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ND ’Business Challenge’ program short of money

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A summer program that instructs high school students on how to succeed in business is running a deficit of more than $50,000, and members of the Board of Higher Education want to see a plan to stanch the red ink.

Dickinson State University organizes the Business Challenge program, which is a week-long summer camp for high school students and elementary and high school teachers. Students write marketing plans and presentations, and use computer simulations to start their own businesses.

This year’s edition is to run June 21-26 at Dickinson and Medora. Since it began in 1978, Business Challenge has hosted more than 7,500 students and teachers, according to its Web site. It is supported by Dickinson State, the Department of Public Instruction and a number of private business sponsors.

Steve Glasser, director of the university’s Strom Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and Mark Lowe, the center’s controller, told the Board of Higher Education’s finance subcommittee on Tuesday that Business Challenge’s deficit is now about $50,000.

It may grow to as much as $90,000 before the program’s budget year ends June 30, because of the cost of putting on this year’s program, they said.

“We have significant expense for speakers, food, the expenses of the program coming up,” Lowe said. Business Challenge’s finances did get a boost from a recent $25,000 donation from Wal-Mart, he said.

Jon Backes, the subcommittee’s chairman, suggested that the program submit a plan for eliminating the deficit in no more than three years. The subcommittee’s other members, Richie Smith and Duaine Espegard, said the situation had to be remedied.

“We simply can’t sit here and see a $90,000 deficit every year, or an increase in that, and not have a problem,” Smith said.

Glasser and Lowe agreed, with Lowe saying he believed Dickinson State would make up the deficit from its own reserves if necessary.

“There’s no interest in eliminating the program,” Lowe said. “It’s a vital part of the Strom Center and the community.”

Glasser said that work on eliminating the deficit lagged when Business Challenge’s director left, and the position was not filled for several months.

A fundraising consultant has been retained, and a fundraising appeal, signed by Gov. John Hoeven and several prominent North Dakota business people, will be going out shortly.

“We’re being very proactive right now, very aggressive,” Glasser said. “I’m happy with where we’re at right now. We’ve gained a lot of momentum over the last couple of months.”