And the NDSU cuts from underfunding begin.....

[WYOBISONMAN]

What a shame how the North Dakota Legislature, flush in cash from the Bakken, is gutting Higher Ed. The entire state will suffer from this. I am afraid the cutting of the Center for Child Development is just one of many cuts to come. I cannot fault the President and our Administrations. The Legislature has put them in a horrid position.

http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/311706/group/News/

How sad when a state that is running record a budget surplus hacks the funding to Higher Ed all across the state. I hope to hell that Carlson and his cronies don't gt control of the SBOHE.

[G-city Bison Fan]

I hope that all of those people upset at the University for cutting this program understand why it was cut and go directly to the source, Carlson's lawn.

Round up 100 angry people, and start sitting on the dudes lawn...peacefully of course.

[Bison"FANatic"]

I may be wrong but I think that there is more to this story. The key for me was this paragraph.

"The center is considered a service function, rather than an academic function, because NDSU no longer offers early childhood education courses, said Virginia Clark-Johnson, dean of the College of Human Development and Education."

What we don't know is what are the 8 staff doing. Are they doing community outreach programs to other daycares or just taking doing the NDSU daycare. 8 staff for 38 kids just doesn't seem right there has to be more to this. Are they all full time? Are there 7 part timers? I think it's a great thing that NDSU has a daycare on campus for staff and possibly students. This is one of those things that it may not be popular but I have to believe Bresciani is making the right choice, a tough choice but keeping budgets under control requires some tough choices.

[Twentysix]

I may be wrong but I think that there is more to this story. The key for me was this paragraph.

"The center is considered a service function, rather than an academic function, because NDSU no longer offers early childhood education courses, said Virginia Clark-Johnson, dean of the College of Human Development and Education."

What we don't know is what are the 8 staff doing. Are they doing community outreach programs to other daycares or just taking doing the NDSU daycare. 8 staff for 38 kids just doesn't seem right there has to be more to this. Are they all full time? Are there 7 part timers? I think it's a great thing that NDSU has a daycare on campus for staff and possibly students. This is one of those things that it may not be popular but I have to believe Bresciani is making the right choice, a tough choice but keeping budgets under control requires some tough choices.
They would all be ft. The story said there were 20 student employees. Making 28 in total.

[Twentysix]

Have to wonder if they are going to systematically shut down things Chapman did to make the campus better, in an effort to improve the budget problem.

I hope they dont touch bison connection, my girlfriend really enjoys her job.

[bisonmike2]

What a shame how the North Dakota Legislature, flush in cash from the Bakken, is gutting Higher Ed. The entire state will suffer from this. I am afraid the cutting of the Center for Child Development is just one of many cuts to come. I cannot fault the President and our Administrations. The Legislature has put them in a horrid position.

http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/311706/group/News/

How sad when a state that is running record a budget surplus hacks the funding to Higher Ed all across the state. I hope to hell that Carlson and his cronies don't gt control of the SBOHE.

Can you blame the Legislature? They got a really good rate on a CD thought the Bank of ND. What's a better deal? Getting 1.25% apy on a billion dollars or spending some money on a bunch of no good hippy college kids they are just going to leave the state anyway after they steal their education, live for free in state supported housing all the while only eating for free at government supported cafeterias.

[Twentysix]

The center employs about 20 work study students, Habedank said.

That doesnt mean they didnt have non work study student employee's either.

So they had a minimum of 28 employee's maybe more. This 8 employee nonsense......idk..

[duluthbison]

Have to wonder if they are going to systematically shut down things Chapman did to make the campus better, in an effort to improve the budget problem.

I hope they dont touch bison connection, my girlfriend really enjoys her job.

I really doubt that, the argument could be made that even though it is a service function it also serves an academic function by helping students add or dropp classes as well as paying for tuition. I also believe that it is paid for through several departments. So to kill it they would have to loose funding from the Union, Financial Aid Office, Registration and Records, and god knows where else.

Besides the fact that the sheer number of people they help each day can easily justify keeping it open.

[Twentysix]

I really doubt that, the argument could be made that even though it is a service function it also serves an academic function by helping students add or dropp classes as well as paying for tuition. I also believe that it is paid for through several departments. So to kill it they would have to loose funding from the Union, Financial Aid Office, Registration and Records, and god knows where else.

Besides the fact that the sheer number of people they help each day can easily justify keeping it open.

Hopefully you are right. This is the most idiotic time to be hurting university funding.

The state should be improving there University system while we benefit from natural resources, and take this time to start closing the gap between ourselves and more highly respected institutions. The best time to profit is while others suffer.

[tony]

Total budget for the child care deal was 250k... that's the bottom line. The number of employees doesn't really matter except to the extent that it affects that 250k number.

