University community members interested in the Board of Regents selection process will have several opportunities to find out more about the candidates for the board’s four open seats.
On Tuesday, the Alumni Association will sponsor a regents candidate forum. Faculty members, staff and students are invited to attend.
All 10 candidates for the positions will be available for an informal meeting session at 3:30 p.m., followed by a panel discussion and question-and-answer period at 4 p.m. The forum will be at the Kelly Inn in St. Paul, located at Interstate 94 and Marion Street.
Organizers expect alumni, faculty and more than 30 legislators to attend the event. The public is invited to attend.
“The forum gives legislators and the candidates a good opportunity to meet each other before the official meetings begin,” said Les Heen, public policy and legislative network program director.
Congressional districts two, three and eight — those with open seats — will hold candidate interviews on or before Feb. 15. The fourth open position is for an at-large seat and will not hold a meeting. These meetings are open to the public; the time, date and place will be determined by each district.
The following day, the House Education Committee and the Senate Children, Families and Learning Committee will conduct a joint meeting to select four candidates who will be voted on by the full Legislature. The joint committee hearing will begin at 6 p.m. in room 200 of the State Office Building.
The Legislature’s joint convention will conduct a final vote on the candidates at noon on Feb. 18 in the House chambers of the State Capitol.
Limited seating is available at the Alumni Association forum; call (612) 626-1417 to RSVP.
— Stacy Jo Enge