Proposal gives free college classes, credits to North Dakotans who are at least 55 By: Dale Wetzel, Canadian Business

Transcription

1 January 25, 2011 January 28, 2011 In this edition: Published January 25, 2011 Proposal gives free college classes, credits to North Dakotans who are at least 55 By: Dale Wetzel, Canadian Business Allowing North Dakota residents who are at least 55 years old to take college classes for free could complicate matters for paying students and would make enrollment reporting more confusing, the chancellor of North Dakota's university system said Tuesday. Published January 25, year tuition freeze advocated for ND colleges By: Associated Press, Valley News Live Spokesmen for North Dakota State University and the University of North Dakota don't agree about whether the Legislature should set aside money for a 2-year college tuition freeze. Published January 25, 2011 Wahpeton College explores the idea of renting underused dorms to senior citizens By: Bill Schammert, WDAY TV The North Dakota State College of Sciences might soon be home to a whole new age group. The college is exploring the idea of renting part of it's campus to Lutheran Social Services for senior living as in senior citizens. This article includes video footage. Published January 25, 2011 `Fright-Tacular` at Williston State College By: Eric Steltzer, KFYR-TV News Stories Things got a little spooky at Williston State College`s basketball games tonight. Kids and adults alike dusted off their Halloween costumes and got back in the Halloween sprit. This article includes video footage. Bills target out-of-state students: Bismarck lawmaker says ND is wrongly subsidizing tuition for nonresidents By: Amy Dalrymple, INFORUM Two bills in the North Dakota Legislature take aim at the large number of out-of-state students in the North Dakota University System.

2 North Dakota student leaders oppose tuition freeze By: Amy Dalrymple, INFORUM A proposal to freeze tuition at North Dakota s public universities would seem to be popular with college students. But student leaders at North Dakota State University came out against the bill on Tuesday. MSU s Torr to step down in May Minot Daily News Minot State University head volleyball coach Johnna Torr is resigning her position effective at the end of the academic year in May. Energy Conference KXMCTV Minot Twenty states are represented at the three day conference, which is sponsored by Bismarck State College. This article includes video footage. Published January 27, 2011 UND signs key document to start unmanned aircraft simulator training building at GFAFB By: Tu-Uyen Tran, Grand Forks Herald The signing marks a major milestone in the development of the facility that's been years in the making. Published January 27, 2011 NDSCS students soar in national construction competition Wahpeton Daily News Architectural Drafting and Estimating Technology students at the North Dakota State College of Science soared past 47 competitors to place third in the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Residential Construction Management Competition in Orlando, Fla. in early January. Published January 27, 2011 NDSCS Performing Arts to hold combined concert with Valley City State University Wahpeton Daily News Michael Rockne, Director of NDSCS Choral Music said, This is an opportunity for our schools to come together for an afternoon of singing. It allows the students to interact and express themselves artistically through choral music.

3 Published January 28, 2011 Rewrite free class proposal Editorial, Minot Daily News As it's currently written, a proposal to allow North Dakota residents at least 55 years old to take college classes for free should be defeated. Published January 28, 2011 DSU to offer grad courses By: Ashley Martin, Dickinson Press Dickinson State University will offer graduate-level courses for teachers as soon as this summer, DSU President Dr. Richard McCallum said Thursday. Published January 28, 2011 MSU collects for injured athlete Minot Daily News Student-athletes at Minot State University collected $679 in support of injured Jamestown College athlete James Vollmer during Wednesday's basketball games at the MSU Dome. Published January 28, 2011 Carlotta Wall LaNier to speak at MSU By: Andrea Johnson, Minot Daily News Congressional Gold Medal recipient Carlotta Walls LaNier, who was the youngest member of "The Little Rock Nine," will speak at 7 p.m. Feb. 1 at Minot State University's Aleshire Theater. The speech is free and open to the public. The following articles pertain to the issue of the University of North Dakota s Fighting Sioux nickname. Kelley denies pressuring Summit League on nickname issue By: Chuck Haga, Grand Forks Herald UND President Robert Kelley repeated Wednesday his denial that he ever asked Summit League Commissioner Tom Douple to publicly come out against accepting the Fighting Sioux as a league member until the school's controversial nickname issue was resolved. No pressure, no way: UND denies allegation that it pressured Summit League to take a stand on nickname, logo By: Wayne Nelson, Grand Forks Herald Less than a day after a news story implied UND pressured the Summit League to take a stand against the controversial Fighting Sioux nickname to help place the school s potential membership on the fast track, UND athletic department officials went on the offensive to deny the allegation.

4 Source: UND pushed early resolution on nickname By: Jeff Kolpack, INFORUM University denies asking Summit League to help accelerate state s decision: The University of North Dakota asked an athletic conference it once considered joining to publicly come out against accepting the Fighting Sioux as a member until the controversial nickname and logo issue was resolved, according to Summit League Commissioner Tom Douple. Aired January 26, 2011 Interviews: Brian Faison Athletics Director, University of North Dakota The Christopher Gabriel Program, WDAY AM 970 UND Athletic Director, Brian Faison, discusses the latest on the Fighting Sioux nickname. This article includes an audio clip. Broadcasted January 26, 2011 UND Sports Press Conferences: Brian Faison Video courtesy UND Athletics UND athletics director Brian Faison responds to comments from Summit League commissioner. This article includes video footage. ND House Hears Both Sides in UND Nickname Debate By: Brian Howell, KFYR-TV News Stories Legislators have brought the debate over whether UND`s Fighting Sioux nickname should stay or go back to the forefront today. The House Education Committee held a public hearing on three bills, which would allow the school to keep its controversial nickname. This article includes video footage. Lawmakers hear testimony on UND nickname bills By: Chuck Haga, Grand Forks Herald Members of the state Board of Higher Education did all they could over the past three years to afford the people of North Dakota s two Sioux Indian tribes opportunities to speak to the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux nickname controversy, board Vice President Grant Shaft told a legislative committee Wednesday. Grant Shaft speaks during Sioux nickname discussion at state capitol By: Associated Press, Grand Forks Herald Grant Shaft spoke Wednesday afternoon to the North Dakota House's Education Committee. The panel is reviewing three bills that would restrict UND's ability to drop the nickname.

5 Sioux fight in ND House over UND nickname By: Associated Press, WDAY Supporters of the University of North Dakota's Fighting Sioux nickname took their case to the state Legislature on Wednesday in an attempt to reverse the North Dakota Board of Higher Education's decision to retire it. Sioux fight in ND House over UND nickname By: Associated Press, KFYR-TV News Stories A North Dakota lawmaker says the voices of the Sioux people were ignored when the state Board of Higher Education decided to get rid of the University of North Dakota`s Fighting Sioux nickname. Sioux fight in ND House over UND nickname By: Associated Press, Valley News Live A member of the Standing Rock Sioux's tribal council says the board has wanted the University of North Dakota to drop its Fighting Sioux nickname for almost 20 years. Tribal Member Says Nickname Should be Saved By: Associated Press, WDAZ A Spirit Lake Sioux tribal member says a majority of North Dakota Sioux tribal members want the University of North Dakota to keep its Fighting Sioux nickname. Fighting Sioux nickname debate takes center stage at the North Dakota Capitol By: Teri Finneman, WDAY TV The Fighting Sioux nickname debate is taking center stage at the North Dakota Capitol. Correspondent Teri Finneman has the latest from today's testimony in Bismarck. This article includes video footage. Nickname creates teaching moments By: Jennifer Dane, Letter, Grand Forks Herald By having the name and logo right here in Grand Forks, I m better able to teach and have my children exposed to those issues, including the history of American Indians. That s a blessing that I think many nickname critics overlook.

6 Stop defending an indefensible nickname By: David Floyd, Letter, Grand Forks Herald I am sick and tired of the back-door attempts by elected officials to keep the Fighting Sioux nickname, which already is in the process of being retired (as it should have been years ago). What part of bigotry of do these people not understand? Sioux nickname papers over America s racist past By: Michael Eshkibok, Letter, Grand Forks Herald Logo supporters have failed to come to terms with the reality of the historically recent European invasion and conquest of North America. Published January 27, 2011 CORRECTION on Thursday's UND nickname story By: Herald Staff Report, Grand Forks Herald Jon Backes position on the legislative bills concerning the Fighting Sioux nickname was characterized incorrectly in a story on Page 5A Thursday. Published January 28, 2011 OUR OPINION: Notably, colleagues support Kelley By: Tom Dennis for the Herald, Grand Forks Herald No one that we know of has offered similar corroboration for Douple s side of the story. And Douple himself apparently has stopped commenting. *Click on the title to go to the full article. **Some of the articles are no longer available seven days after publication. They are, however, archived on the publication s website and are available for a small fee.

