The state Board of Higher Education will be looking at a new “tiered” subcommittee structure – creating separate subcommittees for the two research universities, the four year colleges and the two year colleges.
"With a subcommittee structure focused on tiers, you might get to more substantive discussion on critical issues, instead of being overwhelmed by all the issues the issues hitting the Board," Chancellor Mark Hagerott told the Board's Governance Committee. "This way, you could have some people who develop more time to study an issue."
Hagerott said this issue has been discussed for some time now. And Gov. Doug Burgum’s Higher Education Governance Task Force has been looking at separate boards to govern the three tiers of colleges.
"The range is so complex, from the research enterprise to the two year schools in the oil country," Hagerott said.
Committee chairman Kathleen Neset said she thinks this tiered structure could be established quickly.
"And I think keeping it within the Board structure is important," Neset said.
The Board will discuss it further at its meeting Thursday in Valley City.