Three UTRGV students to serve on state advisory committees for THECB

By Amanda Alaniz

Three UTRGV students have been chosen to be student representatives on advisory committees for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

The THECB – which works with the Legislature, businesses and other stakeholders to align the state’s high education goals with economic interests and talents – is required to appoint non-voting student representatives to certain advisory committees for a term of about two years.

The advisory committees are ApplyTexas, Financial Aid, Learning Technology and Texas Transfer. Student representatives have the same rights as other members of advisory committees, except the right to vote or be counted toward a quorum for official committee business.

THE STUDENTS & THEIR NEW ROLES

• Farzaneh Fouladi, Business Administration, PhD student, Financial Aid Advisory Committee.

The Financial Aid Advisory Committee advises on developing, implementing and evaluating state financial aid programs for college students. The committee will also provide input on policies and procedures, review data collection and reporting, and suggest areas for research.

• Esmeralda Gonzalez, Civil Engineering undergraduate student, Learning Technology Advisory Committee.

The Learning Technology Advisory Committee reviews and recommends improvements for Institutional Plans for Distance Education (IPDEs) to enhance high-quality distance education programs.

• Jennifer Martinez, Curriculum and Instruction, EdD student, Texas Transfer Advisory Committee.

The Texas Transfer Advisory Committee advises the Commissioner of Higher Education on the Texas transfer framework and the development of Field of Study Curricula (FOSC). The committee will identify appropriate disciplines for FOSC and organize subcommittees of faculty experts to create recommended lower-division curricula for transfer students.

A VOICE FOR STUDENTS 

This marks the first time UTRGV has had three students chosen for the advisory committees.

Those chosen agreed that the appointments are a good way to grow both personally and professionally as they continue their college journey.

Martinez, from Elsa, is a Research Services coordinator with the College of Health Professions. She said she is interested in experiencing a different side of higher education, and became interested in Curriculum and Instruction after she helped create a training program for academic advisors.

“As an academic advisor, I saw so many students struggle with transitions and getting credits to count,” she said. “This is a chance to impact the process and reduce the barriers students experience in their educational journey.”

As a student on the Texas Transfer Advisory Committee, she is responsible for representing the views and interests of students across public universities.

For McAllen resident Gonzalez, being part of the Learning Technology Advisory Committee gives her a chance to advocate for all students in higher education.

“This role is a great opportunity to demonstrate competence, as well as practice being a team player and network with statewide leaders in education,” she said. “It also allows me to be a voice for all higher learning students across the state – such as my own two adult children, who also attend UTRGV and will be facing challenges ahead.”

As part of the committee, her duties will be to engage in substantive policy research and discussions regarding the role of learning technology in higher education.

The students’ terms on the committees started June 1, 2024, and will end May 31, 2026.

All three will be required to maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA. They must be enrolled at a public institution, and must maintain a statewide perspective on higher education.

For more information about the Texas Higher Education Coordinating board, visit www.highered.texas.gov.