Anoka Times

Rep. Harry Niska, a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, raised concerns on social media about recent appointments to the Board of Regents and questioned actions regarding public monuments in Minnesota.

On August 12, 2025, Niska posted: "The Legislature is supposed to elect regents through an open process. But Democrats and Governor Walz refused to do that. These appointments raise concerns that the seats are being handed out as rewards to campaign donors rather than being filled on merit." In this statement, he criticized the process by which new regents were appointed, suggesting a lack of transparency and possible favoritism toward political supporters.

The following day, August 13, 2025, Niska shared two links without additional commentary: "https://t.co/wfmaUZm3hs https://t.co/BB6GrM8M3s". The content or context of these links was not explained in his post.

Later on August 13, Niska addressed the issue of public monuments with another post: "Does this mean you are going to reinstall the Christopher Columbus statue your supporters tore down? https://t.co/NVgk0IR6m5". Here he referenced previous controversies surrounding the removal of statues in Minnesota.

In Minnesota, members of the Board of Regents for the University of Minnesota are typically selected through a joint convention of both houses of the state legislature. The process has occasionally drawn criticism over its transparency and susceptibility to political influence. Governor Tim Walz has previously faced scrutiny from Republican lawmakers regarding appointments and decisions related to higher education governance.

The removal and debate over public statues—including those depicting Christopher Columbus—has been an ongoing issue in Minnesota since 2020. Some statues have been taken down amid protests calling attention to historical injustices.