7 Published January 25, 2011 Proposal gives free college classes, credits to North Dakotans who are at least 55 By: Dale Wetzel, Canadian Business To view the original article, please visit: BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Allowing North Dakota residents who are at least 55 years old to take college classes for free could complicate matters for paying students and would make enrollment reporting more confusing, the chancellor of North Dakota's university system said Tuesday. William Goetz spoke at a House Education Committee hearing against legislation, sponsored by Rep. Vicky Steiner, R-Dickinson, that would let older North Dakotans enroll in undergraduate college courses without paying tuition or fees if their chosen class had available slots. Steiner said the proposal would not include online classes, and would not require the hiring of additional instructors. Older students would not have to meet any class admission requirements. Other states offer college classes for older students gratis or at reduced rates, Steiner said. "If we can encourage them in lifelong learning, and if we have the availability within our university system, some of these people have paid into that university system all their lives," Steiner said. "I would love to see them be able to participate with that incredible experience that the universities offer." The committee did not take action on the bill Tuesday. The panel will make a recommendation later on whether it should be approved or defeated. North Dakota's Board of Higher Education already has a policy that allows administrators at its 11 colleges to permit state residents who are at least 65 years old to sit in on classes and waive audit fees, Goetz said. A student who audits a course does not earn academic credit. Although Steiner said older students who enroll for free should not be part of colleges' enrollment counts, Goetz said they would have to be counted if they were attempting to earn college credit. North Dakota's university system already enrolls about 400 students aged 55 to 64, who take about 2,200 credit hours each semester and pay about $1.8 million in tuition and fees, Goetz said. Two House Education Committee members, Rep. Joe Heilman, R-Fargo, a recent graduate of North Dakota State University, and Rep. Corey Mock, D-Grand Forks, a University of North Dakota alumnus, wondered whether an older student would block someone else from getting into a needed class if the younger student was late in enrolling, or needed to reshuffle his or her schedule. Some university programs, such as engineering, charge significant fees to students that older students would not have to pay under Steiner's bill, Mock said. An older North Dakotan could conceivably use the law to earn a private pilot's license at little cost by attending UND's Center for Aerospace Sciences, Mock said. "That person... could get a $60,000 to $100,000 degree without having to pay," Mock said.

8 Published January 25, year tuition freeze advocated for ND colleges By: Associated Press, Valley News Live To view the original article, please visit: BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Spokesmen for North Dakota State University and the University of North Dakota don't agree about whether the Legislature should set aside money for a 2-year college tuition freeze. Gov. Jack Dalrymple's proposed budget includes money to keep tuition level for the next two years at North Dakota's 2-year schools. Grand Forks Rep. Corey Mock wants to extend the freeze to North Dakota's 4-year colleges. It would cost about $19 million over two years. UND student spokesman Evan Andrist says the freeze would be an investment in North Dakota's future workforce. But NDSU student spokesman Robert Vallie questioned how the Board of Higher Education would split up the money among campuses. Vallie says the $19 million would be better spent on academic buildings or hiring more faculty instead of freezing tuition. Published January 25, 2011 Wahpeton College explores the idea of renting underused dorms to senior citizens By: Bill Schammert, WDAY TV This article includes video footage. To view the original article, please visit: Right now it's just an idea, but with all the support, it's hard to imagine it not becoming a reality. NDSCS is looking at converting three of its underused dormitories into senior housing. John Richman: As we looked at this, we found more and more seniors that wanted to downsize their living dwelling, but we also saw them wanting the cultural, the educational pieces of a campus. The residence halls that would be used are located on the southeast corner of campus and were built half a century ago. Richman: These dorms, these residential halls were built back in the 60's and they have that style. And it's not the style that even today's college student wants to live in. Right now McMahon Hall is empty. Now if the agreement goes through, all three dormitories would combine for 72 senior apartments. Jessica Thomasson: When you have the opportunity to work with seniors on a college campus where there is so much opportunity for activity and interaction and lifelong learning. I think it could be an exciting project. The halls would be completely gutted and remodeled. The senior area would be separate from the students, but the partnership could create multiple educational and financial opportunities for the college. Thomasson: There are a lot of questions to answer, but I think this project has a lot of merit and we are really excited about the possibilities.

9 Richman will present the idea before the state board of higher education on Thursday. Richman says if everything goes perfectly according to plan, seniors could be living in the halls within two years. Published January 25, 2011 `Fright-Tacular` at Williston State College By: Eric Steltzer, KFYR-TV News Stories This article includes video footage. To view the original article, please visit: Things got a little spooky at Williston State College`s basketball games tonight. Kids and adults alike dusted off their Halloween costumes and got back in the Halloween sprit. At half time they got out of their seats and danced to the "Monster Mash." There was even trick or treating around the gymnasium`s track. The event was called Fright-Tacular. Kids at the events say they`re happy that Halloween came around twice this year. "It`s like a miniature Halloween. You can just get some candy and dress up and have fun because it`s not like everyday you get to dress up in a Halloween costume, said Katherine Stenberg. Sponsors say parents spend a lot on Halloween costumes, and it`s nice to be able to dress up in them more than once per year. Bills target out-of-state students: Bismarck lawmaker says ND is wrongly subsidizing tuition for nonresidents By: Amy Dalrymple, INFORUM To view the original article, please visit: Two bills in the North Dakota Legislature take aim at the large number of out-of-state students in the North Dakota University System. Rep. Mark Dosch, R-Bismarck, said taxpayers shouldn t be asked to subsidize higher education for students from other states, and he s sponsoring two bills that seek to fix that. A lot of people are becoming very frustrated with the number of out-of-state students that are coming into our system, Dosch said. In many cases, these out-of-state students are getting the same tuition rate that our in-state students are. Dosch has two proposals to address the issue, and his hope is legislators would adopt one of them. House Bill 1445 would require colleges and universities to return to the general fund state dollars spent on nonresident students. House Bill 1444 would require nonresident students to pay a minimum tuition amount covering the average cost of education.

