Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. selected former ASUU Vice President Basim Motiwala to be Utah’s next student regent.
“Basim is highly respected by his peers and the university,” Huntsman said in a press release. “His outstanding leadership experience among students will be a great asset to the Board of Regents.”
The student regent, created by the Utah State Legislature in 1977, is a full voting member of the Utah State Board of Regents-the state’s higher education policy committee.
Motiwala, a senior in behavioral science and health, was one of three candidates whom the Utah Council of Student Body Presidents nominated in April.
Motiwala said he plans to meet with student body presidents from all of Utah’s public universities and colleges during the year to get a sense of what student issues need to be addressed.
“I’m extremely excited to get started,” Motiwala said. “I look forward to serving my fellow students throughout the state. My job is to effectively represent them?I’ve always been the type who goes all out in whatever I’m involved in.”
Huntsman also appointed U alumnus Rev. France Davis to the board. Davis has been the full-time pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Salt Lake City for 30 years and sits on Salt Lake Community College’s Board of Trustees. The Utah State Senate must confirm his position before he becomes an active board member.
The Regents is composed of 17 voting members who are appointed by the governor to serve a six-year term. There are also two members from the State Board of Education appointed to serve as non-voting members.
Motiwala will start working with the Regents on July 1.
Basim Matiwala was selected as the student regent for the Board of Trustees.