Penn State announced the 27 members of the new Blue and White Council  — which includes two students — earlier today at the Board of Trustees meeting.

Stan Ikenberry, the former President of Illinois, will advise the council tasked with providing strategic planning recommendations over the next year before a new Penn State President is selected. Although an ambiguous task, it will be interesting to see what this council is able to accomplish over the next year.

“The members of the Blue & White Council are providing a critical service at an important time in Penn State’s long history of outstanding performance and educational results,” said Board of Trustees Chairwoman Karen Peetz. “Higher education throughout the nation faces an array of issues in the years ahead. Penn State needs to be not only prepared, but continue to lead.”

The 7 percent student representation on the council is far from ideal, and it would have been nice to have a greater level of student input beyond just the minimal level required for Penn State to claim student involvement.

Nevertheless, the members of the council have impressive accolades. Here’s the complete list:

Michael A. Adewumi, vice provost for Global Programs

Lori J. Bechtel-Wherry, chancellor, Penn State Altoona

Ingrid M. Blood, professor of communication disorders

Alvin H. Clemens, trustee, senior partner, Agility-Partners LLC

Mark H. Dambly, trustee, president, Pennrose Properties LLC

Stephanie N. Deviney, trustee, attorney at law, Fox Rothschild LLP

William E. Easterling, dean, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences

Wanika B. Fisher, graduate student and president of the Graduate Student Association

Henry C. Foley, vice president for research and dean of the Graduate School

David J. Gray, senior vice president for finance and business/treasurer

Donald C. Hambrick, Evan Pugh Professor and Smeal Chaired Professor of Management

Tracy S. Hoover, associate dean, undergraduate education, College of Agricultural Sciences

Peter J. Hudson, director, Huck Institutes for the Life Sciences and Willaman Professor of Biology

Keith E. Masser, vice chair of the Board of Trustees

Joel N. Myers, trustee, president, AccuWeather Inc.

Robert N. Pangborn, interim executive vice president and provost

Karen B. Peetz, chairwoman, Board of Trustees, vice chairman and chief executive officer of financial markets and treasury services, Bank of New York Mellon

Kathleen M. Quinn, student, University Park Undergraduate Association and Schreyer’s Honor College representative to Academic Affairs Committee

Carl T. Shaffer, trustee, president, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau

Paul V. Suhey, trustee, orthopedic surgeon, Martin & Suhey Orthopedics

John P. Surma, trustee, chairman and chief executive officer, United States Steel Corp.

Adam J. Taliaferro, trustee, health care alliance liaison, Bristol Myers Squibb

Ronald J. Tomalis, trustee, secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Education

Craig D. Weidemann, vice president, Outreach

Susan Welch, dean, College of the Liberal Arts

Robin D. Wittenstein, director and chief operating officer, Penn State Hershey Health System