New Board Member Says ND University System Needs to Regain Public’s Trust

DEVILS LAKE, N.D. (AP) — The new student member of North Dakota's Board of Higher Education says the state university system needs to regain the public's trust before it can move past recent controversies.

Gov. Jack Dalrymple appointed 19-year-old Devin Hoffarth to the board last week. The Lake Region State graduate and current Mayville State student will serve through June 2014.

The state university system has gone through months of turmoil that included the buyout of embattled chancellor Hamid Shirvani and findings by Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem (STEHN'-juhm) that the higher ed board violated open meeting laws.

Hoffarth tells The Forum newspaper that the board needs to "make peace"

over the next year, and show the public that the board is capable of overseeing the 11 public colleges and universities in the system.