Alan Laffey, president of Valley City State University, told the Appropriations - Education and Environment Division that VCSU has grown enrollment about 31% since 2014 and continues to produce a large share of the state’s elementary teachers.

Why it matters: VCSU supplies a sizable portion of North Dakota’s K‑12 teacher workforce and asked the committee to fund building repairs and consider inflation and compensation adjustments that affect small institutions disproportionately.

Laffey said VCSU served about 1,806 students in the most recent reporting and that 73% come from North Dakota. He described program strengths—teacher education, business, fisheries and wildlife—and noted the campus’s record of raising private support, including a $5 million philanthropic gift for a recent capital campaign.

On facilities, VCSU described McFarland Hall (built in 1892) as housing 40% of the campus’ faculty and administrative offices, and requested $25.395 million in general‑fund support to address deferred maintenance (window replacement, HVAC, roof and tuckpointing) with a $1.365 million institutional match. Laffey said construction on McCarthy Hall renovations (a separate project funded in the prior biennium) is on schedule to open fall 2025.

VCSU also asked that the committee consider the NDUS needs‑based request, inflation factors and salary increases; Laffey noted that campus operating pressure arises from rising utilities, software subscription increases and health insurance cost growth. He reported a College Financial Index (CFI) of 4.93, undesignated reserves at about 7% and no audit recommendations.

Ending: Laffey asked the committee to support McFarland Hall funding and to include smaller campuses’ inflation and compensation pressures when considering system‑level adjustments. He offered to provide follow‑up detail and thanked the legislature for prior support.