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Jodi Anderson 2004-2005 UC Student Regent

The University of California announced its nominee for 2004-2005 student regent on Monday, and a Bruin got the nod.

Jodi Anderson is in her second year of doctoral studies pursuing a degree in higher education and is a student researcher at the UCLA Higher Education Research Institute.

Anderson, who hails from Fresno and earned her bachelor of arts degree from UC Santa Barbara in 1994, is a first-generation college student.

She has two masters degrees, one in education from UCLA and one in social policy from the University of Nottingham, England.

Students involved in the nominating process cited her background in educational studies as among Anderson’s strong points.

“She has a keen understanding of the university and its complexity,” said current student regent Dexter Ligot-Gordon.

“The breadth of issues she has researched is ... astounding,” said Stephen Klass, UC Students Association chair.

Anderson’s studies focus on issues surrounding higher education, and her lengthy experience with the UC includes not only time as a student but also as a staff member.

As an admissions officer at UCSB, Anderson traveled the state working as a counselor to prospective students and their parents.

At UCSB, Anderson was involved in the university’s outreach programs, and she wants to continue her work with outreach in her position with the regents.

“I think that (outreach is) one of the areas I want to really be focused on,” she said.

As student regent, Anderson would serve as the sole UC student out of over 170,000 able to vote on student fees, admissions policies, and other issues affecting the entire UC community.

She will also have a lot of work to do between board meetings and votes.

“From my experience, a successful student regent ... dedicates their strength, energy and time for this position,” Ligot-Gordon said.

Student regents are expected to look out for the university’s broad interests, rather than simply serve as a conduit for student views – Anderson summarized the role as being a “student who is a regent.”

However, her status as a student and a researcher allows her to approach issues somewhat differently from other board members, who are often business leaders.

A student regent can take on an issue by “starting from the point of having a student perspective,” Anderson said.

Her academic work also gives her the opportunity to contribute to the board’s discussions by “drawing upon research that is specific to the UC,” she added.

Though serving as student regent will add more duties to her busy schedule, Anderson said she can still enjoy spending her free time at local attractions, like the beach and watching films.

“I try to take advantage of what L.A. has to offer,” she said.

Anderson, who if approved will be the 30th UC student to sit on the board, would be the second education student from UCLA to serve as student regent. Tracy Davis, also pursuing a doctoral degree, served during 2001-2002.

Davis is the seventh consecutive student regent enrolled at UCLA or UC Berkeley. Both Ligot-Gordon and next year’s student regent Matt Murray are undergraduates at Berkeley.

While Murray serves as student regent, Anderson will attend regents meetings as student regent-designate, and will participate in debates though she will not be able to vote.