A Texas State student was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to serve a one-year term as a non-voting member on the Board of Regents.

Matthew Russell, public administration junior, will serve as the Texas State University System’s student regent effective June 1. He is one of 10 students appointed by Perry on May 6 serve on their respective university systems’ governing boards.

“I am very thankful to have been appointed by Governor Perry as the student regent for the Texas State University System,” Russell said. “It is a privilege and honor to have been given this opportunity to represent more than 70,000 students in our system.”

Student regents are appointed by Perry every year to voice the concerns of their peers at their universities.

Students worried about discrimination from roommates because of their sexuality or gender identity may be able to ensure a safer environment after the passage of an Associated Student Government resolution.

ASG passed a resolution April 22 to allow students to indicate whether they are transgender, transsexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual or queer on their housing application. Under the resolution, the application would allow students to note whether they would like their sexuality or gender identity to be taken into consideration when being placed with a roommate. Non-LGBTQ students can indicate if they are LGBTQ-friendly under the resolution.

ASG wants students to be made aware of their “current options in being housed in a safe environment.”

Texas State’s largest graduating class in history is prompting the university to prepare for extra crowds at commencement ceremonies this spring.

This May there will be six commencement ceremonies held at Strahan Coliseum with nearly 4,500 graduation candidates. Administrators are anticipating crowds larger than the capacity at Strahan and are planning for overflow crowds at the ceremonies. Provost Eugene Bourgeois said Gym 102 in Jowers Center will have a live stream of the ceremony to accommodate additional guests. The gym is located off one of the main entrances of Strahan Coliseum.

Bourgeois said the College of Education ceremony and the combined ceremony of the College of Applied Arts and the College of Health Professions are both expected to draw overflow crowds.

Debbie Thorne, associate vice president for Academic Affairs, said although overflow is only expected at the two ceremonies, they will have the extra room prepared for all six.

Sarah Garcia’s life was altered the night her friend was struck and killed instantly by a drunk driver two years ago.

The incident still resonates with Garcia, education freshman.

“I always wonder what would happen if the driver didn’t get drunk or just didn’t drive,” Garcia said. “Why would he drive? Just why?”

Instances of drunk driving such as this one have prompted Vanessa Cortez, Associated Student Government president-elect, to try to revive the Students With Alternative Transportation program. The program, which was canceled by the university in 2009, provided Texas State students with a safe ride home when they were too intoxicated to drive. The university reallocated S.W.A.T.’s funding to the on-campus Alcohol and Drug Compliance Services.

“(Safe-ride programs) are something that many, many universities do and it’s something that we need to bring back for the safety of our students,” Cortez said.

The Graduate College will soon see a change in leadership as its current dean retires and passes the torch.

Michael Willoughby, dean of the Graduate College, will retire after a 39-year career at Texas State, 31 of those as dean. Willoughby said he began work at Texas State when he was 29 years old—he is now 68. Andrea Golato of the University of Illinois at Urbana—Champaign will take over Willoughby’s position.

Associate Provost Cynthia Opheim said Willoughby is retiring after a long and distinguished career. Opheim said she has known Willoughby for a long time, and his broad knowledge of helping students and enhancing the graduate program has made him a “remarkable problem solver.”

“I will miss him very much,” Opheim said. “I consider him a good friend.”

Opheim said Willoughby will officially leave Aug. 31, with some overlap as Golato takes the position in mid-July. She said the overlap will allow for a smooth transition.

Veolia Transportation will be the university’s next bus service provider beginning August 2014, pending the Board of Regents’ approval.

An evaluation team will recommend the Board of Regents award Veolia Transportation the tram contract May 23, said Nancy Nusbaum, assistant vice president of Finance and Support Services. The evaluation team chose Veolia over First Transit, the university’s current tram service provider, based on initial proposals, presentations and the “best and final offer,” Nusbaum said.

A new fleet of buses will be purchased under the seven-year contract, said Jane Wilcox, director of transportation services. Wilcox said she could not share the estimated hourly service rate because of its pending status.

“There were a number of things that lead me in the direction of my choice,” Wilcox said.

Officials are interested in expanding Strahan Coliseum seating to accommodate increased attendance to commencement ceremonies.

A continually increasing growth of commencement ceremonies and lack of seating has called for a reassessment of Strahan Coliseum, which could be expanded in the near future.

Lyndon’s U Club is the only restaurant on campus and could be replaced by Au Bon Pain. It is located on the first floor of the LBJ Student Center next to Blimpie’s and open to all students, faculty, staff and guests.

While sales at Lyndon’s U Club continue to disappoint, Chartwells is exploring the idea of replacing the establishment with the national chain Au Bon Pain.

The last time Kayla Kapavik joked with her cousin Joey Pustejovsky or saw her home was Easter. Now, both are gone.

Kapavik is one of a handful of Texas State students from West who were affected by the April 17 explosion.

Kapavik, radiation therapy sophomore, said her 29-year-old cousin was a firefighter and the city’s secretary. She said her cousin was on the first radio call between the police and fire department when the fire was reported.

“From the beginning, there was a person who called in the fire and 30 seconds in you can hear my cousin, and he is the first responder,” Kapavik said. “He said he was on his way. When he got there he assessed the situation and went (into the building).”

Kapavik said police began trying to get the firefighters out of the plant once they realized how dangerous the fire was getting.

“That’s why some of them survived,” she said.