Board of Regents Executive Director passed over for North Dakota position

Board of Regents Executive Director Robert Donley was among three finalists to lead the North Dakota University System, but the State Board of Higher Education announced Thursday it chose someone else for the job.

Mark Hagerott, senior civilian and deputy director of the Center for Cyber Security Studies at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., has accepted the North Dakota University System chancellor position, according to a news release.

He, Donley and Paul Turman, system vice president for academic affairs for the South Dakota Board of Regents, were named as finalists in April.

Hagerott's resume includes a full career in the U.S. Navy and a variety of leadership roles, including dean of humanities and social sciences, special assistant to the provost and chairman of the admissions board.

Hagerott will begin in his new role July 1. He'll earn $372,000 a year and receive a benefits package of $15,000 in moving expenses.

His selection concludes a monthslong process that included more than 20 candidates. Donley's candidacy emerged in March when North Dakota's State Board of Higher Education released the names of its eight top candidates.

Donley was appointed executive director of Iowa's Board of Regents in 2008. He previously was chief of staff and operations for the Board of Governors and chancellor for the State University System of Florida.

The state salary book lists Donley's gross pay in 2014 at $164,386. But counsel for the Board of Regents has said he actually earned a salary of $154,300, plus a $5,000 retention incentive.