Kennedy vs donors... again?

[UNDBIZ]

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No politics or religion

- moderators

[SooToo]

39 minutes ago, iramurphy said:

There is going to be a major announcement this Thursday at the Ag School.  Rumored to be possibly their largest donation in history. I have been invited to attend.  I will likely find something else to do. I suspect it will be open to public. It will be at Barry Hall.  

Statue of Denny going up at the front gate?

[Oxbow6]

3 hours ago, The Sicatoka said:

What also bothers me?

Gifts with strings. 

Why'd the word extortion just jump to mind. 

But what about our "fixer" now in charge at UND? You can't tell me hasn't dealt what you are describing above prior to coming to UND. He's been a politician!

[Siouxphan27]

1 hour ago, SooToo said:

Statue of Denny going up at the front gate?

No, I heard it's going to be a statue of their steroid god, Ben Newman.  

[Rebel_Sioux]

On 3/1/2019 at 5:55 PM, cberkas said:

Let’s just say that “IF” women’s hockey didn’t get cut, would we be having this discussion. 

 

On 3/1/2019 at 7:12 PM, siouxkid12 said:

It needed to be cut and if it wasn’t Kennedy, it was going to be someone else. The SBOHE knew this was going to happen and placed a big pile of “sh!t” in front of him.

 

21 hours ago, Hockeygirl97 said:

Let ME pick the $#&&&!!! next president . . . I'm sure I'd agree w/ her. . . The Betty wasn't supposed to be free. .. .there were agreements to pay for it. . . Kennedy is a moron, as shown by his parade of coaches begging for their programs.  (People seem to be forgetting that fiasco. . ) Dance w/ who brung ya. . . not some politician from Minnesota. . . Yeah, let's piss off the 100 million dollar player in the room and see how long it takes the Ralph and the Betty to rot under the North Dakota state budget. GOOD PLAN.  Let's go w/ that. . .. 

@Hockeygirl97 nailed it. It's really not just that he cut women's hockey and S&D. It's that he paraded every coach out (except a handful of protected sports, which originally included WH) and said he'd only cut sports once in his admin. Then he said, jk sorry for all the drama. And then he quietly changed his mind and cut sports anyways (including WH, which was previously protected). And while they weren't pulling in tons of money, the sports he cut are more popular than many sports he left behind (track, soccer, tennis etc). Not to mention the school still has the pool to keep up. Obviously he inherited a mess from Kelley/Schafer and made a tough choice and he did so again when we switched to the Summit (which frankly Kelley should have done in the first place). So kudos for that part but beyond that I can't think of a worse way to have handled the AD budget cuts than he did. 

[SWSiouxMN]

26 minutes ago, Rebel_Sioux said:

 

 

@Hockeygirl97 nailed it. It's really not just that he cut women's hockey and S&D. It's that he paraded every coach out (except a handful of protected sports, which originally included WH) and said he'd only cut sports once in his admin. Then he said, jk sorry for all the drama. And then he quietly changed his mind and cut sports anyways (including WH, which was previously protected). And while they weren't pulling in tons of money, the sports he cut are more popular than many sports he left behind (track, soccer, tennis etc). Not to mention the school still has the pool to keep up. Obviously he inherited a mess from Kelley/Schafer and made a tough choice and he did so again when we switched to the Summit (which frankly Kelley should have done in the first place). So kudos for that part but beyond that I can't think of a worse way to have handled the AD budget cuts than he did. 

If he wasn't forced to use the IAC it would have been different. I thought the IAC did the parading. 

*Remember the Faculty screamed bloody murder when Schafer cut baseball and golf.  They got their say and they punted. 

[UNDBIZ]

12 hours ago, SWSiouxMN said:

I thought the IAC did the parading. 

This is my recollection as well, but I guess everything bad at UND is now Kennedy's doing. 

[Old Fella]

3 hours ago, UNDBIZ said:

This is my recollection as well, but I guess everything bad at UND is now Kennedy's doing. 

As usualthe old fella, with time on his hands, has an opinion.  Rewind to 2017 when we were made to believe the state had a budget crisis.  In 2017 the Legacy Fund had an estmated 3 billion in the bank.  Unable to comprehend billions but have heard people talk about millions. If math is correct 3 billion = 3,000 million.  As we see Bismarck is thinking of using 50 million for a library i.e.money from the fund was available for shortfalls including for higher education.  Let's say, to shore up higher education, we would have required 500 million.  The fund would still have had 2,500 million.  By the by the fund now has 6 billion or 6,000 million.  Could build a wall with that.  The problem we now have is a direct  lack of vision and an inept Board of Higher Education.  Bringing in a couple of politicians as presidents, with no experience in higher education, nor understanding the fabric that makes up a University put the nail in the coffin.

