely with ISU President Martin Jischke than the average student ever will.

Ahrens said she believes she and Jischke have a good working relationship.

“I respect him,” she said, adding that the criticism of him and the university is sometimes good, since a different side is given the chance to be expressed.

But at other times, “It’s an easy way out to blame someone else,” she said. Ahrens said she once heard another university president address the subject of criticism by saying, “If we’re not receiving criticism, we’re not doing our job.”

Ahrens said one of the biggest issues students will face this year is Veishea. She said student opinion about this year’s dry Veishea is very mixed, and she has heard many students will be skipping town that weekend.

“This is the year to test Veishea,” she said.

Ahrens said with the issue of room and board increases approaching, the Board of Regents will have a busy but productive ending to its year.

Ahrens acknowledged that she sometimes feels a lot older than her age, and that every now and then, she wishes she had more time to “relax and watch TV.”

“Sometimes I feel like a loser Friday night when I’m in my room, reading the docket,” she joked.

But she said she loves what she does, and “that’s what matters.” Ahrens said she would like to spend more time with her floor, (there was once a sign posted on her door that read, “Does she really live here?”) but that all her work is an “even trade-off.”

And no, Ahrens has no aspirations to go into politics; the fundraising and campaigning that goes with the territory does not appeal to her. Instead, she would like to run her own agricultural business one day.

But for the youngest daughter of two ISU alumni, Ahrens said she is thoroughly enjoying her time at ISU.

“I love it,” she said.