2009-2011 North Dakota Budget Summary

Prepared by the North Dakota Legislative Council
staff
Beginning Balance and Revenues
Legislative budget estimate of unobligated general fund cash balance - July 1, 2009 $321,483,491 1
Add 2009-11 estimated revenues
Proposed executive budget general fund revenues $2,783,873,000
Legislative revenue changes
Major increases
HB 1279 - Reduces individual income tax rates (executive recommendation) (Defeated) 100,000,000
SB 2199 - Provides for a transfer from the permanent oil tax trust fund 295,000,000
SB 2014 - Increases the transfer from the State Mill and Elevator 4,479,128
Major decreases
February 2009 revenue forecast revision (93,002,000)
HB 1209 - Provides individual income tax credit for long-term health care premiums (Passed) (1,500,000)
HB 1256 - Provides an income tax reduction for certain qualified dividends (Passed) (4,600,000)
HB 1317 - Reduces the pull tab excise tax (Passed) (3,683,070)
HB 1324 - Reduces individual income tax rates for tax years 2010 and 2011 (Effect reflected under SB 2199)
(2,500,000)
HB 1485 - Maintains the general fund share of oil and gas taxes at $71 million (Defeated) (39,000,000)
SB 2004 - Provides for emergency medical services grants (1,500,000)
SB 2012 - Decreases the general fund share of motor vehicle excise taxes (Conference Committee) (30,464,750)
SB 2013 - Reduces the transfer from the lands and minerals trust fund (Conference Committee) (8,500,000)
SB 2014 - Removes the transfer from the Bank of North Dakota (60,000,000)
SB 2040 - Provides a sales and use tax exemption for telecommunications infrastructure (Passed) (4,738,000)
SB 2184 - Excludes manufacturer incentives and discounts from motor vehicle excise tax (Passed) (4,416,000)
SB 2199 - Reduces individual and corporate income taxes (Passed) (100,000,000)
SB 2221 - Creates a credit against coal conversion privilege taxes (Passed) (7,420,000)
Other increases (decreases) (2,981,894)
Total legislative changes affecting revenues $35,173,414
Total estimated general fund revenues and beginning balance - 2009-11 $3,140,529,905
Appropriations
Executive budget general fund appropriations - 2009-11 $3,110,921,665
Legislative appropriations changes
Major increases
SB 2199 - Property tax relief (Conference Committee) 295,000,000
SB 2030 - State Penitentiary project 28,465,804
SB 2018 - Department of Commerce 13,171,831
SB 2444 - Flood disaster relief (Passed) 12,500,000
SB 2025 - Veterans' Home construction 7,944,991
HB 1350 - Grant for construction of applied energy research center (Passed) 5,000,000
HB 1006 - State Tax Commissioner (Conference Committee) 4,028,795
3,389,414
HB 1400 - Education programs 2,800,000
SB 2201 - Property tax credit for disabled veterans (Conference Committee) 3,000,000
SB 2332 - North Dakota Health Information Technology Steering Committee 2,250,000
SB 2225 - Child care provider grants (Conference Committee) 1,820,000
SB 2020 - Agricultural research and extension services 1,540,000
HB 1020 - State Water Commission 1,330,701
HB 1540 - Reimbursement of economic assistance programs in Indian counties 1,215,650
HB 1043 - Dementia care services program (Passed) 1,200,000
SB 2333 - Local public health unit immunizations 1,200,000
HB 1019 - Parks and Recreation Department (Conference Committee) 1,118,091
Major decreases
SB 2012 - Department of Transportation (Conference Committee) (115,400,000)
SB 2003 - North Dakota University System (42,045,804)
HB 1012 - Department of Human Services (33,104,539)
SB 2015 - Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (30,584,934)
HB 1013 - Department of Public Instruction (8,501,138)
HB 1015 - Office of Management and Budget (8,545,191)
SB 2009 - State Fair (8,000,000)
SB 2014 - Industrial Commission (6,041,542)
SB 2021 - Information Technology Department (Conference Committee) (2,329,074)
Other increases (decreases) net 2,103,225
Total legislative changes affecting appropriations $134,526,280
Total 2009-11 general fund appropriations $3,245,447,945
Estimated Ending Balance
Estimated budget status general fund balance - June 30, 2011 ($104,918,040)
April 30, 2009
AS OF APRIL 29, 2009
2009-11 BUDGET STATUS SUMMARY
SB 2075 - Veterans' Home improvements (Passed)
HB 1428 - Raises the maximum aggregate income tax credit for renaissance zone investments (Passed)

Swine Flu

CMS asks that you share this important information with all of your association members and State and local chapters. Thanks!



For the most current information about swine flu, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at: www.cdc.gov/swineflu. You will find consumer and provider fact sheets, current information, and steps you can take to protect yourself against infection.

At the CDC site you will also be able to download a widgit that you can post to your own website to help your membership get the most current and accurate information.









Lucretia James

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Region VIII

1600 Broadway, Suite 700

Denver, CO 80202

(303) 844-1568

lucretia.james@cms.hhs.gov

Swine Flu

CMS asks that you share this important information with all of your association members and State and local chapters. Thanks!



For the most current information about swine flu, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at: www.cdc.gov/swineflu. You will find consumer and provider fact sheets, current information, and steps you can take to protect yourself against infection.

At the CDC site you will also be able to download a widgit that you can post to your own website to help your membership get the most current and accurate information.









Lucretia James

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Region VIII

1600 Broadway, Suite 700

Denver, CO 80202

(303) 844-1568

lucretia.james@cms.hhs.gov

National Teacher Education Organization

AACTE Weekly News Briefs | April 28, 2009
. . . delivered to your inbox so you can enjoy up-to-date news on colleges of education, teaching and the classroom, campaigns, legislation, STEM teacher issues, international teacher issues, grants, and upcoming events. Please click on linked headlines for full story.


AACTE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Update on the Teacher Quality Partnership Grant Competition
The U.S. Department of Education is in the final stages of clearing the application for the TQP grant competition and anticipates that it will be released between May 4 and 11. AACTE has received hundreds of questions related to the program. Many of the answers can be found on the site from our March 19 webinar on the TQP program. The Department is also in the final stages of developing a web page for the grants, which should contain additional answers. If you have a question or concern in the meantime, you can contact the Department directly at tqpartnership@ed.gov.

Diez, Stiggins, Popham to Address Assessment (AACTE web conference)
A multiday AACTE web conference May 5-7 will focus on assessment preparation and assessment literacy for initial teacher candidates within the preservice program. Along with members of AACTE's Committee on Professional Preparation and Accountability, Mary Diez, Rick Stiggins, and James Popham will present "What Every Teacher Educator Should Know About 21st-Century Assessment Strategies." Don't miss Stiggins' presentation on "Preparing Teachers to Use Assessment to Support Learning and Verify Learning Success" and Popham's insights on "Cracking the Preservice Assessment Barrier." Registration closes Monday, May 4, at 12 noon EDT.

Learn About the New Accountability Provisions in Title II of HEOA (AACTE webinar)
Title II of the Higher Education Act requires all higher-education based educator preparation programs and states to report on the quality of their teacher candidates and to describe their preparation programs. The statute was significantly revised in 2008, which will affect how institutions collect data for the report cards. The U.S. Department of Education has released drafts of the revised institutional report card and state report cards, and the public has until June 8 to submit comments on these drafts. Join AACTE and Allison Henderson of Westat, the Department's contractor for data collection, to learn more about the new requirements in the statute and to review the draft report cards. This webinar, to be held May 14, 2:00-3:30 p.m. EDT, is ideal for the staff/faculty at your institution who submit the Title II report cards.

FREE Access to Archived Webinar on Closing the Achievement Gap for Children in Foster Care (AACTE webinar)
Access this free webinar anytime through June 30! "Tutor Connection: Closing the Educational Achievement Gap for Children in Foster Care" is sponsored by the Casey Family Programs. Tutor Connection has provided 1,240 student teachers from California State University-San Marcos to work directly with children in foster care to improve academic performance. Hear about the results for over 1,500 foster care youth who have participated in this program and learn more about the roles that Departments of Education can play in positively impacting this unique and often invisible population.

FREE Holocaust Institute for Teacher Educators
In cooperation with AACTE, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum will host the third annual Holocaust Institute for Teacher Educators June 1-5. There is no registration fee for this institute, to be held at the museum in Washington, DC. Participants are responsible for travel, hotel, and other expenses.

Register Now for AACTE's Day on the Hill
AACTE's 2009 Day on the Hill will take place June 17-18 in Washington, DC. This is AACTE's premier advocacy event! Come to DC to meet with your members of Congress and to tell them about the good work you do. This year's theme is "Innovation and Reform in Teacher Preparation." For more information, please contact Mary Harrill-McClellan at mharrill@aacte.org.

New AACTE Leadership Academy
Two of AACTE's yearly professional development conferences, the Leadership Institute for Department Chairs and the New Deans Institute, will be combined in 2009 to create an exciting educational opportunity. With the goal of sustaining the teacher education profession by providing powerful learning and networking tools, AACTE's new Leadership Academy is an essential event for new deans, department chairs, and other educational administrators to attend. This event will take place June 28 - July 3 in St. Louis, Missouri. Click here to view the 2009 Leadership Academy brochure. Registration deadline: May 28.