Thanks for listening.

[Rebel_Sioux]

3 hours ago, UNDBIZ said:

This is my recollection as well, but I guess everything bad at UND is now Kennedy's doing. 

 

16 hours ago, SWSiouxMN said:

If he wasn't forced to use the IAC it would have been different. I thought the IAC did the parading. 

*Remember the Faculty screamed bloody murder when Schafer cut baseball and golf.  They got their say and they punted. 

https://www.westfargopioneer.com/sports/4242562-und-cuts-womens-hockey-mens-and-womens-swimming

While delegations is part of leadership, it doesn't absolve you of responsibility when it's done poorly. Ultimately the IAC and Faison/the IAC made recommendations, the final choice was still his. 

[UNDBIZ]

30 minutes ago, Old Fella said:

As usualthe old fella, with time on his hands, has an opinion.  Rewind to 2017 when we were made to believe the state had a budget crisis.  In 2017 the Legacy Fund had an estmated 3 billion in the bank.  Unable to comprehend billions but have heard people talk about millions. If math is correct 3 billion = 3,000 million.  As we see Bismarck is thinking of using 50 million for a library i.e.money from the fund was available for shortfalls including for higher education.  Let's say, to shore up higher education, we would have required 500 million.  The fund would still have had 2,500 million.  By the by the fund now has 6 billion or 6,000 million.  Could build a wall with that.  The problem we now have is a direct  lack of vision and an inept Board of Higher Education.  Bringing in a couple of politicians as presidents, with no experience in higher education, nor understanding the fabric that makes up a University put the nail in the coffin.

Thanks for listening.

President Kennedy and the State Board don't decide how the legacy fund is spent. If you want to blame the state legislature and the governor for prioritizing saving over immediate higher ed needs (without falling into politics), you're welcome to. 

[UNDBIZ]

3 hours ago, Rebel_Sioux said:

 

https://www.westfargopioneer.com/sports/4242562-und-cuts-womens-hockey-mens-and-womens-swimming

While delegations is part of leadership, it doesn't absolve you of responsibility when it's done poorly. Ultimately the IAC and Faison/the IAC made recommendations, the final choice was still his. 

He made the decision, but not until after the IAC had their coach begathon and chose to not make a decision, and after the state cut funding an additional 5%. 

[HawksHoops]

31 minutes ago, Rebel_Sioux said:

 

https://www.westfargopioneer.com/sports/4242562-und-cuts-womens-hockey-mens-and-womens-swimming

While delegations is part of leadership, it doesn't absolve you of responsibility when it's done poorly. Ultimately the IAC and Faison/the IAC made recommendations, the final choice was still his. 

You’re right. The IAC made coaches beg for their sports and then recommended the untenable position of keeping all 21 sports and increasing funding. 

At that point, Kennedy evaluated the situation and made the absolute correct call to eliminate WIH and its $2M annual loss.  I give him immense credit for making the right decision that he knew would be unpopular.

In my opinion, none of the current KEM drama has anything to do with WIH.  At no point, has KEM or anyone associated with The Ralph argued for WIH.  That speaks volumes.  I don’t think Ralph ever imagined MIH having to share The Ralph when he conceived it.  KEM loves to threaten UND with hypothetical donations that are likely to never materialize regardless of what the university does in the future.  To my knowledge, no new donations have been initiated by the Engelstads since Ralph passed away.

 

[UNDBIZ]

4 minutes ago, HawksHoops said:

You’re right. The IAC made coaches beg for their sports and then recommended the untenable position of keeping all 21 sports and increasing funding. 

At that point, Kennedy evaluated the situation and made the absolute correct call to eliminate WIH and its $2M annual loss.  I give him immense credit for making the right decision that he knew would be unpopular.

In my opinion, none of the current KEM drama has anything to do with WIH.  At no point, has KEM or anyone associated with The Ralph argued for WIH.  That speaks volumes.  I don’t think Ralph ever imagined MIH having to share The Ralph when he conceived it.  KEM loves to threaten UND with hypothetical donations that are likely to never materialize regardless of what the university does in the future.  To my knowledge, no new donations have been initiated by the Engelstads since Ralph passed away.

