Student leaders from Edinboro and Slippery Rock universities of Pennsylvania have joined the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education’s Board of Governors.

The new student Board members are Jamie Lutz, president of Edinboro University’s Student Government Association, and Nick Barcio, president of Slippery Rock University’s Student Government Association. Both were confirmed by the state Senate after being nominated to serve on the Board by Gov. Edward G. Rendell.

The Board of Governors has overall responsibility for planning and coordinating the development and operation of PASSHE. It establishes broad fiscal, personnel and educational policies under which the PASSHE universities operate. The 20-member Board includes three student members.

The student members are selected from among the 14 sitting student government presidents at the time a vacancy occurs. Once appointed a student member may serve until he or she is graduated. The three student members participate in all discussions of the Board and have the same voting rights as all other members.

“Our student members bring an important perspective to the Board of Governors,” said Board Chairman Kenneth M. Jarin. “They provide valuable input and insight into all of our discussions and play an integral role in the decision-making process as they represent the views of our nearly 117,000 students.”

Lutz of Tionesta is a junior at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, where she is a political science major and environmental studies minor. She was elected SGA president in April, after having previously served as a student senator.

Lutz is active in a variety of campus activities. She is a student orientation leader and is serving as a representative on the Edinboro Alumni and Media Advisory boards. During her sophomore year, she served as the office manager for the SGA’s executive board and was a member of the organization’s Constitutional Review Committee and attended the National Conference on Student Leadership.

She is a member of the National Scholars Honors Society and the Edinboro Newman Student Association and is secretary of the university’s Musical Theatre Company. She participated as a volunteer in The BIG Event and performed as a dancer in the University Players Spring Showcase. This past summer she had an internship with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Barcio of Erie is a senior at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, where he is majoring in resort recreation management/tourism, with a minor in business administration. He was elected student body president in April.

Barcio is active in a variety of campus activities at Slippery Rock. He is president of finance for the Association of Residence Hall Students and president of the Resort Recreation Club. He previously served as president of Living Learning Communities, for which he helped secure official university recognition.

He is a certified judge for the National Forensics League and a member of SRU’s cycling/mountain biking and downhill ski clubs. This past summer, Barcio was an intern at the Resort at Squaw Creek in Lake Tahoe, Calif. He designed flyers and brochures for the resort’s Mountain Buddies Kid’s Camp and other programs and helped coordinate a successful Fourth of July carnival held at the resort.

The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth, with nearly 117,000 students. The 14 PASSHE universities offer degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. Approximately 454,000 PASSHE alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.

The state-owned universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. PASSHE also operates branch campuses in Clearfield, Freeport, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg.