UND Presidential Search Committee to host listening sessions in Bismarck, Devils Lake

071019.n.gfh.pressearch.jpg — Denny Elbert, co-chair for the UND presidential search committee, shares a laugh with Steven Light, left, and Curt Hanson during the first listening session of the committee held earlier this month at the Center For Innovation. photo by Eric Hylden/Grand Forks Herald

By Sydney Mook

August 12, 2019 at 8:16 AM

The UND Presidential Search Committee will be holding public listening sessions in Bismarck and Devils Lake next week, UND announced in a press release on Monday, Aug. 12.

The public is invited to attend the listening sessions to share their views with members of the search committee about what kind of characteristics are wanted in the next UND president.

The Bismarck listening session is scheduled to take place at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 21, in the Alumni Room of Bismarck State College, 1425 Schafer St. Committee member Joshua DeMorrett, a UND alumnus and director of stakeholder relations with the ConocoPhillips Company, will help moderate the Bismarck event. Search committee co-chair Casey Ryan will participate via telephone.

Another listening session is scheduled for 7 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 22, in the Chautauqua Gallery meeting room in the main campus building of Lake Region State College, 1801 College Drive North, in Devils Lake. Committee member Cynthia Lindquist, a UND alumna and current president of Cankdeska Cikana Community College in Fort Totten, N.D., will moderate. Committee co-chair Denny Elbert will participate via telephone.

Comments and views collected from these listening sessions will not be attributed to individuals and will be presented to the full UND Presidential Search Committee at a later date.

The search committee has already hosted three similar listening sessions for faculty, staff, students and community members in Grand Forks. More listening sessions are slated to take place after the start of UND’s fall semester, UND said.

The next president will replace Mark Kennedy, who left UND in June to become president of the University of Colorado system. Joshua Wynne, dean of the UND medical school and vice president for health affairs, has been serving as interim president since June 16.

By Sydney Mook

Sydney Mook has been the news editor at the Post Bulletin since June 2023. In her role she edits and assigns stories and helps reporters develop their work for readers.

Mook was previously with the Grand Forks Herald from May 2018 to June 2023. She served as the Herald's managing editor, as well as the higher education reporter.

For story pitches contact her at smook@postbulletin.com or call her at 507-285-7771.