Earlier this month we learned that embattled NDSU President Dean Bresciani was a finalist to be the next president of Ohio University. This news led to much garment-rending and gnashing of teeth from the myopic alumni and football fanatics who make up Bresciani’s political base of support. If only those of us who expect honest…
Dean Bresciani Moving to Ohio Would Be Great for Him and Great for North Dakota
I hope North Dakota State University President Dean Bresciani gets this job in Ohio. I say that with all sincerity. Because I have been an outspoken critic of Bresciani’s for years now I can understand if people think I just want to be rid of the guy. To have him be Ohio’s problem and not North…
Embattled NDSU President Dean Bresciani Gets New Contract From State Board
After previously delaying a decision about giving NDSU President Dean Bresciani a new contract, the State Board of Higher Education today approved a one year deal after a closed door session. Interestingly, the lone “no” vote against the contract came from Fargo-based board member and long-time NDSU supporter Don Morton: Bresciani contract extension approved 7-1.…
Letter From Dean Bresciani Supporter Is Everything That’s Wrong in Higher Education
Kirsten Diederich, a former chairwoman of the State Board of Higher Education and failed Democratic legislative candidate in District 46, has a letter to the editor of the Fargo Forum today in support of embattled NDSU President Dean Bresciani. In it Diederich puts words to an attitude which encapsulates why people like Bresciani and Diederich have…
If Dean Bresciani Wants His Contract Discussions to Be Open to the Public He Should Request It Himself
From 2010 through today the North Dakota University System and its various component institutions and foundations have been found by the North Dakota Attorney General’s office to have violated state open records and open meetings laws no fewer than 19 times. These violations represent just over 17 percent of all the open records/open meetings opinions…
Report on Media Restrictions Controversy Says Bresciani Didn’t Violate Policy but Mislead on His Knowledge
The independent investigation report into NDSU President Dean Bresciani’s handling of controversial media restrictions earlier this year is out, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag. You can read the whole thing below. On one hand, Bresciani gets dinged for poor communications with his own athletics department which the investigator said could have stopped this…
University Enrollment Declines Are Good if They’re Happening for the Right Reasons
Fall enrollment at the University of North Dakota is down slightly this year, but that’s not really a bad thing. Officials at the university say that why the enrollment number is down the quality of the students they’re admitting is up. Total enrollment at UND is down 2 percent, this year at 14,648 from last…
University System Should Get Open Records Exemption for President Applications
Over the years of writing this blog I developed something of a reputation as a strong supporter of open records and open meetings. So when the North Dakota University System – an organization with an unfortunate history of violating our state’s transparency laws – began making noises about getting an exemption from the state’s open…
Dean Bresciani’s Problems Are Well Documented in the Public Record
This letter to the Fargo Forum from Mark Meister, the chairman of the Department of Communications at NDSU, accuses me of not supporting my criticism of NDSU and Dean Bresciani. It’s been getting a lot of play on social media from the usual crowd of football fans and NDSU loyalists, so I thought I’d address it.…
UND President Mark Kennedy Is Already Doing Better Than Dean Bresciani
Yesterday new University of North Dakota President Mark Kennedy dropped something of a bomb on his athletics department. In an email he announced that there could be more cuts coming for the athletics department, including dropping more sports programs and a change in the school’s conference affiliation. It was big news, but while Athletic Director…