Shaft elected president of ND Board of Higher Ed

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BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota's Board of Higher Education has two new top officers, and they're both from Grand Forks.

Board members on Monday elected Grand Forks attorney Grant Shaft as their new president. Duaine Espegard (doo-WAYN' ES'-puh-gard) was elected vice president.

Shaft is now the board's vice president, and he will succeed Jon Backes (BAH'-kus) of Minot as president. Backes is leaving the board at the end of June.

Shaft has served as a spokesman for the board during the ongoing fight about the University of North Dakota's Fighting Sioux nickname and logo. He served in the North Dakota House during the 1980s.

Espegard is a retired Grand Forks banker and former Republican state senator.

The board has eight voting members. It oversees North Dakota's system of 11 public colleges.

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