We are more than a dozen student leaders going back to 2001 and believe that the Embry-Riddle Board of Trustees has become stale, complacent, and out of touch with the community it's meant to steward. Read our open letter on Medium.

We are particularly concerned about the naming of the student union for the board chairman without adequate student input. Thus, we believe the Embry-Riddle Board of Trustees should:

Commission an independent external review of its governance practices, including term limits, committees, diversity, annual giving and major gifts, conflicts and appearances thereof, etc.

Publish the results of the external review and revise the board’s bylaws accordingly through an open and transparent process. The board should not vote to hire a new president until this is complete.

Restore the tradition of student leaders having full voting seats on the board. This was inspired by Embry-Riddle’s first president, Jack Hunt, who was known to say: “students are the lifeblood of this university!”

Place a hold on the naming of the student union until a major gift, at least 20 percent, is secured or pledged and the student government votes to approve the naming, just as they voted to implement the fee.

Incubate an alumni-run alumni association that will eventually be spun out and operate independently to elect alumni trustees and harness the full support of the alumni community, from fundraising to mentoring.

As Embry-Riddle approaches its 90th anniversary, join us in demanding more from the Board of Trustees so Embry-Riddle can soar to its full potential.