Last Call for Volunteers
Share your expertise – Gain national visibility – Develop your network – Enhance the profession
Time is running out to volunteer for exciting leadership opportunities at AACTE! Through this Friday, May 1, we are accepting the following:
- Nominations and volunteer applications to serve on AACTE's Board of Directors and Standing Committees
- Session proposals for the 2010 AACTE Annual Meeting & Exhibits in Atlanta, Georgia

In addition, your chance to provide commentary on the 2010 resolutions is drawing to a close. Take this opportunity for input on any or all of the 13 resolutions due to expire next February. By Friday, May 15, let us know your stance on the issues to be addressed:
- Accountability
- Global Diversity
- Government Relations
- Innovation and Technology
- Professional Development
To leave feedback online, visit the Briefs web page, or direct your comments to anyone serving on AACTE's standing committees. Faculty, staff, and Institutional Representatives may respond to this call for comments on member resolutions. You are the strength of this member-driven association!


NATIONAL NEWS

School Reform Means Doing What's Best for Kids
From the Wall Street Journal (Op-Ed by Arne Duncan)
As states and school districts across America begin drawing down the first $44 billion in education funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, they should bear in mind the core levers of change under the law. In order to drive reform, we will require an honest assessment by states of key issues like teacher quality, student performance, college-readiness and the number of charter schools. And when we can link student outcomes to teacher quality and teachers to their colleges of education, we can challenge these institutions to do the best possible job in preparing a new generation of outstanding educators. Without the data, we cannot even have the conversation, let alone discuss solutions.

Study Tallies Education Gap's Effect on GDP
From the Wall Street Journal
Closing the educational-achievement gap between the U.S. and higher-performing nations such as Finland and South Korea could boost U.S. gross domestic product by as much as $2.3 trillion, or about 16%, according to a new study by McKinsey & Co., the international consulting concern. The report, which used a formula McKinsey helped develop to link educational achievement to economic output, also estimated closing the gap in the U.S. between white students and their black and Latino peers could increase annual GDP by as much as an additional $525 billion, or about 4%.

Obama Signs $5.7 Billion National Service Bill
From the Cleveland Plain Dealer
President Barack Obama is calling on Americans to serve their country, signing a $5.7 billion national service bill April 21. The bill triples the size of the AmeriCorps service program over the next eight years, and offers new ways for students to earn money for college. The legislation outlines five broad categories where people can direct their service: improving education, strengthening access to health care, assisting veterans, helping the poor, and encouraging energy efficiency.

Where the Jobs Are: Teaching
From Forbes
It's a field that's bound to grow no matter the state of the economy. Many school districts across the country, particularly in Florida and California, are contending with budget cuts and the threat of layoffs, but people in the field expect them to start hiring again, and heavily, before too long.

Soapbox: Raise the Educational Bar
From the Financial Times
Unlike most other developed countries, the U.S. does not have national academic standards outlining what each student must learn to graduate from high school. In fact, it is the opposite, with each of the 50 states setting the bar wherever it wants—and, in many states, that is too low. Since NCLB threatened draconian intervention and loss of funding if targets were not met, states had incentives to forgo more rigorous standards in favor of ones districts were more likely to meet.

Invoking the Sputnik Era, Obama Vows Record Outlays for Research
From the New York Times
In a speech Monday at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, President Obama presented a vision of a new era in research financing comparable to the Sputnik-period space race, in which intensified scientific inquiry, and development of the intellectual capacity to pursue it, are a top national priority. He provided fresh detail on an initiative, already included in the economics stimulus bill, creating a $5 billion "Race to the Top" fund available to states doing the most to increase the ranks of trained science and math teachers.


NEWS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY

Poor Neighborhoods, Untested Teachers
From the Washington Post
Students in the region's poorest neighborhoods are nearly twice as likely to have a new or second-year teacher as those in the wealthiest, a Washington Post analysis has found. The pattern means some of the neediest students attend schools that double as teacher training grounds. Experts say an effective teacher is key to raising academic achievement. Yet some disadvantaged students can spend years in classrooms led by untested recruits.

Washington State to Require Teacher Performance Assessment
The Washington State Legislature passed a bill April 20 requiring the state's Professional Education Standards Board to develop a proposal for a new teacher performance assessment. The proposal, due in January 2010, must outline "a uniform, statewide, valid, and reliable classroom-based means of evaluating teacher effectiveness as a culminating measure at the preservice level that is to be used during the student-teaching field experience. This assessment shall include multiple measures of teacher performance in classrooms, evidence of positive impact on student learning, and shall include review of artifacts, such as use of a variety of assessment and instructional strategies, and student work."

Ideas for Closing Teacher Gap
From the Baltimore Sun
Every year, Maryland public schools need to hire 500 math, science and technology teachers. But the state's colleges and universities produce only about 175 qualified applicants, which often leads to unqualified teachers staffing math and science classes, particularly in the poorest schools. William E. Kirwan, chancellor of the University System of Maryland, says the system has a "moral responsibility" to help close the gap. Kirwan will require the campus presidents reporting to him to develop plans and target numbers of qualified graduates, and he said he'll hold them accountable.

Higher Education Hits Lean Times
From the Charleston Post and Courier
South Carolina slashed funding to public colleges and universities by more than 25 percent this year—likely the largest decline in the nation. After years of declining funding, students are beginning to doubt the state's commitment to higher education, said Seaton Brown, a College of Charleston senior and student body president. "They're driving away all their customers," he said. "If students can't afford school here, they'll go to other states." Colleges and universities are operating at 1995 funding levels, not adjusted for inflation.

State Ups Ante to Lure Teachers: Math, Science Educators' Pay Gets a Boost
From the Athens Banner-Herald
Georgia is sweetening the pot to lure badly needed math and science teachers to its classrooms. Gov. Sonny Perdue recently signed legislation to boost salaries for secondary school teachers with proper math or science certification. The pay hike would begin next year. The state faces a "critical shortage" of the specialized teachers, Perdue said.


OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

Call for Papers - JUSTEC 2009
The Japan-United States Teacher Education Consortium (JUSTEC) is a professional organization of Japanese and American teacher educators. The group has held an annual meeting, the JUSTEC Seminar, every year for the past 20 years. The seminar is a forum for the exchange of research, best practice, and policy papers on teacher education issues of interest in both countries. Papers on a wide range of topics are presented, including teacher quality, pedagogy, issues of diversity, professional development of teachers, and technology, to name a few. This year's forum will take place September 17-20 at the University of Hawaii-Manoa. The proposal submission deadline is May 15.

NBPTS Seeks Reviewers for Library Media Standards
The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) is accepting applications for the committee responsible for reviewing and revising its Library Media standards. Please visit the NBPTS Standards Committees web page for information on the duties and responsibilities of a standards committee member and to begin the application process. The application is open through May 15, 5:00 p.m. EDT. For assistance or additional information, contact NBPTS at nominations@nbpts.org.

U.S. Department of Education Invites Comments on the HEOA Title II Reporting Forms on Teacher Quality and Preparation
The U.S. Department of Education recently released the draft institutional and state report card forms required of the accountability provisions in Title II of the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA). The public may comment on these forms by June 8. Title II of HEOA requires institutions of higher education that prepare teachers to provide annual reports on how these teacher candidates perform on certification/licensure exams; goals that the institution has set for preparing teachers in key shortage areas; assurances for how institutions are preparing all candidates to be successful in the classroom; and descriptions of how preparation programs are structured. AACTE encourages its members to respond to this call for comment.

Peer Reviewers Wanted for U.S. Teacher Quality Partnership Grant Competition
The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII) is seeking peer reviewers for the upcoming Teacher Quality Partnership grant competition. The Teacher Quality Partnership Program is authorized under the Higher Education Act, as amended by the Higher Education Opportunities Act of 2008. OII is seeking persons with teaching and leadership experience at the early childhood, elementary, middle, high school, and college/university levels to serve as application reviewers for this grant competition.

FIPSE Seeks Reviewers with Expertise in Community Colleges and Adult Education
FIPSE anticipates a demand for proposal reviewers for FY 2009 with expertise in community college and adult education. Reviewers are generally asked to read 5-10 proposals and are compensated for their efforts. The Office of Postsecondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education requires that all field readers have a bachelor's or higher degree. If you are interested in being a proposal reviewer, please register at http://opeweb.ed.gov/frs/register.cfm and select to read for the "Comprehensive Grant Program." For more information about all FIPSE grant programs and new initiatives, visit www.ed.gov/fipse.

Resources Available on Postsecondary Education for Individuals With Developmental Disabilities
The U.S. Department of Education's Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) funds TATRA, the Technical Assistance on Transition and the Rehabilitation Act Project (a Parent Information and Training Program), to focus on helping families prepare youth with disabilities for employment and independent living. Projects provide information and training on transition planning, the adult service system, and strategies that prepare youth for successful employment, postsecondary education, and independent living outcomes. For more information, visit http://www.pacer.org/tatra/.
An online clearinghouse on postsecondary education for individuals with disabilities is provided at the HEATH Resource Center, based at the George Washington University Graduate School of Education and Human Development. Focus areas include educational support services, policies, procedures, adaptations, and opportunities at American campuses, career-technical schools, and other postsecondary training entities. HEATH also has published a Guidance and Career Counselors Toolkit: Advising High School Students with Disabilities on Postsecondary Options and has compiled a list of summer precollege programs as a resource for students with disabilities who are seeking ways to prepare for college and enhance college performance. Visit http://www.heath.gwu.edu/ for more information.

Opportunity for Future Educators to Teach in France
From The University of Akron
Applications are available for secondary education teacher candidates, with prior French language study, seeking licensure in social studies, language arts, science, math, Spanish, and physical education to participate in a teaching seminar and practicum in France – August to December 2009. Housing, airfare and living stipend are provided to participants through a grant from the U.S. Department of State.