10 Neither bill is meant to affect students from Minnesota or other states and provinces that are contiguous to North Dakota, Dosch said. However, Dosch wants to eliminate any tuition discounts for students coming from other countries and states that aren t adjacent to North Dakota. Of the system s 48,120 students enrolled last fall, 20,976 were not from North Dakota, representing nearly 44 percent of the total enrollment. The percentage is higher for the research universities. Fifty-six percent of students at North Dakota State University and the University of North Dakota come from outside the state, according to the system s most recent enrollment report. Minnesota accounted for 11,752 of the out-of-state students last fall, or about 24 percent of the system s overall enrollment. The system had 7,292 students, or about 15 percent, from states and countries not contiguous to North Dakota. Tuition rates vary by campus, but overall out-of-state students do pay higher tuition than North Dakota residents. NDSU, for example, charges a full-time North Dakota resident $2, per semester in undergraduate tuition. That rate is $3,001 for a Minnesota resident; $4,229 for a resident of another contiguous state or a state with a tuition agreement with North Dakota; and $7,527 for all other nonresidents. However, campuses sometimes offer discounts, called tuition waivers, and charge nonresident students a discounted rate as an incentive to recruit them. Unfortunately, with a lot of these students, they come here for the education and they leave, Dosch said. According to figures from the North Dakota University System, 42.2 percent of nonresident graduates from 2008 remained in the state one year after graduation, either working or pursuing other degrees. Dosch said he believes the figure is too high because many of those students end up leaving after completing advanced degrees. The goal of the bills, Dosch said, is not to reduce the number of nonresident students, but to collect more money from them. If we lose a couple students, especially if they re in a highly subsidized program, well so be it, he said. The state Board of Higher Education has not had the opportunity to discuss a position on the bills. The board meets Thursday at Bismarck State College. In past discussions, the North Dakota University System has advocated the benefits of nonresident students to the state. Benefits the system cites: Nonresidents students spend, on average, $9,000 per year in North Dakota on living expenses. Nonresident students bring diversity and contribute to a richer academic experience for North Dakota students. Research efforts would be limited without the contributions of highly educated nonresident students, particularly graduate students. Pat Seaworth, attorney for the state board, said it s important to note that nonresident students are taxpayers, too. In addition to sales tax, many nonresidents have jobs and pay income taxes and live off campus and pay property taxes, he said.

11 The number of nonresident students who do stay in North Dakota and contribute to the work force helps offset the number who leave the state, Seaworth said. We can t build a fence around the state to keep residents here, anymore than we can keep the nonresidents out, he said. House bills 1444 and 1445 have been referred to the House Education Committee. Hearings have not yet been scheduled. North Dakota student leaders oppose tuition freeze By: Amy Dalrymple, INFORUM To view the original article, please visit: A proposal to freeze tuition at North Dakota s public universities would seem to be popular with college students. But student leaders at North Dakota State University came out against the bill on Tuesday. While students like myself always like to see a limitation to how much we have to pay in tuition, we do also understand that if we want to be able to graduate from our institution and have a good educational experience, we need to have the tools in order to make this achievable, testified Robert Vallie, a representative of NDSU student government. Gov. Jack Dalrymple s budget recommendation caps tuition at 2.5 percent for four-year campuses and freezes it for two-year colleges. House Bill 1301 from Rep. Corey Mock and Sen. Mac Schneider, both Democrats from Grand Forks, extends the freeze to four-year campuses and would cost about $19 million over two years. Evan Andrist, representing the University of North Dakota student government, testified in favor of the bill, calling it an investment in the state s work force. Kevin Black, NDSU student body president, said he and other student leaders have discussed the issue at length and have taken the stance that a modest tuition increase is in the best interest of students. Before the university can freeze tuition, investments are needed to improve NDSU s student-faculty ratio and academic facilities, Black said. NDSU student leaders also worry that a tuition freeze now could mean double-digit increases for future generations of students, Black said. We would love to freeze tuition, but eventually costs go up and we don t want a huge bubble to burst, Black said. The state Board of Higher Education has taken a neutral position on the bill.

