Criminal Justice Major Appointed as Student Representative to Board of Visitors

Gregory Walsh, a rising senior from Newport News, was appointed the student representative to the Old Dominion University Board of Visitors for 2011-12 at the board's quarterly meeting last month.

The criminal justice major, who plans to attend law school after graduating next May, said he hopes to help enhance students' experience at the university.

"The student representative to the Board of Visitors is a critical position charged with bridging the gap between student opinion and executive awareness. I am excited to take this position to its fullest potential and serve the student body," said Walsh, whose term began on May 9 and ends May 4, 2012.

Walsh worked with the Office of Housing and Residence Life as a resident assistant in Whitehurst Hall last year and will continue to do so next fall. As a founding father and grand master of Kappa Sigma Fraternity, he is attempting to establish this chapter at ODU.

The Board of Visitors (BOV) consists of 17 members who are appointed by the governor. The BOV elects a student representative each year. A nonvoting member, the student representative attends the board's quarterly meetings in June, September, December and April.

The representative gives a report at each meeting to inform the board of student issues that cannot be solved at the Student Government Association (SGA) or Graduate Student Organization (GSO) level, and other matters that need board approval. The representative's role is to help foster a good working relationship with the ODU administration on behalf of the student body. Walsh will also attend meetings of the Deans' Advisory Council, the Governmental Relations Student Advisory Board, Student Voice Leaders, SGA and GSO.

Krista Harrell-Blair, a doctoral student in ODU's higher education administration program, is the university's most recent BOV student representative. She said it was a unique opportunity "to give students a voice at the highest level of governance at ODU. It is an honor and a privilege to serve in the role. The position is full of opportunities and will be of great benefit to those students who are interested in learning more about running a university and policymaking."

Harrell-Blair is working with Walsh on a proposal to add a second student representative to the BOV in the fall, so that there would be both an undergraduate and graduate student position.