Kristin K. McCabe, Editor
American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education
1307 New York Ave., NW Suite 300
Washington, DC 20005
(207) 899-1309
kmccabe@aacte.org

Minot State University Faculty Senate At-Large Elections

Annual University At-large election results:

Faculty Senate (3 three-year positions):
Mehdi Tehrani, Michael Duffy & Jane laPlante

Academic Assessment Committee (1 three-year position):
Draza Markovic

Academic Policies Committee (1 three-year position):
Judy Swanson

Committee for the Peer Review of Teaching (1 three-year position):
Marita Hoffart

Constitutional Review Committee (1 three-year position):
Allen Kihm

Curricular Diversity & Campus Climate Committee (1 three-year position):
Margaret Sherve

Curriculum Committee (1 three-year position):
John Webster

Faculty Rights Committee (2 three-year positions):
Harold Nelson
Steve Hayton

Promotion Committee (2 three-year positions):
Alex Deufel
Tom Seymour

Tenure Committee (1 three-year position):
Linda Schaeffer

Council of College Faculties: 1 representative (three-year term):
John Girard
1 alternate (one –year term): Kristi Berg

Council on Foreign Relations

CFR STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS CONFERENCE CALL SERIES

Global Imbalances and the Financial Crisis

Wednesday, May 6
4:00 to 4:30 p.m. (ET)

with

Steven Dunaway
Adjunct Senior Fellow for International Economics, CFR

On behalf of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), I invite you to participate in the next session of the CFR State and Local Officials Conference Call series on Wednesday, May 6, 4:00 to 4:30 p.m. (ET). To continue our series on the global economic crisis, Steven Dunaway, adjunct senior fellow for international economics at CFR, will discuss his Council Special Report "Global Imbalances and the Financial Crisis." The report argues that policymakers must go beyond stimulus packages and financial bailouts to address one of the root causes of today's financial crisis: imbalances between savings and investment in major countries.

Prior to joining CFR, Dr. Dunaway spent twenty-five years at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), where he held a wide variety of country assignments ranging from Australia and New Zealand to Indonesia and the Philippines. From November 2001 to December 2008, he was primarily responsible for directing the IMF's country work on China and headed the IMF's consultation missions with the Chinese government. Prior to working at the IMF, Dr. Dunaway worked for ten years at the Bureau of Economic Analysis in the U.S. Department of Commerce doing analysis and forecasting of U.S. international transactions.

Please reply to this email or call Jessica Brandt at 212.434.9573 if you would like to participate in this interactive exchange, and we will send you the toll free dial-in number and password. This invitation is transferable, but limited to state and local leaders and their staff; we invite you to forward this to any colleagues who might be interested in participating.
______________________________________________________________

The CFR State and Local Officials Conference Call Series connects officials in leadership positions at the state and local level, and/or their senior staff, with CFR experts and authors of CFR publications. Each call provides a nonpartisan forum for discussion on a timely international issue of local importance.

As part of this initiative, we are pleased to offer a discounted subscription to Foreign Affairs journal, America's most influential publication on international affairs and foreign policy, at $19.95 per year. For more information, please visit: http://www.foreignaffairs.org/outreachcfr.

To unsubscribe from CFR State and Local Officials Conference Call announcements, please reply to outreach@cfr.org with "unsubscribe" in the body of the email.

Irina A. Faskianos
Vice President, National Program & Outreach
Council on Foreign Relations
58 East 68th Street, New York, New York 10065
tel 212.434.9465 cell 201.463.4515 fax 212.434.9829
ifaskianos@cfr.org www.cfr.org

Dr. Tom Seymour Has A Journal Article to Review

Dear Dr. Tom Seymour,



Thank you for serving on the Editorial Review Board of the International Journal of Mobile Communications (IJMC, ISSN 1470-949X).



Attached is a manuscript IJMC6678 submitted for possible publication in IJMC. As always, the quality of the review will ultimately determine the quality of the journal. We would greatly appreciate that you could review and evaluate its potential for publication in IJMC, and email me at jwei@uwf.edu a critique (free-form essay-type review in the range of 1-2 pages as a Word file attachment) by May 30, 2009. Please do not send me any hard copy. We need your specific comments to ensure that the author(s) receive fair consideration. All reviewers are double blind; only the editor knows the identity of both authors and reviewers. Please do not release your identity in your review report. We will be sharing your comments on an anonymous basis with the authors of the submitted manuscript. I am positive that the authors would greatly appreciate your constructive and candid comments on this submission.



Kindly acknowledge receipt of this email please.



If you do not believe you will be able to return your evaluation to me no later than 05/30/09 please also let me know as soon as possible, so I can assign another reviewer.



The IJMC is proud to have you evaluate manuscripts submitted for possible publication. IJMC's Guidelines for Submissions may be found at www.inderscience.com/ijmc . If you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me at jwei@uwf.edu . Thank you for serving as a reviewer for IJMC.



Sincerely,


June



Dr. June Wei

Associate Professor

Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Mobile Communications www.inderscience.com/ijmc

Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Electronic Finance www.inderscience.com/ijef

College of Business, Building 76 Room 116, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL 32514 USA

Phone: 850-474-2771, Fax: 850-474-2314, Email: jwei@uwf.edu

North Dakota Legislative Conference Committees on April 27, 2009

Conference Committee Hearing Schedule
Sixty-First Legislative Assembly Of North Dakota
»North Dakota Legislative Branch
Updated 08:30pm on April 26 , 2009

Bill/Res. No. Hearing Date/Time Location/Members/Description

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HB1014 04/27 09:00 AM Roughrider: Ground Floor Capitol Tower
Representatives: Bellew L. (Chair), Kreidt G., Kerzman J.
Senators: Grindberg T., Krebsbach K., Seymour T.

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HB1216 04/27 09:00 AM Fort Lincoln: Ground Floor Legislative Wing
Representatives: DeKrey D. (Chair), Porter T., Hunskor B.
Senators: Lyson S., Freborg L., Schneider M.

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HB1295 04/27 09:00 AM Fort Totten: Ground Floor Legislative Wing
Representatives: Weisz R. (Chair), Kelsch R., Delmore L.
Senators: Nodland G., Lee G., Potter T.

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HB1377 04/27 09:00 AM Medora: Ground Floor Legislative Wing
Representatives: Thoreson B. (Chair), Skarphol B., Kaldor L.
Senators: Fischer T., Holmberg R., Robinson L.

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HB1554 04/27 09:00 AM Prairie: Second Floor Legislative Council
Representatives: Koppelman K. (Chair), Headland C., Kelsh J.
Senators: Cook D., Dever D., Nelson C.

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HB1012 04/27 09:30 AM Roughrider: Ground Floor Capitol Tower
Representatives: Pollert C. (Chair), Bellew L., Ekstrom M.
Senators: Kilzer R., Fischer T., Warner J.

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HB1016 04/27 09:30 AM Medora: Ground Floor Legislative Wing
Representatives: Kempenich K. (Chair), Thoreson B., Glassheim E.
Senators: Grindberg T., Wardner R., Lindaas E.

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HB1057 04/27 09:30 AM Fort Union: Ground Floor Legislative Wing
Representatives: Kasper J. (Chair), Nathe M., Amerman B.
Senators: Dever D., Cook D., Horne R.

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HB1509 04/27 09:30 AM Pioneer: Ground Floor Judicial Wing
Representatives: DeKrey D. (Chair), Damschen C., Kelsh S.
Senators: Hogue D., Erbele R., Schneider M.

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SB2038 04/27 09:30 AM Missouri River: Ground Floor Legislative Wing
Senators: Flakoll T. (Chair), Lee G., Bakke J.
Representatives: Skarphol B., Kelsch R., Williams C.

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HB1368 04/27 10:00 AM Peace Garden: Ground Floor Legislative Wing
Representatives: Johnson N. (Chair), Sukut G., Schneider J.
Senators: Hogue D., Miller J., Anderson A.

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SB2020 04/27 10:00 AM Harvest: Ground Floor Capitol Tower
Senators: Bowman B. (Chair), Holmberg R., Lindaas E.
Representatives: Skarphol B., Hawken K., Onstad K.

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SB2162 04/27 10:00 AM Red River: Ground Floor Capitol Tower
Senators: Dever D. (Chair), Erbele R., Pomeroy J.
Representatives: Weisz R., Porter T., Conrad K.

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SB2178 04/27 10:00 AM Fort Lincoln: Ground Floor Legislative Wing
Senators: Lyson S. (Chair), Nething D., Fiebiger T.
Representatives: Wieland A., Nelson J., Kerzman J.

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HB1005 04/27 10:30 AM Medora: Ground Floor Legislative Wing
Representatives: Dosch M. (Chair), Kempenich K., Meyer S.
Senators: Fischer T., Grindberg T., Robinson L.

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HB1347 04/27 10:30 AM Prairie: Second Floor Legislative Council
Representatives: Koppelman K. (Chair), Boehning R., Zaiser S.
Senators: Lyson S., Nething D., Schneider M.

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SB2007 04/27 10:30 AM Harvest: Ground Floor Capitol Tower
Senators: Kilzer R. (Chair), Bowman B., Mathern T.
Representatives: Kreidt G., Nelson J., Metcalf R.

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SB2199 04/27 10:30 AM Lewis & Clark: Ground Floor Legislative Wing
Senators: Cook D. (Chair), Hogue D., Anderson A.
Representatives: Belter W., Drovdal D., Kelsh S.

