"Chapman's Mansion Way Over the Top"

[LeftyZL]

Maybe you guys should be asking questions not only about your own presidents house cost overruns but also the yearly shortage that the Alerus Center runs and is costing taxpayers. The shortages that building costs yearly ever since it's been opened have far exceeded any cost overrun the presidents house at NDSU has cost. Of course that wouldn't be any fun because you couldn't continually bash NDSU and Chapman for it.

Don't you worry D1, there's plenty of complaining going on over here about the Alerus Center.

Alerus Center

[GeauxSioux]

Maybe you guys should be asking questions not only about your own presidents house cost overruns but also the yearly shortage that the Alerus Center runs and is costing taxpayers. The shortages that building costs yearly ever since it's been opened have far exceeded any cost overrun the presidents house at NDSU has cost. Of course that wouldn't be any fun because you couldn't continually bash NDSU and Chapman for it.

The Alerus is not owned by UND, operated by UND or located on UND property. UND plays football there. The city of GF has some 'splaining to do, but not UND. GF owes explanation to the taxpayers of GF.

The failures at NDSU are state related.

[UND92,96]

I think I'd have to agree with this one. While the Bison fans do not want to admit any wrong doing with their issues and it's far more than the President's house the Alerus is a nightmare! However...you will find the majority of people on this site that wish we could redo the vote and veto. It's a disaster...we know it...but the difference is we know it and admit it. Bison fans or at least some here are in denial. I still believe the citizens were frauded in they city leaders back then knew Ralph was donating the money but wanted this thing so bad and thought two domes in GF would be better than the one in Fargo.

I'm going off on a tangent here, but had the Alerus never been built, UND would be in serious need of a new football stadium. I can't even begin to imagine trying to recruit if we still played in decrepit Memorial Stadium.

[Oxbow6]

The Alerus is not owned by UND, operated by UND or located on UND property. UND plays football there. The city of GF has some 'splaining to do, but not UND. GF owes explanation to the taxpayers of GF.

The failures at NDSU are state related.

Correct. The Alerus and it's finacial troubles are not because of UND FB. UND FB is one of the few money makers for that facility.

[siouxperseven]

I'm going off on a tangent here, but had the Alerus never been built, UND would be in serious need of a new football stadium. I can't even begin to imagine trying to recruit if we still played in decrepit Memorial Stadium.

Yes...that's true....but a new Memorial with a roof and other amenities in the same place would have been awesome for both UND and the city plus it would be UND's baby. They have a steam plant and enough employees already paid. But that's allot of what if's and other issues. I don't think the Texas recruits would come here that's for sure! I chuckle when it gets 20 - 30 degrees and the people form up north are in sweatshirts, pullovers and the foreigners or southern people are in parka's!!

[MplsBison]

All the answers haven't been made public yet so I wouldn't have done anything yet about his status as president of NDSU.

Let me ask you a question:

If Chapman didn't do anything wrong, why did he quit and run? If he's got nothing to hide, why not stand on his morals and fight these charges while still the president of NDSU?

He was going to retire this spring anyway...why stick around and get dragged through the mud? I don't blame him, heck just read some of the posts on this thread!

You've got people like star2 who are out to get him and so on.

[LeftyZL]

He was going to retire this spring anyway...why stick around and get dragged through the mud? I don't blame him, heck just read some of the posts on this thread!

You've got people like star2 who are out to get him and so on.

I call the retirement thing a Cop-Out. NDSU and The State just built him a custom house.

Either way, he was going to get dragged through the mud. If he's innocent, stick around and fight a little. At least he can respond to the allegations. What's another 6 months going to do anyways?

Now, he's just getting beat up.

[MplsBison]

I call the retirement thing a Cop-Out. NDSU and The State just built him a custom house.

Either way, he was going to get dragged through the mud. If he's innocent, stick around and fight a little. At least he can respond to the allegations. What's another 6 months going to do anyways?

Now, he's just getting beat up.

Why put up with everyone's bulls*** for your last 6 months? That's a long time.

If he was going to be around another couple years, even, no doubt he would not have retired.

[FargoBison]

Chapman had to quit, he couldn't lead effectively anymore. He took the fall for some his failures and a lot of problems that were created by the foundation.

People act like the guy wanted some mansion for himself, in reality he never wanted the house built while he was president of the school.

[star2city]

People act like the guy wanted some mansion for himself, in reality he never wanted the house built while he was president of the school.

I don't doubt that. But his wife sure wanted it built - just in time for a wedding.

[Oxbow6]

I don't doubt that. But his wife sure wanted it built - just in time for a wedding.

That is documented and reported as fact so to say Joe or his better/worse half didn't want this house done a certain way or on a certain time schedule is just flat out false.

[Oxbow6]

Chapman had to quit, he couldn't lead effectively anymore. He took the fall for some his failures and a lot of problems that were created by the foundation.

When you say "a lot", I assume you're saying the Foundation is more at fault in this mess than Joe? Please...

[FargoBison]

I don't doubt that. But his wife sure wanted it built - just in time for a wedding.

I don't think anyone involved with the building of the house had a firm grip on reality, everyone got what they wanted, nobody was there to be the bad guy and say no.

[MplsBison]

I don't think anyone involved with the building of the house had a firm grip on reality, everyone got what they wanted, nobody was there to be the bad guy and say no.

