Finalists announced for North Dakota Board of Higher Education

Three finalists have been selected for consideration by Gov. Doug Burgum for an upcoming opening on the state Board of Higher Education (SBHE) in North Dakota. The nominating committee, led by North Dakota School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler, chose Sanford Health executive Donald Campbell of Mandan, electrician Alan Goos of Fargo, and Williston bank executive Patrick Sogard from a pool of 10 applicants.

Campbell, a vice president and chief human resources officer for Sanford Health, Goos, an electrician with a Ph.D in chemistry, and Sogard, an attorney and chairman of American State Bank & Trust Co. of Williston, were all unanimous choices by the committee. The SBHE is a crucial policy and advocacy board that oversees the state’s 11 public colleges and universities.

The new board member, who will succeed John Warford, is set to be appointed by Gov. Burgum soon. Warford, who has served on the board for four years and is its vice chairman, will be leaving on June 30. The successor’s four-year term will commence on July 1 and will need confirmation by the North Dakota Senate in early 2025.

The nominating committee includes Baesler, State Sen. Ron Sorvaag, State Rep. Dennis Johnson, Supreme Court Chief Justice Jon Jensen, and Nick Archuleta, president of North Dakota United. The committee’s decision highlights the importance of selecting qualified individuals to guide the state’s higher education system.