UNTHSC Connection

Amir Barzin

Amir Barzin (TCOM ’12) and Christian Dean (TCOM ’12) were appointed by Texas Gov. Rick Perry to serve in higher education posts. They join 11 student appointees who will serve terms from June 1 through May 31, 2012. The governor announced their appointments on April 20.

Christian Dean

Barzin was named the student representative to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, which provides leadership and coordination for the Texas higher education system.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of North Carolina and a master’s degree in medical science from the Health Science Center.

Dean is student regent to the UNT System, which oversees UNTHSC, UNT Denton and UNT Dallas. Dean earned a bachelor’s degree in molecular, cellular and development biology from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a master’s degree in biomedical sciences from the Health Science Center.

In 2005, Perry signed legislation directing each public university board of regents to include one student member; he called for the coordinating board to include a student representative in 2007.

Students in these roles have most of the same powers and duties as board members. They are non-voting and cannot be counted toward a meeting quorum.