This article was written by UW Tacoma student Liza Vykhovanets, whose biography is included below. Other library staff involved with the Student Advisory Board planning are Marcia Monroe, Kara Peters and Marisa Petrich.

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The UWT Library is a central hub for faculty, students, and patrons to access resources, spaces, and research support. However, there were voices missing in the decision-making process about the library and services: students.  

That issue was recently addressed with the creation of the first UWT Library Student Advisory Board. Two co-creators of the board are Johanna Jacobsen Kiciman, education and research help librarian, and Megan Watson, collections librarian. 

I’ve been here for five years at the library, and with a rotating cast of staff and colleagues, it was very clear to me that the voices missing in the decision-making process about the librarian at services, are the student voices who are the largest group that we serve on this campus as a public university,” Jacobsen Kiciman said. “Last January we had Megan Watson join our group, and there was enough fire of enough people with this interest to say, we’re finally going to do it like I’d been thinking about it for five years or four years.

The UWT Student Advisory Board is the first of its kind. It is an opportunity for students to have a seat at the table where decisions are being made and to help guide the planning that will affect current and future generations of students at UWT.  

The board consists of 10 members which includes five students and five staff. They participate in collective advocacy to make the library a place that better suits student needs.   

Jacobsen Kiciman and Watson began the process of creating the advisory board in January 2022. It took a little bit of work planning how the board would look like, and how to secure funding, according to Jacobsen Kiciman. 

My role was really to sort of come in and hopefully give some renewed energy to the project as a new person, Watson said. 

In Fall 2022, Watson helped arrange all the marketing materials, and figure out a process for managing applications. 

Students were selected to co-create the board after they submitted an interest form in November 2022. The board currently meets virtually during winter quarter and will continue their work during spring quarter for a total of 10 scheduled meetings.  

To ensure compensation for their labor, student board members earn a stipend of $200 per quarter for a total of $400.  

Currently, the board is working together to finalize the board structure by establishing its mission, vision, and goals. In addition, the board will be brainstorming name ideas to replace the long title. 

Watson enjoys collaborating with students during board meetings. 

I’m hearing all the brilliant ideas that come up and having my own ideas challenged, and feeling like we’re all sort of growing together through the process of being in community with one another, Watson said. 

Any students interested in being a future board member should keep an eye out for announcements on the library’s blog or Instagram page, @uwtlibrary. 

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Liza Vykhovanets is a Ukrainian American undergraduate senior studying Communications and Innovation and Design. She is active on campus as a President of WiCS and a student board member of (SLAB, Husky Library Advocacy, etc.). Her first published paper, The Self-Made Entrepreneur: Marxist Analysis of White Tiger was published October 2022. She currently lives and writes in Tacoma.