12 MSU s Torr to step down in May Minot Daily News To view the original article, please visit: Minot State University head volleyball coach Johnna Torr is resigning her position effective at the end of the academic year in May. Torr, who finished her fourth year as head coach of the Beavers this past season, leaves the school with a record of "There have been a lot of great moments in my coaching career," Torr said. "It was a little different every year. This past season was a lot of fun, the athletes we had on the team made it very enjoyable. I can't imagine going out with a better group." Torr cited family as the main reason for making the decision one that had weighed on her for a couple of months. "(Husband Aaron) and I have been talking about it for a while whether continuing on was right for us," she said. "We had another baby in November, we live an hour out of town, both of our seasons are the same and with moving up to NCAA Division II, it is an all-year job. "It will be nice to be able to watch my kids grow up and catch all their events." MSU Athletic Director Rick Hedberg said Torr provided the university with solid leadership both on the court and off as she was an advisor for the MSU Student Athlete Advisory Council. "I appreciate the leadership Johnna has provided the volleyball program and with our Student Athlete Advisory Council," Hedberg said. "Johnna did a nice job in building the volleyball program during her time here. Her family situation has changed and I totally respect her decision to spend more time with her two young children." Torr began her coaching career at Bottineau High School, coaching the Stars for four seasons. She spent one season at MSU-Bottineau before coaching at Williston State College. She helped the Tetons to the NJCAA national tournament her second year before being named head coach at Minot State in Torr was overall in her career. The university will immediately begin a nationwide search for its sixth head coach in the school's history. "We hope to have someone on board in early April," Hedberg said. Energy Conference KXMCTV Minot This article includes video footage. To view the original article, please visit: More than 2000 people have gathered for the Bismarck for the 32nd annual energy generation conference. It's a where industry leaders, employers and educators come together, sharing the latest in energy technology and innovations. There are also workshops for college and high school students...wanting to know more about energy careers.

13 (Nick Sauber/Stanley High School, Senior) "It will help them learn about they want to do right after high school and give them confidence in what they really want to do." Twenty states are represented at the three day conference, which is sponsored by Bismarck State College. Published January 27, 2011 UND signs key document to start unmanned aircraft simulator training building at GFAFB By: Tu-Uyen Tran, Grand Forks Herald To view the original article, please visit: UND is sealing a deal Friday with a maker of unmanned aircraft systems simulators for its training facility at Grand Forks Air Force Base. Mike Nelson, the course manager at UND s Center of Excellence for UAS Research, said the agreement with L-3 Communications marks a major milestone in the development of the facility years in the making. Next week, he said, he expects another milestone when Air Force officials come to town to sign the lease for space at the base, allowing groundbreaking to begin early next month. All the trains are arriving at the station at once, he said. Early reports that UND was looking for space at the base came out in early Some early hurdles included getting money to pay for the ultra-realistic simulators the Legislature ultimately provided that and getting the Air Force to agree to a lease. At one point, some involved in promoting the local unmanned aircraft industry worried that the Air Force didn t seem too keen on the idea. L-3 is a New York City-based defense contractor specializing in communications, surveillance and other electronic systems. It ll be providing UND with PMATS units, short for Predator Mission Aircrew Training System, which, as the name suggests, simulates the control stations of Predator unmanned aircraft. Predators, widely used in Iraq and Afghanistan, are flown locally by the National Guard s 199th Wing in Fargo and by Customs and Border Protection in Grand Forks. The total cost of the training facility is about $2 million, of which $1.6 million will go into furnishings and equipment, including the simulators, according to UND s report to the State Board of Higher Education last year. Most of the funding came from the state Department of Commerce. Published January 27, 2011 NDSCS students soar in national construction competition Wahpeton Daily News To view the original article, please visit: Architectural Drafting and Estimating Technology students at the North Dakota State College of Science soared past 47 competitors to place third in the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Residential Construction Management Competition in Orlando, Fla. in early January. The seven-member NDSCS team presented their solutions and recommendations for a partial house plan project.

14 The students put in between five and 15 hours a week outside of class, work and extracurricular activities during the fall semester to ensure completion for the Dec. 8 deadline. Their solution meets NAHB Green Building Standards Silver Level requirements and has a full set of working drawings, labor and material estimates and a construction schedule. The seven students include: Trevor Deyo, a second year construction management student from Breckenridge, Minn.; Justin Shannon, a second year architectural drafting student from Grafton, N.D.; Kelsey Fisch, a construction technology, architectural drafting and business and construction management student from Winona, Minn.; Brian Heinz, a second year architectural drafting student from West Fargo, N.D.; Lara Lekang, a second year architectural drafting student from Wahpeton, N.D.; Kate VanHout, a second year architectural drafting student; and Casey Johnson, a first year architectural drafting student from Grafton. This year 50 teams representing universities, community colleges, high schools and career technical schools across the country participated in the competition. The annual competition gives students a real-life construction management project to solve and then present their solutions to a judging panel of residential construction industry experts. This is the third NDSCS appearance at the national competition. For further information about the competition, contact Randy Stach, Architectural Drafting - Associate Professor, Chair at or by at randy.stach@ndscs.edu. Published January 27, 2011 NDSCS Performing Arts to hold combined concert with Valley City State University Wahpeton Daily News To view the original article, please visit: The North Dakota State College of Science Performing Arts Department will host the Valley City State University (VCSU) Concert Choir, the Valkyries, a new all female vocal ensemble at VCSU and the VCSU Singers, a vocal chamber ensemble of select singers from across campus for a combined concert with the NDSCS Concert Choir and Wildcat Singers. The concert will be held on February 17, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. in the Harry Stern and Ella Stern Cultural Center. Each of the ensembles will perform individually and the NDSCS Concert Choir and the VCSU Concert Choir will combine to perform three selections. Michael Rockne, Director of NDSCS Choral Music said, This is an opportunity for our schools to come together for an afternoon of singing. It allows the students to interact and express themselves artistically through choral music. The concert is free and open to the public with a reception to follow in the lobby.

