Steve Sviggum, the former University of Minnesota regent who resigned last spring, plans to return to the University as a Humphrey School of Public Affairs legislative fellow, the Star Tribune reported in a blog.  

Sviggum, a former state representative, House Speaker, and Senate spokesman, announced the return on Wednesday. 

Sviggum previously held the Humphrey position in 2011 while he was a member of the University's Board of Regents. However, an ad hoc regents committee asked him to choose between the job and the unpaid regents position. He chose to stay a regent. 

A year later, Sviggum accepted a job as executive assistant and communications director for the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus, causing another conflict of interest issue. 

Sviggum resigned from the board in March 2012 after the board asked him to once again choose between his regent position and his job at the state Capitol. The Legislature chose Thomas Devine as Sviggum's replacement. 

Recently, Sviggum left his job at the Senate after the DFL gained majority. 

Sviggum told the Star Tribune that his Humphrey fellowship will take up 60 percent of his time.

"I love to teach and I love being in the classroom," he said.