DICKINSON, ND ( KXNET ) — On the morning of Wednesday, July 17, university leaders in North Dakota met to continue talks about ongoing problems at Dickinson State University.

North Dakota University System chancellor Mark Hagerott says he flew back from an event in Washington D.C. on Tuesday night after hearing the news of president Steve Easton resigning .

When members of the academic and student affairs committee met Wednesday morning, Hagerott told them President Easton has a two-year contract and hasn’t signed anything just yet.

Right now, he says DSU leaders are working on contracts to ensure they keep their nursing faculty and program running this year.

“I think there’s an open question about a separate entity materially undermining his ability to execute his responsibilities as determined by the constitution of North Dakota,” Hagerott stated. “Dickinson is in the constitution, so that will be for another day to talk about.”

“The cost of higher ed is moving in a way that’s unsustainable for the vast majority of people given the 30,000 open jobs we have,” added Representative Kelly Armstrong, “but the short-term priority has to be the make sure we have the nursing program up and running this semester.”

Hagerott says he plans to meet with President Easton on Thursday. They’ll then propose someone to serve as acting president.

Classes resume at Dickinson State University on August 26.

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