Students picked for the Board of Aeons

First year Chancellor Sharon Brehm has chosen six students to serve as new members of a panel to represent student opinion in the administration.\nThe Board of Aeons, established in 1921 by IU President William Lowe Bryan, officially functions as a link between the student body and the administration. The students are nominated by faculty and staff, based on excellence in academics and student leadership.\n"The selection process is pretty rigorous," Brehm said.\nAfter receiving a nomination, the students must complete applications, provide letters of reference and then undergo a process of interviewing and evaluation. Among 45 nominations this year, Brehm only considered the top 15. \nThe term "Aeons" derives from the Christian bible, as it was the Aeons who served between heaven and earth, acting as intermediaries between humans and angels. Although the name implies a holy function, some students have never heard of the board. Even a new member was unaware the board existed until his nomination.\nThe Aeons have made contributions in the past, such as proposing the gay, lesbian and bisexual student support services in 1989. Still, public information concerning the Aeons is quite limited.\nAccording to senior Hope Marasco, a new member, the Board of Aeons is in the process of reinventing itself.\n"This once was a very secretive, all-male group with quite a bit of influence," Marasco said. "The chancellor has opened up the nomination process and seeks diversity on the board."\nDiversity is a very important issue to junior Brian Burt, also a new member of the board. Like Marasco, Burt said he is interested in working with the new chancellor because she has an open mind and seems willing to listen. His view of the Aeons' secrecy differs.\n"The whole purpose of secrecy is that they don't seek recognition," he said.\nBurt said his interest in the group is more for behind the scenes work to make a difference by representing the students. Although not publicly available, both he and Marasco said centralized student involvement in campus groups and activities gives them an understanding of student opinion.\n"I'm actually ambivalent on the publicity issue," said Brehm. "The Aeons should be serving the institution. They must be serious about the campus, and they must try to work with Chancellor," she said. \n"They should be selfless, you know, this not a position for grandstanding."\nMarasco agreed. Rather than seeking recognition, she wants to, "let the chancellor know what students feel through methodical research of student opinion." Polls and surveys will provide feedback she said, since the Aeons can not rely on their own assumptions.\nBrehm said she would value the Board of Aeons findings for long-range campus improvements, but was unclear as to its influence on her decision-making process.\n"It's a quiet and unobtrusive way to have very dedicated students advise the chancellor about campus in a very meaningful way," she said. "I will listen carefully."\nBrehm also stated she values the opinions of students from all walks of life, and students should let the Aeons know their opinions, but if the Aeons are unavailable, students can always seek the chancellor herself.\nOther new board members include sophomore Chris Hansen, junior Tristan Dee and seniors Megan Hise and Marshawn Wolley.