The State Board of Higher Education voted unanimously on Tuesday to add an American Indian to the committee that will help select the next president of the University of North Dakota.

On the recommendation of Board President John Q. Paulsen, board members chose Cynthia Lindquist, president of Cankdeska Cikana Community College in Fort Totten. Linquist is a UND graduate and former executive director of the Indian Affairs Commission under Gov. Ed Schafer.

Lindquist said she'll be looking for presidential candidates who are open minded and good listeners. She said she thinks it's important to have an American Indian on the committee and is happy to play that role.

"I think we can bring a different perspective to the table and raise questions or points that somebody else might not see," she said.

Chancellor Bill Goetz said her inclusion allows North Dakota's American Indian population to feel that they are adequately represented in the selection process.

The selection committee is officially charged with screening applications from potential replacements for outgoing UND president Charles Kupchella. It was appointed by the State Board of Higher Education in May and included UND alumni, faculty and students.

But the fact that none of them were of American Indian descent raised concerns in that community that its interest wouldn't be adequately represented. United Tribes Technical College President David Gipp made the concern official by writing a letter to the board in which he requested the addition of an American Indian committee member.

Gipp praised Tuesday's decision, saying it shows that diversity is being considered in the process.

"I think a lot of the public saw the value of our constructive criticism," he said.

At first, however, Gipp received no response. Paulsen said the final committee already had been selected. The board was chosen based on qualifications, not racial diversity, and could adequately represent all points of view, Paulsen said at the time.

Then, after a bit of soul-searching and a nudge from Gov. John Hoeven, he changed his mind and decided to call Tuesday's meeting.

"As I thought about it I realized I simply did not give adequate consideration to the rich and longstanding importance of the American Indian constituency to the University of North Dakota. It's simple as that," he said during the meeting.

Paulsen said the deciding factor was learning that the previous three selection committees had included an American Indian. However, those committees had been much larger and the goal this year was to make the process more efficient by appointing a smaller committee.

Board member Duaine Espegard, a Grand Forks businessman, said his main concern was the continued growth of the selection committee into an inefficient size. He offered to resign his place on the committee to make room for Lindquist, but withdrew the motion after Paulsen assured him that no more members would be added.

With Lindquist, the committee has 17 members, compared to the 28-member panel that helped select Kupchella.

Don Canton, a spokesman for Hoeven, praised Tuesday's move, calling it "a step in the right direction."

"The governor certainly was clear that he thought there should be an American Indian on the panel," Canton said.

(Reach reporter Jonathan Rivoli at 223-8482 or jonathan.rivoli@;bismarcktribune.com.)