Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) is continuing to prepare for the transition into the 2012-13 school year with newly-elected representatives; one of whom was agricultural sciences senior Kaitlin Harr who was voted the next ASI chair of the Board of Directors at the group’s meeting last Wednesday.
Harr was one of four candidates, including Nate Honeycutt, Derek Majewski and Tatiana Prestininzi. During the three-hour meeting, each candidate gave a five-minute presentation and answered questions from fellow board members.
After the Q-and-A portion, candidates were asked to leave the room and the current board discussed each candidates’ presentation and experience. The candidates then returned to the room, and as roll call was taken, each board member gave their vote.
Harr won with a majority vote of 13 out of the 25 board members present.
Harr’s current position is vice chair of the board, which has prepared her to transition to chair, she said.
“We learned so much that I can’t imagine coming in next year and not having those lessons in my mind,” Harr said.
The lessons she learned as vice chair included the responsibilities of the chair who has the job of facilitating the bimonthly board of directors meetings.
“You’re there to make sure that you provide a comfortable environment and an atmosphere where board members can truly be the best representative of their college and bring forth ideas,” she said.
There are many different perspectives and ideas because of the unique opinions that come with each director being involved in so many outside activities, Harr said.
“I think the most important thing for the chair is that neutral welcoming atmosphere because you can think something is ridiculous,” she said, “or you can think something is the best idea ever, but it doesn’t matter because it’s not your decision ultimately.”
The chair of the board also serves as a facilitator outside of meetings by helping any director that has an issue or problem they would like to discuss.
“You have board members coming in and they could want to talk about something going on in their personal life or they could want to talk about a bill or resolution that they want to happen,” Harr said. “So it’s being open and being really approachable to all of that.”
On top of facilitating and supporting, the chair of the board is also part of the leadership team, which consists of the ASI president, chair of the board, vice chair of the board, chief of staff and University Union Advisory Board chair and vice chair.
“Officers work closely with academic senate and administration and the university president,” she said. “So you have to be up on all of the issues going on in that level that a lot of students never really see or are never involved with.”
During the past school year, Harr worked closely with the current chair of the board, agricultural sciences senior Katie Titus. Titus is excited to watch Harr continue to grow in a new position, she said.
“I think that (Harr) is going to do an amazing job,” Titus said. “She’s really got to see the insight of my position and what chair of the board is like behind the scenes. She’s a really strong leader.”
ASI President-elect Katie Morrow has also had experience working with Harr during the past school year and said she thinks Harr has a lot to bring to the table, she said.
“(Harr) is going to do a great job at the role because she had a chance to play the support position all year and she got to watch and learn,” Morrow said. “She wasn’t necessarily calling the shots, but she got to be in the support position.”
With her experience as vice chair, Harr is excited to have the opportunity to work with the board and continue her support position, she said.
“I value being a support system a lot more than I do chair of the board,” Harr said. “I kept saying it during the meeting: ‘It’s not my board; I’m your chair.’ And that’s how I really feel.”