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SB2333 04/27 10:30 AM Red River: Ground Floor Capitol Tower
Senators: Lee J. (Chair), Krebsbach K., Heckaman J.
Representatives: Pollert C., Weisz R., Ekstrom M.

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HB1009 04/27 11:00 AM Sakakawea: Ground Floor Capitol Tower
Representatives: Klein M. (Chair), Martinson B., Onstad K.
Senators: Bowman B., Fischer T., Krauter A.

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SB2001 04/27 11:00 AM Harvest: Ground Floor Capitol Tower
Senators: Christmann R. (Chair), Holmberg R., Seymour T.
Representatives: Delzer J., Thoreson B., Meyer S.

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HB1013 04/27 01:30 PM Sakakawea: Ground Floor Capitol Tower
Representatives: Skarphol B. (Chair), Wald F., Kroeber J.
Senators: Holmberg R., Wardner R., Robinson L.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SB2015 04/27 01:30 PM Harvest: Ground Floor Capitol Tower
Senators: Fischer T. (Chair), Christmann R., Krauter A.
Representatives: Wieland A., Pollert C., Metcalf R.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SB2277 04/27 01:30 PM Missouri River: Ground Floor Legislative Wing
Senators: Dever D. (Chair), Krebsbach K., Nelson C.
Representatives: Dosch M., Grande B., Conklin T.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HB1022 04/27 02:00 PM Medora: Ground Floor Legislative Wing
Representatives: Berg R. (Chair), Dosch M., Meyer S.
Senators: Krebsbach K., Wardner R., Seymour T.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HB1324 04/27 02:00 PM Fort Totten: Ground Floor Legislative Wing
Representatives: Belter W. (Chair), Headland C., Kelsh S.
Senators: Miller J., Cook D., Anderson A.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SB2018 04/27 02:00 PM Harvest: Ground Floor Capitol Tower
Senators: Grindberg T. (Chair), Holmberg R., Robinson L.
Representatives: Delzer J., Thoreson B., Kaldor L.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HB1004 04/27 02:30 PM Medora: Ground Floor Legislative Wing
Representatives: Thoreson B. (Chair), Kempenich K., Glassheim E.
Senators: Wardner R., Bowman B., Krauter A.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SB2003 04/27 02:30 PM Harvest: Ground Floor Capitol Tower
Senators: Holmberg R. (Chair), Krebsbach K., Robinson L.
Representatives: Skarphol B., Martinson B., Williams C.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HCR3054 04/27 02:30 PM Prairie: Second Floor Legislative Council
Representatives: Koppelman K. (Chair), Weiler D., Schneider J.
Senators: Hogue D., Oehlke D., Triplett C.
Relating to establishment and use of a ND Legacy Fund

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SB2198 04/27 03:00 PM Red River: Ground Floor Capitol Tower
Senators: Lee J. (Chair), Erbele R., Heckaman J.
Representatives: Pietsch V., Nathe M., Conklin T.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SB2014 04/27 03:30 PM Harvest: Ground Floor Capitol Tower
Senators: Wardner R. (Chair), Christmann R., Krauter A.
Representatives: Thoreson B., Berg R., Kaldor L.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SB2011 04/27 04:30 PM Harvest: Ground Floor Capitol Tower
Senators: Wardner R. (Chair), Krebsbach K., Warner J.
Representatives: Thoreson B., Dosch M., Glassheim E.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SB2022 04/27 05:00 PM Harvest: Ground Floor Capitol Tower
Senators: Bowman B. (Chair), Krebsbach K., Lindaas E.
Representatives: Klein M., Hawken K., Williams C.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SB2010 04/27 05:30 PM Harvest: Ground Floor Capitol Tower
Senators: Kilzer R. (Chair), Fischer T., Seymour T.
Representatives: Bellew L., Kreidt G., Ekstrom M.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back to top » Contact Legislative Council » Legislative Council Home

View Dr. Tom Seymour's Web site

http://seymour-senate.us

Education Review in the United States

ED REVIEW
April 24, 2009

...a bi-weekly update on U.S. Department of Education activities relevant to the Intergovernmental and Corporate community and other stakeholders
______________________________________________________________________
ARRA OUTREACH

On April 13, Secretary Duncan announced $108.8 million in new funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The funding includes $39.6 million in 180 Impact Aid Construction Grants (see http://www.ed.gov/programs/8007a/) for communities with military bases, Indian reservations, and federal property that do not generate local tax revenues, and $69.2 million in 52 Homeless Children and Youth Grants (see http://www.ed.gov/programs/homelessarra/) to help states and school districts meet the educational and related needs of homeless students. "Given our difficult economic circumstances, it's very important that targeted communities and at-risk populations benefit immediately from the ARRA," he said. "These [types of] investments will create jobs and boost local economies, while also helping raise student achievement." FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2009/04/04132009.html.

Then, this week, the Secretary announced the approval of the first round of state stabilization funding for three states: California, South Dakota, and Illinois. The State Fiscal Stabilization Fund will help save hundreds of thousands of teacher jobs at risk of state and local budget cuts and lay the foundation for a generation of education reform. To receive funding, governors must submit an application providing assurances that they will collect, publish, analyze, and act on basic information regarding, among other items, annual student improvements, college readiness, the quality of classroom teachers, the effectiveness of state standards and assessments, and interventions in turning around under-performing schools. States are also required to report on the number of jobs saved, the amount of state and local tax increases averted, and how funds are being used. The Department has pledged to release funding within two weeks after receiving acceptable state applications. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/programs/statestabilization/. (Note: Approved state applications are posted at http://www.ed.gov/programs/statestabilization/resources.html).

Detailing the three states, nearly $4 billion in state stabilization funding is now available for California (http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2009/04/04172009.html). To date, California had received $1.3 billion in total ARRA funding -- representing a combination of funds under Title I ($562 million), special education ($660 million), vocational rehabilitation ($28 million), independent living ($5 million), Impact Aid ($1.5 million), and homeless education ($14 million). Similarly, $85.4 million in state stabilization funding is now available for South Dakota (http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2009/04/04202009.html), with $38 million in ARRA funding awarded to date, and $1.4 billion in state stabilization funding is now available for Illinois (http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2009/04/04202009a.html), with $500 million in ARRA funding awarded to date.
______________________________________________________________________
ACHIEVEMENT GAP REPORT

Also this week, Secretary Duncan addressed education leaders from across the country on the release of "The Economic Impact of the Achievement Gap in America's Schools," a new report from McKinsey & Company. This report examines the dimensions of four gaps in education: (1) between the U.S. and other nations, (2) between African-American and Hispanic students and white students, (3) between students of different income levels, and (4) between similar students schooled in different regions or systems. It finds, notably, "The persistence of these educational achievement gaps imposes on the U.S. the economic equivalent of a permanent national recession." The Secretary encouraged attendees to "turn this great crisis into an opportunity." Specifically, he cited the importance of longitudinal data systems (funded by the ARRA) in creating transparency, connecting data to outcomes, and creating systemic change. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.mckinsey.com/achievementgap/.

Note: "Cities in Crisis: Closing the Graduation Gap," prepared by the America's Promise Alliance, shows the average high school graduation rate of the 50 largest cities (52.8%) is well below the national average of 70.6%. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.americaspromise.org/APAPage.aspx?id=13074.
______________________________________________________________________
FINANCIAL AID STUDY

The Department's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) recently released initial results from the 2008 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study. This study supplies the most comprehensive and up-to-date look at postsecondary student characteristics and student financial aid for the 2007-08 school year. Some findings:

Almost two-thirds (66%) of all undergraduates received some type of financial aid. For those receiving such aid, the total average amount was $9,100.
52% of all undergraduates received grant aid, and more than one-third (38%) obtained student loans. The average grant amount was $4,900, and the average loan amount was $7,100.
47% of all undergraduates received some type of federal student aid. About one-fourth (28%) received an average of $2,800 in federal Pell Grants, and more than one-third (35%) obtained an average of $5,100 in federal student loans.
Among undergraduates financially dependent on their parents, 28% came from families with incomes under $40,000, and another 28% came from families with incomes of $100,000 or more.
Nearly three-fourths (74%) of all graduate students received some type of financial aid, with an average amount of $17,600.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2009166.

