The University of Minnesota Board of Regents on June 13, 2025, approved a restructured schedule of meeting dates for the 2025–26 academic year and elected a slate of officers for a two-year term beginning July 1, 2025. The board rejected a motion to suspend bylaw Article 3, Section D that would have deferred elections until a July meeting when newly appointed regents might be seated.

The approved calendar establishes six regular meetings spaced across the academic year, two additional meetings for tenure/promotion actions and annual budget approvals, three contingency dates for special meetings and a set of active learning/listening sessions to bring regents into university sites and programs. Chair Jamie Mayeron described the restructuring as responsive to regent feedback and intended “to support effective governance.”

In a separate action, the board elected the nominating committee’s recommended slate for the 2025–27 officer term. Douglas Huebsch was elected chair; Ruth E. Johnson and Penny A. Wheeler were elected vice chairs. President Rebecca Cunningham, corporate secretary Brian Steeves, and treasurer Greg Goldman remain in their current officer roles while they continue to hold their university positions.

Votes at a glance

- Motion: Approve the 2025–26 meeting dates as outlined in the docket. Outcome: Approved (voice vote: “Aye.” no recorded roll-call names).
- Motion: Suspend Article 3, Section D of the bylaws to defer the election until the July 2025 meeting. Outcome: Failed (voice vote: several “No”; the chair had explained an affirmative suspension requires eight yes votes). The motion did not carry.
- Motion: Elect the nominated slate of officers (chair and two vice chairs) as presented by the nominating committee. Outcome: Approved (voice vote). Elected officers’ term: 07/01/2025–06/30/2027.
- Motion: Approve minutes and the consent report (including routine docket items referenced in the consent materials). Outcome: Approved (voice vote).
- Motion: Adopted later in the meeting—resolution to conduct a nonpublic meeting to discuss attorney-client privileged litigation matters, citing Minnesota Statutes (see authorities). Outcome: Approved (voice vote).

The board chair noted procedural requirements for suspending the bylaws (an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the entire membership) and several regents spoke briefly for or against delaying the election. Regent Mary Davenport expressed confidence in the nominating committee’s work. Regent Mike Kenyanya explained he brought the motion to suspend the bylaws after receiving feedback from board members who preferred leadership selected by incoming regents; Kenyanya also said the motion followed a commitment he had made to those members. Regent Verhalen and Chair Mayeron both said they preferred having permanent leadership in place now given uncertain timing for new appointments.

The board recorded no roll-call tallies in the public transcript for the voice votes taken; outcomes were announced by the chair after the voice votes concluded.

Ending

The annual meeting adjourned after other routine items and the board proceeded into the regular June meeting. The docket included multiple committee consent reports that the board approved by committee actions (see separate committee reports in the full minutes).