A member of the North Dakota Board of Higher Education had some sharp words for UND President Mark Kennedy’s decision to keep his chief of staff on board, allowing her to work from a remote location.
UND had said Angelique Foster would stay on as chief of staff. Under the arrangement, which would begin in April, she would work from Texas, and would receive a raise -- to $114,000 per year -- and up to $25,000 in travel expenses.
"I reject the notion that the chief of staff position can properly be performed remotely for any extended arrangement," said Board member Dan Traynor. "A chief with no staff is no chief of staff."
Traynor told the Board he thinks it may have even been against board policy. He said it isn’t proper to take this action at this time, especially since faculty and staff have worked for the past couple of years with no raises.
"If UND has an extra $55,000 laying around, I would prefer that you put it toward hiring some needed faculty at the Law School, or other places around campus," Traynor said.
Traynor also said this action doesn’t look good, when the Legislature is in session.
But other board members questioned whether the board should be weighing in on these on-campus decisions.
"We hire and fire our campus presidents and our CEO, our Chancellor," Neset said. "But this is their responsibility."
Kennedy now said Foster would work on campus until April, then will stay on for six months, and commute from Texas, until a replacement is found.
