2008 Woodie Awards
Ellis will be USM student council chair
Christina Cobb
Issue date: 4/18/07 Section: News
Devin Ellis, the Graduate Student Governement chief of staff, was elected Sunday as the chairman of the University System of Maryland Student Council, a body that provides advocacy for thousands of students enrolled at the state's 11 universities.
Ellis, who ran unopposed, was elected by a unanimous vote of sitting council members. The position means Ellis will provide leadership in communicating the needs of students to the system's governing board, the Board of Regents, and will help elect the student regent, who has the only student vote on the board.
The unanimous vote was no surprise, Ellis said, since he was also the sole nominee.
"There's a high turnover of senior people on the council this year and I'm very honored that outgoing seniors made me the only nominee," said Ellis, who is also a former chief of staff of this university's Student Government Association.
Ellis will also have unfettered access to meet with and lobby system Chancellor Brit Kirwan and will serve as the council's spokesman at monthly regents meetings.
"It's good for the campus to have someone like Devin representing us at a higher level," GSG President Laura Moore said. "I am excited about the future of the student council with him as the chairman."
Ellis said he does not expect that his new position will interfere with his current role on the GSG.
Ellis was appointed to the student council last May by university President Dan Mote, and said he applied to be the council's chairman after several senior members decided not to serve again this year.
"I'm pleased to bring the chairman position back to a College Park student," Ellis said.
The council's outgoing chairman is Brian Bailey of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Before Bailey, senior Nick Aragón chaired the council for two years.
Ellis' new position as council chairman leaves a vacancy on the council for another student representative from College Park.
Contact reporter Christina Cobb at cobbdbk@gmail.com.
Ellis, who ran unopposed, was elected by a unanimous vote of sitting council members. The position means Ellis will provide leadership in communicating the needs of students to the system's governing board, the Board of Regents, and will help elect the student regent, who has the only student vote on the board.
The unanimous vote was no surprise, Ellis said, since he was also the sole nominee.
"There's a high turnover of senior people on the council this year and I'm very honored that outgoing seniors made me the only nominee," said Ellis, who is also a former chief of staff of this university's Student Government Association.
Ellis will also have unfettered access to meet with and lobby system Chancellor Brit Kirwan and will serve as the council's spokesman at monthly regents meetings.
"It's good for the campus to have someone like Devin representing us at a higher level," GSG President Laura Moore said. "I am excited about the future of the student council with him as the chairman."
Ellis said he does not expect that his new position will interfere with his current role on the GSG.
Ellis was appointed to the student council last May by university President Dan Mote, and said he applied to be the council's chairman after several senior members decided not to serve again this year.
"I'm pleased to bring the chairman position back to a College Park student," Ellis said.
The council's outgoing chairman is Brian Bailey of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Before Bailey, senior Nick Aragón chaired the council for two years.
Ellis' new position as council chairman leaves a vacancy on the council for another student representative from College Park.
Contact reporter Christina Cobb at cobbdbk@gmail.com.
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