Question: Which public research university in North Dakota has worked in close connection with Williston State College for most of its history?

Context articles: Williston State College
Charles A. West
Bob Stenehjem
North Dakota State College of Science
Lake Region State College
North Dakota State University
Williston Basin International Airport
Ron Carlisle
Russell T. Thane
University of North Dakota

Williston State College (WSC) is a two-year public college in Williston, North Dakota, United States, part of the North Dakota University System.
 Founded in 1957, WSC provides general, vocational, and technical education.
 For most of its history the college has worked in close connection with the University of North Dakota.
 It was originally called University of North Dakota-Williston (UND-W).
Charles A. "Jack" West (c. 1890 – October 29, 1957) was an American football, Canadian football, and basketball coach and college athletics administrator.
 He served as the head football coach at South Dakota State College of Agricultural and Mechanic Arts—now South Dakota State University—from 1919 to 1927 and at the University of North Dakota from 1928 to 1941 and again in 1945, compiling a career college football record of 134–55–14.
 West was also the head basketball coach at South Dakota State from 1919 to 1926 and at North Dakota during the 1944–45 season, amassing a career college basketball record of 74–66.
 He coached football teams to 11 North Central Conference titles, three at South Dakota State and eight at North Dakota.
 In addition, he served as North Dakota's athletic director from 1928 to 1946.
 West left the college ranks in 1946 to become head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, then of the Western Interprovincial Football Union, now a division of the Canadian Football League.
 He died at the age of 67 on October 29, 1957 at his home in Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Robert "Bob" Stenehjem ( ; January 12, 1952 – July 18, 2011) was a North Dakota Republican politician, serving in the North Dakota Senate for District 30.
 He was the Senate Majority Leader from 2001 until his death in 2011.
 Stenehjem ran for the Republican nomination for a seat on the North Dakota Public Service Commission in 2008 to succeed the retiring Commissioner, Susan Wefald.
 Stenehjem lost the nomination during the North Dakota Republican Party's state convention on March 29, 2008, coming in second place to eventual nominee Brian Kalk, a professor at North Dakota State University, during the North Dakota Republican Party state convention March 29, 2008.
 Stenehjem was subsequently re-elected to his seat in the state senate in 2008.
 Stenehjem was a graduate of Bismarck High School and Bismarck State College.
 He was a member of Ducks Unlimited and the National Rifle Association.
 He was the brother of North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem.
The North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) is a two-year public college in Wahpeton, in the U.S. state of North Dakota and part of the North Dakota University System.
 Founded in 1903 by provision of the state constitution, the State College of Science offers degrees, certificates and diplomas in more than 80 academic options in traditional career and technical studies as well as the liberal arts.
 The college also offers a variety of distance education and online courses.
 Approximately 98% of graduates are employed or pursuing additional college education.
Lake Region State College (LRSC) is a two-year public college in Devils Lake, North Dakota, United States.
 It was founded in 1941 as an extension of the public school system and first known as Devils Lake Junior College and Business School.
 Several name changes have occurred over the years ranging from Lake Region Junior College to Community College.
 The current name of Lake Region State College was adopted in 1999.
 From 1987 until 1999, the college was a branch campus of the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, known as UND-Lake Region.
 In 1984, the college became a part of the North Dakota University System.
North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, more commonly known as North Dakota State University (NDSU), is a public research university that sits on a 258-acre campus (~1 km) in Fargo, North Dakota, U.S.
 The institution was founded as North Dakota Agricultural College in 1890 as the research land-grant institution for the state of North Dakota.
 NDSU is a comprehensive doctoral research university with programs involved in very high research activity.
 NDSU offers 102 undergraduate majors, 170 undergraduate degree programs, 6 undergraduate certificate programs, 79 undergraduate minors, 81 master’s degree programs, 47 doctoral degree programs of study and 10 graduate certificate programs.
 There were 13,323 students attending NDSU from 47 different states and 79 different countries as of spring 2017.
Williston Basin International Airport (IATA: XWA) is an airport under construction near Williston, a city in the U.S. state of North Dakota.
 It is located roughly 10 mi northwest of the city.
 Williston Basin Airport will have two runways and a 110000 sqft terminal building.
 It is being built to replace Sloulin Field International Airport, which currently serves Williston and has experienced difficulty dealing with the increase in air traffic to Williston amid the North Dakota oil boom.
 The project is expected to be completed by late 2019.
Ron D. Carlisle (born October 28, 1940) is an American politician in the state of North Dakota.
 He represents the 30th district in the North Dakota State Senate.
 A Republican, Carlisle was appointed to the Senate in 2011.
 He previously sat in the North Dakota House of Representatives from 1991 to his defeat in 2008.
 From 1976 to 2000, he was a delegate to the North Dakota State Republican Convention.
 He attended Bismarck State College and Black Hills State College and holds Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees and is a former businessman.
 He also served in the United States Navy.
Russell T. Thane (born July 14, 1926), was an American politician who was a member of the North Dakota State Senate.
 He represented the 25th district from 1971 to 2006 as a member of the Republican party.
 He is an alumnus of the North Dakota State College of Science, North Dakota State University and Rutgers University Eagleton Institution of Politics.
 Thane is a farmer, residing in Wahpeton, North Dakota.
The University of North Dakota (also known as UND or North Dakota) is a public research university in Grand Forks, North Dakota.
 Established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of North Dakota, it is the state's oldest.