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![[NDSU Seal]](NDSUSeal-90px.gif) State of the University Address September 7, 2000 President Joseph A. Chapman North Dakota State University Good afternoon and thank you for being here today. A year ago, we gathered in this hall
for this very purpose. At that time, I challenged this campus to become a national model of an engaged university
and I challenged each campus unit to define a "next level" and move toward that goal. You responded to these
challenges enthusiastically. As you were responding, I kept busy, as well. To be an engaged university, you must
foster an on-going dialogue with many groups on campus and off. I made a point of scheduling visits to campus
departments so we could get to know each other better. This is an effort that will continue this fall. I am also
traveling across the state, visiting every county, talking with alumni and friends, legislators, farmers and business
leaders to gain a better understanding of the needs and expectations people have for us. Our world is more than
North Dakota and in this past year, we expanded our contacts on both a national and an international level with
alumni and business leaders. For example, this summer, NDSU held its first international alumni receptions in
Amsterdam and Frankfurt. I attended these receptions and also met with several university and private sector
leaders, including leaders from United Milling, John Deere and Great Plains. During my travels across North
Dakota, I saw many examples of how the people of NDSU are engaged with the people of our state. As members of
communities across the state, NDSU Extension staff work to respond to neighbors in need. Seminars and workshops help
agricultural producers cope with changing climate conditions, pests and prices. NDSU's relationship with the
State Board of Agricultural Research and Education continues to show how engagement can pay dividends for the state
as that group helps our faculty set priorities and develop initiatives. In recognizing the value of our work, SBARE
will advocate proposal to boost the base budget for core research and extension programs. That will give faculty
more operating funds which translates into greater flexibility in designing their programs to meet the needs of the
state. During this past year, the members of SBARE have come to a greater understanding of the complexity of this
institution and the level of engagement we have with our state. Yet another illustration of our statewide
commitment is found in a new collaboration between NDSU, the United States Navy and the state's five tribal colleges
to increase participation by American Indian youth in mathematics, science and engineering. In the past year, we
have seen a substantial enhancement of programs that serve the needs of people as we move to the next level. This
has included continued growth of our facilities. Last spring, we broke ground for the Research and Technology Park,
the Student Wellness Center, and the Large Animal Research Facility. Each of these projects enhances our campus in
important ways. The Research and Technology Park will connect the expertise of our faculty and students with the
needs of North Dakota businesses. Our first partner, Phoenix International, a John Deere company, is constructing a
72,000 square foot research building which will be ready this spring. In addition, NDSU will lease a 40,000 square
foot building in the park for research and research administration, which will be ready by late spring. We expect to
be able to announce other partners in the not-too-distant future. The Wellness Center is an exciting enhancement
which will make this campus even more attractive to future generations of students. It should be completed in the
summer of 2001. Congratulations to our students for their vision and hard work to bring this concept to fruition and
thanks to our alumni and friends who stepped forward to help. The Large Animal Research Facility is another
critical project. Its presence ensures that our faculty and staff have the facilities they need to continue their
vital work. Finally, we are moving ahead with the renovation of Sudro Hall, to enhance the education of pharmacy
students on campus, and the life-long educational needs of the state's pharmacy profession. In the next
legislative session, the Board of Higher Education will ask for funds for a major renovation and addition to Minard
Hall. This classroom building was built in 1903 and had its last major renovation some thirty years ago. We are
also asking for Phase II funding for the renovation of Ceres Hall. This project will consolidate student service
functions in one location, creating a one-stop center which will make it easier to be a student at North Dakota State
University. We will ask the Governor and legislature for permission to construct a new 100,000 square foot
College of Business Administration building. Significantly, we are not asking for an investment of general fund
money in this public facility. We will raise the money, about $20 million, from our friends in the community who are
asking us to expand business programming. The College of Business Administration is currently located in Putnam
Hall. It's a wonderful and historic part of our campus, but a college with 1,200 majors needs a state-of-the-art
facility to meet the business community's growing demand for educational programming. Our next major building
project will likewise not require general fund construction money. Based on the current trend of enrollment, and