15 Published January 28, 2011 Rewrite free class proposal Editorial, Minot Daily News To view the original article, please visit: As it's currently written, a proposal to allow North Dakota residents at least 55 years old to take college classes for free should be defeated. Under the proposal by Rep. Vicky Steiner, R-Dickinson, residents 55 and older could take college classes without paying tuition or fees and earn credit. If someone took enough classes, they could conceivably earn the necessary credits to get a degree essentially for free. Great deal for the person, not so great for the university system and all those who do pay tuition and fees. And what if the 55-year-old student who's not paying tuition or fees is admitted into a class that has an opening, then a paying student signs up for the now-full class a day or two later. What happens in that situation? Steiner said older students who wouldn't be paying tuition shouldn't be counted as part of a university's enrollment, but William Goetz, chancellor of the North Dakota University System, said that's not possible. All students earning credit have to be counted toward enrollment figures, he said. There are alternatives to Steiner's proposal. The state Board of Higher Education already allows universities to waive fees for North Dakota residents age 65 or older who want to audit classes, but not earn college credit. The board could simply lower that age requirement to 55. That would solve the problem of letting someone earn a degree for free, and it solves the issue of counting or not counting older students taking classes for free on enrollment figures. With more older residents working longer nowadays, helping some further their education so they can be more productive in the workforce isn't necessarily a bad idea. Letting them obtain college degrees for free, however, seems to be a little too much of an advantage. If older students want to return to school to earn college credits, giving them a meaningful tuition break would be more acceptable than letting them attend free of charge. Published January 28, 2011 DSU to offer grad courses By: Ashley Martin, Dickinson Press To view the original article, please visit: Dickinson State University will offer graduate-level courses for teachers as soon as this summer, DSU President Dr. Richard McCallum said Thursday. North Dakota State Board of Higher Education members unanimously agreed to allow limited graduate course offerings to area educators, said Mike Haugen, board member and chairman of the task force that recommended the decision. It just made so much sense, Haugen said. DSU was already offering continued education courses for teachers, but not at a graduate level, he added. So our teachers would take these courses and would pay the tuition, but they would not be able to get graduate master s degree credit for them, Haugen said. Adding the classes will not take additional funding, Haugen said.

16 The staff is already there, they re already teaching the courses, all they have to do is man the classes and so the tuition will pay for that, Haugen said. It was kind of a no-brainer, really, but it was a process we had to go through and to grant the approval authority over. Though DSU will not offer a master s degree, the limited graduate courses will count toward a master s degree at other institutions, he added. I think everybody feels there s a need, Haugen said. It s really a very good thing for the teachers. It s a good thing for Dickinson State. The courses will be limited to furthering teacher education, due to demand in that area, McCallum said. We did a survey of the 19 school districts in western North Dakota and we found an overwhelming response and need from area school teachers to be able to take graduate classes to either advance themselves relative to the school district s pay scale or to advance themselves relative to their developmental licensing, McCallum said. More than 150 people responded to the survey and 86 percent indicated they were very likely or most likely to take graduate credits if they were offered through DSU, according to a press release from DSU. This survey demonstrated the need for accessibility and access to quality professional development that Dickinson State University can offer area teachers, Dr. Jon Brudvig, interim vice president for academic affairs, said in the press release. In the next few months, DSU will decide what types of classes to offer. What we re going to try to do is identify the areas and the topics that teachers are most interested in and we ll try to respond to those based upon the topics that are suggested, McCallum said. The courses may be available at the campus and online, McCallum said. The delivery methods will be tailored in order to reach the audiences that are interested in enrolling in the class, he said. Officials at DSU are delighted, McCallum said. This is a new window of opportunity for the future of DSU, he said. Published January 28, 2011 MSU collects for injured athlete Minot Daily News To view the original article, please visit: Student-athletes at Minot State University collected $679 in support of injured Jamestown College athlete James Vollmer during Wednesday's basketball games at the MSU Dome. "We try to teach our student-athletes every day to 'do the right thing,' " said MSU Assistant Athletic Director- Compliance Melanie DeBoer-Brunsdon. "We had a few of them go out of their way to do exactly that." Vollmer, a junior from Rapid City, S.D., suffered a spinal cord injury during track practice leaving him permanently paralyzed from the waist down. He is currently at The Craig Institute in Denver for rehabilitation. Vollmer was a member of the Jimmies football and track and field programs.

