UND Today

University of North Dakota’s Official News Source

VIDEO: What’s ahead for UND and its budget?

President welcomes Karla Mongeon-Stewart, associate VP for finance, to talk budget and upcoming legislative session

This week, President Andy Armacost welcomes a special guest: Karla Mongeon-Stewart, associate vice president for finance.

Armacost and Mongeon-Stewart talk about what’s happening with UND’s budget, and how UND is looking at the next academic year and North Dakota’s legislative session, which begins in January.

Mongeon-Stewart provides examples of what makes up UND’s nearly $600 million annual budget. Though people tend to think tuition and fees make up most of it, those revenues are only a small percentage of the total budget, she says.

Support from the state; grants and contracts; revenues from athletics, housing and dining; and generous gifts from donors all contribute to UND’s operating budget, among other sources.

When asked by Armacost how the budget is looking for the coming year, Mongeon-Stewart says, “So far, so good.” The new budget, which went into effect July 1, is similar to last year, and enrollment figures are looking consistent, too, she says.

As far as concerns of the North Dakota Legislature, inflation is top-of-mind for most people – including higher education. When the State Board of Higher Education met at the end of June, one of their top priorities was looking for ways to deal with inflation that don’t put the burden on student tuition and fees, Mongeon-Stewart says. Also, in the coming session, the State Board will be looking to the legislature for additional resources and funding addressing mental health concerns.

Armacost and Mongeon-Stewart also discuss a new website that will help keep campus up to date on legislative developments impacting UND and higher education in North Dakota.

Mongeon-Stewart says the site will provide posts about bills that are relevant to UND’s finances and operations. The site will also be a platform to provide updates about the legislative session, overall, as it pertains to UND and the North Dakota University System. The goal is to keep campus informed.

In closing, Armacost says that keeping the campus community informed about what’s happening in the state is important, as decisions at the state level directly impact campus.