The California State Student Association, which is recognized in the California Education Code as the official representative of CSU students, is accepting online applications for the position of junior student trustee.

According to Erik Fallis, CSU spokesman, every two years the CSSA conducts a search for a new student trustee who is appointed by the governor to make decisions on tuition, major projects and educational policies within the university system.

“This Friday is the deadline for students at each one of the 23 CSU campuses to apply to represent the collective interest of students to the CSU board of trustees, governor, state legislature and the public,” said Fallis.

In past years, student trustees have fulfilled their roles by starting projects such as the “Early Start Program,” which according to CSUEB’s webpage, serves to give students who will be in remedial English and math classes, a quarter head start to their college education.

An additional project made possible by student trustees, “The Graduation Initiative,” serves to increase student graduation rates.

After being nominated by the CSSA and later appointed by the governor, the duties of the student trustee during their first year is to serve on the CSU board of trustees as a junior representative without voting power.

The student’s role at this stage will be to learn the processes and procedures of the board in order to become more informed before they become senior members with voting power.

CSUEB’s Student Body President Jerry Chang and CSSA selection committee member said he is looking for a student who understands the complexity of the budget and who can also maintain good relations with other trustees as well as the state legislature.

“[Student trustees] have all the main responsibilities of the other board of trustees’ members with a couple of differences. One being that they are nominated by their fellow students,” said Fallis. “Student trustees actually get a little more attention from the board at these meetings because they are the few members who actually engage student leadership.”

Chico State University student Ian Ruddell, formerly known as Jillian, is the current junior student trustee who will soon be practicing her right to vote at CSU board meetings as she replaces Sacramento State University student Steven Dixon as the new senior representative.

The student trustee applications are open to all students with a minimum GPA of 2.0 and who will be of junior-standing by July 1, according to CSSA’s website.

One of the qualifications for becoming a student trustee is that students must be able to attend all CSU board meetings. Meetings take place in their office in Long Beach six times per year. Student attendees receive travel, lodging and food reimbursements.

According to Chang, legislation is being discussed currently that would waive the tuition fees for student trustees as well as allow sophomores to apply for the student trustee position.

With the online application process Saturday, Chang said it is extremely important that CSUEB students are represented.

“The [student] trustees set the direction of where our system is going, they really represent the future of this community,” said Chang.

Finalists will be chosen for in person interviews on May 3.