Proposed cuts to North Dakota Higher Ed

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Proposed cuts worry North Dakota higher ed officials
Bresciani says removing $15 million from pot would have ‘dire consequences’
Proposed changes to North Dakota’s higher education budget would be an “eviscerating cut,” said North Dakota State University President Dean Bresciani.
By: Amy Dalrymple, INFORUM

Proposed changes to North Dakota’s higher education budget would be an “eviscerating cut,” said North Dakota State University President Dean Bresciani.

A legislative subcommittee has approved changes to the university system funding bill that would raise tuition, remove $15 million in equity and performance funding and eliminate a priority building project.

Bresciani said the proposal would have “dire consequences” for NDSU and the entire system if it moves forward.

The changes to House Bill 1003 were approved in a split vote by a subcommittee of House Appropriations that is chaired by Rep. Bob Skarphol, R-Tioga. The bill will now go to the full House Appropriations Committee.

The subcommittee did add more funding for an information technology facility that would be housed at the University of North Dakota and serve the whole system.

The proposed cuts include:

    * Removing $6.6 million intended to limit tuition increases, resulting in tuition increases of up to 4.1 percent. Gov. Jack Dalrymple proposed a tuition freeze for two-year schools and a cap on tuition increases of 2.5 percent for universities.

    * Removing $10 million in equity funding. NDSU would have received the largest chunk of that funding at nearly $4.7 million.

    * Removing $5 million that Dalrymple proposed for performance funding that would be allocated based on how campuses perform on certain measures, such as students graduating on time.

Rep. Kathy Hawken, R-Fargo, one of the subcommittee members who opposed the amendments, called the cuts “distressing” because of the economic benefit NDSU and other campuses bring the state.

“NDSU is not overspending. They are in a crisis mode almost,” Hawken said. “And think of what they do for the community of Fargo and for the state of North Dakota. Why do we want to make that go away?”

The full article is available at: http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/308848/

So let me get this straight, the state has a billion plus dollar surplus and they are looking at making cuts to higher education when the schools are already having to deal with meager support?  Buildings are crumbling, tuition is skyrocketing, education is suffering...

You got to be kidding me.

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Not surprising, they are talking about increasing tuition 

House bill might raise student tuition
February 20, 2011 - By ANDREA JOHNSON, Staff Writer
Minot Daily News

Amendments to House Bill 1003 would mean higher tuition for North Dakota college students, said Mary Christian, lobbyist for the North Dakota Student Association and director of state affairs for Minot State University, on Friday.

The North Dakota Student Association plans to hold a press conference at the state Capitol on Monday.

Christian said the amendments would result in cuts to higher education tuition funding, equity and parity funding, grant and scholarship programs and institutional needs. The North Dakota Student Association had supported the governor's budget, which called for a freeze on tuition at two-year institutions and a 2.5 percent cap on tuition increases at four-year institutions.

"I feel the cuts are somewhat short-sighted and are not warranted considering the state of the current economy. I also feel that the students will suffer significantly with the implementation of these cuts," said Andrew Brown, NDSA president, in a press release.

A vote on the bill will come sometime this week.

http://www.minotdailynews.com/page/content.detail/id/552090/House-bill-might-raise-student-tuition.html?nav=5010

That sure is nice of them to raise tuition yet again.... :sarcasm:

[Sal Atticum]

Up to 4.1 percent at some schools...

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/194492/

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I love their reason: because they want change... well can they be a little more specific?

Huge budget surplus, cuts for higher ed, increases in tuition, free for seniors ... makes sense to me 

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Kevin Black and Shawn Affolter, Fargo, column: Shortchanging university system hurts North Dakota
While students at other institutions have called for a complete freeze in tuition, the NDSU Student Senate and the North Dakota Student Association voted in favor of a 2.5 percent cap on tuition increases over the next biennium. This affirms a shared sentiment: Students desire the best quality education, not just the cheapest one.

By: Kevin Black and Shawn Affolter,

FARGO — The state House’s message to North Dakota State University students has been heard loud and clear. We hope those 59 legislators whose vote will hurt our fellow students also are listening, for we would like to offer a reply.

We question the notion of some House members that funding increases will promote reckless behavior or that funding cuts will guarantee fiscal responsibility and accountability. Indeed, there are many more dimensions to this story.

While the Legislature is prepared to spend millions to defend the Fighting Sioux nickname in court, representatives still are willing to decrease

equity, tuition affordability and performance-based funding by even

greater amounts. These curious priorities will disproportionately affect

NDSU and the quality of education that our fellow students receive.

At NDSU, 95 percent of students attend classes on campus, the highest face-to-face ratio of any institution in the state. Between general fund appropriations and net tuition revenue, the amount spent educating a single NDSU student totals onnly $10,695 — far less than the university system average of $12,158 during the 2007-2009 biennium.

These facts coupled with NDSU’s growing enrollment to 14,407 students — a 49 percent increase over the past 11 years — have left our university with serious growing pains. Students feel these pains in such things as the school’s widening student-to-faculty ratios, lack of adequate lab and classroom space and aging academic facilities.

We recognize laudable one-time expenses that are worthy of the state’s investment, including upgrades to the Main Library, Geosciences and Ehly, Ladd, and Dunbar halls, all of which are educational buildings that have been overlooked for decades.

Nonetheless, we believe both the state and students have an ownership in higher education. While students at other institutions have called for a complete freeze in tuition, the NDSU Student Senate and the North Dakota Student Association voted in favor of a 2.5 percent cap on tuition increases over the next biennium. This affirms a shared sentiment: Students desire the best quality education, not just the cheapest one.

In stark contrast to other states, North Dakota is in the position to elevate its flagship institutions. At a time when the state can invest in a work force that will broaden the tax base, diversify our economy and attract the brightest minds, why not appropriate for NDSU sufficient resources to do so?

Rep. Bob Skarpol, R-Tioga, is on record as calling for change in the university system. If the change Skarpol and like-minded legislators want is to reform higher education, then they should provide benchmarks, mandate transparency and reward performance, as well as contribute to meaningful and timely reforms of the university system.

If the Legislature has a goal to effectively invest our state’s resources, then we can think of no better way than by equipping NDSU students to receive — and fully funding our institution to provide — the best education around.

Black is president and Affolter is vice president of the student body at NDSU.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/195551/group/opinion/

Way to go guys.  Keep sharing the student voice!