State Designer Selection Board opens interviews for University of Minnesota Saint Paul campus design

The State Designer Selection Board met Feb. 17, 2026, to begin interviews for project 2601, the design of the new University of Minnesota Saint Paul campus center. Vice Chair Ted Tucker, a public member of the board, called the meeting to order and said the board had one main agenda item: interviews of three firms shortlisted two weeks earlier.

"We have 1 main item on the agenda for today, interviews for project 2601, the design of the new University of Minnesota, Saint Paul Campus Center," Tucker said, opening the meeting and asking Heather Nelson, the board’s executive secretary, to call roll. The board confirmed at least four members were present and established a quorum.

The board took routine procedural actions before the interviews. A motion to approve the meeting agenda was moved and seconded and the board approved the agenda. Later, a motion to approve the minutes of the Feb. 3, 2026 meeting was made, seconded and approved.

Tucker outlined the interview and selection process: each of the three shortlisted firms will have 20 minutes to present followed by 20 minutes of questions and answers; agency representatives on the call may join the Q&A. After presentations and Q&A, board members and agency representatives will vote to select two firms that the University of Minnesota will choose from.

"Each firm can present for 20 minutes and then take questions for 20 minutes," Tucker said, describing the planned format and the sequence of agency comment, board member comment, and voting to produce two candidates for the University.

Before interviews began, Tucker asked agency representatives to confirm they had no prior contact with proposers outside the formal Q&A and the informational meeting. A University representative on the call confirmed that point when asked.

The board paused to set up the first interview, which Tucker said would start at 08:45, and reminded members there should be no discussion of proposals during the break. The meeting then proceeded to the interviews portion of the agenda.

The meeting record shows a discrepancy in the spelling of the University representative’s name: roll call listed "Paul Lawton" as the University voting member, while the person who introduced agency staff during the meeting identified himself on the call as "Paul Lisonbee." The record includes both forms as spoken on the call.