Senate Defeats Proposal To Buyout Chancellor

Fargo Sen. Tony Grindberg wanted to add $854,000 to the proposed budget of North Dakota’s university system to buy out the chancellor’s contract.

 

 

 

 

Bismarck – North Dakota’s Senate has defeated a move to pressure the Board of Higher Education to fire Chancellor Ham Shirvani.

Fargo Sen. Tony Grindberg wanted to add $854,000 to the proposed budget of North Dakota’s university system to buy out the chancellor’s contract.

Shirvani has been the chancellor since last July and has more than two years left on his contract. He’s paid $349,000 a year.

The Senate rejected the proposal Tuesday – 24 to 23 against. The votes of individual senators were not recorded.

The North Dakota Student Association and student governments at North Dakota State University and the state College of Science at Wahpeton advocated buying out the chancellor’s contract.

The groups say they have no confidence in Shirvani’s leadership.

Grand Forks Sen. Connie Triplett says since Shirvani came on board, the Board of Higher Education has changed policies quickly without consulting college presidents and faculty.

Park River Sen. Joe Miller says he hasn’t heard specific reasons from the student groups why they support getting rid of Shirvani.

He says the Senate’s higher education budget bill took out requests from the chancellor’s office but was willing to provide $854,000 to get rid of him. Miller says that doesn’t make sense.

 

Great Plains News

   

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