Student regent nominee juggles grad school and single parenting

Monday, February 3, 1997

REGENTS:

McClymond’s concern with UC system, commitment to student
government gave her the edge over other applicantsBy Tiffany
Lauter

Daily Bruin Contributor

If getting out of bed in time for an eight o’clock class seems
challenging, try incorporating an 8- year-old into the
equation.

Kathryn McClymond, the 36-year-old student regent nominee from
UC Santa Barbara, does this every weekday. She is up at 6:45 a.m.
to get herself "sort of" ready, before taking on what she calls her
"greatest challenge" of the day: getting her 8-year-old daughter
out of bed. Sarah needs to be dressed and breakfasted, her lunch
made and hurried off to school by 8:05.

Once this is accomplished, Kathryn goes to her school, UCSB,
where she is a graduate student in religious studies and a T.A.
There, she tackles homework or attends classes until it’s time to
pick up Sarah at 2:45 p.m. McClymond works at home until 5:30 p.m.,
then spends three hours of "our time." Once Sarah is in bed,
McClymond returns to her work until 11:30 p.m. to get some sleep
before it starts all over.

With an already hectic schedule like this, why would McClymond
want to take on one more responsibility as the UC student
regent?

"As a student and teaching assistant, it became clear to me that
affordability and financing were not unique concerns to me as a
graduate student, but also undergraduates," she said, adding that
she is "very concerned about the UC system because I have an
8-year-old who could very well attend it."

According to Debbie Davis, chair of the UC Student Association
(UCSA), McClymond was one of 37 applications from the nine
campuses. The applications were screened to ensure the student
applicants were qualified for the position. Then the presidents
from the southern and northern region undergraduate and graduate
associations interviewed applicants from campuses included in their
area.

After the interview process, the nine top candidates’ files were
forwarded to UCSA to interview and name the top three.

"We made our selection based upon the applicant’s commitment to
grass-root ties, and student government or association involvement
­ not just any student on a campus," said Davis. "And most
importantly, their knowledge of system-wide policies, not just what
was happening on their campus," she added.

Roy T. Brophy, chairman of the committee, said that while
McClymond’s résumé is not heavily weighted with student
government or association involvement, she does have a strong
understanding of the system and has followed the regents’
proceedings for the past two years.

Brophy said he was unable to comment about any of the
committee’s concerns about choosing McClymond, because the
selection of student regents occurs in closed sessions, but he did
reveal that she received a unanimous vote from the six members.

"She is very enthusiastic about her home life, which is
impressive. Also, it is time for a woman to be student regent,"
Brophy said, adding that it was McClymond’s mature attitude and
knowledge of the regents that earned her his vote.

McClymond said she looks forward to making as much of an impact
as she can in her one-year term, using her knowledge of UC policy.
One particular area that she plans to focus on is alumni
fundraising; she says she hopes that this will result in an
increase in available funds, resulting in prevention of student fee
increases and increased availability of other resources for student
interests.

Once she officially becomes the student regent, McClymond will
publish her email and phone numbers in the campus papers to
encourage student feedback.

"As a regent, I have a responsibility to focus on what is the
best decision for the university as a whole, by obtaining as much
input from the students as possible," she said.

McClymond’s nomination will be presented to the entire Board of
Regents at the February meeting for their approval. If approved,
she will attend the Regents’ meetings as a non-voting member until
she replaces Jess Bravin, the current student regent, in July.
Since the student regent position was created in 1974, the board
has never denied a nomination.