Burgum: Western Governors University and North Dakota community colleges formalize partnership
Governor announced partnership during 2022 State of the State Address; will allow seamless transfer into WGU’s online degree programs
Western Governors University (WGU) and the five community colleges within the North Dakota University System have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will provide their graduates and staff with an affordable pathway to earning their bachelor’s or master’s degrees from WGU.
The MOU between North Dakota Community Colleges’ five presidents and WGU was first announced during Gov. Doug Burgum’s 2022 State of the State Address. During his remarks, Burgum highlighted the state’s recent efforts to address North Dakota’s workforce challenges and grow and diversify the economy, reinforcing the crucial need to provide residents with access to high-quality education to prepare them for in-demand careers. While North Dakota signed the original charter for WGU 25 years ago under the leadership of then-Gov. Ed Schafer, Burgum asserted that the state looks forward to rekindling its partnership with WGU to enhance educational offerings for students of all ages and backgrounds.
“In North Dakota, we’re focused on ensuring that every resident can thrive in the 21st century economy and reach their fullest potential. To be successful, we must be better at aligning our degree offerings with the needs of North Dakota businesses. This new partnership with Western Governors University will provide North Dakotans with seamless access to one of the nation's most innovative higher education institutions to continue their education as they pursue their career goals and pathways to opportunity," Burgum said.
Under the terms of the agreement, those who enroll in any of the online, nonprofit university’s 60-plus undergraduate or graduate degree programs in business, IT, K-12 teacher education or health professions – including nursing – will now be eligible to apply for scholarships offered through the university’s Community College Partner Scholarship program.
Students graduating from Bismarck State College, Dakota College at Bottineau, Lake Region State College, North Dakota State College of Science and Williston State College will be able to seamlessly transfer their credits to WGU. The university offers North Dakota Community College graduates and staff a competency-based approach to learning that allows them to use their prior education, training and experience to quickly move through material they already know so they can focus on what they still need to learn. Students complete their programs by studying on schedules that fit their lives, advancing as soon as they demonstrate they have mastered the subject matter. While WGU’s degree programs are rigorous and challenging, competency-based learning makes it possible for students to accelerate their progress and graduate faster, saving both time and money.
“The partnership provides students with additional opportunities beyond the more than 300 online graduate and undergraduate degree programs currently offered by the institutions of the North Dakota University System,” said NDUS Chancellor Mark Hagerott.
Students transferring from the North Dakota Community College system to WGU will also be eligible to take advantage of scholarships to make tuition even more affordable. The Community College Partner Scholarship is valued at up to $2,500 and applied to WGU’s already-low, flat-rate tuition of about $3,800 per six-month term. Recipients of the scholarship will receive a $625 tuition credit each term, renewable for up to four terms based on academic performance. Applicants who lack access to affordable, high-speed internet will also be eligible to apply for the WGU Online Access Scholarship, which covers internet installation and monthly access costs for the duration WGU students who qualify are active and in good standing. The program also provides devices to students who are in need.
“We are delighted to provide continuing education options to the graduates and staff of North Dakota Community Colleges,” said Dr. Angie Besendorfer, Regional Vice President of Western Governors University. “WGU values the important role community colleges play in upskilling the workforce and is pleased to provide North Dakota residents with pathways to higher education and career advancement.”
For more information on the partnership between WGU and North Dakota Community Colleges, visit www.wgu.edu/ndcc.
Burgum asks Trudeau, labor minister to help prevent Canadian Pacific work stoppage, protect supply chain
Gov. Burgum on Friday sent a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister of Labour Seamus O’Regan asking them to take all action necessary to help prevent a work stoppage on Canadian Pacific Railway and protect the supply chain for North Dakota farmers and businesses.
The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, which represents about 3,000 CP locomotive conductors, engineers, train and railyard workers, has been unable to reach a collective bargaining agreement with CP and has threatened a strike. On Wednesday, CP announced a lockout of the TCRC workers starting Sunday unless a negotiated settlement agreement is reached or TCRC agrees to binding arbitration.
