Candidates for UND President

[GeauxSioux]

I thought this topic deserved a fresh thread, aside from the thread regarding Kupchella leaving.

Smith to seek UND presidency

Bruce Smith, dean of UND's John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences, will apply for the UND presidency, he said Friday. The announcement came one day after President Charles Kupchella said he plans to retire in January 2008.

[UND92,96]

I ran across this press release from when Smith was hired as dean of the school of aviation. He has an impressive background.

[PCM]

I'm going to say it right now: This process is biased against sudo-reporters.

[iramurphy]

I thought this topic deserved a fresh thread, aside from the thread regarding Kupchella leaving.

Smith to seek UND presidency

Smith is a great candidate and would be an excellent choice. He is an excellent leader, a proven teacher, good communicator and good listener but no one's fool. I think would be very capable of leading UND through the Fighting Sioux issue (no matter how it turns out) and leading UND through the D1 transition without losing focus on what UND does best and that is education and positioning our students for life's opportunites and successes. The PC crowd won't be excited about him at first because he was an athlete but he has the personality to win them over. It will be interesting to see who else applies.

[redwing77]

Smith is a great candidate and would be an excellent choice. He is an excellent leader, a proven teacher, good communicator and good listener but no one's fool. I think would be very capable of leading UND through the Fighting Sioux issue (no matter how it turns out) and leading UND through the D1 transition without losing focus on what UND does best and that is education and positioning our students for life's opportunites and successes. The PC crowd won't be excited about him at first because he was an athlete but he has the personality to win them over. It will be interesting to see who else applies.

I hope so. I hope whoever takes over for Kupchella stays the course that was plot and fights for the name until UND either wins the case or loses the case.

Anyways, I predict it to get ugly.

[GeauxSioux]

Board names UND president search committee

State Board of Higher Education members this morning approved a 15-member committee to field candidates to be the next president of UND.

UND Law School Dean Paul LeBel will chair the search committee, which includes faculty, students and community members as well as members of the state board.

Edit to add Forum Story:

Search committee named to replace Kupchella

Paul LeBel, dean of UND’s School of Law, is committee chairman.

Other members are:

Alice Brekke, assistant to the president; Rick Burgum, president and CEO of Arthur (N.D.) Companies; board members Bev Clayburgh and Duaine Espegard; Jay Fisher, UND student body president; Glenda Lindseth, associate dean of the College of Nursing; Doug Munski, faculty senate president; Tim O’Keefe, executive vice president of UND Alumni Association and Foundation; Myrna Olson, education professor; Judi Paukert, community relations manager for Xcel Energy; Paulsen; Bruce Pitts, associate dean of School of Medicine and Health Sciences; David Yearwood, associate professor of industrial technology; and Chancellor Eddie Dunn.

[The Sicatoka]

John Stewart, owner of Fisher Motors in Minot

First time I've seen that name.

The others really held no surprises.

[UND92,96]

First time I've seen that name.

The others really held no surprises.

If I'm not mistaken, he's a former UND basketball letterwinner, as is his brother Pete.

[The Walrus]

Far be it from me to ever question the State Board of Higher Educational person or persons that put this committee together......BUT..?

Does anyone think that we should have some Athletic Department representation on this committee, since maybe we are making the BIG move to Div 1....

It may be nice to get some opinions from Athletics......?

Just a Thought....?

[GeauxSioux]

MATTERS AT HAND: Committee should find a president who can build opportunity at UND

The list of appointees to a search committee for UND's next president was released Thursday, and my name wasn't on it. This is a big disappointment to me. My name was on a preliminary list. The truth is I had sought the job, and I did get the offer.

But in the end, I had to turn it down.

It's just too great a conflict.

So, the search should not be exclusively local. The committee should search far and wide for the next president, and committee members should be prepared to consider carefully what they find.

Ambition is a qualification to be UND's president. A young person with eyes on a larger institution should not be disqualified. In fact, search committee members ought to consider whether the candidates they recommend might move on to one of the nation's premier institutions, distinguishing UND in the process.

The important thing is not to be limited, to recognize that the presidency of UND is not just an important position to us, but an attractive position for the ambitious and the talented.

[Siouxman]

Board names UND president search committee

Edit to add Forum Story:

Search committee named to replace Kupchella

I will say here and now that I am glad not to see the name of Chapman on the group.

[star2city]

Far be it from me to ever question the State Board of Higher Educational person or persons that put this committee together......BUT..?

Does anyone think that we should have some Athletic Department representation on this committee, since maybe we are making the BIG move to Div 1....

It may be nice to get some opinions from Athletics......?

