North Dakota State University is classified, under the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Learning as RU/VH, placing it in the top tier of research universities in the United States. Students come from around the world to receive an education of the top order at NDSU, because of its reputation as a leader in scholarly aptitude and dedication to excellence in tackling the big questions in math, science, humanities, business, agriculture, engineering, and social sciences.

The amount of research required both by the students learning at NDSU and the instructors passing on this knowledge is immense, and the materials by which this research is stored -- in books, journals and online subscription materials -- is always growing, changing and evolving.

A research university at the highest level, like NDSU, needs to make a clear commitment to keeping up with the ever-increasing speed of new discoveries and advances in research. Unfortunately, NDSU has had difficulty for many years in finding funds to keep its libraries stocked with research materials. The problem has boiled over enough that faculty, staff and members of NDPEA have organized themselves to take action and draw attention to what’s been happening.

North Dakota Public Employees Association Executive Director Stuart Savelkoul says that the merger of NDPEA and NDEA should be considered one of the largest questions in the recent history of the labor movement in North Dakota. This is a big deal, indeed.

Read more in his Message from the Executive Director.

North Dakota Public Employees Association Presdent Gary Feist says that the potential merger of NDPEA and the North Dakota Education Association has the potential of empowering all of our state's public workers, and will make history.

Click here to read more in the President's Corner.

In the late 1990s, I watched a movie called “The Straight Story.” It was about a trip made by a man named Alvin Straight from Laurens, Iowa, to Mt. Zion, Wis. Mr. Straight was 73 years old, and for some reason he had lost his drivers license. He decided that he must visit his 75-year-old estranged brother, who lived some 377 miles away.

His only legal mode of transportation was a riding lawnmower. So, off he went, driving the back roads. On his sojourn, he met a number of people and had a series of mini-adventures.

NDPEA will be chartering two buses on Feb. 2, to pick up members from across the state and deliver them to our special Delegate Assembly in Bismarck at the Radisson Hotel.
Each bus can accomodate 55 passengers. Times and stops for the two buses are listed.

On Feb. 2, 2013, at the Radisson Hotel in Bismarck, delegates from the North Dakota Public Employees Association and from the North Dakota Education Association will potentially make history.

These two groups will finish a process that started back in 2008, of mutual cooperation and recognition that our organizations are a formidable force when combined into a single unit. They will vote on merger between our two groups, into the state's largest public workers union: North Dakota United.

Each year, AFT-Wisconsin holds a series of Town Hall meetings around the state to connect union leaders and members from various locals in a discussion about major issues. This year, we are scheduling these meetings in late January and early February in order to discuss the spring elections and the current legislative session, as well as updates on merger talks with WEAC. Please mark your calendar and plan to attend the Town Hall meeting closest to you.

You will also receive a recorded phone call from AFT-W  with details and a reminder about a week before your local Town Hall meeting.

Sunday, January 27: Superior Town Hall, 5-7pm at VIP Pizza

Monday, January 28: Eau Claire Town Hall, 6-8pm, Location TBA

Wednesday, January 30: Fox Valley/Green Bay Town Hall, 6-8pm, Location TBA

Tuesday, February 5: Madison Town Hall, 6-8pm, Avenue Bar, 1128 E. Wash.

Thursday, February 7: Milwaukee Town Hall, 6-8pm, Location TBA.  Rescheduled for Sunday, February 10 at Solo Pizza, 2856 N. Oakland Ave., 5-7pm.

Go to the NEWS dropdown menu above and select "Photos" to see more stories and photo albums.

BESE adopts changes to Bulletin 741, with minor modifications

Perhaps influenced by thousands of e-mails, telephone calls and personal contacts, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education made some modest adjustments to proposed rule changes affecting Bulletin 741, the School Administrators’ Handbook.

          This year I propose to highlight different groups of our classified staff during the Staff Reports section of our Neah-Kah-Nie Board meetings.  I welcome any input you'd like to have included in these remarks.  The following remarks come from what I have shared with them so far, and  I will continue to share with you as the year progresses.  

                                               ---- Laurie DeKlyen, Chapter President
                    

(from the November board meeting)