Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon is accepting applications from Minnesotans who wish to become a member of the University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents.
The Board of Regents is the governing body of the University of Minnesota and consists of 12 individuals who each serve a six-year term. In total, the board has one regent from each of Minnesota’s eight congressional districts and four at-large regents. One of the at-large seats must be occupied by a University of Minnesota student.
In short, the Minnesota Legislature is tasked with electing four regents every two years. Recommendations for vacancies are submitted to the legislature by the Regent Candidate Advisory Council (RCAC) and considered by a joint legislative committee comprised of lawmakers from the Minnesota House of Representatives and the Minnesota Senate.
That legislative committee examines the recommendations and submits its own slate of candidates to a joint convention of the House and Senate. Lawmakers serving on the joint legislative committee may recommend a candidate who was not previously suggested by the RCAC if that candidate receives enough support from committee members.
To be elected to the Board of Regents, candidates must be officially nominated at the joint convention and win a majority. However, state law allows the governor to appoint regents should the legislature fail to elect them.
Amidst the tumult and friction of the 2025 legislative session, state lawmakers did not elect regents to fill the four impending vacancies on the board. The four vacancies are the 5th Congressional District seat, two at-large seats, and the student-filled at-large seat.
As such, Gov. Tim Walz has announced that applications are now being accepted for those who are interested in serving on the Board of Regents. Prospective candidates are asked to submit their materials to the Office of the Secretary of State by July 2.
Luke Sprinkel
Luke Sprinkel previously worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Minnesota House of Representatives. He grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) living in England, Thailand, Tanzania, and the Middle East. Luke graduated from Regent University in 2018.