They have donated some to the REA for the locker room and new video board. I believe they gave a few million to UND for academics between 2009 and 2013 too. 

[HawksHoops]

37 minutes ago, UNDBIZ said:

They have donated some to the REA for the locker room and new video board. I believe they gave a few million to UND for academics between 2009 and 2013 too. 

In that case, I happily stand corrected.  I should have said no donations outside of The Ralph and MIH, but if they donated to academics then I admit I was wrong.  I certainly don't begrudge any decisions that the Engelstads or anyone else want to make with their money.  If they no longer want to donate to UND, that's their prerogative.  I just don't like the idea that donations are used to threaten the university.

[UNDBIZ]

Found the article with donation amounts. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.westfargopioneer.com/news/education/4443817-i-want-see-him-do-his-job-kris-engelstad-mcgarry-describes-hostile%3famp

In recent years, nonprofit finance reports obtained by Forum News Service show the philanthropic organization gave $4 million in 2011 to the UND Alumni Association and Foundation. In the years following, the family foundation gave $2 million per year through 2015.

[HawksHoops]

2 minutes ago, UNDBIZ said:

Found the article with donation amounts. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.westfargopioneer.com/news/education/4443817-i-want-see-him-do-his-job-kris-engelstad-mcgarry-describes-hostile%3famp

 

 

Those are extremely generous donations.

[Old Fella]

1 hour ago, UNDBIZ said:

President Kennedy and the State Board don't decide how the legacy fund is spent. If you want to blame the state legislature and the governor for prioritizing saving over immediate higher ed needs (without falling into politics), you're welcome to. 

Of course saving is a virtue/so is common sense.  Saving in excess of 3,000 million dollars seem to me a little excssive.  We now have 6,000 MILLION in savings.  With revenue fom the oil royalties and income investing the current 6,000million at 2% the fund will soon be 10,000 million.  How much should we save?  Not sure my opinion that Bismarrck lacked vision is political. Never said Kennedy or BHE made any decision how the fund was spent.  Said the board was inept.  (Correct me if I'm Wrong)  Question?  When is the last time the Board hired a Chancellor or President of UND & NDSU that hasn't ended in a disaster?

[Kab]

The legacy fund needs strict spending rules

two areas it could be spent with on in my view are property tax relief and school construction, but only from earnings and not principal

school construction is tricky because I think too many would be building bigger or unnecessary buildings if the money was free, maybe interest free loan

The TR presidential library should be all private funding, the governor could fund it himself

 

[Cratter]

Legacy Fund is only 30% savings of oil and gas revenue. State is still spending the other 70%. 

Other states don't have this revenue source or at least not nearly as high.

This contributes to North Dakota having the highest tax collections per capita.

If we need to tap into this reserve in such a "short time" after it was established something ain't right.

[UNDBIZ]

17 minutes ago, Cratter said:

Legacy Fund is only 30% savings of oil and gas revenue. State is still spending the other 70%. 

Other states don't have this revenue source or at least not nearly as high.

All this while North Dakota has the highest tax collections per capita.

If we need to tap into this reserve in such a "short time" after it was established something ain't right.

The tax collections per capita include the oil tax revenue, 30% of which is going into the legacy fund and not being spent. 

[Cratter]

8 minutes ago, UNDBIZ said:

The tax collections per capita include the oil tax revenue, 30% of which is going into the legacy fund and not being spent. 

ND still has more money, per capita, to spend than 90% of the states.

And that is even after accounting for the 30% saving that isn't being spend and going to the Legacy Fund.

[Old Fella]

32 minutes ago, UNDBIZ said:

The tax collections per capita include the oil tax revenue, 30% of which is going into the legacy fund and not being spent. 

Six Thousand Million Dollars ($6,000.00) laying around in some desk draw.

I'm am ECO Maniac who believes investing in Education is a good thing.

[UNDBIZ]

27 minutes ago, Cratter said:

ND still has more money, per capita, to spend than than 90% of the other states.

And that is even after accounting for the 30% saving that isn't being spend.

I don't disagree we've got a spending issue compared to other states. 

[Old Fella]

5 minutes ago, UNDBIZ said:

I don't disagree we've got a spending issue compared to other states. Nobody is willing to cut the 2 areas we're spending the most though.

Not being confrontational/interested in knowing what those are.

[UNDBIZ]

Just now, Old Fella said:

Not being confrontational/interested in knowing what those are.

K-12 school spending was doubled and human services (welfare programs) were tripled in the last 10 years. They now comprise around 65% of the state budget.