Also: QuickStats (http://nces.ed.gov/datalab/quickstats/), a new NCES data tool, makes several postsecondary education datasets easily accessible to the public.
______________________________________________________________________
PRACTICE GUIDE

A new practice guide from the What Works Clearinghouse, "Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics: Response to Intervention (RtI) for Elementary and Middle Schools," offers eight recommendations to help educators use RtI for the early detection, prevention, and support of students struggling with this core subject. The guide also describes how to carry out the recommendations, as well as how to overcome potential roadblocks in implementing them. The National Mathematics Advisory Panel (see http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/mathpanel/) concluded that all students should receive preparation in math from an early age to ensure their later success in algebra. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/publications/practiceguides/#rti_math_pg.
______________________________________________________________________
NEW APPOINTMENTS

Secretary Duncan has announced the appointment of Peter Groff as Director for the Department's Faith-Based and Community Initiatives Center, Robert Shireman as Deputy Under Secretary of Education, and Massie Ritsch as Deputy Assistant Secretary for External Affairs and Outreach. Groff will help empower faith-based and community groups, enlisting them in support of the agency's mission "to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence for all Americans." He is currently President of the Colorado Senate, where he has served since 2003. He also co-hosts and produces a policy talk show on Sirius/XM satellite radio, entitled "The New School," and both lectures and works at the University of Denver. Prior to his time in elected office, he was a senior advisor to Denver Mayor Wellington Webb. Shireman will advise the agency on college financial issues and higher education initiatives. An expert on college access and student financial aid, he previously served as a congressional appointee to the federal Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, an aide to U.S. Senator Paul Simon, and as part of President Bill Clinton's White House National Economic Council. He is also founder of the Institute for College Access and Success and the affiliated Project on Student Debt. Ritsch will oversee agency outreach to education associations, foundations, and think tanks. Prior to joining the Department, he was communications director at the Center for Responsive Politics, where, among other duties, he oversaw the organization's award-winning web site -- OpenSecrets.org. He has also served as vice president of Sugerman Communications Group in Los Angeles and as a reporter covering local education issues for the Los Angeles Times. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2009/04/04102009.html AND http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2009/04/04202009b.html.
______________________________________________________________________
CIVIC RENEWAL

On April 21, President Obama signed into law the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act. Appropriately, at the signing event at the SEED School in Washington, D.C., the President issued a call to service. "I ask every American to make an enduring commitment to serving your community and your country in whatever way you can. Visit whitehouse.gov to share your stories of service and success. And together, we will measure our progress, not just in the number of hours served or volunteers mobilized, but in the impact our efforts have on the life of this nation." FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/09/04/21/a-call-to-service/. (Note: For highlights of the new act, see http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/newsroom/releases_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=1283.)

Also: In recognition of their work with the community, 25 public school teachers were recently named as 2009 MetLife Foundation Ambassadors in Education by the National Civic League. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ncl.org/metlife/2009/AIEWinnerRelease2009.html.
______________________________________________________________________
QUOTE TO NOTE

"Yesterday, many Americans paused to remember the senseless death of 32 students at Virginia Tech in 2007. Today, many Americans will honor the Day of Silence called for on behalf of victims of sexual harassment and bullying…. On Monday, we will memorialize the Columbine High School victims of a decade ago. Through these painful remembrances, we must all acknowledge our collective role and responsibility in preventing student deaths and ensuring that our schools and universities remain safe havens of learning."

-- Secretary of Education Arne Duncan (4/17/09), on the agency's blog (http://www.edgovblogs.org)
______________________________________________________________________
UPCOMING EVENTS

Remember: April 27-May 1 is School Building Week 2009, a week-long celebration of school facilities, including a School of the Future Design competition, Healthy Schools Day, a historic look at schools through children's eyes, a focus on excellent schools that serve as centers of community, and a variety of national, state, and local events. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.cefpi.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3338. (Note: A fact sheet on school modernization under the ARRA is posted at http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/modernization/.)

Results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress' (NAEP) long-term assessment are scheduled to be released on April 28, at 10:00 a.m. ET. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/ltt/.

The Department's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools (OSDFS) will be hosting its national conference August 3-5 at the Gaylord National Resort and Conference Center in Prince George's County, Maryland (approximately 10 minutes from downtown Washington, D.C.). The conference will address issues related to crisis planning; health, mental health, and physical education; alcohol, drug, and violence prevention; character and civic education; scientifically-based programs; and more. This event is free, but register early as space is limited. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.osdfsnationalconference.com/.

Over the next two weeks, the Department will exhibit at the National Council on Educating Black Children National Convention in Rockville, MD (April 29-May 2), the Asian American Youth Leadership Conference in Portland, OR (May 1), and Public Service Recognition Week in Washington, D.C. (May 7-10). If you are attending any of these events, please stop by the Department's booth.
______________________________________________________________________

Please feel free to contact the Office of Communications and Outreach with any questions:
Program Analyst -- Adam Honeysett, (202) 401-3003, mailto:Adam.Honeysett@ed.gov
To be added or removed from distribution, or submit comments (we welcome your feedback!),
contact Adam Honeysett. Or, visit http://www.ed.gov/news/newsletters/edreview/.

This newsletter contains hypertext links to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user's convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. Furthermore, the inclusion of links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed, or products or services offered, on these sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites.

North Dakota Senate Democratic Caucus Update

Senate Democratic Caucus

End of Week Report (Week 16)

April 23, 2009



The last weeks of the 2009 Legislative Session showed the first signs of movement towards a final resolution. Lawmakers spent much of the week in conference committees—or small meetings of six lawmakers from the House and Senate that convene to work out differences between the version of a bill the House passed and a version the Senate passed. In addition to the many small compromises being worked out in these committees in rooms spread throughout the Capitol, a few large compromises brought the session closer to final resolution. The first was what to do about inequity in the wages for state employees. This issue crept up because of state employees who have been on the job for a long time, and thus have their yearly pay raises based off of a much lower base than their more-recently-hired peers. The result, after many years, is that they’re earning far less in salary for doing the exact same job. The solution to this problem is equity raises—money set aside specifically for raises to these employees for the purpose of bringing their pay back in line with their colleagues. However, the concept was the simple part. There was widespread disagreement over how much should be spent to solve these inequities and how it should be administered. Some, including the Senate Democrats, wanted more than $20 million to resolve the issue, and to have the money distributed to each state agency so they could decide which of their employees received the raises. Others wanted just $12 million, and to have the money distributed from a central pool. The compromise reached between Senate and House Republican leaders was for a $16 million central pool.

Another area that has held up the session is what to do about road funding and the Department of Transportation budget. In the wake of the flooding and snow devastation that imperiled the state throughout the winter and spring, many roads are in dire condition. This includes city streets that are filled with potholes and sinkholes and gravel roads that have been washed away and rutted to the point of impassibility. At the same time, some Republicans in the Legislature want to hold back $120 million in state transportation funding, with the rationale that the stimulus money pouring into the state from Washington, D.C. will more than make up for this. Negotiations are going on for the restoration of this money before the end of the session. Also, Sen. Tim Mathern, (D-11 Fargo) and Sen. Aaron Krauter (D-31 Regent) are leading a charge for an additional $100 million in disaster aid funds in the form of grants to cities and counties. Estimates of the total damage to the state run as high as $1 billion, though the Federal Emergency Management Agency may come in with 90 percent of the recovery funding. Even so, this would leave a $100 million bill for cities and counties that are already strapped because of the earlier snow removal costs.

In other matters:

--SB 2199 has become the catch-all tax bill, and the lightening rod for differing points of view on whether taxes need to be cut and which types of taxes should be a priority to cut. In its current form, the bill offers nearly $300 million in property tax relief, $80 million in personal income tax relief and $20 million in corporate tax relief. It is the result of many different bills being attached to one package. The Democratic Caucus is strongly behind property tax relief, and feels that’s where the entire bill should be focused. Last fall, voters across the state turned down an income tax cut by large margins. In every legislative district, voters rejected the idea. That means there is not one person in the Legislature who represents a constituency that voted for an income tax cut, and 141 lawmakers who represent a constituency that voted against the cut. In some areas of the state, the idea was rejected by a three-to-one margin.

--HB 1509, a bill to afford greater protections to those signing wind farm leases, is working its way to passage in the final days of the session. If passed, it would be a major benchmark in North Dakota’s movement towards being a wind power state. The bill would bar wind tower companies from keeping lease terms confidential once the lease is signed. Currently, many farmers and other landowners are kept in the dark as to what their neighbors are receiving for wind farm leases with the same terms as the ones they themselves are signing. Advocates of the bill say this prevents many farmers from getting a fair price for their leases because they have no prevailing rates with which to compare them. They also complain the secrecy is unnecessary. Opponents from the wind industry say it will simply drive development elsewhere, thus hurting the very North Dakota landowners it was written to protect.

--Sen. Aaron Krauter (D-31 Regent) will be appearing on Prairie Public’s North Dakota Legislative Review show this week. Krauter will be discussing the Legislature’s budgeting process and the Democrat’s priorities for the remainder of the session. The show airs at 5:30 p.m. central time on Saturday, April 25.



--If you are a disaster victim, assistance for housing and other needs remains available.

You can register online for assistance at www.fema.gov/assistance/register.shtm or by calling 1-(800)-621-3362.

For more information on SBA Disaster Assistance Loans, you can call the SBA at 1-(800)-659-2955 or online at http://www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.

NTCA Washington Report

Volume 41, No. 16/April 23, 2009

In this issue:


NTCA Comments on Separations Freeze

NTCA Submits LNP Ex Parte Letter

FCC Approves Health Care Network Funding

Notes in the News





NTCA COMMENTS ON SEPARATIONS FREEZE

In joint comments filed April 17, NTCA asked that the FCC keep in place the=
current freeze of Part 36 category relationships and jurisdictional cost al=
location factors until the agency crafts and implements a resolution for the=
separations process. In the meantime, the association recommended that rate=
-of-return carriers should be able to readjust their category relationships=
for the remainder of the freeze.

NTCA filed jointly with the National Exchange Carrier Association, OPASTCO,=
Eastern Rural Telecom Association and WTA. The group also asked that the co=
mmission specify that the freeze extension extend for a period not to exceed=
one year following issuance of commission orders reforming existing interca=
rrier compensation (ICC) and high-cost Universal Service Fund (USF) support=
rules.

This approach will "help avoid the need for an additional extension proceedi=
ng in 2010 and will assure the commission and the industry have adequate tim=
e to analyze needed changes to existing separations rules in light of revise=
d ICC and USF rules," the group stated.

The comments were filed in response to the commission's March 27 notice of p=
roposed rulemaking that asked for comment on extending the current freeze un=
til June 30, 2010 [Washington Report, April 2, 2009].

