• Franz, Chapman and the Minard Hall Collapse Behind the Scene.
• NDSU, however one defines it, hasn't done anything wrong: only two individuals, one, the Fargo Forum's man of the year
• This coming Monday. the mostly unqualified NDSU Presidential Search Committee will announce which of the under qualified candidates it prefers to be NDSU's next president.
• Steve Swiontek , chair of the presidential search committee at NDSU, even though not being formally associated with the University, announced the finalists for the position.
• American's accomplishment should not be belittled. We scored in sports for which the podium had been only viewed from a distance by US athletes.
• Cormac McCarthy(Brokeback Mountain, No Country for Old Men), The Road, is no playing on the off Broadway screen at the Fargo Theatre.
• Obama Pays North Dakota Big in 2009 Healthcare Debate
• This decline has been going on at NDSU for well over thirty years, and I see it as a crisis.
• Condition of NDSU is Bleak....Creeping Meatballism
• Graduation North Dakota State University 2009

Toward the end of the NDSU academic year a couple of interesting e-mails appeared on faculty list-serv.  First, Bruce Franz, then director of facilities management, sent a message about the effects of the 12th Avenue project and other construction on  NDSU’S operation.  He described the schedule of meetings... 

Last Monday the State Board of Higher Education unanimously elected Dean Bresciani, “a vice president at Texas A & M” according to the media, to be NDSU’s new president, The new president, seemingly a charismatic individual, promised to hit the ground running to win the people’s trust... 

This coming Monday. the mostly unqualified NDSU will announce which of the under qualified candidates it prefers to be NDSU’s next president.  They will make their recommendation to an equally unqualified State Board of Higher Education.  Whomever their choice is, and none have administrative experience... 

Recently, Steve Swiontek , chair of the presidential search committee at NDSU, even  though not being formally associated with the University, announced the finalists for the position and expressed “excitement” at the qualifications of the list of candidates.  I strongly disagree with that sentiment,... 

Well, the 2010 Winter Olympics are finally over. The Canadians should be proud of themselves, both for putting on the extravaganza and for their showing..  Previous to these games, they had not won Olympic gold on their “home and native land.”  Now they’ve won 13, close to realizing their... 

Another movie from Cormac McCarthy(Brokeback Mountain, No Country for Old Men), The Road, is no playing on the off Broadway screen at the Fargo Theatre. The Road of the title is apparently the path taken by the few surviving humans after an unspecified global disaster.  There are apparently few human survivors, and... 

Fargo ND. – Although Congress is still working on health care reform legislation and it is far from final, rural North Dakota may be at the center of what some believe is the crowning achievement of the Obama Administration’s first year in office. Virginia Wolking, rural organizer with the Center for Rural... 

As I was about to write another essay on what I see as the crisis at NDSU my editor called my attention to the response to my Minard Hall ssay. Since it raises precisely the issues I wish to address, I will respond to these remarks. Tom Isern is presumably  For the record, I have been at NDSU quite a bit more than... 

Menards Hall collapses at North Dakota State University. Definition of “Creeping Meatballism” The idea of thinking individually has become a big joke. Old Thomas J. Watson of I.B.M. came up with the idea for a sign which just said: “Think”. And today, it’s a gag! This is the result of... 

On Saturday, December 19, NDSU held the first commencement since the “retirement” of Forum Man of the Year Joseph chapman.  Presiding over the ceremonies was interim president Dr. Richard Hanson. Anyone that has not been to a major(well, in this case, maybe semi-major) college graduation shuold go, at... 

Members of the NDSU Community: Please be aware that overnight serious structural problems developed in the northwest corner of Minard Hall near the site of the new addition that is under construction.  The northwest corner has collapsed and is still unstable. Minard Hall is locked and secured.  The building is off... 

To our students, faculty and staff: After reviewing the details of NDSU’s adjusted appropriated budget for 2009-2010 it is apparent that our tuition revenue will not meet budget projections. I believe two major factors have contributed to this: lagging tuition collections and a greater number of tuition waivers. Therefore,... 

The unemployment rate has surpassed 10 percent for the first time since 1983 — and is likely to go higher. Nearly 16 million people can’t find jobs even though the worst recession since the Great Depression has apparently ended. Many economists worry that persistently high unemployment could undermine... 

UPDATE: Here’s What CBS Is Saying About Oprah EXCLUSIVE: One of the biggest questions in the TV biz has been when, and even if, Oprah Winfrey would give up her daytime syndicated talk show to focus on OWN, her long delayed Oprah Winfrey Network in 70 million homes that was supposed to launch in place of the... 

How long has it been now since Joseph Chapman has made the front page of the Forum or been the topic of a Television News Feature about his alleged accomplishments?  I’m not sure, but he sure seems to have dropped off the radar all of a sudden.  Wonder why  that is.  I can only speculate, but I think we... 

by:Fear the Lutefisk This past Sunday, the Minnesota vikings lost their first game of the season. Given that their previous opponents were of questionable quality, this may be cause for some alarm among the Viking faithful. My view, however, is somewhat different. In the first place, the Vikings were playing the world... 

Top Ten 2010 Hottest Politicians in the World by Rolling Stone Magazine. Women are the hot topic in politics, but are they hot? Hmm maybe One way or another, these 10 politicians captured my attention and are some of the most well-known names in politics  Read More →

The Bison Turf Review Just North of the Loaf & Jug at the corner of University Drive and Twelfth Avenue North stand the historic Bison turf.  I say historic, because it has been there since sometime in the seventies, and has been involved in at least a couple of underage and binge drinking incidents.  Before... 

John McCain’s selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate was an unqualified disaster. Not only did voters flee from the novel idea of a female vice President (at least– this potential female vice president), but they abandoned the Republican Party in greater numbers than ever. Since the election, Sarah... 

Recently, as we all know, Joseph Chapman unexpectedly and suddenly resigned as president of North Dakota State University.  There was, at the time, a controversy about cost overruns on his new house and his $22K trip to O’Bama’s inauguration.  However, the suddenness of the resignation and the speed... 

This week will be Looong week for this guy. Next week faculty comes forward.  Read More →

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff, Earlier today, I tendered my resignation to Chancellor Goetz. Serving as president of North Dakota State University for the past 11 years has been the greatest privilege of my academic career. Together, we have taken this institution to new levels, and I take great pride in all we... 

“There is no basis for the Marxist hope that an “economy of abundance” will guarantee social peace; for men many fight as desperately for “power and glory” as for bread” – Reinhold Niebuhr  Read More →