Linnell elected as staff advisor on State Board of Higher Education
MINOT, N.D. – Minot State University Director of Communications Michael Linnell was elected as staff advisor for the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education (SBHE) beginning on July 1.
Linnell is currently serving as past president of the North Dakota State Staff Senate (NDSSS), having previously served as president and vice president. He will succeed Retha Mattern, director of admissions at Bismarck State, whose SBHE term ends on June 30.
“I am honored to be elected as staff advisor to the State Board of Higher Education and grateful to the members of the State Staff Senate for the opportunity to represent the dedicated staff from across our 11 institutions,” Linnell said. “I will do my best to fill extremely large shoes left from the work Retha did on behalf of staff. I am excited for this opportunity.”
Linnell has worked at Minot State for the past 12 years, starting as the sports information director and as an assistant athletic director in the athletic department before being named director of University Communications in 2017. He also serves as the managing editor for the Alumni Association / MSU Development Foundation magazine Connections.
He was elected as the NDSSS vice president in 2019 and served as president during the 2020-21 academic year. Linnell has been a member of MSU Staff Senate since 2015. He was twice elected as MSU Staff Senate’s president (2017-18 and 2019-20) and once as vice president (2018-19).
“I strongly believe in being a voice for staff at the university level and at the state level,” he said. “I will continue to be an advocate in this new position. I look forward to working closely with the current NDSSS executive committee and State Staff Senate to advance concerns and champion the great work we do at the State Board.”
The SBHE is the policy-setting and advocacy body for the North Dakota University System and the governing body for North Dakota’s 11 publicly-supported colleges and universities. It is made up of seven citizen members appointed to four-year terms by the governor and one student appointed by the governor to serve a one-year term. The Council of College Faculties selects the board’s non-voting faculty advisor, and the NDSSS selects the board’s non-voting staff advisor.
About Minot State University
Minot State University is a public university dedicated to excellence in education, scholarship, and community engagement achieved through
rigorous academic experiences, active learning environments, commitment to public service, and a vibrant campus life.
| Published: 04/12/22 |