Just a Thought....?

Does John Stewart have a close association with the athletic department?

[star2city]

Edit to add Forum Story:

Search committee named to replace Kupchella

I will say here and now that I am glad not to see the name of Chapman on the group.

With John Q. Paulsen, Chapman could just as well be on the committee: as much as those two yap with each other (and each other's lawyers ).

[The Walrus]

Does John Stewart have a close association with the athletic department?

Both John and his brother Pete are former Basketball players for the Sioux, John will do a outstanding job with a former Athlete's perspective, currently he is a very successful bussiness man and giving alum......

He is the only one with any knowledge of Athletics, outside maybe Tim O'Keefe....

I'm surprised in no Athletic Administration or Coaching representation......Especially with our current move.....?

[Rick]

First time I've seen that name.

The others really held no surprises.

No it isn't. You first heard that name last June 3rd, it's just that your getting senile and you don't remember it.

[GeauxSioux]

Indian groups worry about lack of voice

As the University of North Dakota begins its selection of a new president, some American Indian groups are concerned that their voices won't be heard in the process.

David Gipp, president of United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, recently sent a letter to the State Board of Higher Education, requesting that an Indian member be appointed to the search committee. Current UND President Charles Kupchella plans to retire in January.

"It's just that there's such a large presence of American Indians on campus, it seems there should be a representative of that group on the committee," he said.

I can't say that I disagree with this. 420 students out of 13,000 is about 3%. One committee member would account for 6% of the total committee.

[The Sicatoka]

That's not a good game to start playing. Why?

Where's the Aero representation? There are many students in the School of Aero, more than 3% of campus.

Now change Aero to Engineering and say the same thing.

Now change Engineering to "student athlete". There are 500 of those on campus (>3%).

[siouxforeverbaby]

No it isn't. You first heard that name last June 3rd, it's just that your getting senile and you don't remember it.

he actually gets together with old UND classmates every year at the Frozen Four and they try to make it to at least one game in Grand Forks. Just a tidbit on him for you.

[Goon]

Indian groups worry about lack of voice

I can't say that I disagree with this. 420 students out of 13,000 is about 3%. One committee member would account for 6% of the total committee.

Where are is this guy going with this? What is the hidden agenda? What next? So are we going to have a representative for the over-seas students, a rep for women in engineering. How about the college republicans and democrats? Seriously...

[GeauxSioux]

That's not a good game to start playing. Why?

Where's the Aero representation? There are many students in the School of Aero, more than 3% of campus.

Now change Aero to Engineering and say the same thing.

Now change Engineering to "student athlete". There are 500 of those on campus (>3%).

I see the slippery slope to which you are alluding, but obviously the American Indian at UND is in a different light than the rest of the groups you mention. (UND To Celebrate Achievements Of American Indian Graduates, Dedicate American Indian Center) If included on the committee that person would either be "buying" into the choice of the new president or at the very least "be included" in the decision making process. All that I'm saying is that with all that is going on in the "Sioux" name issue, at the very least showing the perception of inclusion is not a bad thing.

[The Sicatoka]

If included on the committee that person would either be "buying" into the choice of the new president or at the very least "be included" in the decision making process.

From that view it's fine; I fear that someone will bring one issue as a "litmus test".

[Goon]

From that view it's fine; I fear that someone will bring one issue as a "litmus test".

That was what I was thinking my self.

[Goon]

I see the slippery slope to which you are alluding, but obviously the American Indian at UND is in a different light than the rest of the groups you mention. (UND To Celebrate Achievements Of American Indian Graduates, Dedicate American Indian Center) If included on the committee that person would either be "buying" into the choice of the new president or at the very least "be included" in the decision making process. All that I'm saying is that with all that is going on in the "Sioux" name issue, at the very least showing the perception of inclusion is not a bad thing.

Great idea if they aren't insisting that we change the name at least lets see where the law suit goes.

[GeauxSioux]

From that view it's fine; I fear that someone will bring one issue as a "litmus test".

I would hope that a person with a "litmust test" would be outvoted, so that a person with their own agenda would not prevail. I can't imagine that any one candidate will be unanimous.

[Goon]

I would hope that a person with a "litmust test" would be outvoted, so that a person with their own agenda would not prevail. I can't imagine that any one candidate will be unanimous.

Ok lets look at it this way. If there has to be an indian person on the board, whats to stop the next what group from demanding or asking that they include them? Everyone is going to want their voice heard. Hiring the next president is an important task but I thought there was a reason the hiring board. Where do they draw the line. Who's opinion is going to be heard more? What is this person expecting? What is the agenda?