McCallum says he will not resign

Dickinson State University President Dr. Richard McCallum said in a press release issued to The Dickinson Press at about 1:50 this afternoon that he has no intention of resigning his post as president of the university.

The release is a copy of a letter he will distribute to DSU staff and faculty.

McCallum had not been in contact with the university or the North Dakota University System since he was asked to resign on Wednesday over enrollment discrepancies, officials said Friday.

“I am proud of the accomplishments that we have achieved during my term as president,” McCallum said in the press release. “The university is in a strong position. It needs consistent and steadfast leadership to meet the challenges that we face. I look forward to continuing to provide that leadership to Dickinson State University.”

McCallum said in the release he has retained legal counsel and no university funds will be used to pay for it.

NDUS Chancellor William Goetz said Friday he informed McCallum of the request for resignation on Wednesday during a meeting in Bismarck and there was an understanding that McCallum would contact Goetz on Thursday morning. Goetz said he told McCallum three times that he expected to be in touch with him the next day.

“To the extent that I am permitted, I will continue to perform my responsibilities as president,” McCallum said in the press release.

However, Goetz instructed him to refrain from entering the office of president or any building on campus or owned or controlled by DSU, he said in the press release.

“As always, my actions will be guided by what is in the best interest of Dickinson State University.”

Enrollment practices were scrutinized when the National Survey of Student Engagement was conducting a survey at DSU. Multiple survey recipients notified NSSE that they were not students, according to the report.

Survey recipients had attended symposiums or conferences affiliated with DSU and were then enrolled in a degree-credit course and assigned student identification numbers without their knowledge, according to the report.

The Dickinson Press is owned by Forum Communications Co.

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