A selection committee of the University of California Board of Regents this week nominated Benjamin Allen, a UC Berkeley Boalt Hall law student, as student regent for 2007-08.

The full board will consider the committee's recommendation at its July 19-20 meeting. If approved, Allen becomes the 33rd student regent since the position was established in 1975.

Allen would then serve as the student regent-designate for the coming year and be able to participate in all deliberations, but not vote until July 2007 when his one-year term would begin.

“I look forward to serving on the Board of Regents both as an advocate for students but also as a consensus-builder representing the values and goals of the entire UC community,” said Allen. “I hope to work with the other regents to build a university that prioritizes excellence, accessibility and diversity. I’d like to work hard on building the University’s image in Sacramento, and improving the University’s finances.”

A Santa Monica native whose father is in the English department at UCLA, Allen received his bachelor's degree in history from Harvard University and a master’s degree in Latin American Studies from Cambridge University. He has worked as a communications director for Congressman José E. Serrano (NY), a Latin American program assistant with the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, a San Fernando Valley community outreach coordinator for the Los Angeles Unified School District, and as an assistant editor for Business Mexico, a Mexico City–based trade and business monthly. While at UC Berkeley, Allen has served on the Graduate Assembly’s executive board.

This summer, Allen will serve as a judicial clerk at the United Nations court established in Tanzania to try the alleged perpetrators of the 1994 Rwanda genocide.

The student regent for 2006-07 is Maria C. Ledesma, a UCLA graduate student in education.

The nominating committee included regents Norman J. Pattiz (chair), Eddie Island, Eric Juline, Adam Rosenthal and Leslie Tang Schilling.

The regents' policy on the appointment of the student regent is available at www.universityofcalifornia.edu/regents/policies/6010.html.

This year, 73 students from all 10 UC campuses applied for the position. The regents' committee interviewed three finalists, whose names were submitted by the UC Students Association after its review of the top candidates from the UC campuses.

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