Eastern Student Leaders Seek a Greater Voice in Connecticut’s Public College System

Will Trzaski | News Editor

As Connecticut’s public college system faces questions about leadership and accountability, Eastern Connecticut State University student representatives have opportunities to bring student concerns to the officials overseeing the state’s colleges and universities.

Matthew Biadun, Eastern’s student government association president, serves on two committees that connect students with university governance and the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) system. In an email interview, Biadun explained how these roles allow him to represent Eastern students and how students can make their voices heard beyond campus.

Biadun serves on Eastern’s University Senate alongside student senators Josue Perez-Meneses and Ryan Khessibi. He described the senate as the legislature of the Eastern campus, joining together administrators, faculty and students to address university affairs.

The Senate has also addressed issues involving CSCU leadership. This summer, it passed a Motion of No Confidence in the Board of Regents. The Senate also hosted Interim Chancellor Natalie Braswell and Board of Regents Interim Chair Ari Santiago, giving Biadun an opportunity to directly ask questions with the system leaders.

Biadun also serves as Eastern’s primary representative on the Student Advisory Committee to the Board of Regents, with SGA Senator Dakota Lawson serving as the alternate. The committee brings student representatives from state universities and community colleges to advise the Board of Regents and provide student perspectives. Biadun serves as the committee secretary, and its chair and vice chair are voting members of the Board of Regents.

The committee’s work comes amid broader concerns about CSCU leadership. In October, NBC Connecticut reported that student leaders across the system wanted a greater role in addressing the turmoil surrounding CSCU. Eastern’s student representatives have opportunities to engage with system leadership through these formal committees.

At the campus level, Biadun said students have approached him with a variety of concerns, including questions about Eastern’s Blue Light System and campus safety. He said safety has been a particular concern amid ongoing reporting on the allegations of sexual assault from 2024 at Cornell University.

Biadun confirmed that Eastern’s Blue Light System would remain in place, despite the University of Connecticut announcing plans to remove its own system. He emphasized that students' concerns vary considerably. “I wouldn’t say there’s one overall theme – lots of students approach me with lots of varied concerns,” Biadun said.

He has not brought the Blue Light System or campus safety concerns to the Board of Regents, explaining that these are campus-specific issues that the board may not be able to address directly. Instead, he said communicating with Eastern’s administration is usually enough to make progress.

“The vast majority of the time, communicating with Eastern administration is enough to get something done,” Biadun said. He added that he would bring major issues to the Board of Regents when necessary.

Beyond responding to immediate concerns, Biadun said he wants students to know that student representatives are fighting to address corruption and misconduct within the CSCU system.

He is also keeping in contact with people seeking to establish a digital syllabus depository at ECSU. The proposal would allow students access to course syllabi online, potentially helping them make more informed decisions during registration.

Biadun encouraged students who want to influence higher education policy to speak up and participate in the process. He said students can address the Board of Regents during public comments, speak before legislative committees when the state legislature develops its biennial budget in the spring, submit opinion pieces to newspapers and participate in elections.

“Everyone should also make sure they vote, no matter who they vote for, to make sure student voices are heard at the ballot box,” Biadun said.