Concordia College, Minnesota State University Moorhead, and North Dakota State University came together in the late 1960s to form Tri-College University. The consortium was created to allow students from one university to attend classes at the other two, with no additional tuition or fees. Through TCU, the three institutions now offer a variety of collaborative programs, courses, and services -- the course exchange, free use of library facilities on all three campuses, free parking on all three campuses (with valid parking pass from home campus), and several cooperative student organizations and events. Tri-College University has been incorporated since 1970.
1962
The informal F-M Common Market in education is created.
1965 & 1969
Legislation authorizing formal cooperative relationships across state lines passes in Minnesota (Dosland/Sillers) and North Dakota.
1968-1970
The TCU committee meets regularly – chaired by George Sinner, then member of the North Dakota Board of Higher Education who led the effort in North Dakota.
1969
The Hill Family Foundation (now the Northwest Area Foundation) provides a $70,000 grant for initial support of the provost position.
1970
Articles of incorporation establishing TCU as a North Dakota non-profit educational corporation are filed.
1971
The first edition of TRICE, the official newsprint publication of Tri-College University is produced.
1971
The Bush Foundation grants $94,000 to enhance the TCU library cooperation.
1972
The National Endowment for the Humanities grants $400,000 to establish the TCU Humanities Forum.
1972-1994
The TCU Center for Environmental Studies is founded and operates for 22 years. It brings in more than $500,000 in grant funds.
1972
The TCU Women’s Bureau is formed (becoming Tri-College Women United in 1986).
1974
Agreements covering the course exchange and covered programs are negotiated.
1974
The TCU film library is established.
1976
The TCU History Lectureship is established.
1976
TCU by-laws are drafted and amended
1977
North Central Association (NCA) accreditation is granted to the Tri-College Consortium in 1977; National Council for Accreditation for Teacher Education (NCATE) accreditation is subsequently granted in 1989.
1978
The first TCU Catalog is published.
1978-85
The Prairie Writing Project is established and operated.
1983
An economic impact study is completed showing that the institutions have a combined impact of $330,252,513.
1985
A joint (CC and NDSU) nursing program is established.
1987
The first annual Rotary/TCU Welcome Picnic is held for International students.
1987
The first TCU Graduate School Information Day is held.
1988
An economic impact study is completed showing that the institutions have a combined impact of $610,935,083.
1988
The first Tri-College Career Fair is held.
1988
The first Tri-College Pow Wow is held.
1990
The Third World Studies Committee is established (becoming the World Studies Committee in 1994).
1991
William M. Jones authors A Brief History of Tri-College University. The 46 page booklet documents many events of significance during our first 21 years.
1992
The TCU Technology Committee is formed.
1992
As per the North Dakota University System, NDSU shifts to semesters (which impacts TCU cross registration).
1993
The TCU Chapter of the Fulbright Association is established.
1995
MSU (now MSUM) shifts to semesters, restoring the Tri-College common calendar.
1995
The Nursing program is re-accredited by the National League for Nursing (NLN) for a 10-year period.
1995
TCU celebrates it 25th anniversary, with almost 30,000 students having taken more than 90,000 courses through the TCU course exchange since its inception; the commemorative poster created for the event is widely distributed on the campuses and in the community.
1995
Poet Laureate Gwendolyn Brooks appears on all three campuses, the project being supported by a $6,000 grant from the North Dakota Humanities Council.
1995
In a joint session with the TCU Commissioners, the TCU Board develops strategic goals for Tri-College University.
1996
Education Administration title changed to Educational Leadership with degree granting authority at MSUM and NDSU.
1996-97
“Plains: Take One, Two and Three” exhibits are held at MSUM, NDSU and Concordia College respectively.
1996
Formal NCA accreditation of TCU ceases (effective June 30th), with the TCU Education Administration program degrees to be conferred by MSUM and NDSU.
1997
The Education Leadership program completes and satisfies NCA, NCATE and state reviews on the MSUM and NDSU campuses.
