Bismarck Tribune - North Dakota News - Challenges abound for BSC head

Challenges abound for BSC head

Mar 19, 2007 - 04:05:14 CDT

Larry Skogen, Bismarck State College’s new president, faces some interesting challenges.

Growth has been a way of life at BSC in recent years, and there’s nothing to indicate that will change.

Along with growth comes the need to maintain quality programs and meet the demands of the students.

BSC has been trying to meet some of the needs of students with its energy technology training programs. Hopefully, the graduates eventually will fill the roles of workers in Coal Country who are expected to retire in the next few years.

BSC has been offering more online courses and has been working with other schools to provide degrees.

Skogen stressed collaboration at a recent press conference. He wants to work with faculty and other employees to develop plans for the future.

He also wants to work with Dickinson State University, Minot State University and other schools to continue programs and develop new ones.

And there’s the question of four-year degrees and whether BSC should transition into a four-year institution.

If Skogen proves as skillful as most expect, he should be able to maintain and expand collaborative efforts.

Four-degree programs are more ticklish.

Other schools and some members of the Board of Higher Education aren’t thrilled by the thought of BSC offering four-year programs. They feel the state has enough, if not too many, schools offering four-year degrees.

Skogen’s main challenge will be to grow BSC within the university system without ruffling too many feathers while meeting the student needs of central and western North Dakota.

Skogen, who grew up in Hettinger, has the credentials to achieve these goals.

Here’s wishing him luck.

News > Opinion

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Comments

bs wrote on Mar 20, 2007 10:06 AM:

" hmmm colleges in mayville and valley city less than an hour from fargo. What a waste make bsc a fear year school. "

Visitor wrote on Mar 19, 2007 3:16 PM:

" Skogen needs four years, so he can better research alien pod hatch lings. "

Make it 4 wrote on Mar 19, 2007 1:48 PM:

" Make BSC a 4 year institution, it is a great idea. Close some of the others that are drains on the general fund and taxpayers of ND. Unfortunatley the eastern half of the state will kick and scream but this needs to be done. "

4 year must happen wrote on Mar 19, 2007 11:32 AM:

" For Bismarck to be truly sucessful, BSC needs to become a 4 year institution. LAND: The old national guard land and all the land in between should be given or preserved for BSC expansion (including the Unysis building). BENEFITS: Bismarck will benefit from the liberal arts, intellectual staff, sports, money influx from students and staff, business opportunities for our young and businesses who need the young talent, etc. Every successful town in America has a good college. U of Mary is not big enough (they should expand too). Of course UND and NDSU will fight this....they will lose students to Bismarck because Bismarck is a much nicer city with the river and hills. BUILD IT: Build it and they will come. "

Wake up wrote on Mar 19, 2007 8:13 AM:

" "Other schools and some members of the Board of Higher Education aren’t thrilled by the thought of BSC offering four-year programs. They feel the state has enough, if not too many, schools offering four-year degrees." Make the choices which ones you will close or transitiion into some other state funded economic development tool. Schools need to be where the population is. Look at all the class B schools closing. Colleges are no different. And don't give me the constitution BS. That can be changed. "

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