When the demonstration was over, curator David L. Steelman said he appreciated hearing from the students.

“I don’t consider that a distraction,” he said.

In an otherwise uneventful meeting, the board offered more insight into the process it will use to find a new president.

The board came under fire last month when it announced the selection process will be largely secret, with the names of potential candidates not disclosed, at least in the early stages of the search.

Henrickson, the board chairwoman, said the secrecy allows for a wider search. The rationale is that universities generally poach top executives from other schools, and candidates would be reluctant to let current employers know they are seeking other jobs.

Critics say secret searches rob students, faculty and the public from knowing how diligent boards are, and the criteria they favor in looking for top talent.

On Thursday, the board gave student board member Tracy Mulderig a voting role in the search. Student board members have been left out of previous searches.