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UND student government president praises affordability, urges continued behavioral‑health support
Summary
Connor Ferguson, University of North Dakota student body president, told the House appropriations committee that affordability and recent state behavioral‑health funding helped him choose UND and urged continued funding for counseling, research and AI education.
Connor Ferguson, student body president at the University of North Dakota, told the House Appropriations — Education and Environment Division that UND’s affordability, campus environment and student services are strong draws for students and urged continued investment in behavioral health, research and AI education.
"I will be graduating with debt far below the national average," Ferguson told the committee, describing cost and campus improvements as a key recruitment and retention advantage. He said UND’s campus beautification and personal attention from faculty and staff were important to his decision to enroll and to other students who choose UND over higher‑cost alternatives.
Ferguson thanked the Legislature for behavioral‑health funding provided in the last biennium and said that support has allowed UND to hire clinicians and keep counseling wait times at acceptable levels. He described student‑run peer programs — including the Green Bandana peer‑support initiative and the Green Tag program for faculty and staff — that complement clinical services and help students find care quickly.
On workforce and campus priorities, Ferguson told the committee students support investments that grow research and keep graduates in North Dakota. He expressed student support for challenge‑grant funding and statewide AI investments, saying students and employers will benefit if higher‑education institutions can train people in AI systems and computing infrastructure.
Ending: Ferguson concluded his remarks by asking the committee to weigh student experience, affordability and behavioral health alongside capital and operating decisions for higher education.