I'll have more on enrollment a little bit later, we need more on-campus housing. We are in the early planning stages
of a new facility where technology, services and programs will be blended to provide the best possible learning
environment. We are anticipating that it will have no less than 200 beds in suites, apartments and/or single rooms
and room for students with disabilities. It will be paid for through self-liquidating bonds, like other residence
halls. Bricks and mortar in the form of new buildings provide one level of proof that this campus is moving to
the next level. More important, though, are the new programs added by departments that defined their own next level
of excellence. In June, two new doctoral programs, one in Communication and one in Psychology, were authorized by
the State Board of Higher Education. Today, there are students enrolled in both. This took a tremendous effort on
the part of these faculty members and we commend them for that effort. This year saw the introduction of a new
bachelor's degree in agribusiness, a program that has drawn considerable interest from across the state. Also new
this fall, an evening MBA program is in place which allows students to complete the degree entirely in
non-traditional hours. Going one step further, an executive MBA program is also under development. NDSU recently
launched the world's first food safety minor. The program, with 23 students this summer, gives graduates key skills
and knowledge for work in the important field of assuring food safety. The program, which may become a major, builds
on existing strengths in research and outreach programs. With interest in horses on an upswing, the animal and
range sciences department is now developing an option in equine studies. The addition of a new faculty member will
be instrumental in creating a full major and the formation of a research program in this area. You can see that a
lot has happened at NDSU in the last 12 months. Some of it by our design but some came as a surprise like torrential
rain in the middle of a June night. It changed our summer, but for all its overwhelming power, this summer's flood
could not dampen our spirit. It strengthened it. Groundwater and in some cases sewage-contaminated water affected
almost every one of our 88 campus buildings. The phones went out, so did computer networks. Basements were flooded,
important academic materials put at risk and agricultural resources critical to this state were damaged. These
"things" are important, but the heart and soul of this university has always been its people. In the middle of the
night, people who would rather have been sleeping or taking care of their own homes worked to save irreplaceable
materials. Across the entire campus, the response from faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends from the
community was inspiring. Within just days of the flood, we were able to welcome freshmen and transfer students to
campus right on schedule. Our concern was that word of the damage might scare off some students. But that is not
the case. We are still waiting for the official third week enrollment numbers, but early indicators are that NDSU is
on track to set a record enrollment this fall near 10,000 students. We appear to have the largest freshmen class in
our history with some 1,800 new freshmen. Our residence halls are full and we had more than 100 students in
temporary housing. Our growth comes at a time of selective admission and at a time of high employment in our
community. Whatever the exact numbers prove to be in the third week, this truly remarkable success is the product of
our collective efforts at making this institution as good as it can be. A new theme that we added this year is
It's About People. I could not be prouder of the people of this campus community. And not just because of our
enrollment growth, but because this is a campus on the move. This summer, at the request of the State Board of
Higher Education, we began work on a draft document laying out major themes for this university. I asked that it be
no longer than one page. It contains five major themes, each with a number of bullets containing supporting
information. I would like to share it with you in this preliminary form, with the caveat that this is a work in
progress with more reflection needed this year from across our campus. It starts with the following words....
"North Dakota State University is a student-oriented, nationally recognized, internationally engaged doctoral and
research land-grant university where education occurs in an atmosphere of scholarly activity and entrepreneurship."
From here, it breaks out five major themes. First, It's About People. Second, Students are
Paramount. The third area, Leveraging Support, talks about obtaining the resources we need to be the kind
of university we want to be. The fourth section, Programs, discusses the services we provide North Dakota.
The fifth section is about Status. Let's talk about people first. It's About People
Let me share our progress to date on expanding our salary pool. In this last biennium, we increased our
salary pool ten percent and we met the goal of the University System's 6-year plan to reallocate five percent of our
overall budget to salaries. By the way, we met this six year goal in just three years. We can continue our
progress toward being at the midpoint of our peer institutions by being creative in funding our salary pools.
