5/26/2015

FW:NDSUChiefofStaffrob@sayanythingblog.comSayAnythingBlog.comMail

From:NDBoardofHigherEducation[mailto:NDBHE@LISTSERV.NODAK.EDU]OnBehalfOfSkogen,Larry
Sent:Thursday,May21,201511:18AM
To:NDBHE@LISTSERV.NODAK.EDU
Subject:NDSUChiefofStaff

Thebelowisprovidedforinformationonly.

Therehasbeenanewsstory,followedbymuchrumor,aboutPresidentBrescianisadvertisingforanewpositionof
chiefofstaffathisinstitution.Theconversationsseemtofallintothreemaincategories:

1. ThatthisisjustawaytokeepChrisWilsononstaff.
2. Thatthelegislaturetookthefundingforlawyersawayfromthesystemoffice,andyetNDSUhasenoughextra
fundingtocreateanew,highpaidposition.
3. Thatthismovecircumventslegislativeintent.
IvehadaconversationwithDeanandherearethefacts:

1. Thereisanopensearchforthisposition.Thebestqualifiedcandidatewillgetthejob.RelativetoChrisWilson,
hecertainlyhastheexpertiserequiredandwilllikelybeastrongcandidate.Infact,Chrishasnotonlybeena
lawyerforthesystemworkingatNDSUandincloseproximitytothepresident,buthasperformedbyvirtueof
hislegalpositionmanyfunctionsthatthechiefofstaffwill.Whatwillbeprohibitedbylawisanyoneonstaff
providinglegalcounsel,whichmustbeprovidedbytheAttorneyGeneralsOffice.Nevertheless,itremainsto
beseenifChrisisselected.
2. Inthelastfewyears,Deanhaseliminatedtwovicepresidents.Thefundinghehasforthisnewpositionwillnot
evenconsumeoneofthesalariesforthepositionsalreadyeliminated.Thus,thenewchiefofstaffwillbepaid
lessthanoneoftheeliminatedpositions.
3. AsfarasIcantellthelegislativeintentwastomovelegalservicesfortheBoardandinstitutionsunderits
controltotheAttorneyGeneralsOffice.Thathasbeendone.Icantimaginethat"legislativeintentwasto
eliminatetheemploymentofChrisWilson,shouldhebethesuccessfulcandidateforthechiefofstaffposition.

Inageneralsense,thecreationoreliminationofpositionsatinstitutionshasnotbeenmanagedbythis
officeortheBoard.WhiletherewasaneffortintheHousetoremoveFTEauthorityfromtheBoard,
thateffortwasoverturnedbytheSenateandagreedtobytheHouseinthefinallegislation.Thus,HB
1003,ourappropriationsbill,nowcontainsthislanguage:Notwithstandinganyotherprovisionsoflaw,
thestateboardofhighereducationmayadjustfulltimeequivalentpositionsasneeded,subjecttothe
availabilityoffunds,forinstitutionsandentitiesunderitscontrol....IntheeightyearsIvebeen
withintheuniversitysystem,suchadjustmentshavebeendelegatedtotheinstitutions.

Moreover,astheFargoForumreported,[T]heposition[ofchiefofstaff]wasaverycommonrolefor
majorresearchuniversitiesinourtieroftheCarnegiecollegeclassificationsystem.Thattierincludes
theUniversityofMinnesota,whichhasemployedachiefofstaffforaverylongtime,saidAmyPhenix,
whocurrentlyholdsthatposition.Thus,thereisnothingnewinhavingachiefofstaffatamajor
researchinstitution.IcreatedsuchapositionfourmonthsafterassumingthisofficeandIknowthat
everyonewillagreethatMurrayhasbeeninvaluabletoouroffice.FromstreamliningBoardmeeting
agendatorespondingtocrisesacrossthesystem,andmuch,muchmore,hehasprovedtheworthof
suchaposition.

Ifyouhaveanyspecificquestions,pleasecontactmedirectly.

Thanks!!
Larry

LarryC.Skogen,Ph.D.

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5/26/2015

FW:NDSUChiefofStaffrob@sayanythingblog.comSayAnythingBlog.comMail

InterimChancellor

NORTHDAKOTA
UniversitySystem
600EBoulevardAve,Dept215
Bismarck,ND585050230
701.328.2974
larry.skogen@ndus.edu

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