Board will interview college nominees in a public session.
By Aaron Martinez
amartinez1628@student.alamo.edu
The Student Government Association has chosen liberal arts sophomore Jami Keeton, 19, at this college’s nominee for the student representative on the Alamo Colleges board of trustees.
Engineering sophomore Hunter Hodge was the only other candidate considered by the Student Government Association at this college.
Keeton will compete against nominees from the other four district colleges. The board will interview the five candidates at a public meeting but a date has not been set.
The nonvoting student trustee will be sworn in at a regular board meeting in April.
“Everything that the board does affects the students,“ Keeton said. “The student trustee is the bridge that connects the student and the board.”
Keeton is the commissioner of public relations for SGA, sectary of Campus Activity Board, a member of the Gay, Ally and Lesbian Association, a member of Phi Theta Kappa. She works at the student learning assistance center.
“It was a really hard decision and both candidates were qualified,” Vice President Harley Williams said. “We decided that Jami would be the better fit for our student trustee.”
Psychology sophomore Jacob Wong was chosen in May 2014 as the first student trustee for Alamo Colleges. The board agreed in spring 2014 to add a student representative after student governments at district colleges, led by this college’s SGA, pushed for the appointment.
The student trustee will serve a one-year term May 1 to April 30, 2016, with a scholarship of $600, which will be divided into $300 per semester for 2015-16.
The board will also choose an alternate trustee, who will not receive a scholarship but will shadow the student trustee.
The student trustee will not be able to vote or attend executive sessions.
Keeton says if she is chosen as an alternate she will take the position.
“It’s amazing and a great honor to be chosen,” Keeton said. “Even if I don’t chosen by the board, I’m just excited that I made it this far.”