Sources of new money to be invested in our people include graduate and undergraduate enrollment growth, and growth in
our research activities. This year, we added $75,000 to our salary pool from Indirect Cost Recovery funds. Next
year, our goal is to add $250,000; and the year after, $1 million. Our growth in student enrollment, research and
philanthropy will provide this institution with the dollars we need to move salaries from the low end of the higher
education scale to the mid-point of our peers. Further, we will progress as a community, not as isolated pockets.
No area will be left behind. To that end, I am pleased to announce today that the President's Office will
continue to offer faculty/staff development grants of up to $1,000. Last year, 445 awards were granted to attend
conferences, purchase software and for other worthy academic purposes. I encourage your consideration of this
opportunity. Simply send a one-page proposal to my office describing how your request will serve our institutional
goals. The second theme concerns our students. Students Are Paramount Let me add, we continue to have concerns about binge and
underage
drinking. Last year, the President's Office funded a pilot project call MU Live which provided an alcohol-free
social setting for students. I am pleased to expand that program this year and to support other efforts in the
Division of Student Affairs to address these matters. Now, continuing with the second supporting bullet...
Let me expand on that thought. Of course, growing
this
campus to 12,000 students will be a challenge. We will need more classroom space, more faculty, and departments will
need additional funds to provide service to this growing population of students. In the next few weeks, I will ask
the cabinet to begin a planning process within their campus units that will identify what we need to do to reach that
12,000 student goal. Your involvement in this process will be necessary so that our entire campus community moves
forward. Our success will be complete only when all segments benefit from the rewards of our progress. Now back
to the draft document and its third theme. Leveraging Support Now back to the draft document
and its third theme. Leveraging Support By the way, our
relationship with Phoenix International is a perfect illustration of these efforts. It is a locally grown company
that is now a key player in the international marketplace. Let me build on that thought, as
well. For
the eighth year in a row, the NDSU Development Foundation has broken its fund raising records. This year, we enjoyed
three gifts in excess of $1 million. The newly formed President's Circle exceeded its goal of 500 members. For the
first time ever, we are able to offer a fully endowed faculty chair. And the Development Foundation transferred a
record $1.6 million to the university for student scholarships. I see this momentum increasing. NDSU researchers have increased our
portfolio
to $28 million and are on target to double our portfolio to $50 million in the next five years. This year, we saw a
15 percent increase in indirect cost recovery, which is providing funds for increasing our salary pool, providing
startup packages for new faculty and renovating Robinson Hall. One way our research activities can be further
fostered is by utilizing the resources of our new Office of Research, Creative Activities and Technology Transfer.
It is charged with helping all faculty in preparing grant proposals, particularly in those areas which have
traditionally had fewer funding opportunities. The office has development money available for research, travel, and
startup packages in all academic disciplines. The fourth major theme is Programs. Programs
An example is the agricultural courses being taken by Dickinson State
University
students that are taught by NDSU faculty. In the coming months, look for a new interdisciplinary Ph.D. program from Human Development and
Education. Also, the veterinary and microbiological sciences department is developing a new Ph.D. program in the area
of molecular pathogenesis, the study of microscopic pathogens at the molecular level. Graduates of the program will
study the most basic structures and processes of disease-causing organisms to find weaknesses that can be exploited
to disable or kill them. NDSU was awarded a four-year grant from the Fund
for
the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education (FIPSE) to increase student exchange under NAFTA with two Mexican
institutions and two Canadian institutions for mechanical, civil and electrical and computer engineering students.
A Study Abroad Resource Room has been created in the Office of International Programs for student use.
