Craig McFarland, student trustee from the Springfield campus, was selected to receive the binding student vote on the Board of Trustees Tuesday. McFarland was selected to take the binding vote from the former student trustee from Chicago, James Winters.

Winters was appointed the binding vote last October by former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, but after his resignation on February 17 it was necessary for a new appointment to be made.

Gov. Pat Quinn asked the remaining trustees Paul Schmitt, Urbana, and McFarland to decide between themselves who would receive the binding vote, and McFarland was chosen in a hat draw.

The binding vote is appointed to one of the three student trustees and allows him or her a vote on the 9-member board, while the other two provide only advisory votes.

The chairman of the Board, Niranjan Shah sent a letter to the governor’s office this morning requesting that he appoint McFarland the binding vote in time for next week’s meeting.

Elias Pittos assumed the vacated Chicago campus student trustee position.