For the full text of NTCA's comments, visit www.ntca.org.

-- Dorie Pickle, 703-351-2035
-- dpickle@ntca.org




NTCA SUBMITS LNP EX PARTE LETTER

In an ex parte letter submitted April 21, NTCA opposed the FCC's proposed 48=
-hour intermodal number porting interval and urged the commission to retain=
the current four business day porting interval for rural incumbent local ex=
change carriers.

The association highlighted the fact that many small, rural telecommunicatio=
ns providers lack automated systems, so the porting process requires employe=
e resources and time to complete. Only a very costly system upgrade or hirin=
g additional staff would help accomplish the proposed 48-hour interval.

In addition, NTCA stated that the way the commission reports instances of wi=
reline-to-wireless porting is not only inflated, but misleading. The way the=
reports track the porting data, the commission counts one port multiple tim=
es. For example, if a customer ported a wireline number to a wireless carrie=
r in 2006 and ported to a different wireless carrier in 2007 and another wir=
eless carrier in 2008, the port is counted as a wireline-to-wireless port th=
ree times. However, there was only one wireline-to-wireless port.

Even if the commission's reports were accurate, the association noted, less=
than 7% of the total ports reported in the first three quarters of 2008 wer=
e wireline to wireless. There simply is not much consumer demand for this ty=
pe of porting, NTCA stated.

Small, rural carriers should be using their limited resources for investing=
in new technologies and broadband deployment, not upgrading automated syste=
ms for the few, if any, porting requests they might receive, the association=
concluded.

For the full text of NTCA's letter, visit www.ntca.org.

-- Dorie Pickle, 703-351-2035
-- dpickle@ntca.org




FCC APPROVES HEALTH CARE NETWORK FUNDING

The FCC announced via an April 16 press release its approval of funding unde=
r the Rural Health Care Pilot Program (RHCPP) for networks connecting hospit=
als regionally in Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Ca=
rolina, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Funding for a telehealth projec=
t in Alaska also has been approved.

In response to the funding approval, Acting FCC Chairman Michael J. Copps st=
ated, "There is great potential to improve health care for those communities=
that currently have limited access to primary, specialty and preventive car=
e, as well as to enhance public safety by connecting health care providers,=
public health officials and first responders to these networks so that they=
can share crucial data during emergencies."

The FCC's $417 million RHCPP program was established in 2006 and is administ=
ered by the Universal Service Administrative Co. According to the press rele=
ase, 67 projects are eligible to receive RHCPP funding for telehealth networ=
ks serving 6,000 health care facilities in 42 states and three U.S. territor=
ies. As they move forward, these projects will implement broadband technolog=
y intended to bring more advanced medical practices to rural communities.

For more information, visit www.fcc.gov/cgb/rural/rhcp.html.

-- Dorie Pickle, 703-351-2035
-- dpickle@ntca.org




NOTES IN THE NEWS

In joint comments filed April 20, NTCA urged the FCC to grant a petition by=
the Coalition for Equity in Switching Support seeking clarification of Sect=
ions 36.125 and 54.301 of the commission's rules, which state that the local=
switching support amount for which an eligible telecommunications carrier i=
s eligible depends on the number of lines the carrier currently serves. NTCA=
filed the comments along with the National Exchange Carrier Association, OP=
ASTCO, Eastern Rural Telecom Association and WTA. The associations urged the=
commission to grant the petition without delay. For more details, the comme=
nts can be downloaded at www.ntca.org.

With the May 1 deadline approaching for compliance with the Federal Trade Co=
mmission's new red flag rules, telecommunications carriers are reminded to e=
nsure that they are in compliance. The new red flag rules require creditors,=
including telecommunications companies, and financial institutions to devel=
op and implement written identity theft prevention programs. The written pol=
icy must describe how the company will detect each red flag in every circums=
tance in which it may occur, including verifying identity, authenticating tr=
ansactions, monitoring customers' activities and verifying the validity of a=
ddress changes. For more information, visit www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/busines=
s/alerts/alt050.shtm [Washington Report, October 30, 2008].

NTCA filed comments April 20 requesting that the FCC grant Hargray Telephone=
Co.'s petition that seeks a waiver of the Universal Service Fund high-cost=
filing deadline. The association requested that the commission allow the co=
mpany to file projected data for 2007 and 2008 and, ultimately, receive the=
local switching support for which it is entitled for the 2007 and 2008 cale=
ndar years. For the full text of NTCA's comments, visit www.ntca.org.

The FCC and the Consumers Union have announced plans to distribute a consume=
r guide to help television viewers prepare for the DTV transition. The commi=
ssion also has upgraded its DTV transition Web site, www.dtv.gov, in prepara=
tion for the educational push. The DTV transition is scheduled to be complet=
e by June 12.

President Barack Obama on April 18 named Aneesh Chopra as the administration=
's chief technology officer. According to the White House announcement, Chop=
ra will "promote technological innovation to help the country meet its goals=
-from job creation and reducing health care costs to keeping our nation secu=
re." Prior to being named to his new position, Chopra served as the secretar=
y of technology for the state of Virginia.

President Barack Obama on April 21 formally nominated FCC Commissioner Jonat=
han S. Adelstein as the next administrator of the U.S. Department of Agricul=
ture's Rural Utilities Service [Washington Report, March 26, 2009]. The Sena=
te Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee has not yet scheduled a con=
firmation hearing on the nomination.

The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Rel=
ated Agencies scheduled an April 23 hearing on funding and oversight of the=
U.S. Department of Commerce. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke is scheduled to=
testify.

The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee postponed a planne=
d April 22 hearing on FCC reform [Washington Report, April 16, 2009]. At pre=
ss time, the hearing had not been rescheduled.




Washington Report is published weekly by the
National Telecommunications Cooperative Association
(NTCA), 703-351-2000; Web site: www.ntca.org
e-mail: communications@ntca.org
Subscriptions: $85, NTCA members; $250, nonmembers.
Editors: Tennille Shields and Christian Hamaker
Graphic Design: Shari Auckerman
=A92009 National Telecommunications Cooperative Association
4121 Wilson Boulevard, Tenth Floor
Arlington, VA 22203



You are receiving this e-mail because of your
business relationship with NTCA. To stop
receiving from this feature, please reply with the
word REMOVE in the subject line.
4121 Wilson Boulevard, Tenth Floor=0A=
Arlington, Virginia 22203=0A=
=0A=
If you no longer wish to receive e-mail from NTCA, please reply to this mess=
age with the word "remove" in the subject line.



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All attachments to this message are listed below.
Click on the name of any of the attachments to download them.

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NTCAWashingtonReport042309.pdf

North Dakota FEMA Procedures

Attached please find a document which outlines FEMA’s Individual Assistance program. If you are getting questions from constituents regarding flood damages, please ask them to contact FEMA to register for assistance at:



1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 or visiting www.DisasterAssistance.gov online.



The registration line is open daily from 6 a.m. – midnight CDT until further notice.



Please let me know if you have any questions or need further information.



Thanks.



Cecily Fong

Public Information Officer

ND Department of Emergency Services

Office: 701.328.8154

Cell: 701.391.8158

cfong@nd.gov

Business Conference in Greece

Dear Colleague,



I would like to invite you to the following International Conferences organized by The Business Research Division of the Athens Institute for Education and Research:



· 6th International Conference on SME. Person Responsible: Dr. Cleopatra Veloutsou, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, University of Glasgow and Head, Marketing Research Unit, ATINER. Place and Dates: Athens, Greece, 10-13 August 2009. Conference Website: http://www.atiner.gr/docs/sme.htm

· 7th International Conference on Finance. Person Responsible: Dr. Peter Koveos, Professor of Finance, Syracuse University, USA & Academic Member, ATINER. Place and Dates: Athens, Greece, 6-9 July 2009. Conference Website: http://www.atiner.gr/docs/Finance.htm

· 7th International Conference on Accounting. Person Responsible: Dr. Vasileios Filios, Associate Professor, University of Ioannina, Greece & Head, Accounting and Finance Research Unit, ATINER. Place and Dates: Athens, Greece, 6-9 July 2009. Conference Website: http://www.atiner.gr/docs/Accounting.htm

· 7th International Conference on Management. Person Responsible: Dr. Dimitrios Koufopoulos, Lecturer of Management, Brunel University, U.K & Head, Management Research Unit, ATINER. Place and Dates: Athens, Greece, 6-9 July 2009. Conference Website: http://www.atiner.gr/docs/Management.htm

· 7th International Conference on Marketing. Person Responsible: Dr. Cleopatra Veloutsou, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, University of Glasgow and Head, Marketing Research Unit, ATINER. Place and Dates: Athens, Greece, 6-9 July 2009. Conference Website: http://www.atiner.gr/docs/Marketing.htm

· 3rd international city break conference, 16-19 October 2009. Athens, Greece. Conference Website: http://www.atiner.gr/cbc.htm



Please distribute to your colleagues and graduate students.



Best Regards



*****************************************
Dr. Gregory T. Papanikos
Director, ATINER
8 Valaoritou Street, Kolonaki
10671 Athens, Greece
Tel.: + 30 210 3634210
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Teaching Education News....

AACTE Weekly News Briefs | April 21, 2009
. . . delivered to your inbox so you can enjoy up-to-date news on colleges of education, teaching and the classroom, campaigns, legislation, STEM teacher issues, international teacher issues, grants, and upcoming events. Please click on linked headlines for full story.

