MSU President's Newspaper Column
August 14, 2021
North Dakota legislators’ important work continues even when the Legislative Assembly is not in formal session
Interim Vice President for Business Affairs Steve Bensen and I had the honor of representing Mayville State University in a presentation we gave to the North Dakota Legislative Branch Higher Education Committee this week. On Tuesday, Aug. 10, we were at Valley City State University, where we gave committee members an overview of Mayville State University and the outstanding work our faculty, staff, and students are doing.
The Higher Education Committee is made of up North Dakota legislators. Their work is coordinated by the North Dakota Legislative Council. Legislative Council Senior Fiscal Analyst Alex Cronquist works closely with the committee. The group often holds meetings on the North Dakota college campuses. We were fortunate to have hosted the committee at Mayville State a couple of years ago.
The committee undertakes a number of studies and assignments during the time when the legislature is not in session. Among the items they’ll be undertaking before the legislature convenes again in 2023 is a study of higher education student affordability. The study will include a review of available scholarships, student loan programs, waivers, grants, and any other forms of student financial assistance available for students enrolled at institutions of higher education in the state.
The committee will also study the higher education funding formula, including instructional program classification factors. The State Board of Higher Education will report to the committee on a number of topics, including the skilled workforce scholarship program and the skilled workforce student loan repayment program. These are just a few of the topics the committee will cover.
The committee is made of 18 members: Rep. Mark Sanford, chairman; Sen. Dave Oehlke, vice chairman; Rep. Larry Bellew; Rep. Jay Fisher; Rep. LaurieBeth Hager; Rep. Karla Rose Hanson; Rep. Zachary Ista; Rep. Dennis Johnson; Rep. Bob Martinson; Rep. Gary Paur, Rep. Brandy Pyle; Rep. David Richter; Rep. Mike Schatz; Rep. Cynthia Schreiber-Beck; Sen. JoNell A. Bakke; Sen. Robert Eberle; Sen. Karen K. Krebsbach; and Sen. Jim P. Roers.
The Higher Education Committee met at Valley City State’s Memorial Student Center on Aug. 9 and 10. Their agenda included a presentation by Valley City State University, as well as a campus tour, and a presentation by a representative of the Midwestern Higher Education Compact regarding higher education trends and the future of higher education.
In addition to our Mayville State presentation, the Aug. 10 committee agenda included a presentation from the Department of Public Instruction regarding teacher education needs, and presentations by the North Dakota University System regarding the current state of the University System and another presentation regarding the higher education funding formula, including recent changes to the formula.
Our Mayville State overview included information about programs and enrollment initiatives. We explained how Mayville State is serving North Dakota students. North Dakota residents made up 71.5% of Fall Semester 2020 freshmen at MSU. When looking at all students, 63.7% enrolled in the Fall Semester of 2020 were from North Dakota. Enrollment in our highly successful nursing program is made up of 66% students from North Dakota who are working full time. We are proud of the fact that nearly 800 Mayville State graduates teach in North Dakota. We were fortunate to have MSU Assistant Professor of Business Ted Stoa with us in Valley City to share information about our exciting new agribusiness program with the committee.
Other highlights of the presentation included a timeline of Mayville State’s response to COVID-19; our new and innovative programs; the invaluable experiences gained through scientific research for undergraduate students at MSU; our collaborative efforts; services provided by MSU Child Development Programs; impact of the North Dakota Challenge Grant funding and the successes of the MSU Foundation; the Department of Education Title III grant; Mayville State and student economic impact; financial information; the approved and state-funded natural gas heating plant; campus master planning and facility improvements; and future capital project needs. We wrapped up the overview by highlighting a few of our successful alumni and sharing video testimonials from current students and a faculty member, as well as a video highlighting how Mayville State and the Mayville-Portland community work together to make great things happen.
Our North Dakota legislators are hard-working individuals who give of themselves for the good of all the citizens of the North Dakota. I am grateful for their efforts and the work they do to assist us at Mayville State as we pursue our mission to provide educational opportunities and make lives better.
The coming week will be one of excitement as all faculty and staff will be on campus for pre-service activities that will help us get the fall semester underway. Classes will begin at 4 p.m. on Aug. 23. It’s not too late to apply for admission. Go to www.mayvillestate.edu for all the details.