READY TO LEAD

Dr. Andrew Armacost officially begins as UND’s 13th president on June 1, but the COVID-19 pandemic pressed him into service months early.

By Milo Smith

“H i. I’m Andy Armacost.” Just a month after being selected as UND’s 13th president, Dr. Andrew Armacost is greeting guests at his first alumni social.

It’s January 31, and, though he won’t officially take over as UND’s president until June 1, Armacost is talking with alumni at a social in Austin, Texas.

Upon being introduced to the 52-year-old future leader of UND, Forrest Bjerkaas, ’81, had one question: “Why UND?”

Armacost didn’t hesitate. “Amazing school. Amazing programs. Great medical school. Great law school,” he said. “What drew me to UND is I was looking for a university that had a commitment that was broader than just bringing people in to go to school, something that was about developing leaders, developing people who are going to contribute in important ways. UND has a great track record of doing that.”

Air Force Academy

Armacost is coming to the UND presidency after completing his service as Dean of the Faculty at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. With more than 30 years on active duty and 20 years at the Academy, Armacost served in the rank of Brigadier General as the Chief Academic Officer. As a member of the Academy’s senior leadership council, he was part of the team that guided an annual operating budget of more than $500 million and a capital improvement portfolio of nearly $1 billion.

As the Dean of the Faculty and Chief Academic Officer, he had direct responsibility to a faculty of 550, an academic program with 31 majors, and a student body of 4,300. He was a champion of shared governance, academic freedom, inclusion, student growth, and applied learning and research.

Armacost’s degrees include a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Northwestern and a Master of Science and Ph.D. in Operations Research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Armacost and his wife, Kathy, have two daughters: Ava, a 2018 graduate of Northwestern, and Audrey, who is graduating from the University of Oklahoma this spring.

Presidential search

Armacost was the preferred candidate out of a pool of 61 applicants. He was one of six finalists who came to campus for two-day visits in November 2019, with Armacost and two others getting one more interview before the State Board of Higher Education (SBHE) in early December.

Following those interviews, Armacost was named President of the University of North Dakota.

Dr. Casey Ryan, SBHE member and Presidential Search Committee co-chair, said following the selection, “Through the process, we realized that we wanted a president who has a philosophy that is consistent with North Dakota values. Dr. Armacost is that person.”

Getting to know Andy

In January, the North Dakota SBHE approved a plan to pay Armacost on a part-time basis until his official start date in June. The plan allowed Armacost to visit Grand Forks on a regular basis to make connections with students, faculty, staff and community leaders. He also was able to attend meet-and-greets with alumni around the country.

“I felt that one of the most important things I could do as the incoming president is to start building and solidifying relationships with the alumni community,” Armacost said.

Following the first social in Austin, which Armacost called “a magical night,” he was asked what it was like to introduce himself as the incoming president of the flagship university of the state of North Dakota.

“Every time, I almost have to pinch myself. I say, ‘Wow, I can't believe this opportunity has come into play for me and for Kathy,’ and we're just so much looking forward to getting on campus and taking the reins.”

Two weeks later, Armacost was again socializing with a group of UND alumni; this time in Carefree, Arizona, at Bouderanch, the eclectic outdoor art space owned and curated by John Laasen, ’67, ’68, and his wife, Jayne.

While mixing with the attendees, 93-year-old Ray Kobe, ’55, asked Armacost, “What do you see as your biggest challenge?”

Armacost stated that there were several. He told Ray and his wife, Liz, that the national trend on enrollment in colleges is pointing downward due to a dip in the birthrate during the 2008-09 recession. He said the challenge will be for UND to position itself to compete for incoming freshmen over the next decade.

He also said he wants to focus on building a strong sense of community on campus. “We’ve had some turmoil in terms of turnover,” he said. “and I want to stabilize things and really make sure that students, faculty and staff feel part of something bigger than just themselves. I think goodness happens when we can do that.”

Social distancing ends socials

By mid-March, the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of additional meetups with alumni in Naples, Florida; Phoenix; and Fargo.

Armacost says it was disappointing to miss out on opportunities during his transition phase to continue to learn valuable lessons from his alumni encounters.

“The warmth and support and the hope and optimism that the alumni community has for the future of UND is really motivating to me. As I hear their stories, I learned a lot about people's backgrounds. I learned about tin huts and boxcars and strange living conditions back in decades yore. It's amazing to hear these stories and how each person's experience on the campus really defined their lives and made them who they are today. We need to make sure we keep that in mind as we create experiences for our students today.”

Campus collaboration

While putting an end to alumni socials, the coronavirus pandemic ramped up Armacost’s involvement in campus decision making. Thanks to a working relationship between him and interim President Joshua Wynne forged early in his transition, Armacost has been a partner in all the important decisions made regarding UND’s response to the pandemic.

“He and I speak two or three times a day. We compare notes and opinions about decisions that are upcoming. And Josh has been absolutely fantastic when he recognizes a decision is going to extend into my tenure. He's been so gracious and so willing to partner and to discuss all these ideas. It's been just a tremendous transition and a great collaboration as the campus faces this global pandemic.”

Incoming president Andy Armacost visits with Ray Kobe, '55, and his wife, Liz, at an alumni event Feb. 21 at Boulderanch in Carefree, Arizona.

Photo by Milo Smith

As Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean of the UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dr. Wynne, who is also a practicing cardiologist, has brought his medical knowledge to bear on the important decisions regarding the university’s response to the pandemic.

“His knowledge of the medial and safety issues, not just in medical facilities, but also for the general population, is tremendous,” Armacost said. “It’s been a real bit of luck that we’ve had a medical doctor serving as our president.” Armacost is thankful that Wynne will return to his post as dean of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences and will be a “highly valued” member of the President’s Cabinet.

The first 90 days

A frequent question of the presidential candidates was “What do you hope to accomplish in your first 90 days on campus?”

Armacost says his answer has certainly changed giving the current crisis no one could have anticipated in the fall of 2019 when the search process began. While the priorities remain, the fallout from COVID-19 could have long-term impacts on the University of North Dakota in terms of enrollment and state budgeting for higher education. “The most important thing we can do is make sure that what makes UND so great, and that’s the sense of community, remains alive and well. The support that the faculty and staff and students are providing to each other as we go through this crisis is important. It’s the bedrock of the institution and we need to make sure that we keep focusing on building and amplifying that sense of community.”

The move

The Armacosts plan to move to Grand Forks in mid-June from their home in Colorado. Andy says he and Kathy are excited to get to UND.

“This is a truly amazing opportunity and especially during times of challenge. This is where the character of the University really rises to the occasion. To be part of this team, this campus, Grand Forks, and the state of North Dakota is just a tremendous opportunity.”