17 "Sometimes we get so wrapped up in practice schedules and paperwork that we can easily lose sight of what makes this all worth it: the student-athlete," DeBoer-Brunsdon said. "James Vollmer doesn't necessarily represent Minot State, but we are all a part of the DAC and the NAIA. We need to help care for our own in any way we can." To make any further donations helping Vollmer offset costs related to the injury or for more information contact the MSU Athletic Department at Published January 28, 2011 Carlotta Wall LaNier to speak at MSU By: Andrea Johnson, Minot Daily News To view the original article, please visit: Walls-LaNier-to-speak-at-MSU.html Congressional Gold Medal recipient Carlotta Walls LaNier, who was the youngest member of "The Little Rock Nine," will speak at 7 p.m. Feb. 1 at Minot State University's Aleshire Theater. The speech is free and open to the public. In 1957, when she was 14, LaNier was the youngest of nine black teenagers who integrated Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Ark. In 2009 she published a memoir, "A Mighty Long Way: My Journey to Justice at Little Rock Central High School." LaNier, now a real estate broker in Denver, serves as president of the Little Rock Nine Foundation, a scholarship organization dedicated to ensuring equal access to education. She and other members of the Little Rock Nine received the Congressional Gold Medal, the nation's highest civilian award, in LaNier, who is promoting her book, which just came out in paperback, frequently speaks to college and K-12 students about her experiences when she was a teenager. LaNier said the teens who integrated Little Rock Central High School just wanted to go to the best available high school and further their education. The high school was ranked among the best in the nation at the time. They didn't know each other when they started at the school, but they formed tight bonds during the days that followed, as anger and violent behavior threatened the students' safety and motivated then President Dwight D. Eisenhower to dispatch the Army's 101st Airborne Division to protect their constitutional rights. "None of us expected what happened," said LaNier. She had been prepared to persevere through what she learned from her family foundation and the examples of those who came before her. She remembers reading in her Weekly Reader about the landmark 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown versus Board of Education, which declared some state laws establishing separate schools for black and white students unconstitutional. That decision let students knew that changes were coming and when her opportunity came to stand up for her right to an equal education, LaNier took it. LaNier went on to graduate from Central High School in 1960 and from Colorado State College, now the University of Northern Colorado, in Greeley. LaNier said all nine of the students who integrated Little Rock's Central High School went on to attend college and have done well. Eight of the nine are still living. LaNier said they still stay in touch. When she speaks to young students, LaNier talks about the importance of education and in taking an example from those who came before them. When she was a teenager, she knew she was standing on the shoulders of those who had fought for equality and justice and was appreciative of what came before her. Times are different for young people today, who have a lot of black role models who are in prominent positions, such as President Barack Obama or CEOs in corporate America, but they should still put a high importance on getting a good education and honoring people who worked hard to win them the right to attend a good school.

18 The following articles pertain to the issue of the University of North Dakota s Fighting Sioux nickname. Kelley denies pressuring Summit League on nickname issue By: Chuck Haga, Grand Forks Herald To view the original article, please visit: BISMARCK UND President Robert Kelley repeated Wednesday his denial that he ever asked Summit League Commissioner Tom Douple to publicly come out against accepting the Fighting Sioux as a league member until the school s controversial nickname issue was resolved. Tom has been very consistent with me that once we resolved the logo issue, the Summit League would review our appeal, Kelley said Wednesday as he waited for the House Education Committee to begin hearings on three bills that would require UND to retain the nickname and logo. I am very surprised to find Tom thought there was pressure put on him to speak out on this issue, Kelley said. There has been some urgency on our part to get this resolved. I think he felt some urgency on our part. But I don t recall ever putting pressure on Tom as he implied. Kelley said he has not spoken with Douple about the commissioner s statement. I have not had any conversations with Tom since our acceptance into the Big Sky Conference in November, he said. I can t speculate on where this is coming from or why at this time. Kelley also said he can t speculate on what he might have understood, or whether Douple may have heard something from someone else at UND. I have the highest respect for Tom, and I thought he understood perfectly that this (retirement of the logo) was the responsibility of the state board, and once it was resolved we would be able to move forward. My responsibility is to move ahead, and that s what we re doing.

