From what I’m hearing the interim President at the University of North Dakota, who will be taking over for departing President Mark Kennedy, is the school’s medical school dean Joshua Wynne. He’s one of the named finalists, and I’m also told he’s not interested in the gig long term. He told my colleague Sydney Mook…
What Is the Point of the State Board of Higher Education?
There are two very ugly, very tumultuous situations in North Dakota’s university system right now. Situations in need of accountability. Transparency. Strong leadership. Unfortunately, we’re not getting it from the State Board of Higher Education. Case in point, University of North Dakota President Mark Kennedy sent a letter to campus which said he’d be leaving…
Read It: Audit Report Slams “Inappropriate Activities” at North Dakota State College of Science
“A performance audit issued today by the North Dakota Office of the State Auditor shows that North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) has engaged in inappropriate activities surrounding the proposed Career Workforce Academy, is not meeting TrainND Southeast program goals and is overstating program results,” a press release from North Dakota Auditor Josh Gallion…
Read It: In Letter, North Dakota University System Says They Accept Kennedy’s “De Facto” Resignation
University of North Dakota President doesn’t quite have a new job in Colorado – he’s been named as the sole finalist, but a final decision hasn’t been made – but as far as North Dakota is concerned he’s done. In a letter, NDUS Chancellor Mark Hagerott has said he accepts Kennedy’s de facto resignation. Here’s an…
North Dakota’s Collegiate Athletes Wouldn’t Be So Susceptible to Gamblers if They Weren’t (Basically) Free Labor
Collegiate sports is a big business. A business which helps pay the very large salaries of coaches and university bureaucrats. Even here in North Dakota, people like coaches and athletic directors and university presidents make deep into the six-figure territory. It’s an industry. One heavily subsidized by taxpayers, and built on the back of what…
University System Chancellor Admits He Isn’t Candid in Written Evaluations of University Presidents
For years now, through scandal and controversy, the presidents of North Dakota’s universities have received consistently glowing evaluations from their boss the chancellor. It hasn’t really mattered who the chancellor is, or who the university president is, the only thing you’ll find in the publicly available evaluations is glowing praise. The reason for this is…
North Dakota Has Seen a Significant Drop in Student Loan Debt Loads
Are North Dakota students getting smarter about how they finance higher education? It sure seems that way. The cost of attending institutions in the North Dakota University System certainly hasn’t gotten any cheaper, yet the volume of debt being carried by North Dakota students across all 11 public institutions in our state has declined. Earlier…
Read It: UND Aviation School Faculty Accuses Provost of Jeopardizing Flight Safety Among Other Problems
University of North Dakota Provost Thomas DiLorenzo, a controversial figure during his years at the school, finds himself mired in controversy yet again. In 2015 the student government at UND considered a resolution calling for DiLorenzo’s resignation (along with then-UND President Robert Kelley) over rather vicious verbal attacks from supporters of the administration (it was…
North Dakota University Presidents Get “Reminder” About Policies Prohibiting Retaliation Against Whistle Blowers
Earlier today I wrote about a state lawmaker Emily O’Brien, a former University of North Dakota employee who feels she was treated unprofessionally by superiors there because of political biases. Specifically she says Provost Thomas DiLorenzo made disparaging comments about Republican lawmakers, generally, and was upset that O’Brien specifically defeated former lawmaker and North Dakota…
Leadership in the North Dakota University System Means Pretending Like Nothing Is Wrong
Last month the State Board of Higher Education released a glowing evaluation of North Dakota University System Chancellor Mark Hagerott and voted 7-1 in favor of extending his contract through 2020. Not mentioned in that evaluation is a complaint filed by former Vice Chancellor Lisa Feldner alleging sexist behavior from Hagerott, as well as unequal…