This week’s Hotline! includes the following articles:

• VCSU President's Column: Behind the scenese, our own hidden figures
• Legislative update
• Three receive Faculty Excellence Awards
• Student employees of month named for February and March
• Bratsch named Staff Member of Quarter
• Cyber Defense Clinic to be held Tuesday
• Teacher shortage loan forgiveness program now accepting applications
• Ong represents VCSU in Baltimore and Bismarck
• Da Vinha speaks on political polarization and distrust
• Faculty road-trip to state colleges
• Viking sports update
• What’s happening at VCSU and around Valley City…

The VCSU Hotline! online newsletter is published every Monday during the academic year. Deadline to submit articles (photos encouraged) is 4 p.m. the Friday before publication.

VCSU President's Column

by Tisa Mason, Ed.D., CAE
Valley City State University President

Behind the scenes: Our own hidden figures

I have not yet had the opportunity to see the movie “Hidden Figures,” but it is high on my list of movies to watch. It is a true story about a group of African-American women hired at the beginnings of NASA for their superior mathematical skills. There are always public figures, or those with the privilege—and honestly, the weight—of being the “face of the institution.” But equally important are those behind the scenes, the hidden figures. The concept of the movie got me thinking about how many people we depend on to make this university, or any organization, truly great.

One of VCSUs many highlights of success this past year was the reaccreditation—with high praise—of the teacher preparation programs at VCSU. The “face” of that recognition is, of course, our excellent faculty relentlessly focused on creating powerful learning experiences that serve our teacher candidates glowingly. Yet behind the accreditation processes were folks like Emma Tufte, Misty Lindgren, and Irene Groth. I asked Dr. Gary Thompson, dean of the School of Education and Graduate Studies, about their contributions to the reaccreditation process:

“Emma Tufte contributed significantly to the School of Education and Graduate Studies (SEGS) successful 2015 NCATE visit. Emma entered substantial amounts of SEGS data while tracking hundreds of teacher candidates who aspired to progress from entry to program admittance to student teaching and ultimately graduation. She contributed to valuable improvements in the Central Assessment System and SEGS preparation of data reports shared with local stakeholders, as well as the SEGS state and national accreditation efforts.

“Misty Lindgren entered substantial amounts of SEGS data while tracking and communicating with graduate school students. Misty’s efforts in the Central Assessment System and her work with students pursuing their master’s degrees were influential in the success of the graduate program in the 2015 state and national accreditation efforts.

“Irene Groth goes over and above the call of duty to help the School of Education and Graduate Studies become a ‘well-oiled machine.’ Irene did an exceptional job in helping to organize all the meals, schedules, motels reservations and every small detail for the last NCATE visit. The team was very pleased with how well everything was organized, and Irene can take credit for that part of the visit. The whole accreditation process involves teamwork, and Irene’s role as organizer was crucial to our success.”

These three “hidden figures” were crucial to the accreditation process. One could say they shined a light on the excellent work of the faculty so that the visiting accrediting team could see the truly magnificent impact our teacher preparation program has in our state and in our nation.

We enjoyed another successful accreditation effort last year as well—VCSU’s athletic training program was granted its initial accreditation for the maximum five-year period. One of the “hidden figures” behind its success is faculty member and program director Rachelle Hunt.

Diane Burr, department chair, indicates that “many people do not realize that each year the VCSU program director must submit an annual report. In this report, the 109 standards are assessed for compliance during the review process. The review process is extensive and requires that the program director report on the major accreditation sections, which include student application and enrollment, faculty program operations, program outcomes, and compliance. The program director must summarize clinical experiences and internships, and preceptor profiles are updated at all clinical sites. After submission, the CAATE Commission reviews the report and either accepts or requests further action in the form of rejoinders that address any irregularities. This process begins each year in July with the report due for submission by Oct. 15.”

Bet I know how Rachelle Hunt spends her summer vacation!

