The deadline to apply for a University of Minnesota regent position was extended by three weeks Monday.

The original deadline was Nov. 8, but the Regent Candidate Advisory Council, a state organization, pushed the deadline to Nov. 29 in order to get a larger pool of candidates, council chair Jane Belau said.

âÄúWe did get quality applications,âÄù she said.  âÄúBut all of the sudden there are a lot more people that seem to be interested now that the elections are over.âÄù

Four of the 12 spots on the board will be open this year and the RCAC will meet in early December to review written applications.

From the pool of applicants, RCAC will select two to four candidates for each regent opening. The candidates will be forwarded to a joint convention of the Legislature, which will elect candidates. Regents are elected to staggered, six-year terms.