“A work stoppage would be detrimental to our communities, compounding an already stressed supply chain that is still recovering from pandemic disruptions and managing rising transportation costs,” Burgum stated in the letter, noting CP annually transports more than 11 million tons of products from North Dakota to Canada and over 2 million tons in the other direction, including agricultural commodities and fuels. “We are grateful for the long-term partnerships we have enjoyed with CP and Canada and urge you to take all action necessary to protect the supply chain and avoid the disruption of goods between North Dakota and Canada.”
Lt. Gov. Sanford meets with ethanol producers
On Thursday, Lt. Gov. Brent Sanford met with North Dakota ethanol producers and state Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring to discuss state and federal policies.
Among the topics of discussion was the need to restore year-round sales of E15, which would increase consumer choice, promote American energy independence and support our nation’s farmers. Other topics included carbon capture, soybean crush plants, the low-carbon fuel standard, the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority and corporate farming laws.
The primary goals of the North Dakota Ethanol Producers Association are to maintain and pursue favorable state and federal policy, increase consumption of North Dakota ethanol, increase consumption of North Dakota ethanol co-products and increase ethanol production efficiency.
Burgum joins Bill Hemmer on Fox News to discuss why the U.S. should be selling energy to our friends and allies versus buying it from our adversaries
Burgum thanks NCUA for clarifying that credit unions won’t be targeted for lending to agriculture and energy sectors
Gov. Burgum on Friday thanked the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) Board for revising its strategic plan to clarify that the agency won’t be discouraging or micromanaging local credit unions for lending activities related to the agriculture and fossil fuel industries.
Burgum sent a letter in January urging the board to remove language from its proposed 2022-2026 strategic plan that targeted agriculture in a section titled “climate related financial risks.” The draft plan assumed that changing weather patterns “will disproportionately affect farming communities” and suggested that “to remain resilient credit unions may need to consider adjustments” to their membership.
On Thursday, the NCUA Board adopted a revised plan that retains the climate risk section but includes additional language clarifying that the agency “does not intend to micromanage credit union lending decisions for climate financial risk, including lending to family farms and others in the agricultural sector as well as businesses tied to the fossil fuel industry. The NCUA Board underscores that nothing in this strategic plan should be construed as discouraging activities related to agriculture or fossil fuels.”
In a statement Thursday about the final strategic plan, NCUA Board member Rodney Hood cited Burgum’s letter and stated, “Currently my view is that credit unions know best how to manage and mitigate the risk in their respective communities and not the NCUA.”
Burgum said that while he would have preferred to see the climate risk language removed, “We appreciate the NCUA Board clarifying its position so that credit unions know they can continue to provide financial services to our farmers, ranchers and energy industry without fear that such activity will put them in the crosshairs of federal regulators. North Dakota continues to be a leader in carbon capture, utilization and storage efforts, recognizing that carbon neutrality can be achieved only through innovation, not regulation.”
Applications being accepted for Governor’s Band/Orchestra Program and Choral Program
Gov. Burgum is encouraging school, community and church bands, orchestras and choirs across North Dakota to apply to serve as the Governor’s Official State Band/Orchestra Program and Choral Program for the 2022-2023 school year.
The Governor and First Lady will select the Governor’s Band/Orchestra Program and Governor’s Choral Program from the applications received based on musical talent, achievement and community involvement. The band/orchestra and chorus may be invited by the governor to perform at official state functions held throughout the year, including the State of the State Address.
Interested groups should submit an application, references and a musical recording to the Office of the Governor by 5 p.m. Thursday, April 7. The Governor’s Band/Orchestra Program and Governor’s Choral Program will be announced in mid-April and may be invited to perform at the Capitol in mid-May 2022 and at events throughout the 2022-2023 school year. Please complete the application and provide materials at https://www.governor.nd.gov/governors-chorus-and-bandorchestra-program-application.
Registration for the Governor's Summit on Innovative Education is now open!
The event will continue to focus on innovative instructional best practices to personalize learning, as well as other community-derived solutions to best prepare young people for the 21st century economy and citizenship.
Reserve your seat today at the link below: