"Chapman's Mansion Way Over the Top"

[Oxbow6]

A clear summation of the problem. Your graduate degree must be from UND.

[The Sicatoka]

http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/271022/

North Dakota State University President Dick Hanson did an about-face Thursday, saying he *did* ask his vice president to resign.

Hanson said Wednesday he *didn't* ask John Adams to resign, but Adams told The Forum on Thursday he was asked to step down.

{sigh}

[WYOBISONMAN]

Gotto hand it to you, WYO, for stating these things. Probably doesn't make you popular in bisonland.

Not really.....this situation is what it is. Chapman did what no other President has done in moving the school forward, but no one can deny the mess that is coming out now. I think most the Bison faithful understand this. I mean to spend over $400,000 remodling your office and try and hide it from the people of ND?? I don't care what team you cheer for, it is wrong. Everyone knows that (maybe except for Mpls.). Like I said on Bisonville.....if this did not violate the law, it surely violates the intent of the law.

And....damn.....Hanson just can't get a decent grip on the PR job....argh.....

Also....sorry folks......undergrad and grad both from the only fully DI school in North Dakota......NDSU.....

[Sioux-cia]

......undergrad and grad both from the only fully DI school in North Dakota......NDSU.....

That's ok. You appear to have other attributes that make up for this deficiency.

[homer]

Chapman, it appears, had significantly abused his position regarding following policy and spending money. In the end, it seems he was ruling by intimidation and threats. As to this not being a state issue....it sure as hell is.....who owns NDSU, other than the State of North Dakota. Some of the stuff I read from Mpls Bison is so stupid and off base it just leaves one scratching his head.

Hanson has had some damn difficult stuff to deal with. But, it seems like he manages to stick his foot in his mouth with the media on frequent occasions. He surely is not my choice for President, but, I sure have to acknowlege that he is in a difficult position dealing with tough issues. I would also bet that when the audit is complete we find more damning behavior uncovered on the part of Chapman. I like Joe. He was a great leader, but in the end, his behavior failed NDSU.

By the way.....You guys should just figure out that life is more pleasant with out Mpls. shooting his mouth off....I can't believe you haven't banned him yet. Listening to the crazies is entertaining for a while......but then just gets nauseating....

Well put sir, well put.

[VMeister]

I mean to spend over $400,000 remodling your office and try and hide it from the people of ND??

Besides the part about hiding it....I'm sure his office is a suite and there was some infrastructure to deal with...but how would you go about spending $400K on an office?

[MplsBison]

I corrected myself.

It is a state issue, but the SBoHE is at no fault for Chapman's unethical actions. How could they be if he was hiding his actions from them? What a joke of a witch hunt, motivated by the nickname.

[fgoSioux]

I'm over Chapman, Sic.

I actually like Hanson.

The SBoHE has nothing to do with this situation and UND fans calling for their heads is just an attempt to ride the coattails of the Chapman mess into an excuse to get back at them for the nickname. Nothing more, nothing less.

You've said some stupid things on this board. But this has to top the list. SBoHE has EVERYTHING to do with this. It's called oversight. They have failed the people of North Dakota bigtime.

This has nothing to do with the nickname. Only you could imagine that in your small brain.

[MoreSiouxForYou]

I corrected myself.

It is a state issue, but the SBoHE is at no fault for Chapman's unethical actions. How could they be if he was hiding his actions from them? What a joke of a witch hunt, motivated by the nickname.

Who's job would be the oversite of Expenses in a state run University. Any of the too many in the state of ND?

[MplsBison]

How do you oversight something that is being hidden from you? Hello?

So maybe the SBoHE should be commissioning audits of each NDUS institution's finances every semester? Or what?

Maybe that will be something that comes out of this, some protocol or procedure will get updated, no doubt. But that is going forward. How can you possible fault the SBoHE looking back? Nonsense.

Don't try "someone has to pay for it" either, Chapman and now Adams are out. Good enough.

