BISMARCK — Applications are being accepted for two potential openings on the North Dakota Board of Higher Education.
According to a Monday, Feb. 7, news release from the office of Kirsten Baesler, the state school superintendent, the four-year terms of two members, Jill Louters, of New Rockford, and Danita Bye, of Tioga, end on June 30. Both members are eligible for appointment to a second four-year term.
“Service on the Board of Higher Education is one of the most prestigious roles in North Dakota,” Baesler said. “Being a board member is demanding, but it also represents a tremendous opportunity for public service.”
To be considered, candidates must apply by 5 p.m. Friday, April 8. Applications may be emailed to the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction at dpipa@nd.gov, or sent by regular mail to the NDDPI at 600 E. Boulevard Ave., Dept. 201, Bismarck, ND, 58505. Late applications will not be accepted.
Applicants must fill out a single-page form , submit a resume and supply no more than six letters of recommendation. Applicants must have lived in North Dakota for the previous five years, and not been employed or paid by the North Dakota University System within the last two years.
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Gov. Doug Burgum appoints the Board of Higher Education’s eight voting members. Those selected will begin serving July 1. The governor’s nominations are subject to confirmation by the North Dakota Senate, which will vote on Burgum’s selections during the 2023 Legislative session.
The board oversees North Dakota’s public university system of 11 colleges and universities, which collectively have an annual enrollment of about 61,000 students and a biennial budget of almost $2.7 billion. The board usually meets once each month, and there are subcommittees that meet regularly.
“The board sets policy for our university system and advocates for its institutions and their missions,” Baesler said. “Being an education board member is one of the most important jobs in North Dakota.”
Baesler is chair of a nominating committee that reviews applications for the board and recommends potential appointments to the governor.
Of the board’s eight voting members, seven are appointed by the governor to four-year terms. The eighth is a student in one of the system’s schools and is appointed for one year. The board also has advisory, nonvoting members who represent the system’s faculty and staff, who are chosen by organizations that represent those groups.
