DICKINSON, ND — The president of Dickinson State University in North Dakota announced his resignation on Monday, a few days after the school’s nursing teacher left.
In a video, Steve Easton announced his departure, acknowledging that there was “unrest among some within the faculty and administration.”
Seven faculty members resigned on Wednesday, KFYR-TV reported this. Former nursing assistant professor Trista Keith told the station that the nursing faculty had been notified that their accreditation had been in jeopardy in recent years. She also cited insufficient time and resources for the faculty to meet accreditation requirements, among other reasons why the faculty resigned.
Easton said the North Dakota Board of Nursing prohibited him and other administrators from seeking new nursing teachers.
“If I can’t do everything I can for our students, including finding teachers so that students can continue their education, then I can’t do my job, because fighting for students is my job,” Easton said.
In a statement, The board said it had not forced Easton to resign or banned the appointment, but that it had sent a standard message to the university on Friday “regarding multiple deficiencies in the nursing program for review” at an upcoming board meeting, due to the faculty departures.
Easton also said he was told that financial supporters of the school could leave if he stayed. He said he will stay through a short and orderly transition. It was not clear when his last day will be.
In statements, Tim Mihalick, chairman of the State Board of Higher Education, and Mark Hagerott, president of the North Dakota University System, praised Easton’s leadership.
Easton was appointed president of Dickinson State in March 2020 after serving as interim president for several months. During the 2023 legislative session, he sponsored a controversial and failed tenure review bill that opponents said would erode academic freedom and threaten schools’ accreditation.
Dickinson State had a fall 2023 enrollment of nearly 1,500 registered students. Fall semester classes begin August 26.