NDSU continues on a path of success and strength. That’s the assessment President Dean L. Bresciani gave during his annual State of the University Address Sept. 30 in Festival Concert Hall.
He said NDSU has enjoyed an exceptional year, just as it has for each of the past six years.
“Research and scholarly productivity have never been stronger. Enrollments have never been stronger, and the academic profile of our entering classes has never been stronger. Retention and graduation rates of our students have never been stronger,” Bresciani said. “The financial health of our institution has never been stronger. Private sector and philanthropic financial support has never been stronger. The pride and passion of our faculty, staff, students and alumni has never been stronger.
Bresciani said NDSU is dedicated to its land-grant mission to serve every North Dakotan through education, research, service, Extension and Experiment Station work.
Using a series of benchmarks, Bresciani explained how NDSU has moved forward in recent years. He listed several achievements, including:
• Faculty positions have increased from 646 in 2010 to 726 in 2015.
• NDSU’s Research and Technology Park has more than 1,000 jobs, a 15 percent increase over 2010.
• Nearly 80 percent of North Dakota students take their first jobs in the state; about 40 percent of out-of-state graduates stay in North Dakota for their first jobs.
• Donor support has more than doubled during the past five years. So far this year, private gifts to NDSU already total more than all of last year.
• In the past year, 73 new scholarship funds have been created.
• The Sanford Health Athletic Complex, financed by private sources, is nearly complete.
• Since 2000, 66 new varieties of 13 crops have been released by NDSU.
• NDSU research expenditures increased from $126 million in 2010 to more than $154 million in 2015.
• Research and development licensing income increased 42 percent from 2010 to 2016.
• Patent filings at NDSU have increased from 40 per year in 2010 to 50 in 2016.
“We need to continue telling our story, sharing our fire, igniting ideas and inviting everyone to the party,” Bresciani said. “This is the beauty of public higher education. We know we are here to make life better for our citizens.”
He described NDSU as an exciting institution of discovery and transformation, where science, technology and arts enrich the lives of people.
“It is a place where we collaborate and challenge, struggle and succeed. It is a place where dedicated people learn, teach, study and invent,” Bresciani said. “All of that in motion at one time in one place can appear chaotic. It is. And it’s wonderful.”
As a student-focused, land-grant, research university, we serve our citizens.