A member of the state Board of Higher Education has resigned.
Greg Stemen says he turned in his resignation after Thursday’s board meeting at Valley City State University.
"Increasing personal and professional obligations caused me to resign," Stemen said. "I believe it's important for the members of the Board, which is a volunteer position, to have the time to do the work. And if you don't have the time, I guess I would be doing a disservice to the citizens of our state by continuing to serve."
Stemen said he is "respectful" and "appreciative" of the current Board members who are committed and able to do that.
"I've done my best to do that," Stemen said. "And up until this point, I thought I could."
Stemen said he wanted to stay on until a new president at Valley City State College was hired, and an audit report was finished at the North Dakota College of Science in Wahpeton.
"I just thought it was the right time to step back and reprioritize my time and efforts," Stemen said.
Stemen’s term is up in June. He was eligible for re-appointment to the Board.
Here is his resignation letter:
9/27/2018
Chairman Don Morton
North Dakota State Board of Higher Education
Chairman Morton,
I am submitting this letter as my official notice of resignation from the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education, effective immediately.
It has been a distinct honor to serve the great state of North Dakota as a member of the State Board of Higher Education. I am grateful to the current and former board members I was so fortunate to serve with. Their professionalism, independent thought and commitment to the students and institutions of this fine state have always been at the forefront of their decision making. I want to thank the committed employees of the North Dakota University System (NDUS) office; they also put the current and future students first on a daily basis. Lastly, I want to thank the students, staff, faculty and administration of our state system’s 11 institutions. They form what I believe to be the best higher education system in the country. NDUS graduates will always be in high demand locally, regionally and nationally.
With personal and professional responsibilities increasing, time must be prioritized and this is the appropriate time to make this difficult decision. The North Dakota State Board of Higher Education is comprised of volunteers who spend numerous hours committed to strengthening the NDUS and if I cannot effectively commit the time our system deserves, it would be wrong of me to continue to serve. Our students and state deserve full and complete commitment from their board members and at this time I can no longer make that commitment. As a North Dakota citizen, I am grateful to the remaining members for their continuous and willing commitment to serve our state and our students.
I want to thank my current employer, First Community Credit Union. Their leadership has been very supportive of my service as a member of the board. I also want to thank my previous employer, BankNorth (formerly First State Bank of North Dakota). Without the support of their leadership, my desire to serve on the board would never have been realized.
My time on the board was an extremely valuable experience and I am truly humbled to have had the opportunity to serve the wonderful people of the great state of North Dakota.
Respectfully submitted,
Greg Stemen
