Two former state legislators, a Cargill executive and a utilities company executive from Duluth have been chosen to fill the four open spots on the University of MinnesotaâÄôs governing board.

Laura Brod, Steve Sviggum, David McMillan and incumbent David Larson will join the UniversityâÄôs 12-member Board of Regents, which approves budgets, building plans and policy changes.

The four new regents were recommended during a joint higher education committee meeting last week and confirmed by a joint convention of the Legislature Monday afternoon.

Left out was Steven Hunter, the Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO labor union who was seeking a second term on the board.