There are so many similar stories to tell about VCSU “hidden figures” throughout campus. From student support services to financial aid, from the library to the learning center, from building services to food service, from the heat plant to academic department offices, a host of personnel
quietly do their part to help our students succeed and our institution thrive.

But what is not hidden at VCSU is our culture. We are committed to a learner-centered philosophy. We make education meaningful with positive relationships and effective practices. And although there are those of us at VCSU who often serve as the “face” and those who serve as “hidden figures,” at the end of the day, everyone knows “We all Row” and that makes everyday a great day to be a Viking!

Legislative update

SB2196, the bill authorizing VCSU to pursue financing for the activated carbon plant addition to the new heat plant, was amended and passed by the North Dakota House on March 29.

The amendment provides for status reports by the State Board of Higher Education to the Legislative Management Budget Section during the 2017–18 interim and to the next Legislative Assembly in 2019.

The amended bill went back to the Senate, where it was passed on April 3. The bill was sent to the governor on April 5. The bill includes an emergency clause, which puts the legislation immediately into law once signed by the governor.

Three receive Faculty Excellence Awards

President Tisa Mason has announced the 2016–17 Faculty Excellence Awards, recognizing “exceptional dedication and commitment to students and the university by outstanding teaching, scholarly activities, or university service.”

Recipients are Bob Anderson, Senior Faculty Award (associate or full professor); Emily Fenster, Junior Faculty Award (instructor or assistant professor); and Laurel Westby, Adjunct/Special Appointment Award.

Join in celebrating their achievements at the Employee Recognition Dinner on May 11.

Student employees of month named for February and March

Isaac Yturralde was named Student Employee of the Month for February 2017. Yturralde is employed with Facilities Services in Rhoades Science Center. His nomination by supervisor Michelle Hoyt states, “Isaac takes pride in his work and how his tasks reflect on VCSU. He is dependable, honest, a hard worker, very punctual, and shows initiative without supervision.”

Max Kollar was named Student Employee of the Month for March 2017. Max was recognized for his work doing research with Professor Hilde van Gijssel. “Max is very dedicated to the progress of his project from start to finish, [despite] many frustrations. Even so, he is quick to smile and a very pleasant addition to the Science Department. He is an independent, self-motivated employee who exhibits what we are as a learning-centered institution.”

Congratulations, Isaac and Max!

Bratsch named Staff Member of Quarter

Anna Bratsch, head athletic trainer, has been selected as recipient of the “Staff Member of the Quarter” award. She was recognized with an impromptu ceremony in the W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse on Friday morning, April 7.

President Mason shared the following excerpt from Anna’s nomination form at the ceremony: “Anna should be staff member of the quarter due to the improvements she has been making and obstacles she has overcome this fall. As an athletic trainer, we prevent, diagnose, treat, and manage athletic injuries and illnesses. Anna goes above and beyond by treating our athletes from head to toe; we have had several athletes dealing with extreme emotional crises, mental health issues, and relationship issues. I fully believe that if it were not for the intervention of Anna, several of our athletes would’ve been hospitalized or would have dropped out of classes. She is a constant in their ever-changing schedule and continues to make our athletes better people, not just better athletes.”

Congratulations, Anna!

Cyber Defense Clinic to be held Tuesday

Students in the Computer Systems and Software Engineering Department will present a Cyber Defense Clinic on Tuesday, April 11, at 3 p.m. in Rhoades 102.

A host of topic, including security, passwords, networks, phishing and internet safety will be covered, as participants learn how to protect themselves from cyber threats.

The event is open to the public free of charge.

Teacher shortage loan forgiveness program now accepting applications

The North Dakota University System is accepting applications for the 2016–17 teacher shortage loan forgiveness program through May 3.

Applicants may be eligible if they held a full-time teaching contract in North Dakota for an entire academic year and are teaching in a teacher shortage area. The debt forgiveness program is available to teachers who teach at a public or private school in North Dakota in a grade level or content area identified as having a shortage by the Department of Public Instruction. In addition to teaching full-time, applicants must have a qualifying student loan and be current with the payments on that loan.