AACTE ANNOUNCEMENTS

FREE Webinar April 23 to Discuss the Achievement Gap for Children in Foster Care
Register now for a free webinar this Thursday, April 23, on "Closing the Educational Achievement Gap for Children in Foster Care," sponsored by the Casey Family Programs. Tutor Connection has provided 1,240 student teachers from California State University-San Marcos to work directly with children in foster care to improve academic performance. Hear about the results for over 1,500 foster care youth who have participated in this program and learn more about the roles that Departments of Education can play in positively impacting this unique and often invisible population.

Diez, Stiggins, Popham to Address Assessment
A multiday AACTE web conference May 5-7 will focus on assessment preparation and assessment literacy for initial teacher candidates within the preservice program. Along with members of AACTE's Committee on Professional Preparation and Accountability, Mary Diez, Rick Stiggins, and James Popham will present "What Every Teacher Educator Should Know About 21st-Century Assessment Strategies." Don't miss Stiggins' presentation on "Preparing Teachers to Use Assessment to Support Learning and Verify Learning Success" and Popham's insights on "Cracking the Preservice Assessment Barrier."

FREE Holocaust Institute for Teacher Educators
In cooperation with AACTE, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum will host the third annual Holocaust Institute for Teacher Educators June 1-5. There is no registration fee for this institute, to be held at the museum in Washington, DC. Participants are responsible for travel, hotel, and other expenses.

Register Now for AACTE's Day on the Hill
AACTE's 2009 Day on the Hill will take place June 17-18 in Washington, DC. This is AACTE's premier advocacy event! Come to DC to meet with your members of Congress and to tell them about the good work you do. This year's theme is "Innovation and Reform in Teacher Preparation." For more information, please contact Mary Harrill-McClellan at mharrill@aacte.org.

New AACTE Leadership Academy
Two of AACTE's yearly professional development conferences, the Leadership Institute for Department Chairs and the New Deans Institute, will be combined in 2009 to create an exciting educational opportunity. With the goal of sustaining the teacher education profession by providing powerful learning and networking tools, AACTE's new Leadership Academy is an essential event for new deans, department chairs, and other educational administrators to attend. This event will take place June 28 - July 3 in St. Louis, Missouri. Click here to view the 2009 Leadership Academy brochure.

AACTE Wants YOU!
Time is running out to volunteer for exciting leadership opportunities at AACTE!
Share your expertise – Gain national visibility – Develop your network – Enhance the profession
Through Friday, May 1, we are accepting the following:
- Nominations and volunteer applications to serve on AACTE's Board of Directors and Standing Committees
- Session proposals for the 2010 Annual Meeting & Exhibits in Atlanta, Georgia

In addition, your chance to provide commentary on the 2010 resolutions is drawing to a close.
Take this opportunity for input on any or all of the 13 resolutions due to expire next February. By Friday, May 15, let us know your stance on the issues to be addressed:
- Accountability
- Global Diversity
- Government Relations
- Innovation and Technology
- Professional Development
To leave feedback online, visit the Briefs web page, or direct your comments to anyone serving on AACTE's standing committees.
Faculty, staff, and Institutional Representatives may respond to this call for comments on member resolutions. You are the strength of this member-driven association!


NATIONAL NEWS

NGA, CCSSO Launch Common Standards Drive
From Education Week (LOGIN REQUIRED)
After years of debating the idea of national content standards, representatives from 37 states were set to convene in Chicago April 17 in what organizers hoped would be a first, concrete step toward common guidelines in mathematics and English-language arts. The National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers–the Washington-based groups that co-sponsored the meeting–want to build a prototype of high school graduation standards by summer, and grade-by-grade academic standards in math and language arts by the end of the year.

Education Standards Likely to See Toughening
From the New York Times
President Obama and his team have alternated praise for the goals of President George W. Bush's No Child Left Behind law with criticism of its weaknesses, all the while keeping their own plans for the law a bit of a mystery. But clues are now emerging, and they suggest that the Obama administration will use a Congressional rewriting of the federal law later this year to toughen requirements on topics like teacher quality and academic standards and to intensify its focus on helping failing schools.

Researchers Examine Contracts' Effects on Policy Issues
From Education Week (LOGIN REQUIRED)
Does the existence of collective bargaining help or hinder attempts to establish performance-pay programs? Do salary schedules improve teachers' compensation or curb districts' ability to hire top talent? And can contracts serve as an avenue to define the features of high-quality mentoring programs? At a conference held March 26 by the National Council on Teacher Quality, a Washington-based group that seeks to improve state and local policies affecting teachers, five scholars presented what are among the first studies to use primarily quantitative research methodologies to connect collectively bargained teacher contracts to various education policy outcomes.

A Nation at Risk: 25 Years Later
From Education Week
The April 20 issue of Education Week features commentary on the progress made by U.S. education in the 25 years since the landmark report A Nation at Risk.

Education Chief to Spend Billions to ‘Transform' U.S. Schools
From Bloomberg
Education Secretary Arne Duncan plans to spend a record $5 billion to transform U.S. schools by rewarding states for innovation, providing merit pay to teachers and creating a national scorecard to identify failing schools. Duncan, the former head of Chicago's public schools, said the retirement of 1 million teachers in the "next couple of years" gives the U.S. an opportunity to attract and retain a new generation of educators. Duncan also aims to remake the No Child Left Behind law to set national standards of performance while giving states and school districts more flexibility about how they meet those goals.

Education Researchers See Hopeful Signs of a More Receptive Administration
From the Chronicle of Higher Education (LOGIN REQUIRED)
A panel of leading education researchers today expressed optimism that President Obama's administration would be much more inclined to base education-policy decisions on the results of studies than they found his predecessor to be. But several members of the panel, assembled as part of the American Educational Research Association's annual conference, acknowledged that the new administration had sent mixed signals regarding how much priority it places on the work done by the organization's members. One disappointing sign cited by the panel was the Obama administration's failure to include money for education research in its economic-stimulus package.


NEWS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY

Universities, Schools Get $3 Billion From Feds
From the San Francisco Chronicle
California got a windfall of more than $3 billion for its schools and universities from the federal stimulus package on Friday, becoming the first state to receive the infusion of cash meant to help stop a downward spiral in public education. The state's public schools will receive $2.6 billion - nearly $413 per pupil - and the University of California and California State University systems will split $537 million. Although the educators say they are pleased to get any money available, neither university officials nor school administrators believe the new cash will solve their troubles. The money is part of the federal government's $53.6 billion State Fiscal Stabilization Fund to shore up schools in all states.

Now the Hard Part
From the Baltimore Sun (Editorial)
Candidate Barack Obama promised education would be a priority of his administration, and since taking office he has funneled $1.8 billion in federal stimulus money to Maryland schools to help avoid layoffs and program cuts. But now he faces a thornier problem: How to fix the federal No Child Left Behind law, which critics say focuses too much on punishing failing schools instead of providing the support they need to succeed.

Teaching Texas' Teachers-to-Be
From the Houston Chronicle
With the U.S. economy in a tailspin, programs that get aspiring teachers certified quickly are reporting a recent uptick in interest. Some of those signing up are out of work, while others, long curious about teaching, have decided now is the time to give it a try. Texas has 89 so-called alternative preparation programs, which allow college graduates – no matter what their major – to get a crash course in teaching elementary, middle or high school.


OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

Call for Papers - JUSTEC 2009
The Japan-United States Teacher Education Consortium (JUSTEC) is a professional organization of Japanese and American teacher educators. The group has held an annual meeting, the JUSTEC Seminar, every year for the past 20 years. The seminar is a forum for the exchange of research, best practice, and policy papers on teacher education issues of interest in both countries. Papers on a wide range of topics are presented, including teacher quality, pedagogy, issues of diversity, professional development of teachers, and technology, to name a few. This year's forum will take place September 17-20 at the University of Hawaii-Manoa. The proposal submission deadline is May 15.

NCATE Seeks Field Comment on Proposed Redesign and Transformation Process
From NCATE
The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) is in the midst of a redesign and transformation initiative to provide a cost-effective, efficient, and collegial accreditation process for educator preparation. It will also give institutions the opportunity to engage in transformation initiatives as part of the work of accreditation. The concept of continuous improvement is a major strategy NCATE will use to drive the process. NCATE seeks comment on the proposed process from all stakeholders through this Friday, April 24.

NBPTS Seeks Reviewers for Library Media Standards
The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) is accepting applications for the committee responsible for reviewing and revising its Library Media standards. Please visit the NBPTS Standards Committees web page for information on the duties and responsibilities of a standards committee member and to begin the application process. The application is open through May 15, 5:00 p.m. EDT. For assistance or additional information, contact NBPTS at nominations@nbpts.org.

Opportunity for Future Educators to Teach in France
From The University of Akron
Applications are available for secondary education teacher candidates, with prior French language study, seeking licensure in social studies, language arts, science, math, Spanish, and physical education to participate in a teaching seminar and practicum in France – August to December 2009. Housing, airfare and living stipend are provided to participants through a grant from the U.S. Department of State.

AERA – ABS Graduate Student Education Research Workshop
The American Educational Research Association and the Association of Black Sociologists (ABS) announce a joint professional development training workshop for advanced graduate students who are examining an education research topic from a sociological perspective. This workshop will provide advanced graduate students with mentoring and guidance on their dissertations and give them insight into publishing their work. The workshop will be part of the 2009 ABS Conference in New Orleans, June 17-20. All workshop activities will be held the afternoon and evening of Wednesday, June 17.

