This guy is an idiot. How has he failed upward his whole life? He must have some of that Lane Kiffin magic.
He says he's not against growth unless we need new buildings to support it. I have news for him. We have the need for new buildings now whether we grow or not. Sudro Hall needs expansion, the engineering complex is woefully inadequate, Dunbar Hall is going to get someone killed if we don't do something with it.
He obviously did not even look at Dr B's plan for growth. His plan focuses on three things. Retention was one of them. The chancellor says I am not focused on growth but more on retention. That is excatly what Dr B said in his plan. The second part of Dr B's plan was to expand our graduate school. This does not require much if any additional classroom space as these classes are largely evening classes taught when classroom space is not nearly as busy. The third was to attract more out of state students primarily from SD. This may require more space than we now have, but with the STEM education building going online 2nd semester that shouldn't be much of a concern.
Finally, he states I don't wish to go to the legislature to ask for funds for dorm space. What!!! Does he not know that dorms are financed with housing bonds issued by the school and paid back from student room and board payments and not from state funds? Also, does he not know that the retention rate that he is so fond of referencing is much higher for students living on campus than for those off campus? So what does he want high retention rates or no new dorm space, causing more students to move off campus? He compares our retention rate to that of the Naval Academy. Not exactly apples to apples comparison. Our retention rate is just over 80% compared to 60% nationally. You can always improve, but are we looking to solve a problem that doesn't exist here?
After a second look at this article, I'm wondering if he knows these things and wants to give the impression that he isn't just bending to the NDSU President as his predecessors have been accused of. He may come out in a month or two and say that he supports the "new" growth plan for NDSU as his concerns have now been addressed. Makes it look like he's in charge. Portly Rob would be happy that NDSU was reigned in, and he looks good to the legislature.
Nailed it!!! It would be leadership, career suicide leadership, but leadership. At any rate, its my opinion that North Dakota should be looking at consolidation of higher education institutions instead of putting forth the idea of limiting the institution with a large and growing demand.
The young in this country do not know enough to be prudent,
and therefore they attempt the impossible - and achieve it generation after generation - Pearl S. Buck
North Dakota higher education logic...
2000-2015 -NDSU is too big, we need to give state money to other campuses so they can grow.
2015 - If NDSU wants to grow, they need to find a way to utilize all the unused building space on other campuses.
The weather in Fargo keeps the undesirables out.....
...Which is why I live near the Twin Cities.
Can someone please explain to the genius chancellor et el., that fargo is experiencing a major job shortage and to resolve it we need people to move here. And yeah F-M you may want to consider pitching some $$$$ into the NDSU kitty as well. History suggests NDSU is your best solution out of this issue.
If ND SBHE and NDUS cannot support a university in its support for its local community what the hell is the point.
Looks like the Heraldo in El Forko Grande reads Bisonville.
http://www.grandforksherald.com/opin...ing-chancellor
"In chat rooms, NDSU supporters already are grumbling about about the chancellor throwing cold water on NDSU's plans for growth."