Gov. Steve Beshear named Chris Crumrine, former chief of staff of Student Government, the student member of the state Council on Postsecondary Education this week.

Crumrine, who graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in mass communications and is currently working toward a master of public administration degree, said serving as a voice for students will be his main priority while on the council.

“Considering the budget cuts that have taken place this year and how they have effected tuition, it is important to make sure we find ways to keep college affordable,” Crumrine said.

One of the CPE’s main focuses this year will be finding a way to set future tuition rates, Crumrine said.

“There won’t be a huge tuition debate this year among the council because we are in the middle of a budget cycle, but determining how we will set the price of tuition in the future is something we will focus on to try to keep higher education affordable,” Crumrine said.

The council will look at how universities in other states determine rates of tuition as possible influences on a policy for Kentucky, Crumrine said.

Crumrine will work closely with the Board of Student Body Presidents, a group made up of leaders from Student Governments at colleges around Kentucky, to help him serve as the students’ liason to state government.

“I’m the best way for students to communicate with state government and have a say in what goes on at the state level,” Crumrine said.

The Board of Student Body Presidents helped select Crumrine for his position as one of 16 members appointed to the council by the governor. Crumrine was nominated by current SG President Tyler Montell and was one of three candidates who met with Beshear in contest for the position.

“There were a couple of good candidates for the position but Chris really stood out,” Montell said.

During his time as an undergraduate, Crumrine worked “hard to lobby for lower tuition and had a good understanding of how state government works,” Montell said.

Crumrine was appointed on Tuesday for a term that expires June 30, 2009. He succeeds UK law student Ryan Quarles whose term expired at the end of last month. Quarles will attend Harvard University this school year as one of 25 Zuckerman Fellows.