Only eighteen people have applied for the five University Board of Regents seats opening in February, with the Dec. 1 deadline looming.
The seats belonging to Fifth Congressional District Rep. Michael O’Keefe and at-large representatives Patricia Spence, Warren Larson and Jessica Phillips will be up for grabs. The late at-large regent William Peterson’s seat also needs to be filled.
O’Keefe, Spence, and Larson plan to seek re-election. Phillips, who holds the student seat, cannot seek re-election because she graduated.
The Board of Regents sets University policy. They work about 40 hours per month on board duties without pay.
To vie for a regent seat, prospective applicants must be Minnesota residents for the at-large positions. For O’Keefe’s seat, applicants must be a resident of the Fifth Congressional District. Prospective applicants for Phillips seat must be a University student at the time of election.
The Regent Candidate Advisory Council, which recommends applicants to the state Legislature, must recommend at least two applicants for each seat.
Interested applicants should call Jennifer Ridgeway at (651) 296-9002.

— Patrick Hayes