North Dakota
University of North Dakota among colleges named in federal racial discrimination probe
GRAND FORKS – The University of North Dakota is among 45 colleges at the center of a U.S. Department of Education probe for allegedly “engaging in race-exclusionary practices” in their graduate programs.
The department’s Office of Civil Rights announced the investigation, which encompasses the flagship universities of nearly two dozen states as well as elite institutions like MIT and Yale, in a Friday press release.
“Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin,” read a statement attributed to Education Secretary Linda McMahon. “We will not yield on this commitment.”
The investigation alleges that UND and other colleges violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act for partnering with The PhD Project, a nonprofit focused on helping underrepresented groups obtain business degrees.
UND spokesperson Meloney Linder confirmed the university received notice of the investigation from the Education Department on Thursday.
“We are currently working with OCR to address the complaints, but beyond that we have no comment,” Linder said.
The Office of General Counsel, which handles legal matters for UND and reports to the North Dakota Attorney General, is making contact with the Education Department to get more information, Linder said.
The investigation is the latest in a series launched by the Trump administration against U.S. colleges and universities focused on hot-button social issues.
The Education Department is also investigating 60 colleges and universities for allegedly permitting antisemitism during anti-Israel protests that broke out across campuses after the onset of the Israel-Hamas War in October 2023.
It’s also investigating two universities and the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association for permitting transgender athletes to participate in women’s sports.
UND is not named in either of those investigations.
Joshua Irvine covers K-12 and higher education for the Grand Forks Herald. He can be reached at jirvine@gfherald.com.
North Dakota
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CASSELTON, N.D. — North Dakota will lead the nation in a U.S. Department of Agriculture push to improve farm technology and research, federal officials announced Tuesday.
U.S. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said Grand Farm, a research campus west of Fargo, will be the national program manager for USDA’s National Proving Grounds Network for AgTech. Grand Farm will also be the first proving ground in the network, focusing on weed control.
North Dakota launched Grand Farm seven years ago, integrating research capabilities from North Dakota State University at Fargo with industry partners such as tech giant Microsoft.
Hoeven said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, who visited Grand Farm last year, recognized that North Dakota provided a model for ag tech research and could be the manager for the rollout.
“It’s a huge deal,” Hoeven said. “It’s Grand Farm going national.”
Hoeven announced that $11 million will launch the proving grounds, a collaboration of Grand Farm, USDA’s Agricultural Research Service and NDSU.
Scott Hutchins, USDA under secretary for research, education and economics, said the first year of research will be concentrated in North Dakota and Georgia. The University of Georgia announced a partnership with Grand Farm in 2024.
He said after reviewing results from the first year, the department plans to accept proposals for research hubs in other states, eventually creating the national network.
Hutchins said profitability is a top priority. He said there has been a boom in ag technology, but farmers need help sifting through it all.
“Which one can provide the greatest return on investment?” he asked.
Hoeven said focusing on profitability is a must during rough economic times. “Right now, if you’re growing a crop, in most cases, you’re not making money,” Hoeven said.
The North Dakota Legislature invested $10 million in 2021 to help propel Grand Farm, which covers 590 acres near Casselton. Operating from tents and with portable bathrooms in its first years, the research site opened its first building in 2024. The Legislature invested an additional $7 million in 2025.
“The National Proving Grounds is the next chapter,” said Brian Carroll, chief operating officer for Grand Farm.
George Vellidis, of the University of Georgia’s Institute for Integrative Precision Agriculture, said Georgia is one year into operating its 250-acre research area similar to Grand Farm.
He said the goal is to translate the research in the Upper Midwest to crops grown in the southeast. A robot that can be taught to recognize weeds in North Dakota will have to be taught a different set of weeds that grow in Georgia, for example.
Grand Farm board member Kyle Courtney, who farms near Oakes, North Dakota, said the initiative will help field test practices “under a unified umbrella to help farmers make better decisions.”
North Dakota Monitor is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
North Dakota
West Fargo Fire Department to host ND Ethics Commission public meeting – KVRR Local News
BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR) — North Dakota Ethics Commission is getting out of its dingy office setting in Bismarck to hold a public meeting in West Fargo.
The stop is part of the commission’s commitment to accessibility and public engagement.
They are hitting the road on Friday, April 24 for a 9 a.m. meeting at West Fargo Fire Department.
You can learn about their work and listen to their discussions and decisions.
You can also take part in the newly adopted public comment period.
Dr. Cynthia Lindquist, Chair of the Commission, says they want to meet people where they are and make it easier for North Dakotans to engage.
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