I attended UND in the period 1994-1997, and was a foregin exchange student from Norway. I went to UND by enrolling an exchange program in Norway called "Østfoldakademiet". I must admit that I am really surprised by hearing of this web-site, and I am really curious about the intentions behind all this.

Personally I am deeply dissapointed to hear about all these accusations, and for your sake I really hope they are valid. However, to present so much information, all being negative, you are contributing to giving UND a really bad reputation. I also noticed that a lot of the information presented don't even (directly) relate to UND as a governing institution.

What happend to all the good things UND stand for? To put an instution in a bad light is usually not a problem, and I am pretty sure one can dig up quite a few things at other, similar institutions as well. I acknowledge that I certainly don't have all the facts you have, but I ask you to look at UND from a more fair perspective. Something tells me that that has become a second priority. We all know what self-fulfilling prophecies can accomplish; I fear a site like yours can do more harm that what UND actually deserves!

Sincerely,

Former Norwegian exchange student at UND

I don't know how I missed your message I am usually very quick to

respond. I am the editor of www.undnews.com and was thrown out of UND

when I reported the actions of an errant physics prof.

As a white student you probably had a different experience of UND then

we did. The recent article done by Andy Brownstein at the Chronicle of

higher ed (who I brought here from NY) which is posted on the new

materials page says it all.

I want the bad news to get out in order to encourage UND to settle with

those they have wronged and will continue to be their anti publicity

until they do. Write them with your complaints as it is in their hands.

PEACE>

You are probably right when you say that "As a white student you probably

had a different experience of UND then we did". However, I still feel

that you are pursuing a revenge-strategy that will not accomplish what

you hope for. I would also like to ask you if this incident you (and

obviously others) experienced has become a racial issue?

I don't know how familiar you are with defensive reasoning, but that is

what this will create. You attack them as hard as you can, while they

defend themselves with the same rigor. None of you are actually

discussing why things happended as they did. You are both to anger

accusing what the other did wrong!

I would like ask you the following: When has (in your opinion) your goal

been accomplished? What does it take for you to be happy about the

situation? That is a question you really should ask yourself. Do you

really think that they will become friendlier after all this. Do you

think that things will be solved if the wrong-doers were fired?

Do not misunderstand me; I'm not saying that you should "lay down your

weapons" and give in for the UND institution's wrongdoings, but I would

certainly encourage you to find better strategies to deal with this. That

is, if you really want to make a change, and not just get back at them!

As a result of your web-page, we experience that Norwegian students no

longer see the point of getting a higher education at

the Univ. of ND. This exchange program is one of its kind in Norway, and

for the time being students are now dreading the experience of studying

abroad, which certainly can be a valuable and wonderful learning

experience - even at UND!

With this I do not want to criticise you by saying that you are doing

everything wrong - I certainly see how difficult and irritating your

experience must be - but I do want to make you aware of the

effect you're creating. I also hope that you in the future keep in mind

(for example) Norwegian students, who are deeply affected by your

writings and opinions.

Sincerely,

KJ

Hi. I realize that albeit UND, coming to the States and experiencing the US in all of its glory is something you treasure and want to share with others and for others to experience openly.

I was good to UND and reported some very bad things that could affect UND adversely. I was essentially thrown out for blowing the whistle on an errant professor and for reporting 2 grad students who said they were going to kill themselves to me.

I hope that I can make a good thing happen out of a bad thing.

UND no longer throws out whistleblowers and in fact has since been forced to hire an outside agency to take complaints.

Racism is ugly, but when the light is on such, perhaps it can be cleaned up. Hard to houseclean in the dark.

I have approach UND with civility over and over again to no avail.

On May 22, 2001, the errant prof. who obviously is also a little nutty and obsessed, is taking me to trial by a jury to try to say I lied about my reports.

I did not lie. I have no lawyer. I am going to subpoena many in UND.

Perhaps this will end this chapter.

PEACE>G