• 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 he would be attending during the nest week about these things,  The next day.... 

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 of NDSU back. Wow.  Looks like misinformed media hype to me.  First, why shouldn’t... 

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 at a research institution that includes managing budgets or faculty, will  inherit... 

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, and wonder if the State Board of Higher Education is going to have to actually ... 

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 twice Isern’s tenure(I believe he came to NDSU in the early 90’s as dean... 

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 “Creeping Meatballism”. On the first of December, Dr. Richard Hanson became... 

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 leatt once.  They are colorful, precise and a true ceremonial tribute to the students,... 

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 limits to everyone at this time and will remain so until further notice.  Deans Riley... 

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 don’t know very much of the story.  His sudden and unexpected resignation(regardless... 

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 with which the State Board iof Higher Education accepted the resignation makes one wonder... 

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 have accomplished together. Gale and I have made friends and community ties here we... 

FARGO, N.D. (FargoPhantom.com)–On Tuesday night, the NDSU Bison Men’s basketball won the Summit League tournament and thus qualified for the NCAA tournament.  This is indeed laudable, since this is the first year Bison were eligible for the tournament.  This has only been done once before (L:ong Beach State in 1970).  Even more impressive to me is that the Bison are primarily made up of... 

NDSU Wins Over Oakland in Summit League Tournament NDSU Goes to NCAA March Madness NDSU Basketball Wins over Oakland 66-64 FARGO, N.D. (FargoPhantom.com)– Ben Woodside’s medium jumper with 3 seconds left gave North Dakota State a 66-64 win over Oakland University Tuesday for the Summit League championship and a berth in the NCAA tournament. No. 1 seed NDSU (26-6) trailed through much of the game... 

FARGO, N.D. (FargoPhantom.com)–On Tuesday night at Babbs Coffee Shop the College of Science andMathematics at NDSU held its fourth “Science Café.” There will be a fifth in April. with hopes of a more regular schedule during the 2009-2010 academic year.  According to Dr. Kevin McCaul, the Dean of the college, the meetings are held downtown to make them more informal and more attractive... 

Lately the news, particularly the sports news, has been filled with news about Yankee baseball star Alex Rodriguez and his history of steroid and performance enhancing drug use.  There is also an old saying that “those that don’t learn from history are destined to repeat it.” What do these things have to do with each other?  A lot, I think. No one denies that our country is in... 

“there are no institutions of higher learning that have as part of their mission statements “entertain the local population by having athletic teams.” By:The Norwegian Explorer A recent local topic of discussion is the consideration of the North Dakota Legislature somehow requiring the football teams of NDSU and UND to play each other on an annual basis.  Even though I don’t... 

In our last installment, we discussed some positive signs in the race relations situation. I have now graduated from college and am hanging around Raleigh, taking courses and working for the Raleigh Recreation Department in preparation for graduate school in the fall.  This was the summer of 1963, called by some the “long hot summer,” or by others, the summer the police turned around. To... 

What’s going on in Gaza…Same as usual just more intense. Israel expanded its most lethal air offensive to date (some 300 air strikes since midday Saturday) against Gaza’s Hamas leaders yesterday. The successful attacks dolled out more damage than ever before, making rubble out of parts of the city. They are amassing what appears to be a large ground force attack as well  Read More →

In our last submission, I was attending a Southern institution of higher learning that was ahead of its time in that it did admit some African Americans, allowed them almost equal rights with their white(and asian and middle eastern counter-parts), even though all other surrounding schools were strictly segregated, as was the town of Raleigh, NC, where the college was located.  Read More →

“We were really busy leading up to the storm,” Thompson United for the Homeless Director said. “Some days we can get all of them in, some days we can’t.” Area shelters have similar ways of dealing with homeless who have to be turned away. The New Life Center can house about 100 men and serves 180 or more meals each day.  Read More →

CHICAGO – President-elect Barack Obama asked the White House if his family could move to Washington earlier than normal, but aides say the White House couldn’t give them the official guest house as early as his family wanted.  Read More →

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