By Dave Thompson
Bismarck, ND – A Georgia technology administrator will be the new chief information officer for North Dakota's university system.
Randall Thursby has been hired to do the job for two years. He and NDSU vice president Bonnie Neas will be trying to work the kinks out of the Connect N-D computer software system.
Thursby starts in late June. Neas will be his deputy, and she's taking a year-long leave from NDSU to do the work. Both will be based in Fargo.
"I think it's a unified group of presidents and board, saying that we're well on the way now to make sure that we continue the successful implementation of Connect ND," said Chancellor Robert Potts.
And Board vice-president John Q. Paulson of Fargo said both Potts and vice-chancellor Laura Glatt are to be congratulated for their work on finding two good people.
"They did an exceptional job of recruiting two people who can bring us some light at the end of a long and very dark tunnel, in terms of Connect ND," said Paulson.
The Universities complain that while parts of the system are working, other important parts aren't -- and they're frustrated.