Farm labor activist Dolores Huerta plans to take her social justice agenda to her first meeting Wednesday as a University of California regent.

The 73-year-old co-founder of the United Farm Workers union was appointed Thursday after state senators confirmed Gov. Davis' choice in a 25-5 vote that split along party lines.

She was appointed to serve the remaining six months of Regent Norman Pattiz's term. Pattiz, chairman of Westwood One, the nation's largest radio network, was appointed to a new 12-year term on the board.

Huerta was surprised by the appointment to the 26-member board, saying she never aspired or expected to be among the "prestigious" regents, especially since she has been a vocal critic, singing protest songs outside of meetings and appearing with national civil rights leader Jesse Jackson to denounce the regents' abolishment of affirmative action.

Huerta credited her new posting to state Sen. Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles, who opposed reappointment of Pattiz and pushed for a minority or woman instead.

Huerta, who has backed Davis since he first ran for state office, appears in television commercials urging a vote against the recall. "But I've never contributed to his campaign because I don't have a lot of money," she said.

Fresno County Republican strategist Michael Der Manouel Jr. said Huerta's appointment smacked of a grab for votes: "Although the drivers license bill for illegal immigrants that Davis just signed and the employers health insurance mandate probably buy more votes in the Latino community, there's no question that this was aimed at strengthening votes among Latinos and labor. ... Is Dolores bad for the board of regents? I don't think so. But there are probably a lot more qualified people, but they might not provide the political pop."

The former elementary school teacher and mother of 11 bristled at such talk. She listed her qualifications as a frequent college lecturer, guest speaker at UC graduations and part-time UC teacher. "I bring to the regents this whole different voice and a message of social justice," Huerta said.

Huerta is expected to shake up the board with her persistent, outspoken style and is likely to clash with Ward Connerly, whom she said she has encountered only during her protests of his policies. Connerly pushed to remove consideration of race or ethnicity in university admissions and now is spearheading Proposition 54, the "racial privacy initiative" that would ban the state from collecting data on race or ethnicity in employment or education.

Huerta said she was heartened by the regents' recent 15-3 vote to oppose Prop. 54.

Huerta was confident she could work with the regents and make a difference: "I've been on other boards, such as the ag board, and I was the only Latina representative and I was able to support policies for farmworkers even though I was greatly outnumbered."

Huerta says her top priority is to make sure the racial and ethnic makeup of students on university campuses mirrors that of California's population. And she wants to make UCs affordable and available, especially to California's community college students, who are more likely to be minorities and older students struggling to support families.