Partnership for Global Learning Forum
From the Asia Society
The Asia Society Partnership for Global Learning will host its second annual national forum July 9-11 in Arlington, VA. Join teachers, leaders, and policy makers from across K-16 education to share best practices, build partnerships, and advance policies to ensure that all students are prepared for work and citizenship in the global 21st century. Click here to register.

New Online Tool Aids Middle School Literacy Development
The Strategic Education Research Partnership has released Word Generation, a middle school language program developed under the direction of Harvard Graduate School of Education Professor Catherine Snow. The free program focuses on academic vocabulary, i.e., words that students are likely to encounter in textbooks and on tests, but not in spoken language. In pilot tests in Boston Public Schools, both teachers and students have embraced the program enthusiastically, with many students reporting that it is the most interesting part of their day.

U.S. Department of Education Invites Comments on the HEOA Title II Reporting Forms on Teacher Quality and Preparation
The U.S. Department of Education recently released the draft institutional and state report card forms required of the accountability provisions in Title II of the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA). The public may comment on these forms by June 8. Title II of HEOA requires institutions of higher education that prepare teachers to provide annual reports on how these teacher candidates perform on certification/licensure exams; goals that the institution has set for preparing teachers in key shortage areas; assurances for how institutions are preparing all candidates to be successful in the classroom; and descriptions of how preparation programs are structured. AACTE encourages its members to respond to this call for comment.

Peer Reviewers Wanted for U.S. Teacher Quality Partnership Grant Competition
The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII) is seeking peer reviewers for the upcoming Teacher Quality Partnership grant competition. The Teacher Quality Partnership Program is authorized under the Higher Education Act, as amended by the Higher Education Opportunities Act of 2008. OII is seeking persons with teaching and leadership experience at the early childhood, elementary, middle, high school, and college/university levels to serve as application reviewers for this grant competition.

Kristin K. McCabe, Editor
American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education
1307 New York Ave., NW Suite 300
Washington, DC 20005
(207) 899-1309
kmccabe@aacte.org

Minot State University Public Announcements

April 21, 2009 Campus Announcements

Events

Wednesday is Earth Day at MSU
At Minot State University, Earth Day 2009 will be commemorated Wednesday (April 22) in the Quad, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The following is a tentative agenda:
· Campus cleanup —Bags and gloves will be provided. Prizes will be awarded for the greatest impact during the cleanup.
· “Green businesses” booths — Learn the positive impact community businesses are having with their green practices.
· Signing by President David Fuller of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment at 11:30 a.m.
· Live music all day.
· Bring the following items to be recycled: aluminum cans, newspapers, plastic bottles and plastic shopping bags.
· “Creative Repurposing Contest” sponsored by the Art Club and Art Department. Bring your homemade projects made of recycled or reused items.

In case of inclement weather, activities will be held in the Beaver Dam.

For questions, contact Earth Day Committee members Paul Lepp, at 858-3503 paul.lepp@minotstateu.edu, Linda Olson, at 858-3836 or linda.olson@minotstateu.edu, or Penny Brandt, at 858-858-3310 or penny.brandt@minotstateu.edu.
--Earth Day Committee

SSWO fills a car in the Quad for Earth Day
This week, for Earth Day, the Student Social Work Organization is going to see how many times they can fill a car that is parked on the Quad with # 1 and #2 plastic recycling. There will be containers around the car and around campus; students, faculty and staff are asked to deposit their #1 and #2 plastic in the bins. The bins will be emptied into the car and, and the social work students will see how many times the car can be filled by Wednesday afternoon (April 22).

Most soda and water bottles are #1 plastic, and #2 plastic items include many shampoo bottles, detergent bottles and milk jugs. The kind of plastic can be ascertained by looking on the bottom of the container for a small recycle sign, in which there is a number written. If it indicates 1 or 2, it is recyclable here in Minot, and can be deposited in the special recycle bins on campus this week only. Plastic recycling can be done on an on-going basis at Earth Recycling, which is located at 3005 - 4th Ave. NW here in Minot. All plastics collected this week at MSU will be taken there.

For questions, contact 858-4259 or debra.dewitz@minotstateu.edu.
--Deb DeWitz, SSWO faculty advisor

Retirement Social slated for today
Don’t forget the annual retirement social today (April 21), from 2 to 4 p.m., in the Conference Center on the third floor of the Student Center. Presentations will begin at 2:30 p.m. Those retiring this year include Ken Billings, plant services; Judy Bjornson, Gordon B. Olson Library; Larry Crabbe, plant services; Dick Debertin, Center for Extended Learning; David McCormack, math and computer science; Donald Mosser, plant services; Helen Oie, plant services; Helen Otto, MSU Post Office; and Gary Ryum, plant services. Past retirees have also been invited. Refreshments will be available. Please stop by and enjoy the fun.

For questions, contact 858-3352 or wes.matthews@minotstateu.edu.
--Wes Matthews, director of human resources

‘Pride of MSU’ to showcase Spring Concert with Jazz Ensemble
The Minot State University Concert Band, “The Pride of MSU,” will present its Spring Concert on Tuesday (April 28). The concert will be held in Ann Nicole Nelson Hall at 7:30 p.m. There is no charge for admission.2009_Spring_Concert.pdf

For further information or questions, call 858-3189.
--Joseph Alme, director of bands

Orenunn Trio to perform recital Wednesday evening
On Wednesday evening (April 22) at 7:30 p.m., the Orenunn Trio will give a recital in Ann Nicole Nelson Hall. The trio specializes in new music, and it should be a great show.

2009_Recital_Poster.pdf



For more information, contact 858-3191 or mark.boren@minotstateu.edu.
--Mark Boren, coordinator of brass studies



General Information

CASCLS offers reassignment time
The Center for the Applied Study of Cognition and Learning Sciences will be awarding reassignment time equivalent to three credits to faculty members who wish to become more involved with its cognitive science research, grant development or events. One award will be made in fall 2009 and one in spring 2010.

If you are interested in becoming more involved in the work of the CASCLS, please contact either Deb Jensen (deb.jensen@minotstateu.edu, 858-3043) or Lisa Borden-King (lisa.borden-king@minotstateu.edu, 858-3158).

The Application for CASCLS Reassignment Time can be found on the MSU web site at: http://www.minotstateu.edu/cascls/faculty_partners.shtml
--Deb Jensen, chair of teacher education and human performance and associate professor of education

Sustainability tip of the week
This week’s tip was shameless stolen from the Minot Area Schools Federal Credit Union “GoingGreen” calendar. Get yours at Earth Day on the Quad tomorrow (April 22). Approximately 75 percent of the energy used by home electronics is used while the appliance is turned off. To stop this invisible drain, plug electronics into a power strip and turn off the power strip when the appliances are not in use.

Further resources available at http://www.minotstateu.edu/sustain/.

The next meeting of the Sustainability Committee is Tuesday (April 28) at 8:30 a.m. in Crane Hall. Faculty, staff and students are welcome to attend.
--Sustainability Committee

MSU in the News
(To inform the MSU community of Minot State items in the media, the Office of Public Information will provide links to items.)

This weekend, Dan Erdmann, an MSU alumnus, did a story on the service provided by MSU students, faculty and staff during the community sandbagging effort. http://www.kxmc.com/video.asp?ArticleId=363408&VideoId=27512

Last month, Sandra Starr, retired music faculty member, was inducted into the Music Educators Fall of Fame. http://www.minotdailynews.com/page/content.detail/id/527026.html

Reminder: Check the campus calendar on the MSU home page for additional events at http://www.minotstateu.edu/.


























































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Public Information Campus Announcements Archives:

http://www.minotstateu.edu/newsletter/archive.php


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7e469985dddf63f41336d9510a252cbf

The North Dakota Public Employees Association

The North Dakota Public Employees Association has worked very hard over the past 3 ½ months representing all public employees on a variety of issues at the legislative session. With only twelve days left in this legislative session we need you to help in the final push to make the voice of state employees heard. Senate Bill 2311, which provided for a 5% and 5% appropriation for salaries, passed the House last week 84 – 5. Now it will go to conference committee to work on resolving the unfortunate amendments that were attached to the bill and explained in last week’s action line.



Our work is not done! Every state employee must continue to contact their legislators to ask them to support the $23 million equity pool that was included in Governor Hoeven’s budget. The equity pool will go a long way in making the state competitive with other pubic and private employers in North Dakota. The equity pool will be used to address salary issues in targeted positions, resolve salary compression issues that have developed over the years, and will help agencies move employees farther into their salary range.



Make your voice heard by calling or emailing your legislator asking them to support the $23 million equity pool. We have worked too hard this session to give up any ground in the session’s final days.





If you are not a member of NDPEA, we need you to join your fellow co-workers who have joined NDPEA to make their voice heard. Our voice on public employee issues will be stronger if we have a unified voice. Please join NDPEA today. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact our office at (1-800-472-2698) or 223-1964.



Gary Feist

President, NDPEA





If you don't know who your Legislators are, the phone number and email link is listed below.



http://capwiz.com/ndaco/state/main/?state=ND#0



North Dakota Legislative Hotline: 888-635-3447

Bismarck: 328-3373





NDPEA Scholarship

Are you continuing your education or do you have a child that will be attending a North Dakota higher education institution this fall? If you are an NDPEA member you or your child is eligible for one of the two $500 scholarships that NDPEA awards each year. The applications can be found on our web site http://nd.aft.org/ndpea/. The deadline for applying for the scholarships is June 30, 2009.




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