Masin questions politicization of Regents election
Saint Paul, Minn. – A joint session of the Minnesota House and Senate elected four candidates to fill vacancies on the University of Minnesota Board of Regents Wednesday night. The vote is the last step in a months-long process of candidate selection and vetting by the Regent Candidate Advisory Council and interviews with state lawmakers.
Rep. Sandra Masin, DFL-Eagan, voiced her opposition to how politically charged the process has become.
“The conduct of Republicans in this has been questionable. We have an advisory council that is dedicated to selecting the right candidates for the job,” said Masin. “To then bring those candidates before the Legislature and have Republicans nominate their former Speaker of the House, Steve Sviggum, to circumvent that process is completely wrong.”
Lawmakers elected Regents to represent the 2nd, 3rd and 8th Congressional Districts, along with one at-large member. Regents serve six-year terms and do not receive compensation. The joint session elected the following candidates: Steve Sviggum for the 2nd Congressional District; Darrin Rosha for the 3rd Congressional District; David McMillan for the 8th Congressional District; and Ken Powell for the at-large seat.
“People need to know this is a big decision,” said Masin. “The University of Minnesota is so important to our state; it is a major economic driver and we need to elect people whose focus is squarely on solving issues the institution faces.”
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