BISMARCK — The North Dakota State Board of Higher Education has voted to rename UND's Department of Accounting and Information Systems the Hand School of Accounting, making it the first named school of accounting in the Upper Midwest.
The school is named for alumnus Henry Herr, an accountant and entrepreneur who earned bachelor's and master's degrees in accounting from UND in 1968 and 1971. Herr helped found Healthways in 1981 and AmSurg in 1992, and as chief financial officer and board member, has helped create thousands of jobs and serves millions of patients, according to a UND release.
He was named to the UND Accounting Hall of Fame in 2011, received the Sioux Award for Distinguished Achievement and Leadership in 2015, and received an honorary doctorate from UND in 2022.
“Judee and I are so pleased that the Department of Accounting and Information Systems has been elevated to the School of Accounting in recognition of the rich legacy of accounting education provided to UND students over many decades,” Herr said in a statement. “We are also humbled and honored to have our name associated with the program that has played a significant role in my career, as well as many of the department's alumni. Current and past faculty, supporting alumni, and leadership at all levels must to be congratulated on this well-deserved recognition.”
At the state board of higher education meeting on Thursday, Sept. 28, UND Alumni Association and Foundation CEO DeAnna Carlson Zink said she had never met a more humble person than Mr. and praised the couple's faith and contributions for decades at UND.
“They have been incredibly supportive not only financially, but also individually in mentoring probably hundreds of students in our accounting program,” Dean Amy Henley of the Nistler College of Business and Public Administration said at the meeting. “They are an incredible couple.”
Although Information Systems has been removed from the school's name, Henley said part of the program will remain under the accounting umbrella and has only continued to expand, now including programs in data analytics and artificial intelligence.
The Nistler College of Business and Public Administration, which houses the new Herr School of Accounting, is among the top 5 percent of business schools in the world, according to the UND announcement.
“The prominence of this signature school differentiates us from other accounting programs while recognizing our strong reputation and past achievements,” Henley said in a statement.
“It is a fitting tribute and a fitting honor to recognize Henry's highly successful career – both as a business leader and philanthropist – by naming the School of Accounting in the Nistler College of Business and Public Administration,” UND President. Andrew Armacost said in a statement. “Henry's dedication to UND, its students and faculty, as well as his service to our nation and his many contributions to the health care industry, demonstrate what a North Dakota child can achieve with a good education in people”.
In other State Board of Higher Education news:
- Although North Dakota is experiencing a sharp increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, UND School of Medicine Dean Josh Wynne does not foresee the need for extensive mitigation measures in the near future. In a COVID-19 report given to the board Thursday, Wynne said education leaders in the state should continue to urge members of the campus community to get the annual COVID-19 vaccine, which this year has been informed of to maximize effectiveness against the most prevalent strains now in circulation. He also urged institutions to have plans for how to deal with faculty and large groups of students who fall ill and cannot attend class in person.
- The board voted to grant tenure to Minot State University President Steven Shirley in recognition of his years of service as president of both Minot State and, previously, Valley City State University.
- The board voted to approve Chancellor Mark Hagerott's list of goals for the university system. Among Hagerott's “priority goals” are maintaining a dynamic enrollment environment, updating the ENVISION 2035 strategic vision, and preparing for the 69th Legislative Session in 2025.
- The board received a university system census report: As of Thursday, there are 44,227 students enrolled at North Dakota universities for a total of 490,643 scheduled credit hours. There was an increase in scheduled credit hours among high school students, transfers, graduate students, and part-time students and a decrease among non-degree students.