19 No pressure, no way: UND denies allegation that it pressured Summit League to take a stand on nickname, logo By: Wayne Nelson, Grand Forks Herald To view the original article, please visit: Less than a day after a news story implied UND pressured the Summit League to take a stand against the controversial Fighting Sioux nickname to help place the school s potential membership on the fast track, UND athletic department officials went on the offensive to deny the allegation. The University of North Dakota never asked the Summit League or its commissioner to take a stand against the nickname and logo, UND athletic director Brian Faison said Wednesday. A Fargo Forum story implied that UND asked Summit League commissioner Tom Douple to take a public stand against the school s nickname and logo, a move that that conceivably would prompt the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education to resolve the issue sooner than later. In April of 2010, the SBHE moved up the deadline to retire the nickname sooner than the NCAA-imposed deadline of Nov. 30, 2010 thereby opening the door for UND s possible membership in the Summit. But UND never made it to the Summit, instead opting to accept an offer for membership from the Big Sky Conference in early November. UND athletic officials, however, maintained that the resolution of the nickname controversy existed from the start of the school s discussion with the Summit about potential membership. In fact, the commissioner of the Summit League publicly stated, on more than one occasion over the past two years, that the University of North Dakota had to resolve the nickname and logo issue before they would consider us for membership, Faison said. The resolution of the nickname and logo issue always was a precondition for league membership. Faison said the Summit League told UND when it applied for membership in May of 2009 that the nickname and logo issue had to be resolved before membership would be granted. My position has always been that we need resolution, Faison said. My job was to find the best conference I could for the university and we have that in the Big Sky Conference. Faison said he was surprised by Douple s comment. The two have not talked since UND canceled a planned Summit League site visit to UND in late October. Shortly after that, UND accepted an offer from the Big Sky. There are no plans for Faison or UND to talk to Douple about the story. I have no interest in talking to him, Faison said. We have more exciting things to deal with. The hockey team is having a great run. The basketball teams are turning it around. And it was great to sit in my office the other day and actually look at a four-year, eight-game football schedule already locked in with the Big Sky Conference. We have other things to worry about than whatever their problem is or what Tom s problem is. The Big Sky ultimately became a better fit for UND since the Summit does not offer football. When UND made the move to Division I, finding a home for Sioux football was one of the top priorities for the athletic department. UND will join the Big Sky in While UND officially applied for membership in May of 2009, school officials said there was an indication in January of that year that the Summit had issues with UND s nickname and logo.

20 Faison said while UND and North Dakota State were trying to negotiate the renewal of the Sioux-Bison football rivalry, Douple came out and said he didn t think it was a good idea for any of the Summit schools to schedule UND until the school gets the nickname issue resolved. NDSU belongs to the Summit. Douple was not available for comment Wednesday. But a spokesman in the league office said no further comment on the matter is expected. Faison, meanwhile, spent a portion of the day addressing the issue on a handful of radio talk shows in Fargo, Grand Forks and Bismarck. Faison also was asked why Douple said what he said this week, nearly three months after UND opted for the Big Sky instead of the Summit. You ll have to ask commissioner Douple, he said. I have no idea. Source: UND pushed early resolution on nickname By: Jeff Kolpack, INFORUM To view the original article, please visit: The University of North Dakota asked an athletic conference it once considered joining to publicly come out against accepting the Fighting Sioux as a member until the controversial nickname and logo issue was resolved, according to Summit League Commissioner Tom Douple. UND spokesman Peter Johnson said Monday and repeated Tuesday that university President Robert Kelley categorically denies UND officials ever made such a request to the Summit League. False. Not true at all, Johnson said. Neither the president or the athletic director or anybody else from UND ever talked to (the Summit League) from that angle. In no way, shape or form did we ask (Douple) to make that an issue. If Douple s statement is true, it would be a 180-degree reversal of what has commonly been reported for more than two years: that Summit League officials insisted the nickname issue be resolved sooner than the NCAA-imposed deadline of Nov. 30, 2010, so UND could be considered for inclusion in their conference. In trying to meet the hurried deadline for the Summit League, the state board of higher education last April moved up the deadline to retire the nickname, not exhausting the timeline earlier given to them. Commissioner Douple did not want to go into further detail on the issue, but when asked why he agreed to UND s request that the Summit League would publicly forward this idea he said, In support of the (UND) president. He thought it would help them and the board move quicker. The Summit s message did help the state board of higher education act more quickly. UND and the Summit League first started having serious membership conversations in 2009 when the Summit said it would make a site visit to the University of South Dakota, but not UND. At the time, Douple was quoted as saying the Summit would not visit UND until the logo issue is resolved one way or another. In response, UND athletic director Brian Faison told The Forum a day later, This is one of the reasons we need to get it resolved. And a resolution doesn t mean it disappears. It could mean the tribes come to an agreement, but we need to get to that point sooner than later. The Summit League s stance lingered over the issue until last January s state board of higher education meeting.