Leadership issues, declining enrollment highlighted in Bresciani job evaluation
FARGO (KVRR/KCND) – The University System’s evaluation of NDSU President Dean Bresciani points out some issues with his leadership.
During a State Board of Higher Education meeting Tuesday, it was suddenly announced that Bresciani will be stepping down. Bresciani will serve as president through 2022 and then become a tenured NDSU professor. Bresciani will also be involved in the search for his successor.
Bresciani’s evaluation says the research position of NDSU has been eroding over the past several years. At the same time, enrollment has dropped in the past seven years from 14,700 students to 12,800 students. It also says NDSU has been slow to adapt to new technology in delivering courses, to adapt new cyber-security protocols, and to deal with non-traditional students.
The evaluation notes that Bresciani has been slow to support providing agricultural education to people in western North Dakota. It criticizes the approach Bresciani took to hire a new provost, which earned a censure from the NDSU Faculty Senate, and it says Bresciani has been slow to hire a new Vice President for Research.
Read Bresciani’s job evaluation here.
Bresciani released a letter to the campus community Wednesday. The text of Bresciani’s letter is below.
Campus colleagues and students,
By now I imagine you’ve seen media reports of the State Board of Higher Education meeting Tuesday, and I am sorry the nature of events wasn’t such that I could be the first to share the news with you. The board offered, and I accepted, an agreement to remain as the president of North Dakota State University for the next 18 months, with an offer of tenure, which will allow me to return to my scholarship and teaching on a fulltime basis.
It has been my great honor to serve you and the great state of North Dakota. I said from the first day, North Dakota has unique opportunities and enormous potential. Together we worked hard to make progress on many fronts. Thank you all for your energy and collaboration and commitment to the mission of NDSU.
As I enter my 12th year, I will continue to put my energy and passion into helping NDSU be successful, and supporting the search for the next leader of this institution. You have my admiration and gratitude and I ask for your continued support as we navigate the next phase of educating future leaders, serving our citizens and making the world a better place for all.
Dean Bresciani
