SBOHE

[Fetch]

Well how they have handled the name - I'm not impressed

I bet they have screwed up other things based on their lack of understanding

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/231064/

Are either of these good ideas ?

[jodcon]

Are these proposals both being fueled by the nickname issue?

Just curious.

[Fetch]

me too - I bet it's a big contributing factor - plus other run a muck oversight

[82SiouxGuy]

Are these proposals both being fueled by the nickname issue?

Just curious.

They are fueled by Al Carlson's power grab. He wants to get total control of higher education for the legislature. He proposed a constitutional amendment to do that last session and it was defeated. That's why he has contributed so much to the current nickname fiasco. He wants to use the emotion created by the nickname to get people to vote against the State Board of Higher Education.

[jodcon]

They are fueled by Al Carlson's power grab. He wants to get total control of higher education for the legislature. He proposed a constitutional amendment to do that last session and it was defeated. That's why he has contributed so much to the current nickname fiasco. He wants to use the emotion created by the nickname to get people to vote against the State Board of Higher Education.

That's what I wondered, I don't see his name anywhere but wondered if he was pushing the buttons on one or both proposals.

Really got a hard-on for the SBHE doesn't he?

[82SiouxGuy]

That's what I wondered, I don't see his name anywhere but wondered if he was pushing the buttons on one or both proposals.

Really got a hard-on for the SBHE doesn't he?

Yes, he does. He was at the sessions today. And he has talked about it a lot the past couple of weeks.

[ScottM]

It would abolish the Board of Higher Education and put an elected commissioner in charge of North Dakota's public colleges. The commissioner would be able to hire and fire university presidents.

Sean Johnson of Bismarck says the current board isn't accountable to North Dakota voters.

In other words, the "current board" isn't doing what Clueless Al wants, so he wants to reset the clock to turn it into a political proxy.

And who's this Sean Johnson tool bag? Al's "side action"?

[82SiouxGuy]

In other words, the "current board" isn't doing what Clueless Al wants, so he wants to reset the clock to turn it into a political proxy.

And who's this Sean Johnson tool bag? Al's "side action"?

Johnson must have some connection to Rob Port also. Johnson has been one of the people speaking for the group passing around the petitions.

[Goon]

They are fueled by Al Carlson's power grab. He wants to get total control of higher education for the legislature. He proposed a constitutional amendment to do that last session and it was defeated. That's why he has contributed so much to the current nickname fiasco. He wants to use the emotion created by the nickname to get people to vote against the State Board of Higher Education.

Does Al Carlson run a chance of not making it through the next election, he seemed to have pissed off a lot of people as of late.

[Goon]

Johnson must have some connection to Rob Port also. Johnson has been one of the people speaking for the group passing around the petitions.

Rob Port has delusions of Grandeur.

[watchmaker49]

Rob Port has delusions of Grandeur.

Along with radio station time renting buddy Scott Hennen.

[mikejm]

Does Al Carlson run a chance of not making it through the next election, he seemed to have pissed off a lot of people as of late.

I am no political expert — nor did I spend last night at a Holiday Inn Express — but I'd say Carlson's seat is quite safe.

[82SiouxGuy]

I am no political expert — nor did I spend last night at a Holiday Inn Express — but I'd say Carlson's seat is quite safe.

I believe he has 2 years before he is up for election. He is probably making his move now so that any hard feelings fade some before the election. Plus, he is in a pretty conservative district. They may like a lot of the things he's trying to do. Bottom line, you're probably right. It would take a lot of work for someone to have a chance to beat him in his district.

[jedi]

The people behind this are the same people behind the Nickname law. That should tell you how much thought has gone into these proposals.

[UNDBIZ]

Carlson introduced the proposal to have an appointed commissioner. Not sure about the elected one.

[82SiouxGuy]

Carlson introduced the proposal to have an appointed commissioner. Not sure about the elected one.

Sean Johnson's group seems to want that model.

[MplsBison]

If you pretend that the nickname had been settled years ago and that Al Carlson was retired years ago...

does this proposal still make sense? Honest question, I don't really know.

I guess what I'm asking: is the SBoHE a bad set-up to control higher education in ND? Try to answer without any emotion tied to the nickname.

[fightingsioux4life]

If Al Carlson doesn't like how the Higher Ed system is governed, why doesn't he use his position as Majority Leader during the next Legislative Session in 2013 to push reforms that would solve the problems? Why does he insist on fighting a proxy war over the Fighting Sioux nickname that will do tremendous harm to UND and the State of North Dakota? I think this fight is about massaging the man's already oversized ego. And I think it's absolutely disgraceful that he is chosing to put UND athletics in front of a firing squad to get what he wants. He just can't handle the fact that the Legislature is not with him on a lot of his crazy ideas. He needs to grow up or step aside and let adults take over.

