Changes

Amongst all of the student clubs and groups that perform innovative and entrepreneurial activities, the author is most intimately familiar with a program known as the '''Bison Microventure. '''BµV is a program that brings students from multiple disciplines- primarily Engineering and Biosciences but not exclusive of other majors- together to solve problems and develop a product. The group, structured into 8 separate teams of 2-3 students each, provides students the opportunity to lead and manage their own ''de facto ''mini-research teams, complete with all of the resource, expertise, and intellectual property responsibilities that come with it. BµV has been successful in generating multiple patent disclosures, numerous presentations at national events, and victories in local innovation competitions.

Aside from tenure and contractual requirements, innovation and entrepreneurship is not, to the writer's knowledge, widely promoted to faculty. The writer wishes to note that there is a growing movement on campus within faculty and leadership that hopes to change the current mindset- a movement that will no doubt find immense value in the findings of the UI fellow program and the landscape canvas. This movement gained immense strength with a series of demonstrations of support, vocal and in action, by the University Present and Provost. NDSU's innovation atmosphere, I-Challenge, and select outstanding research teams have recently been mentioned consistently in the president's 'State of the University' addresses.