Regent Candidate Advisory Council

MEETING MINUTES
January 21 and 22, 1999
Room 300 North, State Office Building and
January 25 and 26, 1999
Room 500 North, State Office Building

The Regent Candidate Advisory Council (RCAC) met on January 21, 1999 (8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.); January 22, 1999 (8:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.); January 25, 1999 (10:45 a.m. to 5:05 p.m.); and January 26, 1999 (8:00 a.m. to 1:40 p.m.) to interview and select Regent candidates to recommend to the Legislature for 1999.

Minutes
The minutes of the meetings held September 18, 1998 and January 4, 1999 were approved as circulated, except that the attendance list for January 4^th was amended to include Rebecca Mathern.

Nominating Committee
The Chair, Humphrey Doermann, appointed the following RCAC members to constitute a Nominating Committee: Mary McLeod (chair), Ken Albrecht, Carol Batsell Benner, and Bob Vanasek. The Nominating Committee was asked to recommend a slate of officers to serve from June 11, 1999 until the end of the ensuring two year Regent selection cycle in June, 2001. The Committee was also asked to consider the ways in which RCAC process and performance might be evaluated, and to be prepared to discuss these choices at the June 11^th meeting of the RCAC. McLeod asked that RCAC members with suggestions about evaluation give them to the Nominating Committee.

Late Business Concerning Candidates
The Chair reported that a candidate had withdrawn his candidacy and did not schedule an interview. He has a schedule conflict which forces him to be absent from the Twin Cities all of February.

The Chair also reported that he consulted Senate Counsel, Peter Wattson as to the appropriate time and way to consider whether a candidate's living arrangements are such that she may represent the Second Congressional District. Wattson offered to interview her and make a judgment and written opinion. She accepted the offer to be interviewed. (This issue arose, without conclusion, at a prior RCAC meeting.) Wattson's written opinion is that the candidate may appropriately represent the Second Congressional District, and fulfills that residence requirement.

Change in Selection Procedures
In view of the relatively small number (18) of candidates being interviewed this year, Bob Vanasek suggested that the balloting rules be changed to reduce slightly the rate at which low-scoring candidates are removed ballot. Upon motion and second, the Council unanimously agreed to delete the final sentences each from sections B (1) d, and C (1) e of "Selection Procedures for Recommendation of Candidates to the Legislature (11/11/95." Candidates receiving no votes on the first ballot would, as before, be deleted prior to a second ballot, but candidates receiving the next lower number would not be deleted. Members also agreed that the rules could be changes again if the underlying circumstances changed.

Candidate Interviews (January 21)
On January 21^st, the Council interviewed Dallas Bohnsack, Tom Renier, Sandra Hale, Anthony Baraga, William Hogan and Rholan Larson. Interviews were 55 minutes each, with candidates offered five minutes for opening statements and five minutes for closure items.

Discussion Items January 22^nd: Selection Criteria and Preference for Sitting Regents
The RCAC on January 22^nd, reviewed a grid prepared by Rebecca Mathern which showed major types of experience represented among continuing Regents at the University of Minnesota. The Council discussed possible gap areas which current or future candidates might be selected to fill, assuming they were also good candidates in other respects. This discussion was concluded on January 25^th. The Council thanked Mathern for her extra contribution.

Candidate Interviews (January 22, 25, and 26)

On January 22^nd, the Council interviewed Fred Friedman, David Johnson, Jann Olsten, Julie Bleyhl, Burton Nypen, Frances Gardeski, and Richard Clarke. On January 25^th, the Council interviewed John Kelly, Greg Renteria, Bill Peterson, and Marlene Garvis. On January 26^th, the Council interviewed James Gustafson.

Reference Checks
At 9:40 a.m. January 26^th, as announced in the public agenda, the RCAC voted unanimously to close the meeting to discuss candidate reference checks. Carol Batsell Benner, Chair of the Reference Checking Subcommittee, led the discussion. At 11:55 a.m. the RCAC unanimously voted to open the meeting. The Chair noted for the reopened meeting that reference checks had been discussed, and for which candidates.

Votes
In balloting, the following candidates were recommended for further consideration by the Legislature:

Second District: Bohnsack, Larson
Third District: Clarke, Hogan
Eighth District: Baraga, Friedman, Gardeski, Renier
At-Large: Johnson, Peterson

Candidate Notification
RCAC members volunteered to call each of the interviewed candidates to let them know about the Council's final recommendations. The Chair also will mail written notification, and will inform newspapers and legislative leadership. The joint convention of the Legislature to select Regents is scheduled for February 18^th.

Next Meeting
The next meeting of RCAC will be 4:30 p.m. at the home of Humphrey Doermann. It will be a dinner meeting, dress informal.

Last Updated: 01/10/05 (mp)

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