With May flowers come three new members to the state Board of Regents. Candidates for the board are nominated by Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack to help direct the state’s regent institutions.The terms of Regents Ellengray Kennedy, Roger Lande and Beverly Smith will end May 1, when Vilsack will name the three newest members.The Board of Regents presides over the University of Iowa, the University of Northern Iowa, the Iowa School for the Deaf, the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School and Iowa State. It consists of nine members, each of whom serves a six-year term.Warren Madden, ISU vice president for Business and Finance, said the Board of Regents plays a key role in the operation of Iowa State.”They set overall policies and provide general direction for the university,” he said. “The regents are one of the more prestigious positions in Iowa.”By Iowa law, the governor considers applicants to the board and makes his appointments, which are then ratified by the Iowa Senate, said Owen J. Newlin, president of the Board of Regents.”It’s up to the governor, but in the past, at least, the individuals have needed to have some interest in or some knowledge of public education,” he said.There are also several statutory requirements the governor must meet when considering his nominations, Newlin said. The nine-member board cannot consist of more than five members of the same gender or political party. In addition, there must be one student member and one minority member, he said.Vilsack said he is considering candidates who have qualities beneficial to the universities under the board’s jurisdiction.”They need to be concerned with increasing the quality and affordability of higher education,” Vilsack said. “[We are] passionate about making the universities the best they can be, and I hope the persons we appoint share this vision.”Choosing candidates who will also follow the even distribution of gender, political philosophy and geographic location on the board is also important, Vilsack said.”I hope to be able to maintain a good balance,” he said.Vilsack said he plans to submit the names of prospective regents to the Iowa Legislature prior to March 15, but the appointments are still in the preliminary stages at this point.”I haven’t had the chance to evaluate all the options,” he said.