Apply Now: Join North Dakota’s Board Of Higher Ed Leadership Team

State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler is encouraging North Dakota residents to apply for two upcoming openings on the state's Board of Higher Education. The board serves as the policymaking and advocacy body for North Dakota’s 11 public colleges and universities.

The terms of current board members, Dr. Casey Ryan and Jeffry Volk, will expire on June 30, 2025. Ryan, a Grand Forks physician and retired hospital administrator, is completing his second term and, per board rules, is ineligible for reappointment. Volk, a West Fargo engineer and consultant, is finishing his first term and is eligible to apply for a second.

Interested candidates must submit their applications by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. Submissions can be emailed to the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) or mailed to its office in Bismarck.  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.

Applicants need to provide a one-page application, a resume, and no more than six letters of reference. Eligibility requirements include living in North Dakota for the past five years and having no recent employment or payment from the North Dakota University System within the last two years.

The selection process begins with a five-member committee, chaired by Baesler, which will review the applications and recommend candidates to the governor, who appoints members to the board.

This committee includes prominent state leaders such as North Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice Jon Jensen, North Dakota United President Nick Archuleta, Senate President Pro Tempore Sen. Ronald Sorvaag (R-Fargo), and House Speaker Rep. Dennis Johnson (R-Devils Lake).

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The Board of Higher Education consists of seven voting members serving four-year terms and an eighth voting member who is a student from the North Dakota University System, appointed for a one-year term.

Senate confirmation is required for the seven non-student voting members. The board also includes nonvoting members representing the university system’s faculty and staff.

Board members meet regularly, often monthly, and participate in various subcommittees focused on audits, academics, finance, research, and governance.

Baesler emphasized that the early call for applications aims to avoid holiday delays and ensures the selection process can proceed during the Legislature’s organizational session in early December 2024.

The governor’s nominations must be submitted to the state Senate for confirmation by mid-February 2025.