College, state boards see trustee changes

The Utah State Board of Regents will see some new faces at the table along with college boards of trustees across the state.

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. Wednesday announced re- placements for three of the six regents who were at the end of their terms along with new trustee appointments for six schools.

George Mantes, who is the regents' vice-chairman, and Maria Sweeten will be replaced as well as Trenton Kemp, a student regent who serves a one-year term. All other appointed regents serve six-year terms.

Boards of trustees at six of Utah's colleges will see 13 new faces while reappointments for the remaining three schools, including the University of Utah, will be made within the next couple of weeks.

"It's tough for me to lose George and Maria — that's difficult," said Nolan Karras, regents chairman. "I don't know the other two but they come well-qualified and well-recommended so we welcome them on board — but it's a bittersweet thing."

Mantes, of Salt Lake City, was appointed to the board in 1999. He was elected as vice-chairman in 2003. He was a member of the Utah Senate for eight years, where he served on the Executive Appropriations Committee, the Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee and in Senate leader- ship.

Sweeten, also of Salt Lake City, was also named a regent in 1999. She has worked in both banking administration and in public administration.

"I am thrilled. I have been working in education my whole career and this is an opportunity to contribute as much as I can," said Rosanita Cespedes, director of the Sorenson Multi-Cultural Center, who was named to replace Sweeten. "It's an opportunity to pay a debt to the state. . . . I received my bachelor's, master's and Ph.D. from Utah schools."

Karras said he knew the governor's office wanted to put their stamp on a few of the appointments — even though everyone was eligible for reappointment and the board was performing more than adequately. But he said he does look forward to having new people on the board to generate fresh new ideas.

"I am disappointed that everybody couldn't be reappointed . . . but at the same time the governor won the election, he gets to make the choices and we'll support him and do the best we can to make whatever he decides work," Karras said.

Huntsman recently told the Deseret Morning News that he would weigh merits and geographic distribution in deciding whom he would appoint as regents.