One Vote Difference in Proposed Shirvani Buyout - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

The North Dakota Senate has rejected a proposal to buy out the contract of University System Chancellor Hamid Shirvani.

The amendment hasn't been a big secret, it's been drafted for weeks.

But as Donnell Preskey reports, today the issue got it's first debate.

It's a proposal that has been like a big elephant in the Senate chamber... Every Senator here has known about Senator Tony Grindberg's amendment to buy out the ND Chancellor, but not until today has the issue been discussed.

"The board says this is what the legislature asked for. Did you ask for this?" says Republican Sen. Tony Grindberg of Fargo.

Grindberg says he's frustrated with Dr. Hamid Shirvani's vision for North Dakota's college and universities.

Grindberg's amendment would give the board of higher education $850,000 if they want to buy out Shirvani's contract.

"Gives them the option to change course if continues down this path,"says Grindber.

Currently the board backs the Chancellor.

However, the North Dakota Student Association recently gave Shirvani a vote of "no confidence".

"Their decision is unprecedented in the state of North Dakota," says Grindberg.

"I vote with students of ND on this measure," says Republican Sen. Karen Krebsbach of Minot.

"I am disturbed to see process and changes taking place without input from stakeholders," say Democratic Sen. Connie Triplett of Grand Forks.

But the Senate is split on how to deal with the issue.. Shirvani was hired less than a year ago.

 "Give him some time to work it out," says  Republican Sen. Joe Miller of Park River.

"First time we have a chancellor and board working on system give it a chance to work out before interfere," says Republican Sen. John Andrist of Crosby.

Senator Andrist reminded the legislature, it was this body that created the board and chancellor to oversee Higher Education in the state. Yet, lawmakers seem to be hard to please...

"Do we really want power of population to run education? Think making dreadful mistake," says Andrist.

"The legislature needs to decide if want a board of higher ed and or run it themselves,"says Republican Sen. Howard Anderson of Turtle Lake.

The amendment failed by one vote 23-24.

Grindberg says the close vote sends the message to the board and chancellor, the legislature is concerned and is watching them closely.

The ND Senate approved the budget for the North Dakota University System.

It changes how the state's 11 institutions will be funded, paying them based on credits completed.

The bill also includes funding of many one time campus projects and differed maintainance.