The Department of Public Instruction determines teacher shortage areas in North Dakota, using calculations required by the National Center for Education Statistics. This year’s 14 shortage areas are economics and the free enterprise system; computer education; driver and traffic safety education; agriculture education; special education; family and consumer sciences; science; counselors; mathematics; English; music; physical education; social studies; and elementary teachers.

New this year is the inclusion of elementary education school teachers and school counselors who may also apply for the debt relief program.

Teachers who qualify may obtain up to $1,000 in loan forgiveness each year, with an individual maximum lifetime benefit of $5,000.

The application form is available at webapps.ndus.edu/endpoint/ndus-tslf/.

Ong represents VCSU in Baltimore and Bismarck

Geraldine Ong, assistant professor of music, attended the Music Teachers National Association national conference in Baltimore, Md., March 19–22. There she met composers and learned new teaching repertoire. She also encountered new and different pedagogy techniques, as well as variety of tools and gadgets for the classroom.

On Saturday, April 1, Ong presented “Effective Practice” to the Bismarck-Mandan Music Teachers Association, a chapter of the North Dakota Music Teachers Association. The lecture was held at the Bismarck Veterans Memorial Library.

Da Vinha speaks on political polarization and distrust

Luis da Vinha, assistant professor of geography and political science, spoke on “Political Polarization! How Did We Get Here?” in a discussion organized by the “What in the World Is Going On?” group at the Barnes County Museum on Monday, March 27.

Da Vinha analyzed how the American public’s trust in government has declined to historically low levels in recent decades, claiming that this distrust and discontent is directly correlated with the growing polarization of American society.

Central to da Vinha’s argument was how the evolution of the formal and informal political institutions in the United States have contributed to the current state of affairs and served as the catalyst for the election of Donald Trump as president.

Faculty road-trip to state colleges

Seven VCSU faculty traveled to four of the state two-year colleges in North Dakota April 4–6. Faculty members visited with faculty, staff and students at Lake Region State College in Devils Lake, Dakota College at Bottineau, Williston State College and Bismarck State College, discussing articulation agreements and transfer opportunities.
 
The faculty and staff at each school were genuinely interested in our programs and expressed gratitude that VCSU took time to go to their schools and work with them as partners in education.

Included in the road trip were Amber Aberle, Department of Business; Anthony Dutton, Department of Social Science; Lee Kruger, Department of Language and Literature; Sheri Okland, School of Education and Graduate Studies; Susan Pfeifer, Department of Computer Systems and Software Engineering; Shannon VanHorn, director of Distance Learning and Faculty Development, and Jonna Ziniel, Department of Communication Arts.
 
The trip was part of the Strategic Enrollment Planning (SEP) project and was funded from that area.

Viking sports update

Baseball
Friday: VCSU 14, Dickinson State 6; VCSU 6, Dickinson 1
Saturday: Dickinson 14, VCSU 6; VCSU 9, Dickinson 5
The Viking baseball team continued its midseason surge by going 3-1 during a four-game series at Dickinson State this weekend. VCSU is now 15-19 overall and 9-3 in the North Star Athletic Association. The Vikings are 9-1 over their last 10 conference games.

Softball
Friday: Dickinson State 4, VCSU 3; Dickinson 4, VCSU 3 (8 innings)
Saturday: Dickinson 4, VCSU 0; VCSU 5, Dickinson 3
The Viking softball team posted a 1-3 record during its conference series at Dickinson State this weekend. VCSU is now 15-25 overall and 6-12 in the North Star Athletic Association.

Track & Field
The VCSU track & field teams recorded 28 Top 10 finishes on Saturday at the Al Bortke Open in Bismarck, N.D. Seri Geisler won a meet title in the women’s javelin and set new meet and facility records with her throw of 49.79 meters (163'4"). View complete results from the meet at www.vcsuvikings.com/article/2623.php.

