12 apply for 2 seats on North Dakota higher education board

Twelve North Dakotans, including one incumbent, have applied to fill two seats on the State Board of Higher Education.

Jeffry Volk has applied for a second four-year term on the board that oversees the 11 colleges in the North Dakota University System. 

Another seat on the board is being vacated by Casey Ryan of Grand Forks, who has served two terms and is not eligible to be reappointed. 

The 12 applicants are: 

• Levi Bachmeier, West Fargo, business manager of the West Fargo school district.
• Carolyn Becraft, Fargo, consultant, Army veteran, former deputy assistant secretary of Defense and assistant secretary of the Navy.
• Russel Crary, Grand Forks, real estate sales and development with Crary Real Estate.
• Kaleb Dschaak, Grand Forks, owner of e-sports/drone racing company.
• Nadine Hagen, Turtle Lake, speech language pathologist, Underwood Public School.
• Mark K. Hardy, Beach, farmer, president of an insurance agency.
• Beverly Johnson, Grand Forks, retired physical therapy professor and clinical education director at the University of North Dakota’s medical school.
• Stanley Schauer Jr., Bismarck, director of assessments, North Dakota Department of Public Instruction.
• Patrick Sogard, Williston, owner and chairman, American State Bank & Trust Co.
• Tanya Spilovoy, Bismarck, higher education consultant and administrator.
• Jeffry Volk, Fargo, retired consulting engineer, incumbent board member.
• Rich Wardner, Dickinson, retired K-12 teacher and coach, former state representative and senator, former Senate majority leader.

Volk’s and Ryan’s terms end June 30. The board has eight voting members appointed by the governor. 

State Superintendent of Schools Kirsten Baesler chairs a five-member committee that reviews applicants and forwards three suggested appointees to the governor for each opening. 

Gov. Kelly Armstrong has until mid-February to submit his nominees to the state Senate for approval.