[82SiouxGuy]

If you pretend that the nickname had been settled years ago and that Al Carlson was retired years ago...

does this proposal still make sense? Honest question, I don't really know.

I guess what I'm asking: is the SBoHE a bad set-up to control higher education in ND? Try to answer without any emotion tied to the nickname.

Problems can happen with any form of governance. I like the current structure because it insulates higher education a little bit from regular politics. Giving either the governor or the legislature more active input into higher education would be a mistake. And a problem with electing either the head of higher education or even the board could be getting political hacks in those positions that just want to get elected rather than getting people involved that have an interest in improving education. That being said, they could do a better job getting qualified people in place on the current board than they do at times.

The proposal wouldn't have any legs without the nickname issue. It has worked pretty well for more than 70 years. There is a group of very conservative people that think higher education spends way too much money and they think the current system gives the board too much control. They would still try to propose a change, but most people wouldn't be listening without the nickname issue. As I said before, mistakes can happen with any structure. Having a different structure may not have prevented the NDSU President's house issue or the Dickinson State diploma mill issue, or maybe something else would have happened instead.

[Benny Baker]

In other words, the "current board" isn't doing what Clueless Al wants, so he wants to reset the clock to turn it into a political proxy.

What else has the board been doing that Carlson disagrees with, or is this just a nickname thing?

[82SiouxGuy]

What else has the board been doing that Carlson disagrees with, or is this just a nickname thing?

It's hard to know exactly what he disagrees with since I'm not in his head. But I know that he thinks Higher Education has grown too fast and spends too much money. There have been complaints about tuition waivers. The rising cost of tuition is something that just about everyone is concerned about. I don't think he likes the Centers of Excellence. I also believe that he thinks the legislature should have more control, he seems to think that they should have ultimate control over every issue in the state. That's a start of the list of things Carlson doesn't like, and I believe that all of them rank way above the nickname issue for him.

[watchmaker49]

If Al Carlson doesn't like how the Higher Ed system is governed, why doesn't he use his position as Majority Leader during the next Legislative Session in 2013 to push reforms that would solve the problems? Why does he insist on fighting a proxy war over the Fighting Sioux nickname that will do tremendous harm to UND and the State of North Dakota? I think this fight is about massaging the man's already oversized ego. And I think it's absolutely disgraceful that he is chosing to put UND athletics in front of a firing squad to get what he wants. He just can't handle the fact that the Legislature is not with him on a lot of his crazy ideas. He needs to grow up or step aside and let adults take over.

I wonder if he would have done this if NDSU was in trouble with the NCAA and was risking the NDSU athletic department?

[82SiouxGuy]

I wonder if he would have done this if NDSU was in trouble with the NCAA and was risking the NDSU athletic department?

That's a very good question. He may have a big enough ego that he would believe he could control the entire situation.

[MplsBison]

Problems can happen with any form of governance. I like the current structure because it insulates higher education a little bit from regular politics. Giving either the governor or the legislature more active input into higher education would be a mistake. And a problem with electing either the head of higher education or even the board could be getting political hacks in those positions that just want to get elected rather than getting people involved that have an interest in improving education. That being said, they could do a better job getting qualified people in place on the current board than they do at times.

The proposal wouldn't have any legs without the nickname issue. It has worked pretty well for more than 70 years. There is a group of very conservative people that think higher education spends way too much money and they think the current system gives the board too much control. They would still try to propose a change, but most people wouldn't be listening without the nickname issue. As I said before, mistakes can happen with any structure. Having a different structure may not have prevented the NDSU President's house issue or the Dickinson State diploma mill issue, or maybe something else would have happened instead.

Yep. I think you're absolutely correct in basically all counts.

There are a group of people that view the state higher education system as just another thing that the government spends money on - and they hate it. They want to limit that money.

I do believe Carlson is "one of them" and they've concocted the whole thing as a ploy to kill the current system and replace it with something that will make it easier to limit money spent on higher education in the state, across the board.

[ScottM]

What else has the board been doing that Carlson disagrees with, or is this just a nickname thing?

Clueless Al's "thinking" on higher education was the subject of a number of conversations about the same time he decided to "save" the Sioux moniker for UND. I believe most UND and SU fans agreed on that point on this board. Anybody who's paying attention saw the moniker issue as a proxy for his own political agenda.