Prospective study abroad students can search for programs, scholarships, and cultural information in the variety of
materials the office receives or on the computer. Faculty and staff are also welcome. International students
come to NDSU from all over the world. Last year, we had 311 international students from 54 different countries while
56 NDSU students studied outside the U.S. in Canada, England, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, the
Netherlands and Sweden. This increase in international activity is good for our students, for our faculty and for
our entire state. The final theme is Status. Our national and international reputation is critically important
to the future of this institution. Status The Carnegie
classification system is seeing major revisions. Under the new system, we are a Doctoral and Research
University-Intensive. To reach the Extensive classification will require the graduation of 50 or more doctorates in
at least 15 academic disciplines per year. With the addition of two new doctoral programs this summer, we now
have 20 doctoral programs. And thanks to the efforts of the newly formed President's Circle of university donors,
many of whom are here today, we have 20 new doctoral fellowships to attract the best graduate students in the nation.
By the way, a year ago I raised some eyebrows by stating that North Dakota had no research university, according
to the Carnegie classification system. With its overhaul, North Dakota now has two fine research institutions. Our
goal of moving to Doctoral/Research-Extensive is about finding ways for North Dakota State University to best serve
this state. Our highly visible Athletics program remains an
important
contributor to NDSU's identity and, as such, a means of achieving our goals. The Bison strive for excellence on the
field of play and, most importantly, in the classroom. Our student athletes are second in the nation in NCAA post
graduate scholarship recipients in Division II. Last spring, we had more than 175 student athletes with a 3.0 GPA or
better in majors that cover all colleges on campus. As we make plans for the growth of this university, it is with
the understanding that the visibility of Bison Athletics supports our goals and that continued discussions are
warranted on campus and with our alumni and friends concerning the changing face of the NCAA. These five mutually
supportive themes will help focus North Dakota State University so it can continue its historic land-grant mission
while achieving new levels of engagement with the greater community. Accomplishing both requires the flexibility to
be original and accountability for results. That's the end of this working draft. As I said, we need more
discussion on it in the coming months. But it does begin the discussion of the future of this university at an
appropriate point. If there is a theme to this address today, it is that North Dakota State University is about
people. People get things done. By expanding our academic programs in graduate education, we create opportunity for
enrollment growth and we offer this state the economic development advantages that comes with keeping graduate
students in state, rather than sending them away following a sound undergraduate education. By expanding our
research portfolio, we make additional opportunities and funds available for salaries and campus enhancements. A
further way we take greater control of NDSU's financial base is by expanding our efforts at encouraging philanthropic
investments in our campus. As I described, we have made commendable progress. Now its time to kick up our efforts a
notch. We are in the early planning stages of a major fund raising campaign that will surpass the scope of the last
$20 million campaign many-fold. It will contain funding for student scholarships, faculty enhancements, and bricks
and mortar, including addressing the library needs of a Carnegie Research/Doctoral-Extensive University. The new
campaign will provide a solid base of support for us to reach our goals. And so, our plate is full. Our goals
include: - Enrollment growth to 12,000 students.
Certainly, these are lofty goals. But they are all attainable. We will do so by using the planning process and
folding together the major themes we've discussed this afternoon, the University System's Six-year Plan, the
recommendations of the Legislative Higher Education Roundtable, and a full campus-wide perspective. We have the
good fortune of being at a point in time when a number of positive factors are coming together; including widespread
recognition of the role that higher education plays in the state's economic future, our location in a growing
community, and a real societal need for the very things we do so well. But all of these factors can not make NDSU a
better servant of the people. It is only through your efforts that we are able to do so. When all is said and done,
North Dakota State University is not buildings or test plots or computer files. It's about people. It is faculty,
staff, students, alumni and friends of the institution. North Dakota State University is moving forward because of
you and my pledge to you is that we all move forward together. Thank you. Appendix State University Major Themes - Working Draft 9-6-00 North Dakota State University is a It's About People
Students Are Paramount
Leveraging Support
Programs
Status
These mutually supportive themes help focus North Dakota State University so it can continue its historic land-grant mission while achieving new levels of engagement with the greater community. Accomplishing both requires the flexibility to be original and accountability for results.
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