Williston State reports enrollment rebound, seeks funding to launch new healthcare training center

Williston State College President Bridal Herning told the Appropriations - Education and Environment Division that the college has reversed a pandemic-era enrollment decline and is pressing the Legislature for start-up funding to open a new healthcare training facility that leaders say will expand regional workforce capacity.

Herning said the college’s head count rose from a low of 908 in fall 2021 to an all‑time high for recent years, and that full‑time equivalent (FTE) and credit hours also increased. He described an enrollment gain of 16% in the fall and spring increases that staff reported as roughly 20.7% and said campus housing is full, requiring the college to add 60 beds.

Why it matters: Williston is seeking state support to staff and equip a 42,000‑square‑foot, two‑story healthcare training building scheduled to open this November with classes starting January 2026. College leaders told lawmakers that the facility — and roughly 15 new health programs approved by accreditors — could add capacity for about 350 additional healthcare students per year, which they say is critical to keeping households and employers in northwest North Dakota.

Herning outlined three capital projects already underway or recently completed: a childcare learning facility opened in fall 2023 built through a city/county partnership (cost “slightly over $2,300,000”), new turf for baseball/softball paid entirely with local fundraising (about $5,600,000 raised), and the new healthcare training facility designed by JLG and built under a construction manager‑at‑risk contract with JE Dunn. “Those green words are the most beautiful words you ever want to hear when you’re in charge of a capital project — on time and under budget,” Herning said.

On how the college would operate the new programs, Herning and the college’s academic partner, Dr. Zahi Atalla (Academic Affairs, University System), described a co‑matriculation model in which students enroll simultaneously at Williston State and a partnering four‑year school to take bachelor’s coursework locally. Dr. Atalla cited federal student‑aid rules for consortium arrangements and said the model can allow financial aid to be administered under host/home arrangements described in federal regulation 34 CFR 668.5: “If institutions have a consortium agreement, the student could receive financial aid from both institutions, as host and home,” he said.

Finance and legislative ask: Vice President of Business Services Deb Halverson presented the college’s budget picture and the timing mismatch the college faces between current enrollment growth and when state funding formulas increase support. Halverson told legislators that every 5% enrollment bump yields roughly $150,000 in tuition revenue and an estimated $325,000 in formula funding — but the formula’s timing delays mean the additional state dollars lag the college’s near‑term expenses. That timing shortfall is a major reason Williston asked lawmakers for targeted start‑up funds.

Herning gave lawmakers a three‑part request tied to the healthcare building and immediate capacity needs: $1,490,000 for faculty and staff start‑up costs to launch new accredited programs, $1,000,000 to support current and near‑term growth (additional admissions/retention staff), and $2,000,000 to repurpose vacated nursing/massage simulation space for traditional classrooms to host four‑year partner programs. He said the Senate added a $12,000,000 workforce innovation grant line that could be a source for the faculty start‑up funds, but he warned that any statewide competition for those dollars would pit Williston against other campuses and might not fully cover the college’s need.

Herning emphasized that recent enrollment growth occurred before the new healthcare programs, the cross‑border tuition initiative for Canadian students (a 31% tuition parity discount announced to start in August), and the cooperative four‑year programs — meaning the college expects further growth once those initiatives begin.

Looking ahead: Williston representatives asked the committee to weigh hold‑harmless treatment in the funding formula and flagged timing, staffing and dorm capacity as implementation risks if the state does not provide transitional funds. They told legislators they will continue to rely on system shared services (payroll, procurement) while seeking discrete start‑up support to hire credentialed faculty required by accreditation.

Ending note: College and system staff said the co‑matriculation agreements are already in place with Dickinson State and other four‑year partners, and the college plans to treat visiting four‑year students as Williston students for access to campus services and housing when they deliver bachelor’s completion coursework on the Williston campus.