[VMeister]

So maybe the SBoHE should be commissioning audits of each NDUS institution's finances every semester? Or what?

I would be shocked if there isn't a yearly audit of each institution.

Here's a problem with an audit though...the CEO type and the CFO type have to sign a statement that all information has been provided and is truthful.

Any UND freshman accounting student will tell you that. They'll also tell you not to lie to auditors or disregard your governing board.

[The Sicatoka]

I would be shocked if there isn't a yearly audit of each institution.

More than likely, that mandate will probably come from the Legislature.

And there are those in the Legislature that don't like the "Higher Ed Roundtable" that gave more power and autonomy to the SBoHE (instead of the Legislature having more direct control). This'll be a great excuse for those folks to rear their heads again and try to turn back the clock on that.

Like I said before, this whole mess will be a "gift" that keeps on giving for a very long time and every campus in the NDUS will feel the impacts.

[Oxbow6]

Don't try "someone has to pay for it" either, Chapman and now Adams are out. Good enough.

Unfortunately, Adams is a fall guy...one of many I'm sure to be revealed...from trying to function under the tyranny of Joe.

[Tsiouxnami]

I corrected myself.

It is a state issue, but the SBoHE is at no fault for Chapman's unethical actions. How could they be if he was hiding his actions from them? What a joke of a witch hunt, motivated by the nickname.

Changed our mind about Whiskey Joe, have we? What happened to "Please present your evidence that Chapman intentionally did something that would result in a negative effect for NDSU. You have nothing, of course. No one has anything. But it's the popular thing to do. " Your words (post #202), not mine. Now, the SBoHE did nothing wrong, and all Sioux fans that question their actions are on a witch hunt due to the nickname issue. Keep reaching. . . . . . . .

[MplsBison]

I was correct back when I wrote that, there was no credible evidence that Chapman had done anything wrong. Now there is.

There is no evidence that anyone in the SBoHE knew what was going on and intentionally mislead the people of ND. You are the one who is guessing and reaching.

[GeauxSioux]

I was correct back when I wrote that, there was no credible evidence that Chapman had done anything wrong. Now there is.

There is no evidence that anyone in the SBoHE knew what was going on and intentionally mislead the people of ND. You are the one who is guessing and reaching.

When they got rid of Potts, they enabled Chapman. They allowed to him to do whatever he wanted and he pushed it and finally pushed it too far. There are still some saying that the end (growth) justified the means. Sad.

[MplsBison]

You're entitled to think that way but I think it only validates what I've been saying, that those who want to punish the SBoHE looking backwards have an ulterior agenda.

[farce poobah]

Unfortunately, Adams is a fall guy...one of many I'm sure to be revealed...from trying to function under the tyranny of Joe.

I agree with most of what you say here, but I disagree on the margin .... Adams accepted the responsibilities as CFO. Being CFO means putting your responsibilities to defending the integrity of the finances above what your boss wants. This is the nature of any CFO position, at a university or at a business. You're accountable, and if there are signs of activity that should not happen, you're accountable to escalate that issue to the board of directors, the legislature, or in this case to the SBoHE.

Most CEO's (or Chapman in this case) never put their CFO in a position where they are forced to choose between integrity and their job. Clearly Chapman did that to Adams, and, sadly for the citizens of North Dakota, Adams failed. He backed off, and there's no sign he escalated. It IS a difficult line to draw at times ... and he's not the only CFO to cave under pressure.

Equally sadly, I agree that we are in for a mad race between the SBoHE and the Legislature to prove who can do the better job of micromanaging - after a decade of under-overseeing (is that a word?) we're in for a long stretch of over-overseeing. That's going to be to the detriment of the whole system.

The key mistake was made back when Potts got undermined; if the right decision gets made back then, most of Chapman's later damage never occurs.

[SiouxMeNow]

When they got rid of Potts, they enabled Chapman. They allowed to him to do whatever he wanted and he pushed it and finally pushed it too far. There are still some saying that the end (growth) justified the means. Sad.