1997
TCU assessments are standardized on the basis of a 50/50 basic/supplemental (based on enrollment) split.
1997
A TCU dedicated T-1 fiber optic line is established.
1998
TCU hosts the Small College Computing Conference.
1998
A Fargo-Moorhead/Tri-College University brochure targeting the recruitment of Twin Cities students is produced, to be used by the three Admissions Offices as a compliment to their own recruiting materials.
1999
The first TCU/Hedmark summer course on Norwegian culture, language, natural resources and society is held at Evenstad, Norway.
1999
Best Practices in Higher Education Consortia: How Institutions Can Work Together is co-edited by TCU Provost Jean Strandness. She also authored a chapter on Tri-College University cross registration and joint programs.
2002
Lech Walesa, former Polish president, Nobel Laureate for peace and holder of thirty honorary degrees from various American universities was the featured speaker at the Tri-College Human Rights Conference held at MSUM.
2003-2004
Total head count of students enrolled in the course exchange exceeds 40,000 students.
2004
The Governor George Sinner Public Policy Symposium is initiated (three year program) in honor of founding TCU Board member George Sinner and his 35 years of service on the board.
2006
Students from each campus compete for scholarships based on their speech on the topic of substance abuse for the Third Annual Governor George Sinner Public Policy Symposium.
2006
A flood forecasting tool is launched by the International Water Institute, NOAA and other partners to help mitigate flooding in the Red River Valley.
2007
An economic impact study completed with a grant from the Greater Fargo-Moorhead Economic Development shows that the three institutions have a combined economic impact of $1.22 billion (using data from 2005-2006).
2007
During their final year of operation, the Tri-College University Graduate Nursing Program receives the STAR Award from the Dakota Medical Foundation. After 2007 each campus will be responsible to support their campus nursing program as they deem appropriate and will continue to use the course exchange program to deliver classes.
2007
Tri-College University held a student art competition at each campus with winning pieces displayed in the TCU office. Winning students from each campus were presented with a cash award. Pieces are also used for promotional and marketing materials for Tri-College.
2007
Through the 36-year history of Tri-College, the approximate total student head count involved in the course exchange exceeds 32,000 students and those students have taken more than 108,500 courses.
2007
TCU people, programs and educational efforts appeared on the front page of the Forum of Fargo-Moorhead nine times and on the cover of regional papers six times. Stories about our people, programs and educational efforts appeared in 20 print stories during the year, including USA Today and the Chronicle of Higher Education.
Awareness of TCU programs was enhanced with a one year Program Outreach Series. Collaborative recruitment efforts were undertaken. Data shows that approximately 5% of the undergraduate students at each campus use the course exchange program.
2008
Funding for the $5 million LiDAR surface mapping project was announced by Tri-College’s International Water. The project is the largest financial project in the history of Tri-College University and will cover more than 40,000 square miles in North Dakota and Minnesota.
2008
The NEW Leadership program receives the YWCA “Business or Organization that Empowers Women” award.
2008
TCU Collaborative grants are awarded to encourage greater collaboration between campuses and to increase efficiency and enhance progress. The Forum of Fargo Moorhead give a “Prairie Rose” to Tri-College and related supporters for their collaborative recruitment efforts.
The TCU International Water Institute receives $5 million in grants and appropriations from 14 funding partners for a LiDAR mapping project. This is the largest project in Tri-College University history.
1968-1977 Albert Anderson
1977-1986 John McCunn
1984-1985 Andrew Keogh (1 year interim)
1986-1990 Marcia Kierscht
1991 William M. Jones (6 month interim)
1991-1994 William C. Nelson
1994 William M. Jones (5 month interim)
Dec. 1994-June 2000 Jean Strandness
July 2000 to June 2005 Nathan Davis
August 2005 – February 2006 Susanne Williams (6.5 month interim)
February 2006 – present Tim Flakoll
