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Bill would remove student regent from Board of Regents; students and universities urge retention
Summary
Senate Bill 210 proposes eliminating the statutory student regent position on the Board of Regents and restoring a seven‑member, seven‑year regent structure; student governments and university student groups testified strongly against the change, citing representation and financial stakes.
Senate Bill 210 drew a wide and often emotional hearing in the Senate Education Committee as the sponsor proposed removing the student regent seat from statute and restoring a seven‑member Board of Regents made up of seven‑year appointees.
Dylan Klapmeier, the governor’s education policy adviser, said the change is about governance: the governor supports a seven‑member board with staggered seven‑year terms so regents have more institutional memory and time to onboard. Klapmeier said the administration ‘‘encourages the regents to ensure a student voice is still at the table’’ but prefers that be addressed by regent policy rather than statute. He told senators the student regent typically serves one year and ‘‘by the time the student regent gets up to speed they’re out and someone new is in.’’
Students and student government leaders testified in strong opposition. A lobbyist for the Montana Associated Students and leaders from the Associated Students at the University of Montana and Montana State University said the student regent role — in place for roughly 50 years — gives students a direct voice on decisions that affect tuition, services and governance. Hope Morrison (ASUM) and Isabelle Watson (MSU student government) argued removing the position would ‘‘silence students’’ and that students shoulder a significant share of university revenue.
Several students who testified emphasized representation principles and asked senators to preserve the statutory seat. John Roads, a graduate student, and Jacob Burns, an online student witness, said student presence on the board matters for legitimacy and accountability when students pay tuition and fees.
Committee members probed whether the student regent currently has voting rights (Klapmeier confirmed the student regent has full voting rights), whether the term could be lengthened, and whether alternatives such as a non‑voting seat or an extra non‑voting position could preserve student input. The governor’s office said such arrangements are possible through regent policy; opponents said statutory protection is the strongest guarantee of student voice.
The hearing closed with proponents urging a do‑pass recommendation and opponents asking senators to reject the bill or consider amendments to preserve student representation. No committee vote on SB210 appears in the transcript.
