North Dakota Board Of Higher Education Approved Tuition Increase Without Getting Specifics On Cuts

Tweet

Written By:
Rob Port

May 9, 2011
2:31pm

NDSU President Dean Brescani has been making ominous statements about having to cut “core services” at his university if the state Board of Higher Education didn’t approve his demand for an 8.8% tuition increase. Brescani made these same threats to the state legislature when he was demanding more funding for his university.

But what’s interesting is, when asked today if he presented any specifics to the State Board of Higher Education as to what cuts he’d have to make if his demand weren’t met, he said he didn’t.

BISMARCK, ND – NDSU President Dean Bresciani made his case this morning before the State Board of Higher Education (SBHE) for an 8.8% tuition increase at his school. Yet despite the threat of draconian cuts in “core academic programs,” Bresciani did not present the Board with any concrete scenarios to consider.

After the meeting, PlainsDaily asked both Board President Jon Backes and Bresciani whether or not specific scenarios had been drawn up, outlining strategic plans for what programs or areas would need cutting back given different levels of tuition increases (ie., 2.5%, 3.5%, 5%, etc). Both replied that no concrete analyses had been prepared, only what was presented at the meeting.

“To come with specifics such as that would be completely inappropriate, and that would be threatening,” said Brescani in response to questions about why he provided no specifics.

But shouldn’t Brescani have provided specifics? Or, at the very least, shouldn’t the board have asked for them? If Brescani is threatening cuts, doesn’t it just make good sense to review what specific cuts would have to be made before students are hit with such a massive tuition increase?

The way Brescani, and the State Board of Higher Education, handled this situation really stinks.