February 18, 2025

Dear NDSU Community, 

Last Friday, the U.S. Department of Education issued a Dear Colleague Letter providing guidance on issues associated with race, color, and national origin. The letter provides DOE’s interpretation of existing laws and policies and requires institutions to comply immediately to maintain their federal funding.   

NDSU is closely monitoring this situation, and I continue working with senior leadership identified last week and now known as the Federal Coordination Group. Additionally, I have charged a Dear Colleague Letter Group listed below with conducting an in-depth assessment of the letter and providing recommendations to ensure our continued compliance. These recommendations will be brought to the Federal Coordination Group for review, information sharing, and decision-making. 

We will provide further updates as more information becomes available. In the meantime, please know that we deeply value each member of our community, and that our land-grant mission of ensuring access, opportunity, and a welcoming environment for everyone remains unwavering as we navigate changes to federal guidance together. Your success and well-being are at the heart of everything we do. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please use the Share Your Ideas form or reach out to any of the Dear Colleague Letters Group members listed below. 

Sincerely, 
 

David Cook

Dear Colleague Letter Group 

Jace Beehler, Chief of Staff 

Dilvin Habib, Senior Director of Access and Opportunity  

Kay Hopkins, Staff Senate President or designee 

Garrett Kuhn, Student Body President or designee 

Seinquis Leinen, Senior Director for Strategic Enrollment Management 

Lisa Montplaisir, President of Faculty Senate / SBHE Faculty Advisor / Professor of Biological Sciences and School of Education 

Rian Nostrum, Director of Residence Life 

Emily Frazier, Dean of Students 

Carrie Anne Platt, Vice Provost of Faculty Affairs, Teaching and Retention 

Chris Wilson, Chief Compliance Officer 

Allyson Peterson, NDSU Foundation Senior Vice President of Finance and Operations 

Mark Genkinger, Director of Human Resources 

Federal Coordination Group  

David Cook, President 

David Bertolini, Provost 

Seinquis Leinen, Senior Director for Strategic Enrollment Management 

Laura Oster-Aaland, Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Institutional Equity 

Lisa Montplaisir, President of Faculty Senate / SBHE Faculty Advisor / Professor of Biological Sciences and School of Education 

Jace Beehler, Chief of Staff 

Kay Hopkins, President of Staff Senate / Business Manager for College of Business 

Kathryn Kloby, Vice President for Communications and Marketing 

Brynn Rawlings, Director of Communication and Media Relations 

Bruce Bollinger, Vice President for Finance and Administration 

Allyson Peterson, NDSU Foundation Senior Vice President of Finance and Operations 

Greg Lardy, Joe and Norma Peltier VP for Agriculture 

Colleen Fitzgerald, Vice President for Research and Creative Activity 

John Glover, NDSU Foundation President 

Carrie Anne Platt, Vice Provost of Faculty Affairs, Teaching and Retention 

Valrey Kettner, Associate VP for Sponsored Programs Administration 

Matthew Sanchez, Director for Financial Aid and Scholarships 

Garrett Kuhn, Student Body President 

Karin Hegstad, Associate VP for Finance and Administration 

Chris Wilson, Chief Compliance Officer 

Matthew Hammer, Assistant Attorney General 

Christopher Dick, Student Body Vice President 

Kevin Dockter, Director of Grant and Contract Accounting 

Dilvin Habib, Senior Director for Access and Opportunity 

Emily Frazier, Dean of Students 

Mark Genkinger, Director of Human Resources