Committee reviews University System Office budget proposal, flags scholarships, IT and workforce grants

The Appropriations - Education and Environment Division on an Appropriations committee docket reviewed the University System Office budget (budget item 215), discussing multiple ongoing and one‑time line items including dual‑credit scholarships, student financial aid systems, IT infrastructure and new workforce grants.

Committee members discussed the removal of ongoing funding for dual‑credit scholarships and the inclusion of a $1.5 million one‑time allocation from Bank of North Dakota profits for the program. Brenda Zastopol of the system office explained how the scholarship is awarded: "the dual credit tuition scholarship is awarded post high school graduate graduation to students who took dual credit from an institution within North Dakota. The course must have been successfully passed... And the award is for $250 for 1 pass course, $500 for 2, and a maximum of $750 for 3 or more." The committee noted that the…