Some very interesting developments in the email scandal at North Dakota State University today that make me think back to a line that President Dean Bresciani wrote about former Chancellor Hamid Shirvani in an email obtained by Forum Communications: “start getting bids from movers.” But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I’m told by multiple…
Attorney General Won't Address Criminal Allegations Against NDSU President Dean Bresciani
North Dakota Legislative Council has requested a legal opinion from Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem regarding whether or not North Dakota State University President Dean Bresciani broke open records laws, and possibly some criminal statues, when complying (or not complying, depending on your view) with a request for emails. A letter sent to LC Attorney John…
Legislature Questions Whether NDSU President Broke The Law When Destroying Records
If you thought the drama in higher education was over after the hurried-up departure of Chancellor Hamid Shirvani, think again. The North Dakota University System, and North Dakota State University in particular, have an atrocious track record when it comes to transparency. And it appears as though the hostility toward transparency which permeates the system…
Obama Administration Using Secret Email Accounts To Avoid Public Record Requests
Yesterday we learned that former EPA administrator Lisa Jackson was using a fake email address named after her dog to avoid public records requests. Today comes news from the Associated Press that using phony email accounts is a common practice in the Obama administration. Some of President Barack Obama’s political appointees, including the secretary for…
NDUS Employee Blames Chancellor For Providing Public Information To This Blog
Below is the (hard to follow) written testimony from NDUS employee Linda Porter delivered to a House Appropriations subcommittee yesterday. The testimony details Porter’s accusations of data manipulation against Chancellor Shirvani and mentions this blog twice as the recipient of information from the chancellor. Porter states that Chancellor Shirvani manipulated data, but as the Bismarck…
North Dakota House Votes To Close Off Some Crash Report Data To Open Records Request
In it’s original form, SB2310 would have closed off all traffic crash reports to open records request. Today the House considered an amended version of the bill which is less bad – it only closed off personal data like dates of birth, addresses, and drivers license numbers from open records – but still a move…
ND House Defeats Bill Requiring Drug Testing For Welfare Recipients
Rep. Dennis Johnson’s bill, HB1385, originally would have required drug testing for all recipients of public assistance. As I wrote yesterday, the bill got watered down over concerns about the legality of applying this to the SNAP (food stamps) program and privacy considerations in general. Today even that watered down version of the bill failed…