Edmonds CC appoints student trustee for the 2014-15 academic year
06/30/14
Edmonds College has named Girish Chummun as the newest member on its Board of Trustees for the 2014-15 academic year. Appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee, Chummun is the second student trustee for the college.
Chummun, 19, who lives in Edmonds, is an international student who completed the college's High School Completion program and is currently working toward an Associate of Arts degree in Business. He is from Mauritius, a small island off the southeast coast of South Africa.
"My duty as a student trustee is to ensure that the students' voices are being heard at the highest level," said Chummun, who will serve in the position for one year. "My primary goal is to assure that students' needs are met and that their success is seen as very valuable to the college."
The responsibilities student trustees — who are voting members — are no different than those of any other trustee, with the exception that student trustees must recuse themselves from decisions concerning human resources. This would be, for example, decisions on tenure, negotiated bargaining agreements, and evaluation of the college president.
The practice of having a student trustee in Washington has been in place at four-year universities for a number of years. In early 2012, the state Legislature passed a bill to have the practice apply to the state's 34 community and technical colleges. Edmonds CC Board of Trustees first approved the addition of a sixth trustee in November 2012, and Gov. Inslee appointed the first student trustee, John Jessop, in July 2013.
"Edmonds CC and Bellevue College are the only two community colleges in our state system of 34 community and technical colleges to have student trustees," said Edmonds CC President Jean Hernandez. "I am very proud of our Board of Trustees for establishing the student trustee position and having a student 'at the table' with them."
"I hope to bring a different perspective as an international student and to use my past involvement in student government to help me serve in this position," pledged Chummun.
Chummun served as the Executive Officer for Budget and Finance for the college's student government, the Associated Students of Edmonds CC, in the 2013-14 academic year.
In addition to his work in student government, Chummun has been involved with student organizations such as the Global Volunteer Club and the Vietnamese Association Club.
Outside of the classroom, Chummun enjoys playing tennis and badminton. In Mauritius, he played competitively in national and international tournaments. Locally, he trains at the Bellevue Badminton Club.
Beyond Edmonds CC, Chummun's goals include transferring to a four-year university to study finance and economics and then pursuing master's degrees in financial analysis and forensic finance.
"Edmonds CC has been a very life changing experience so far and has helped me to pursue a path to success," said Chummun. "In my role as student trustee, I hope to effect positive changes and to make a difference in student's lives."