Student regent reflects on role, looks to future

Frost says he will miss close interactions with students, faculty, regents

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LUKE HOLLISTER | DAILY EVERGREEN FILE

“I’m sad [this position is] only a year, but I have learned so much,” WSU Student Regent Jordan Frost says as he shares his memories about his time on the board.

CHERYL AARNIO, Evergreen reporter

Student Regent Jordan Frost will continue his leadership legacy at a high school in Issaquah when he leaves his position this summer.

During his time as a regent, Frost said he works with nine other regents to look at the WSU system and see where there are challenges in the university and opportunities to improve. Frost represents WSU students, but he also considers how certain issues affect staff, faculty and the community.

Frost — who is getting his Master’s in teaching social studies — said he recently signed a contract with the Issaquah School District to teach at one of its high schools next year. Frost will leave his position on July 1 when a new student regent will take over.

“My only hope is that they invest the time it takes to understand the issues across the system and be true to their voice,” he said. “It’s a lot of pressure to be in a room full of people who are really powerful.”

Frost reflected on positive things during his tenure as the student regent.

He said the other board members really listen to him, which benefits students because Frost said he always takes students’ opinions into account when voicing his. He values having the opportunity to represent fellow students at a high level.

Frost said he has given board members his own perspective on certain topics. He was able to discuss Housing and Dining fees to the board because he had prior experience on the Housing and Dining Advisory Board for three years as an undergraduate.

“I’m sad [this position is] only a year, but I have learned so much,” he said. “I have met so many wonderful people.”

Frost also kept up with issues he covered as ASWSU president. Frost was passionate about sexual assault prevention since he was an undergraduate, he said.

Kimberly Anderson, executive director of Office for Equal Opportunity, spoke to the Board of Regents and Frost took that as an opportunity to help the board understand the position the office was in.

He said he did this by asking many pointed questions, and as a result, the Office for Equal Opportunity acquired more funding and added positions.

Along with this, Frost said he was proud of voting against the new baseball facility project because the money for it was essentially a loan given by the university to the athletics department. While he said he is a fan of Cougar Athletics, he said the university is in a difficult financial situation, which motivated his decision to dissent.

“After I spoke out and voted against that, I had so many emails from faculty about how happy they were,” Frost said. “It showed that I was being true to the people I serve: students, the greater campus, the system as a whole.”

Regent Lura J. Powell said Frost impressed her when he was the ASWSU president and knew he had great potential. She said she was “absolutely delighted” when he was appointed student regent.

Powell said one of the things that struck her is how he always prepares before meetings.  She said he speaks with students who would be affected by what is on the meeting agenda, which benefits the board.

One thing Frost said he wishes is for students to become engaged with whomever the student regent is, and not just when the student regent asks for feedback about an issue. That can be through email or the student regent twitter page.

“I just think he’s an incredibly talented young man,” Powell said. “I think he has a very bright future ahead of him, and we appreciate his service.”