The hits keep coming for North Dakota State University’s championship football team. After a second national title, earned with a group of players guilty of forging tens of thousands of signatures on two initiated measure petitions (the repercussions for which North Dakota State University refuses to make public), head coach Craig Bohl and the team…
In 40 Out Of 50 States The Highest Paid Public Official Is A Coach
This inforgraphic from Deadspin represents a pretty said commentary on the state of our priorities. In 40 out of the 50 states, the highest paid person on the public’s payroll is a university athletics coach. Also worth noting is that in 100% of the states, the highest paid public official is someone in higher ed:…
Legislature Considering Bill To Toughen Petition Fraud Penalty, Also Considering Resolution To Honor Petition Fraudsters
There is a heavy vibe of irony coming from the ND legislature this week. Yesterday I wrote about a resolution being introduced to honor the NDSU bison football team, ten members of which (including four starters) were convicted for filing fraudulent petition signatures, something that subsequently derailed two initiated measure campaigns costing organizers hundreds of…
Fargo-Area Legislators Introduce Resolution Commending NDSU Bison Football Criminals
A group of Fargo-area legislators have introduced HCR3025 commending the NDSU Bison football team, as well as head coach Craig Bohl and NDSU President Dean Bresciani, “for achieving a rare level of dominance in NCAA Division I football.” I’ve never really liked these sort of resolution. These sort of symbolic pats-on-the-head are a waste of…
Guest Post: At NDSU, It's Win At All Costs
Now that everyone is happy that the Bison won their national championship, I wonder if anyone has taken away a lesson from the victory. The lesson I have learned is that it appears NDSU football coach Craigh Bohl believes in the win at all costs school of coaching. He has taught his players that as…
Something Is Wrong With Our Priorities When University Sports Coaches Make More Than Governors
Earlier today I wrote about proposed increases in pay for North Dakota’s executive branch elected officials. Per Governor Jack Dalrymple’s proposed budget, the officials (including the governor himself) would get an 11.4% increase in pay by 2015 over their 2012 levels. People tend to get pretty wound up about how much public officials make, but…