Students walk through the University of North Dakota campus in Grand Forks on March 1, 2024. (Jeff Beach/North Dakota Monitor)
By: Jeff Beach and Mary Steurer
BISMARCK, N.D. ( North Dakota Monitor) – The North Dakota University System says it is reviewing records for violations of policy or law related to sex crimes committed by former state lawmaker Ray Holmberg.
State Board of Higher Education Chair Tim Mihalick read a statement at the start of Wednesday’s board meeting that said members learned at the same time as the public “that individuals previously affiliated with our institutions or board, may have had a connection to the criminal investigation of former Sen. Holmberg.”
A review began immediately, he said.
The board also has urged anyone with information about a university system employee or board member who failed to report misconduct to file a report to the institution’s Title IX office or the university system’s Office of Compliance and Ethics.
Holmberg represented Grand Forks, home to the University of North Dakota, in the Legislature for 45 years before resigning his seat as an investigation was underway. Holmberg, 81, was sentenced in March to 10 years in prison for traveling to Europe with the intent to pay for sex with underage boys.
Holmberg served on the Legislature’s interim Higher Education Committee for several years, including as past chair. As chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Holmberg held a key position to make funding decisions that affect state universities. He also served on the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.
A former University of North Dakota graduate student who became a cooperating witness in the case against Holmberg spoke at the sentencing hearing about Holmberg’s abuse of power.
UND President Andrew Armacost on Tuesday sent a letter to the UND community addressing recent media reports about Holmberg and investigative documents released Friday.
“What I read sickened me, both in the criminal actions of Holmberg and in the inaction of those who had direct information about his misdeeds,” Armacost wrote.
Armacost acknowledged the documents mention several former UND employees connected to Holmberg.
“While they have not been accused of criminal action, we will ensure that they have no connection to our university community,” Armacost wrote. “Furthermore, we have shared our concerns with external organizations that interface with UND to make certain these people no longer represent these organizations.”
Investigation documents released Friday showed Holmberg sent emails about his visits to Prague in the Czech Republic to Bruce Gjovig, CEO of the University of North Dakota’s Center of Innovation in Grand Forks.
“What think of my twink?” Holmberg asked Gjovig in one 2011 email, using a slang term that refers to young, slim men.
“Too young for me, but thanks,” Gjovig replied.
“No one is ever to young… remember Prague,” Holmberg wrote back.
Gjovig’s lawyer, Cash Aaland, said in a statement that Gjovig was not aware of Holmberg’s crimes and believed his comments to be exaggerated “locker room talk.” Gjovig retired from UND in 2017 and no longer has an official role with the university, said university spokesperson David Dodds.
Holmberg in 2016 emailed a former state senator, Nick Hacker, about a sexual encounter he had with someone in Taiwan. At the time the email was sent, Hacker was a member of the State Board of Higher Education. Hacker said the email was unsolicited and that he did not reply. Hacker said he provided the message to the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation in 2022.
Jim Poolman, a former legislator from Grand Forks and state insurance commissioner, this week issued a public statement after social media posts linked him to Holmberg.
“Holmberg’s behavior is indefensible, awful, and beyond comprehension. I never received any communications, electronic or otherwise, that would indicate that he was conducting himself in such a manner. He did not talk about his horrible crimes to me,” Poolman wrote.
Poolman said that about 19 months ago, he was interviewed by Homeland Security about Holmberg. He said he fully cooperated with investigators and answered all their questions.
“Since then, I have heard nothing from federal law enforcement because I was not involved, knew nothing of his heinous activities and have done nothing illegal,” Poolman wrote.
Poolman announced Tuesday that he was resigning as chair of the UND Alumni Association and Foundation board of directors and from the Forever UND fundraising campaign committee.
His written statement said the resignation “is in the best interest” of UND.
“There are so many great things going on at UND and the last thing there needs to be is a distraction. I do not want to be that distraction,” Poolman wrote.
On Wednesday, Poolman declined to comment beyond his statements.
Armacost started as president at UND in June 2020, about two years before Holmberg resigned from office.
Armacost in his letter to campus also provided a list of resources to those who have been impacted by Holmberg or have experienced trauma unrelated to this case
“If you witness such behaviors, please report them, and we will respond quickly to any allegations of abuse or mistreatment,” Armacost wrote.
When asked earlier this week if UND planned to investigate whether employees knew about criminal activity, a UND spokesperson said, “If a report is filed with the university, it would be investigated.”
In his message to campus, Armacost said, “The university will take action based upon facts from authoritative sources.”
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