051117 End Report 2, Rep. Rick Holman

 

After the 65^th session was completed a couple weeks ago, there were some issues yet to be resolved, at least by Governor Burgum. The separation of powers does not allow the governor of ND to lobby beyond making proposals to the legislature. Keeping relatively quiet until after the session Governor Burgum cast nine vetoes on specific line items after legislators had gone home. Does Legislative Management call us back for a short session and is there enough support to garner the two-thirds majority to override his vetoes? The four leaders of the respective caucuses are polling their members and will decide based on those responses. With only three days left of the allowed 80, should they be used now or saved for a later date?

 

One of the issues pertinent in our area was the additional money for non-oil townships that was added in the last days. This was popular here but not in the west where they are still struggling with oil boom issues. Another was the attempt by Rep. Carlson to take more control of the PERS board which oversees the public employee benefits. The governor felt that the PERS change as well as the township money was done without sufficient public hearing. Other vetoes were in areas where the governor sees the legislature overstepping its authority and creating rules and oversight that is usually left to the executive branch. This is nothing new but, different from past sessions, this governor is taking action.

 

I received a couple calls on the issue of funding the Veterans Affairs Commission. As with other departments there were cuts in staff to help balance the budget. Our choice was between three items. To train more PTSD dogs to help individual veterans, to purchase another van to transport veterans to the VA hospital in Fargo, or to maintain the current staffing level. We chose the vans and dogs, much to the dismay of Commissioner Wangen. That’s an example of the kind of choices we had to make in all state agencies. Our challenge was to evaluate every situation and make choices based on the evidence we received. The results were not always popular.

 

On June 8^th, Governor Burgum has organized a conference of professionals and stakeholder to discuss how North Dakota structures its delivery of education. I hope I can attend. Governor Burgum, who has been successful in the expansion of technology in business feels that major changes could be made in the field of education. He feels that there are more efficient ways to train and develop our workforce by using technology and the internet. He’s partially right but if he devalues the importance of human interaction as part of the process, he is wrong. Having studied and worked at all levels of the educational process, I will draw on my personal experience combined with proven research to evaluate what works best. I do know that much of what is learned happens while interacting face-to-face with others.

 

I first used a computer as a freshmen student at NDAC fifty years ago and instantly became a fan of its power. Technology has been a part of my life ever since. As this form of technology has changed the world, it has become clear that there are both benefits and disadvantages. What is gained from the computer and the internet is valuable, but so is what I get interacting with colleagues and co-workers. That's probably why we have public hearings on proposed legislation.

 

There are three levels of discourse. Level one is about people, level two about things, and level three about ideas. All three working together are necessary for a successful educational experience.

 

Today's classroom is much different than what it was fifty years ago, but we must not throw out proven methods from the past. Most great advances in our history have come from working with others, looking at a problem and testing an idea on how to make it better. I love technology and have used it all my adult life. I've lost track of how many computers I've used and now my phone is more powerful than any computer of the past. Technology will continue to be one of the many components of a successful educational process but don't use it to replace the value of face-to-face interaction.

Until next time. Rep. Rick Holman, ND District 20.