Professor's e-mail raises questions about Haugen

Professor's e-mail raises questions about Haugen

 

Jan 28, 2009 - 04:05:06 CST

By DALE WETZEL
Associated Press Writer

 

Board of Higher Education member Michael Haugen requested a master's degree from the University of North Dakota's aerospace school even though he was unwilling to take the classes needed to earn it, a professor says.

Haugen disputes the allegation, made in an electronic mail message to the chairman of a state Senate committee that reviewed whether the former North Dakota National Guard commander deserved a four-year term on the board. The dean of UND's aerospace school supported Haugen's account.

Douglas Marshall, an associate professor at the school, said in an e-mail to Sen. David Nething, R-Jamestown, that Haugen had asked to be awarded a master's degree at the school "on the basis of his years of military service and 'life experience.'"

Haugen "was not interested in attending any classes or otherwise earning the degree, but instead wanted us to basically give it to him as a reward for his service record," Marshall said in his e-mail to Nething.

"At the time, my colleagues on our graduate faculty thought that Mr. Haugen's request was highly inappropriate and somewhat insulting to those individuals who actually put in the time and effort to earn the degree," the e-mail said. They speculated Haugen needed a master's degree for a promotion.

Haugen said he had asked whether instructional courses and training he received during his Air National Guard career qualified him for credit toward a master's degree at UND's aerospace school. He was told they did not, and he dropped the subject, Haugen said.

"I'm really upset that someone makes judgments and says what I was looking for, when they don't know that what I was looking for was to earn a master's degree," Haugen said.

He compared his request to student inquiries about whether courses may be transferred from one college to another. "I think it's a completely logical question to ask," Haugen said.

Bruce Smith, the dean of the aerospace school, backed Haugen's account. Haugen wanted "an evaluation of the courses he had to see which, if any, applied to a graduate program," Smith said. "The way it turned out, there were none that applied."

Haugen was unsure when he made the request, but said it was at least six years ago. Smith said it happened sometime after a state task force on military issues was established in February 2002.

The issue arose in the Legislature shortly after the North Dakota Senate unanimously confirmed Gov. John Hoeven's appointment of Haugen for a four-year term on the Board of Higher Education. The board oversees North Dakota's 11 public colleges.

Nething was chairman of a Senate committee that questioned Haugen before Thursday's vote and recommended that he be confirmed. Nething said he did not read the e-mail until Thursday afternoon, after the confirmation vote.

Marshall told Nething that Haugen's appointment to the higher education board would be "highly inappropriate" because Haugen "clearly does not value higher education or the commitment and dedication that it takes to earn a degree from the University of North Dakota."

Marshall said he was director of the UND aerospace school's graduate program at the time of Haugen's degree inquiry. Marshall left the position last September. He remains on the school's faculty.

Haugen said he did not remember dealing with Marshall - "I don't even know who he is," Haugen said - and called the remarks in his e-mail unfair.

"I'm really disappointed in the statements in there, the assumption that I don't value education. I've been taking courses and educating myself my entire life," Haugen said. "That really upsets me that someone could even think that."

Haugen was an Air Force major general and commander of the North Dakota National Guard when he made his inquiries about a master's degree, he said.

"To have them think that I was looking for a complete freebie, and (the) assumption that I needed a degree for promotion purposes, well, that's all baloney. I didn't," Haugen said. "I had everything I needed for any promotions in the military that I was going to get."

Marshall is attending a conference in Russia. He did not reply to e-mailed questions asking for his response to Haugen's version of events.

Haugen joined the board last July 1, but Senate confirmation was required for him to continue.

Hoeven appointed Haugen as the National Guard's commander in December 2000. He retired in August 2006. Hoeven picked Haugen last spring for the Board of Higher Education opening.

The governor's spokesman, Don Canton, said Hoeven was not aware of Marshall's statements until late last week. "Mike responded in a reasonable way," Canton said. "His explanation certainly sounds plausible."

Some senators said before Thursday's confirmation vote that they were uncomfortable with Haugen's appointment in any case.

"We were kind of getting what some might call military mumbo-jumbo. I don't mean that to be derogatory to the military, because it's a different culture," Nething said. "Our big problem was to try to come to grips with how will this transition be made from a total military background - a very successful background, I might add - to moving into an extremely critical role in a civilian culture."
 
 
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