Gov. Rick Perry will appoint a nonvoting student to the UT System Board of Regents at the end of the academic year to serve a one-year term. Jessica Faith Carter, a special education graduate student, and history senior Joshua Tang are two UT-Austin students among the seven finalists from across the UT System vying to replace the current student regent, Ashley Purgason, a doctoral student at UT-Medical Branch at Galveston. The Daily Texan obtained information about the student regent applicants through the Texas Public Information Act.

History senior Joshua Tang said his experience as a transfer student from Ashland University and working to promote diversity and equality in various organizations has prepared him to express the concerns of a variety of students on the various system campuses.

“A lot of the work I’m interested in on campus is centered around making sure the University is as safe and open to students who are not typically represented in higher education,” Tang said.

Tang is Students for Equity and Diversity’s director of operations, a student leader at the Multicultural Engagement Center, Teach for America recruitment intern and was in Washington D.C. during the Fisher v. Texas Supreme Court hearing to rally for National Leadership Council on Human and Civil Rights.

Ana Ixchel Rosal, director of the Gender and Sexuality Center in the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, said Tang has been a dependable student leader at Multicultural Engagement Center. 

Tang said his personal life experiences will allow him to represent a wide range of student issues.

“I am the son of an African-American woman and a Chinese man. Not too long ago that type of marriage would have been illegal,” Tang said. “My family wasn’t very wealthy at all. I did not originally come to UT. I transferred in from a small liberal arts school in Ohio. I think those types of [experiences] have given me the perspective on how to interact with people diplomatically and navigate difficult issues.” 

Crystal Zhao, a government and communication studies senior, said Tang’s willingness to connect with other students and better their experience on campus would benefit the board.

“Josh has a big heart and is genuinely interested in ensuring that UT students, faculty and administration alike have an unrivaled experience as they spend their time at this university,” Zhao said.

Published on February 25, 2013 as "Representation refresh".