With legislative deadlines looming, four vacancies could go unfilled by legislature
Senator Paul Anderson (R-Plymouth), Chair of the Senate Committee on Higher Education, joined Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-Nisswa) in calling for a joint convention of the state legislature for the purpose of electing Regents for the University of Minnesota, a Constitutional responsibility of the legislature. The Senate has repeatedly attempted to engage the House of Representatives in setting a date for a Joint Convention on Regent Selection, however the House leadership is so far unwilling to do so.
“The University of Minnesota is a worldwide leader in research and education that impacts every corner of our state,” said Senator Anderson. “With an investment of over $1.3 billion from the state legislature, the U of M and every Minnesota taxpayer deserves an experienced, qualified, and fully-filled Board of Regents to provide oversight and governance of this institution. We have communicated the need for a Joint Convention on Regent Selection to House leadership, yet so far, every date we have suggested has come and gone. With new incoming U of M President-Designee Joan Gabel assuming leadership in July, it is more important than ever to immediately fill the four vacancies on the Board of Regents.”
Majority Leader Gazelka sent a letter on March 27, 2019 to the Speaker of the House outlining the need for a joint convention and offered to meet on April 1, as had been previously discussed, or April 8. He also offered for the House to propose their own date. The Speaker did not respond to the letter.
In 2019, there are four vacancies on the Board of Regents: the 5th Congressional District seat, two statewide at-large seats, and a student at-large seat. The non-partisan Regent Candidate Advisory Council (RCAC), a 24-person committee comprised almost entirely of members of the public, began recruiting, screening, and interviewing candidates in the middle of 2018, in an open, fair, and exhaustive process that ultimately recommended 16 candidates to the legislature for consideration in January. The joint House and Senate Higher Education Committee met in February, recommending five candidates for the four open seats. If the legislature fails to hold a joint convention, the Governor can unilaterally fill the vacant positions with whomever he chooses.
“Selecting Regents for the University of Minnesota is a nonpartisan issue,” added Senator Anderson. “I am confident we can work together on establishing a date and selecting the best individuals for the job. By fulfilling our Constitutional duty as a legislature, we will ensure ‘The U’ has the leadership it needs to continue its mission for generations to come.”