Process failure.

It will be fixed.

[FargoBison]

When you say "a lot", I assume you're saying the Foundation is more at fault in this mess than Joe? Please...

The house- Yes, I'll blame them for that. It was their project, their mess.

Spending- They both are at fault there, foundation gave him the keys to vault and Chapman was a bit reckless.

Deficit- Chapman's problem, even if it really doesn't amount to much in the grand scheme of things. Hanson already has it corrected.

Bad blood- Chapman's problem, there is no doubt the animosity he created in the past came back to haunt him.

[82SiouxGuy]

The house- Yes, I'll blame them for that. It was their project, their mess.

Spending- They both are at fault there, foundation gave him the keys to vault and Chapman was a bit reckless.

Deficit- Chapman's problem, even if it really doesn't amount to much in the grand scheme of things. Hanson already has it corrected.

Bad blood- Chapman's problem, there is no doubt the animosity he created in the past came back to haunt him.

I will agree with all of this, except I would add some blame to Chapman for the house. He and his wife made demands for extras and for a quicker timeframe. His wife and assistant were on the committee overseeing the project so Chapman should have known that there were problems developing. The Foundation was responsible for the project and deserves more fault but Chapman had a lot of influence on the process.

The bottom line is that the process was broken and Chapman was responsible for the process.

[MplsBison]

I will agree with all of this, except I would add some blame to Chapman for the house. He and his wife made demands for extras and for a quicker timeframe. His wife and assistant were on the committee overseeing the project so Chapman should have known that there were problems developing. The Foundation was responsible for the project and deserves more fault but Chapman had a lot of influence on the process.

The bottom line is that the process was broken and Chapman was responsible for the process.

And thus he accepted blame for the process breakdowns and stepped down from his job.

End of story.

[Sioux-cia]

Chapman took from the taxpayers of the state of North Dakota to benefit himself, his family and his status. Rush job on the house that added to the $2M overage, $22Gs to fly the family to DC, $4,300 for three nights in a hotel, country club fees - I don't belong so I don't know the cost, $20,000 for box seating to watch a local baseball team, and a couple of million bucks still be be accounted for from the 'President's discretionary fund'. "But, but, it wasn't his fault, but, but, look at UND, but, but, he had no idea what was going on, but but,......"

The guy was a 'white collar' thief whose slick tongue action still has his supporters a quivering for more.

[FargoBison]

Chapman took from the taxpayers of the state of North Dakota to benefit himself, his family and his status. Rush job on the house that added to the $2M overage, $22Gs to fly the family to DC, $4,300 for three nights in a hotel, country club fees - I don't belong so I don't know the cost, $20,000 for box seating to watch a local baseball team, and a couple of million bucks still be be accounted for from the 'President's discretionary fund'. "But, but, it wasn't his fault, but, but, look at UND, but, but, he had no idea what was going on, but but,......"

The guy was a 'white collar' thief whose slick tongue action still has his supporters a quivering for more.

That money was the foundation's, it came from donors not taxpayers. That box was the foundation's for entertaining and there is no money unaccounted for. The man had problems, but he never took the taxpayers of the state for anything.

If anyone should be mad, it should be people who gave money to the foundation...

[Sioux-cia]

That money was the foundation's, it came from donors not taxpayers. That box was the foundation's for entertaining and there is no money unaccounted for. The man had problems, but he never took the taxpayers of the state for anything.

If anyone should be mad, it should be people who gave money to the foundation...

Opps, sorry, he stole from the foundation, that's different.....

Oh and from 'bunches of funds from really big to really tiny, like the girls' volleyball team....'

... president's local fund is the one that he has at his discretion .......

Now, as board member Duaine Espegard noted, the reason the deficit is so tiny is because of a massive transfer of cash -- $2.3 million -- from those other local funds to the president's local fund. Where the money came from is still not known to the board because Dr. Hanson has to produce that report. The way he described it, it's just bunches of funds from really big to really tiny, like the girls' volleyball team T-shirt sales fund, so it might be a lot of work finding out where it all came from.

[LeftyZL]

Why put up with everyone's bulls*** for your last 6 months? That's a long time.

If he was going to be around another couple years, even, no doubt he would not have retired.

Again, A Cop-Out IMO.

What's more important than your name? Would you want your name being thrown through the mud if you were innocent?

If I were him and I was innocent, I'd be pissed to all hell if my name was being thrown around like it is no matter the circumstances.

[darell1976]

I don't think anyone involved with the building of the house had a firm grip on reality, everyone got what they wanted, nobody was there to be the bad guy and say no.

Except Chapman's wife! She wanted "her" house the way she wanted and got her wish.

[SiouxMeNow]

Except Chapman's wife! She wanted "her" house the way she wanted and got her wish.

At least..that greedy BITCH never got to spend 1 day in the DREAMHOUSE she tried to build on the back on ND taxayers. The Chapmans have been TOTALLY exposed as money grubbing A-holes!

GOOD RIDDANCE!!!!

[Bison Dan]

At least..that greedy BITCH never got to spend 1 day in the DREAMHOUSE she tried to build on the back on ND taxayers. The Chapmans have been TOTALLY exposed as money grubbing A-holes!

GOOD RIDDANCE!!!!

Another classy post.

[darell1976]

Another classy post.

His post sounds accurate to me.