I'm not sure what NDSU saves by closing the center but you'd think that it would be 250k less what the users are paying. Not really that much.

Of course, when NDSU was already running on the barest of bare-bone budgets, it shouldn't really surprise anybody when every single penny has to be pinched - especially if Skarphol and Carlson get their way.

[WYOBISONMAN]

Of course, when NDSU was already running on the barest of bare-bone budgets, it shouldn't really surprise anybody when every single penny has to be pinched - especially if Skarphol and Carlson get their way.

And it sure seems they are getting their way........:smh:

[Notorious]

especially if Skarphol and Carlson get their way.

Misplaced my DSM this morning and need some help...would you diagnose megalomania, or egomania?

[duluthbison]

Misplaced my DSM this morning and need some help...would you diagnose megalomania, or egomania?

Take your pick from these Axis II disorders...

http://allpsych.com/disorders/disorders_alpha.html

[ndsubison1]

What a shame how the North Dakota Legislature, flush in cash from the Bakken, is gutting Higher Ed. The entire state will suffer from this. I am afraid the cutting of the Center for Child Development is just one of many cuts to come. I cannot fault the President and our Administrations. The Legislature has put them in a horrid position.

http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/311706/group/News/

How sad when a state that is running record a budget surplus hacks the funding to Higher Ed all across the state. I hope to hell that Carlson and his cronies don't gt control of the SBOHE.

I agree with the precedent that NDSU is underfunded, if this is something we cannot afford than I am for closing it. It's a good thing to have, but if we cant afford it then I understand doing so

[Hammersmith]

Closing is on hold for a year while alternate funding options are pursued. Also sounds like the point might have gotten across in Bismarck.

http://ndsunews.areavoices.com/2011/03/11/bresciani-puts-hold-on-child-care-center-closure/

[SUBISON247]

Misplaced my DSM this morning and need some help...would you diagnose megalomania, or egomania?

can you diagnosis asshole NOS

[Bison bison]

They serve 38 kids at a cost of almost 9k a kid and don't have to pay for overhead.

With those numbers, I don't have a problem at all with the program being cut.

I work at NDSU and pay $30 a day for high quality childcare in the metro with an organization that has to pay its own overhead.

NDSU is charging $34 which is simply too much.

[duluthbison]

Here's the email Bresciani sent out to campus tonight:


Dear Campus Community:



As you may imagine, it has been an interesting last 48 hours for the President of NDSU. At the end of the day, I’ve found myself proud of and impressed by our campus community and our legislative leaders, and more enthusiastic than ever regarding the future potentials of NDSU.



I was proud that within moments of learning about a decision impacting members of the campus community, I experienced an overwhelming response from faculty, staff, students and even alumni about that decision. Many of those writing openly shared that they were not being directly impacted but were concerned the attractiveness, cohesion, and sense of welcome NDSU has come to pride itself on was at risk. Those responses galvanized for me that any action or decision impacting a part of our campus community is the business of our entire campus community. I could not be more pleased than to see that so clearly demonstrated.



I was also impressed that while spending all day in Bismarck today, in delicate NDSU funding discussions, I experienced an impressive level of concern, support and flexibility from our legislative representatives concerning the decision. It was made clear to me that the method used for funding the Center no longer meets state expectations (a feature legislators without exception agreed must be discontinued), but they appreciated efforts to do the right thing in the eyes of the state, and offered sincere concern for area child care issues, and flexibility in finding a solution.



In light of those new developments, over the next few days I will be personally asking a number of related campus groups to identify viable financial means to temporarily delay a decision. I am confident they will be successful in doing so and as such have put the matter on hold until 2012.



During the more extended period, I will return the situation to the faculty leaders who originally forwarded the closure recommendation to me, and ask them to take responsibility for permanently resolving the matter. I will look forward to supporting a creative solution which will allow us to maintain the campus environment of which we all are so proud.



Thank you for the enthusiasm and support you have demonstrated for your campus community.



Dean Bresciani



Dean L. Bresciani, President

NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY



102 Old Main

Dept. 1000, PO Box 6050

Fargo, ND 58108-6050

Office 701.231.7211

dean.bresciani@ndsu.edu

www.ndsu.edu

[rockybison]

The center is more than a daycare. My children attended the center and were well tended. And became Bison. We would roam the Union after I picked them up and we were part of the University. My kids, per their choice, will attend school at NDSU proudly.

[tony]

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/196338/group/homepage/

From Tu-Uyen Tran.

Why post the link?


NDSU President Dean Bresciani told the committee his university’s funding is falling behind not just peers around the nation but with sister institutions in the state. In the current biennium, funding per student is the second-lowest in the state, at $4,500, he said.

UND, not including the medical school, is at $6,200. Minot State University is at $5,500.

