North Dakota
President of Dickinson State University in North Dakota resigns after nursing faculty quit
DICKINSON, N.D. — The president of Dickinson State University in North Dakota announced his resignation on Monday, days after the school’s nursing faculty quit.
In a video, Steve Easton announced his departure and acknowledged “turmoil between some in the faculty and the administration.”
Seven faculty members resigned Wednesday, KFYR-TV reported. Former Assistant Professor of Nursing Trista Keith told the station that the nursing faculty were notified their accreditation has been in jeopardy in recent years. She also cited insufficient time and resources for faculty to meet the accreditation requirements, among other reasons the faculty resigned.
Easton said the North Dakota Board of Nursing prohibited him and other administrators from looking for new nursing faculty.
“If I cannot do whatever I can for our students, including looking for faculty members so the students can continue their education, I cannot do my job because fighting for students is my job,” Easton said.
In a statement, the board said it did not force Easton’s resignation or disallow hiring but on Friday had issued a standard notice to the university “of multiple nursing program shortcomings for review” at a coming board meeting, due to the faculty departures.
Easton also said he had been told financial supporters of the school might leave if he remained. He said he will stay on through a short and orderly transition. It wasn’t clear when his last day will be.
In statements, State Board of Higher Education Chair Tim Mihalick and North Dakota University System Chancellor Mark Hagerott praised Easton’s leadership.
Easton was named president of Dickinson State in March 2020 after several months serving as interim. During the 2023 legislative session, he supported a controversial and unsuccessful tenure review bill that opponents said would infringe upon academic freedom and threaten schools’ accreditation.
Dickinson State had a fall 2023 enrollment of nearly 1,500 registered students. Fall semester classes begin Aug. 26.
North Dakota
Hoeven, Armstrong, Traynor speak on OBBB Rural Health Transformation Fund updates in ND
BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – On Friday, North Dakota U.S. Senator John Hoeven, Governor Kelly Armstrong and Health and Human Services Commissioner Pat Traynor explained how the state plans to use millions of dollars from the Big Beautiful Bill’s Rural Health Transformation Fund to transform healthcare across the state.
They spoke extensively about the special session to allocate the funds, and confirmed that it is still tentatively set for Jan. 21.
The Big Beautiful Bill allocated $25 billion for rural healthcare nationwide. North Dakota received $500 million for five years and $200 million for the first year. There is still another $25 billion left to be spent, and North Dakota is hoping to receive an extra $500 million.
“I truly believe that with the plan we’re putting in place and the things we built that line up with that, we’ll get a billion dollars over five years,” said Hoeven.
Federal rules require the state to lock in contracts for the money by October first— a deadline officials say is driving the need for a special session.
In the first year, North Dakota will focus on retention grants to keep existing staff, technical assistance and consultants for rural hospitals, as well as telehealth equipment and home patient monitoring.
Governor Armstrong says the special session will include policy bills tied to how much federal rural health funding the state can earn.
“We’re going to have a physical fitness test for physical education courses, nutrition education, continuing education requirement for physicians, physician assistant licensure compact—which North Dakota has been doing, dealing with that since the heart of the oil boom and moving forward—and then an expanded scope of practice for pharmacists,” said Armstrong.
Hundreds of millions of dollars could reshape healthcare in rural North Dakota, and state leaders say the next few weeks are key to receiving and spending that money wisely.
The governor says he only wants to focus on bills related to the Rural Health Transformation Program during the special session and doesn’t intend to deal with other state issues during that time.
Copyright 2026 KFYR. All rights reserved.
North Dakota
North Dakota officials celebrate being among big winners in federal rural health funding
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Tony Osburn scored 27 points as Omaha beat North Dakota 90-79 on Thursday.
Osburn shot 8 of 12 from the field, including 5 for 8 from 3-point range, and went 6 for 9 from the line for the Mavericks (8-10, 1-2 Summit League). Paul Djobet scored 18 points and added 12 rebounds. Ja’Sean Glover finished with 10 points.
The Fightin’ Hawks (8-11, 2-1) were led by Eli King, who posted 21 points and two steals. Greyson Uelmen added 19 points for North Dakota. Garrett Anderson had 15 points and two steals.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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