Four more apply for higher ed board

BISMARCK—The state’s former adjutant general is among four additional applicants for the state Board of Higher Education.

Retired Maj. Gen. Michael Haugen of Fargo was among those who met a 4 p.m. Wednesday deadline to apply for the board.

The other three new applicants are Gordon Brandvold of Devils Lake, a retired teacher; Duane Pool of Bismarck, science coordinator for The Nature Conservancy, and Randy Schwartz of Bismarck, chief executive officer of the Dakota Manufacturers Extension Partnership Corp. Pool has applied for openings on the board in the past.

Haugen and the three others will now be considered along with four people who had applied earlier this year.

All are in the running to fill the board seat now held by John Q. Paulsen of Fargo, whose term expires June 30.

Paulsen is eligible for a second four-year term and has applied for re-appointment.

Others who had applied in March were Heather Hertz of Mott, who is an English and French teacher at Dickinson High School; Robert Harms of Bismarck, who was legal adviser to Govs. Ed Schafer and John Hoeven and now operates Harms Group, and Robert Wetsch, who works for the Bismarck office of Securian Financial Advisers of North Dakota.

Hertz’s father, Milt Hertz of Mott, served on the board from 1976-82.

The nominating committee voted 3-2 on March 25 to solicit more applicants, with the majority saying four names was too few. It must forward a list of three finalists to Gov. John Hoeven.

The nominating committee is state Superintendent of Public Instruction Wayne Sanstead, Chief Justice Gerald VandeWalle, North Dakota Education Association President Dakota Draper, House Speaker Jeff Delzer of Underwood and Senate President Pro Tem Dwight Cook of Mandan.

The committee will meet May 13 to discuss the eight applicants and select finalists.

Janell Cole works for Forum Communications Co., which owns The Dickinson Press.

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