I think these numbers could use a little more media exposure.

BTW, it's not that anybody ever expects NDSU to be as well-funded as its peers around the nation - the goal was that as funding increased, it was going to increase slightly more at the worst-funded schools (NDSU and Bismarck State College), but it hasn't happened. Moreover, after all this time, Higher Ed experts in the Legislator revealed that they had no freaking idea what the goal of equity funding was.

Maybe it's time to start looking for peers in state. For example, I think it's time for the Legislature to ask, "Why shouldn't NDSU get the same funding per student as UND?" Heck, if guys like Skarphol keep playing power games with NDSU's funding, maybe it's time to investigate an initiated measure to peg NDSU's funding to UND's.

[roadwarrior]

The print edition of the Forum had that article today too, although some of it fell victim to the "editor". Don Morton's specific comments about Microsoft were not in the Forum.

[Tatanka]

The print edition of the Forum had that article today too, although some of it fell victim to the "editor". Don Morton's specific comments about Microsoft were not in the Forum.

Yes, why would they be? That's not relevant to Fargo at all, is it?

[phpguru]

What comments where these? Post a linky please... or paraphrase it...

*edited*

Nevermind, I think I found it...

http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/311840/publisher_ID/1/

I took pause to this comment...


Vice Chairman Bill Bowman, R-Bowman, asked Roers why he wanted to focus the funding in the two eastern universities instead of spreading it out to smaller colleges, such as Williston State College, which is right in the middle of oil country.

Really? Last I checked, most of those campuses were getting more money per student compared to NDSU...

[tony]

Bowman seems to think that if he can just starve NDSU for funding that kids who would have otherwise enrolled at NDSU will instead go to a two-year school or to one of the smaller four-year schools in North Dakota. That's simply not going to happen. If he manages to cut NDSU's funding so much that ND's two-year and smaller four-year colleges look like better alternatives, almost all those ND kids will leave the state for college. Minnesota kids will just stay away in droves.

The original article also had a quote from a Hazen legislature lamenting the lack of diesel mechanics. When I took part in those Vision 2000 deals, people were complaining about the lack of boiler techs and pipe fitters. Turns out that this was a concern to legislators, not because there weren't any boiler techs or pipe fitters around to hire, but because they didn't want to pay a competitive wage to hire them.

Small government apparently means: We want to get involved in your marriage. We want to tell your kid where to go to college. We want to tell your kid what career to explore. Rather than let market forces solve employee shortages (doctors and diesel mechanics), they want to use the government to create employees.

[roadwarrior]

Letter from Steve Scheel published in today's paper:

http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/312161/group/Opinion/


An example of the excellence in their graduates is at Microsoft. There are 90,000 employees at Microsoft, and 39 of those have the title of “distinguished engineer.” Thirty-six are in Redmond, Wash., one works outside the U.S., and two live in Fargo and work at Microsoft in Fargo. Both are NDSU graduates, one from North Dakota and one from Minnesota.

[Tatanka]

Letter from Steve Scheel published in today's paper:

http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/312161/group/Opinion/

Did notice that. Hmmmmmm.

[Hammersmith]

Eh, they won't pay any attention to it in Bismarck. Most or all of the businessmen are from Fargo.

[tony]

I'm glad those guys (Scheel, Morton, et al) are giving higher ed some thought, but I don't buy that the university should be one massive job training program - it should just be business friendly, not business driven. I'm interested to hear what their plan for revamping higher ed is - as long as it doesn't involve putting the Legislature in charge.

[Hammersmith]

I'm glad those guys (Scheel, Morton, et al) are giving higher ed some thought, but I don't buy that the university should be one massive job training program - it should just be business friendly, not business driven. I'm interested to hear what their plan for revamping higher ed is - as long as it doesn't involve putting the Legislature in charge.

Two-year trades programs - yes.
Four-year degrees and beyond - no.

I also get tired of businessmen and politicians saying universities need train students better for jobs. That's the responsibility of the specific business. The responsibility of the university is to make the student learn and adapt quickly to changing environments. The former saves a business money for the first year or two, the latter saves money over an entire career.

[North Side]

Can we vote these old farts out of office in western ND.... I am getting sick of them

[G-city Bison Fan]

Two-year trades programs - yes.
Four-year degrees and beyond - no.

I also get tired of businessmen and politicians saying universities need train students better for jobs. That's the responsibility of the specific business. The responsibility of the university is to make the student learn and adapt quickly to changing environments. The former saves a business money for the first year or two, the latter saves money over an entire career.

Amen. Job training does not equal learning, and there is a very fine line that should be observed at Universities.