It didn't - put ndsu in the hole, literally and figuratively (Menard Hall Joke - SORRY! ) Chapman bailed out at the first sign of trouble becuase he KNEW what would come out later so he rode out of town as a "hero" and now he can't even pick up his phone in retirement. The ONLY thing North Dakotans got out of this deal is the satisfaction the MUMMY and PAYMENOW Gail never got to live in the HOUSE THAT HUBRIS BUILT

pretty funny actually....

[GeauxSioux]

There is a man in Arkansas laughing at this debacle, shaking his head and saying I told you so.

[ticklethetwine]

There is a man in Arkansas laughing at this debacle, shaking his head and saying I told you so.

I think his name rhymes with Cotts.

[star2city]

There is a man in Arkansas laughing at this debacle, shaking his head and saying I told you so.

What is so shameful and disgraceful is that the Fargo Forum editorial and beat writers for years took on Chapman's enemies with a vengance. The pro-Chapman Fargo Forum and anti-Chapman Bismarck Tribune had battling editorials.

The support the Fargo Forum lended Chapman for much of the past decade is a shameful example of newspaper boosterism that should go down in the annals of ND history as "journalism" at its worst.

Chapman sabotages Potts and, subsequently, the Fargo Forum awards Chapman "Person of the Year" as a result

Chapman vs Dunn, Chapman hires lawyer to defend self against Dunn

NDUS board had pro-Chapman bias

Chapman passive-aggressiveness a case study

The John Q Paulsen episodes of providing Chapman with an insider scoop of NDUS consultations and the violation of open meeting laws are all documented in Siouxsports.com.

[iramurphy]

Most on the Board were well aware of the lack of integrity of Chapman before the Potts issues became public. John Q Paulsen was his huckleberry and we should not forget Gov. Hoeven sent word to the board that they needed to retain Chapman. As he seeks higher office he needs to be held accountable for his involvement in this issue. Paulsen misused his power as Board Chair time and again to enable Chapman and to undermine Potts then Dunn.

It is no coincidence that Paulsen was also on the NDSU foundation board which gave Chapman $260,000 for expenses. Hanson is in a very difficult position. He has to deal with the financial mess Chapman left the school in and he also has to deal with the alumni and NDSU supporters who refuse to believe this is anything other than the media trying to discredit their hero on trumped up charges because NDSU had a good MBB team last year and the rest of the world is jealous and wants to punish NDSU and whiskey Joe.

Hard to believe there are intelligent people who refused to believe the evidence presented by Potts, then Dunn about Chapman's arrogance and abuse of power. I would hope the state calls for a full audit of NDSU's finances under Chapman. He should be made to return a good portion of his inflated salary. The Bison backers give him too much credit and their school and community too little credit for the transition and success of NDSU.

The guy was a self serving arrogant con man who abused his power and had a number of accomplices along the way including Paulsen, Hoeven, and some of the Fargo politicians and community leaders. If I were running against Hoeven, this would be front and center as an example of Hoeven's lack of judgement. Too bad because the state has done well economically under Hoeven, but this should not be overlooked. Hoeven should be calling for an audit.

[MplsBison]

Where does "Whiskey Joe" come from?

There's a colloquial usage of the disparaging phrase on this board, but I've never read anything about Chapman having any alcohol related problems. Maybe he does and I just didn't read those articles.

But if not, then the continued usage of it is very childish and discredits anyone who is pretending to be an unbiased, factual source of information about Chapman's unethical actions.

[homer]

Where does "Whiskey Joe" come from?

There's a colloquial usage of the disparaging phrase on this board, but I've never read anything about Chapman having any alcohol related problems. Maybe he does and I just didn't read those articles.

But if not, then the continued usage of it is very childish and discredits anyone who is pretending to be an unbiased, factual source of information about Chapman's unethical actions.

It comes from the same place as all the nicknames bison fans have for Roger Thomas. Grow up.