The chairman of the State Board of Higher Education says the Board will follow-up on the “Envision 2030” conference – held in Bismarck last week.
"Our Representative, Bob Martinson (R-Bismarck) and the rest of my energy group said, 'Do something,'" said Kathleen Neset. And she says she plans to do something -- she says the Board will discuss it further in its June retreat, to be held in Washburn.
"We're going to act and follow through on this, to incorporate this," Neset said. "Our strategic plan is in place. But it's an on-going document that has to keep on, stay alive and keep moving. This will feed into that plan."
The conference was designed to get the Board – and state leaders – to think about what the University System will look like in the future.
"We are a world-class energy producing state," Neset said. "And if we;re going to be world class there, we have to be in all of our commodities, all of our education, all of our medical facilities and everything. And you have to stay secure in that market."
Former Gov. Ed Schafer -- who is the current interim president at the University of North Dakota -- says these discussions are very important. Schafer says they will address some very pertinent questions.
"How can we do a better job?" Schafer said. "How can we get students through the system faster? How shall we train and educate them for the jobs that will be available in the future? And, importantly, how are we going to make it affordable?"