Golf
The Valley City State golf team defeated Dickinson State in a dual on Thursday. The VCSU women won a stroke-play dual with the Blue Hawks while the Viking men won six out of seven matches during a match-play dual. VCSU was back in action Sunday at the DSU Invite, held at Bully Pulpit Golf Course. The VCSU men shot a 324 on Day 1 and lead the tournament by two strokes. VCSU sophomore Jared Lentz shot a 75 and leads the individual standings by two strokes as well. The final round of the tournament is Monday. View the latest golf news at www.vcsuvikings.com/sport/0/6.php.

Upcoming Events
April 10: Golf @ DSU Invite (Bully Pulpit Gulf Course, Medora, N.D.)
April 12: Baseball @ Concordia (Moorhead, Minn.), 4 p.m.
April 13: Track & Field @ Northern State Twilight (Aberdeen, S.D.)
April 14: Track & Field @ Blue Hawk Games (Dickinson, N.D.)
April 14: Softball vs. University of Regina, 10 a.m./noon
April 14: Baseball vs. Presentation College, 2/4 p.m.
April 14–15: Golf @ Concordia Spring Invite (Moorhead, Minn.)
April 15: Baseball vs. Presentation College, noon/2 p.m.

What’s going on at VCSU and around Valley City…

Monday, April 10
Passover begins at sundown
Library Week begins
North Dakota Junior Duck Stamp Artwork Exhibition, Rosebud Visitor Center (April 10–27)
6:30 Spring Fever Garden Forum, NDSU Extension office or online at www.ag.ndsu.edu/springfever/

Tuesday, April 11
11 a.m. General student recital, Froemke Auditorium
noon Rotary Club meeting, VFW

Wednesday, April 12
Region 2 Instrumental Contest
noon Kiwanis meeting, VCSU Student Center Skoal Room
4 p.m. Viking baseball @ Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn.

Thursday, April 13
Payday
Viking Track & Field @ Northern State Twilight, Aberdeen, S.D.
7 a.m. Optimists Club meeting, Vicky’s Viking Room
noon Toastmasters meeting, VCSU Norway Room

Friday, April 14
Good Friday
No VCSU classes; offices closed
Viking golf @ Concordia Spring Invite, Moorhead, Minn.
10 a.m. Viking softball vs. University of Regina, VCSU softball complex (doubleheader)
2 p.m. Viking baseball vs. Presentation College, Charlie Brown Field (doubleheader)

Saturday, April 15
9 a.m. Legislative Forum, Valley City Eagles Club
2 p.m. Viking baseball vs. Presentation College, Charlie Brown Field (doubleheader)
5 p.m. “Wags & Whiskers” spaghetti feed fundraiser, Debbie Miller Sheyenne Valley Friends of Animals, Valley City Eagles Club

Sunday, April 16
Easter

Monday, April 17
No VCSU classes
Viking baseball @ Presentation College, Aberdeen, S.D.

Tuesday, April 18
noon Rotary Club meeting, VFW

Wednesday, April 19
noon Kiwanis meeting, VCSU Student Center Skoal Room

Thursday, April 20
7 a.m. Optimists Club meeting, Vicky’s Viking Room
noon Toastmasters meeting, VCSU Norway Room
2 p.m. Viking baseball @ University of Minnesota Morris, Morris, Minn. (doubleheader)
4 p.m. VCSU Junior Naturalists fishing, Sundstrom’s Landing, Lake Ashtabula

Friday, April 21

Saturday, April 22
Earth Day
Wrangler Team Roping, North Dakota Winter Show Event Center (April 22–23)
Viking Track & Field @ Lyle Hokanson Classic, Fargo, N.D.
1 p.m. Viking softball @ Dakota State University, Madison, S.D. (doubleheader)
1 p.m. Viking baseball @ Dakota State University, Madison, S.D. (doubleheader)

Sunday, April 23
noon Viking baseball @ Dakota State University, Madison, S.D. (doubleheader)
1 p.m. Viking softball @ Dakota State University, Madison, S.D. (doubleheader)