Valley City Times-Record - Letters To The Editor

An open letter to the North Dakota Board

Wednesday, 09 April 2008

An open letter to the North Dakota Board
of Higher Education:

Letter from Bonnie Ranum
Valley City, N.D.
   This letter is in response to the Higher Ed Board’s decision to disregard the FBI background check on the finalists for the position for the presidency of Valley City State University. First of all, let me see if the facts I read in the news are correct:
   1. You rejected a firm recommendation from the committee specifically searching for Dr. Chaffee’s replacement to do a full FBI background check.
   2. You have a good understanding of the importance this issue has to the community of Valley City after the debacle of Mr. Gibbs’ background checks and yet you disregarded the advice of the committee representing the university in this city.
   3. Your attorney, Mr. Seaworth, said, “The risk that a candidate for a college or university presidency would be living under an assumed identity is small.”
   4. Another quote by your attorney was: “All these people have been in positions where they’re going to have been in the public eye”
   5. The Board of Higher Education approved a new criminal background check policy last year but it didn’t state what that policy contained.
   6. Finally, “other presidents thought that requiring FBI checks might discourage candidates.”
   Now, assuming I have the talking points correct, let’s look at them from the perspective of residents of the community in which you are looking to place this person:
   1. When you are seeking to place someone who will be living in, interacting with, and having an important impact on the lives of our young people and our community, it behooves you to listen to those who have the best interest of them in mind.   2. The murder of Mindy Morgenstern by Mr. Gibbs triggered legislation that was thoroughly thought out and testified to before your state legislature and found worthy of passage.   3. Is Mr. Seaworth going to assume all responsibility for the “small risk” he is willing to take? I personally don’t want him to make that assessment for my community or me. His definition of a “small risk” may not be good enough. Also, his term, “an assumed name” seems incorrect. Mr. Gibbs did not simply “assume” his new identity; he was awarded that new name in a court of law. It was all very legal and correct. A fingerprint check was needed to show his previous convictions under his given name or all previous names.
   4. Mr. Seaworth seems to be under the impression that “being in the public eye” means that one couldn’t possibly have anything to hide in one’s background. That didn’t seem to prove true in the recent case of the governor of New York, did it? Consider, $80,000 spent on prostitutes while “in the public eye” didn’t seem to hamper his behavior one bit, did it? Perhaps those “in the know” in that case were as sure of their decisions as your board and your attorney, Mr. Seaworth are.
   5. What exactly IS your new background check policy that you approved last year? What situations did you list as exempt from fingerprint checks? Is it only janitorial staff that needs such checks? The professors? The students obtaining certain degrees? Should those who are ultimately responsible for the safety and well-being of everyone on that campus be above the legislation passed by our state government last year? Is your board willing to put themselves above that piece of legislation brought on by the murder of my son’s girlfriend and a student of the same university whose presidency you are trying to fill? Your arrogance and lack of thought in this matter is inexcusable.
   5. The final point I will address is the issue of some candidates not appreciating having their backgrounds checked to such a degree. Those of us testifying for this bill discussed this topic at length during the legislative session. The consensus reached by all involved, including law enforcement, was that if background checks are part of the policy, those who don’t want such action taken simply need not apply. Those that are applying for positions at this level who are offended by such checks are not thinking in terms of what is best for the institution or community they seek to serve.
   We are looking for the best candidate of those seeking the position. With that in mind, let’s not overlook good legislation that was voted into law for the welfare and protection of the citizens of the state of North Dakota that you have been asked to serve by being on this board.

Obama deserves sincere apology

Tuesday, 08 April 2008

Letter from Jon Bredal
Wolf Creek, Ore.
In the 1930s, my father Warren Pederson played basketball at Valley City State University with an African-American named Eddie Spriggs. When we were children, he told us about the prejudice that Eddie had to endure throughout the state at that time. In the latter part of his career, my dad devoted his life to bringing opportunity and equal treatment to Native Americans and Hispanics. If he were alive today, he would be deeply saddened by the event at NDSU in which students mocked and degraded presidential candidate Barack Obama. Knowing my dad, he would probably start a letter writing campaign, urging North Dakotans to express their sorrow and regret over the incident and to offer Sen. Obama a sincere apology. He would also remind us that true community begins with empathy, understanding, connection and support for all people.