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New Dickinson State University president cites enrollment dip, campus projects and workforce partnerships
Summary
President Molander, in his first city presentation about 120 days into the job, reported a small decline in fall enrollment, strong residence-hall occupancy and campus facility projects including a new ag classroom and Woods Hall renovations; he emphasized workforce development and upcoming MOUs with UND and NDSU.
Dickinson State University President Molander gave his first formal presentation to the Dickinson City Commission since taking office, summarizing fall enrollment, facilities work and community outreach plans.
Molander said fall enrollment was down, including lower transfer and international-student counts, and reported credit-hour production likely near 1.6–1.7%. He highlighted completed campus work: the agriculture classroom was finished on time and in use for fall classes, and Woods Hall construction will continue through 2026 with a target for full building availability in that year. Residence halls remain near full occupancy.
The president emphasized workforce development as a priority, saying he’s meeting with businesses across an eight-county southwest region to align curriculum with employer needs and to recruit students who want to stay in the region. He also described plans to create a consolidated campus events calendar and to pursue memoranda of understanding with UND and NDSU to expand program pathways and shared accreditation options.
Molander closed by inviting commissioners and the public to contact him and visit the campus; commissioners thanked him for the update and praised homecoming turnout and campus engagement.
