North Dakota State University President Dean L. Bresciani appointed Gary Totten, president elect of faculty senate, and Vance Olson, past president of staff senate, to the cabinet. This is the first time faculty and staff senates will have direct representation on the president’s cabinet.

Bresciani said that as NDSU creates its strategic plan, input from faculty and staff is critical.  Starting next fall, staff and faculty representatives will serve a term of one academic year. Totten and Olson will serve a half-year appointment.

Totten, associate professor of English, has been with NDSU since 2004. Olson, an industrial electronics technician in facilities management, has been with NDSU since 2000.

Bresciani made a historic addition to the cabinet in July 2010 by appointing Kevin Black, student body president. It was the first time in NDSU’s history a student has served. Also named at that time was Laura McDaniel, assistant vice president of University Relations.

The president’s cabinet includes 14 other NDSU administrators. The list can be found at www.ndsu.edu/president/cabinet/