[duluthbison]

Got this email from Bresciani at work the other day:


Campus Community—



As we move into later stages of the legislative session, I am pleased with the amount of progress we have made since just a year or two ago when NDSU was in a far less favorable light. We have taken great strides repositioning public awareness of NDSU’s successes and unparalleled contributions to the future of North Dakota. Work remains on that front, but we are being far more successful than ever before.



And in spite of challenges and an unanticipated setback reflected in the House of Representative’s vote on higher education funding during early months of the session, I am impressed with the willingness of state leaders to listen to our message, and the ongoing efforts from the students, alumni and friends of NDSU to further advocate for our work. Many, many people have worked to make NDSU a thriving place of quality education, service and economic strength for the state. That fact will ultimately prove inarguable and the basis for additional support.



Not unrelated, many of you have asked how the NDSU budget situation got to the point it is. Although complex, the basic answer is that NDSU’s success over the past decade grew at a pace and breadth never imagined. The state funded share of our budget has simply not kept up.



In fact, NDSU has been transformed so dramatically that we recently were named to the elite “Research University/Very High Research” category of the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education. Carnegie categorization is generally considered the most accepted measure of American higher education institutions and the Very High Research group represents the 108 most successful private and public universities in the nation. We are the first and only North Dakota university in history to reach that status.



That type of success has led to a steady but dramatic increase in the demand for NDSU by prospective students, scholars and business leaders, not just in North Dakota, but throughout the nation and even the world. For 11 years in a row and reflecting our new reputation, enrollments have hit record levels. Research productivity has tripled, our capacity to compete for and attract major external funding opportunities continues to grow, and our contributions have led to unprecedented numbers of new businesses and new jobs coming to North Dakota.



However, current resources supporting students, and their faculty and staff, largely reflect the NDSU of a decade ago. In fact, we are funded dramatically lower than our peers even though we lead the state in enrollment, research productivity, and national ranking. Since before my arrival, university administrators have been scouring an already lean campus looking for any possible means to reduce expenses or increase efficiency. Recent consideration of closing the Child Care Center was a visible example of just how desperate our budget situation is, but was preceded by wide-spread savings through less obvious cuts, reductions and attrition. As I've testified to our legislators, we have been stretched so thin, for so long, that further cuts will unavoidably and overtly impact our ability to serve the state. If the elimination of entire programs or departments becomes necessary, please know that to the extent possible we will as a campus community develop the parameters for doing so.



I remain optimistic, however, that our legislators will ultimately support the state's best interests, which is support of NDSU. Higher education in North Dakota, and particularly at our state’s two research universities, is producing more benefit and return on investment to North Dakota than ever before. It is clear that our state’s residents, community and business leaders, and legislators know that. I anticipate that we will increasingly prove successful in garnering their support.



In the meantime, I continue to be impressed by the sense of community and campus pride at NDSU, and our collective commitment to the larger Fargo community, as witnessed by record periods of NDSU participation in filling sandbags. In yet another way, your good work is making a difference. That difference will define our future, which I can’t help but believe will be one that garners not just state but national and international recognition.



Dean Bresciani



Dean L. Bresciani, President

North Dakota State University

[Tatanka]

Got this email from Bresciani at work the other day:

Bresciani is the right man for the job. This needs to be forwarded to every asshat in the legislature, STAT.

[roadwarrior]

Bresciani is the right man for the job. This needs to be forwarded to every asshat in the legislature, STAT.

They already have this information.

[Tatanka]

They already have this information.

Fair enough. Then someone needs to read it to them, and provide explanation as to what some of the bigger words mean.

[TheBisonator]

That Bresciani sounds like an awesome guy. I just wish his signature was on my degree instead of Peter Griffin's (Richard Hanson's).

[gotts]

That Bresciani sounds like an awesome guy. I just wish his signature was on my degree instead of Peter Griffin's (Richard Hanson's).

I have exactly what you're looking for.... :D

[EndZoneQB]

Damn, that was a GREAT email. That was some SERIOUS smack without the sh*t-talking. God damnit, that guy is awesome.

[phpguru]

That Bresciani sounds like an awesome guy. I just wish his signature was on my degree instead of Peter Griffin's (Richard Hanson's).

I've got Chapman's on both of my degrees, and I'm damn proud of it.

[BadlandsBison]

I hope Scrappy Doo signs my degree. I'm majoring in meddling and mystery solving.

[TbonZach]

I've got Chapman's on both of my degrees, and I'm damn proud of it.


I hope Scrappy Doo signs my degree. I'm majoring in meddling and mystery solving.

And Chapman would still be president if it wasn't for those meddling legislators.

[DjKyRo]

Anyone who listens to the radio show knows I'm a Broadcast major with an emphasis on Paul Allen studies. Think he'd sign my degree?

[ndsubison1]

joe lunardi will sign mine as i major in bracketology