The Regent Candidate Advisory Council (RCAC) is currently accepting applications for four positions on the University of Minnesota Board of Regents.

From the pool of applicants, the council will invite selected candidates for public interviews in January 2009 and then will submit to a Joint Legislative Committee the names of two to four candidates for each open Regent position. Once the Joint Committee approves the slate, its recommendations will be presented to a Joint Convention of the Legislature.  The Joint Convention then will elect regents to fill vacancies.

Regents are unpaid volunteers who serve six-year, staggered terms. Four of the twelve Regent seats are open for election every two years.

The four seats open in 2009 include one each for residents of Minnesota’s first congressional district, fourth congressional district, sixth congressional district and seventh congressional district. Current Regents in these positions are Patricia Simmons, David Metzen, John Frobenius and Clyde Allen Jr., respectively.

All four incumbents are eligible for reelection, although Regent David Metzen, representing the fourth congressional district, has stated he will not seek re-election to the board, having already served two six-year terms.  Ideal candidates will have a deep interest in higher education and an understanding of the role of the University of Minnesota as a major land grant and research institution. They will have experience in governing large complex institutions, a strong sense of fairness, and good listening skills. Being a Regent is a time-consuming assignment; current regents estimate that, on average, they spend about 40 hours per month in regent tasks.Application materials are available at www.rcac.leg.mn or an application packet may be requested by contacting Sally Kidd, of the Legislative Coordinating Commission, at (651) 296-9002.Deadline for applications is 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 10, 2008.