PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

Tisa Mason, Ed.D., CAE

MAKING CONNECTIONS WITH STRATEGIC PARTNERS FOR STUDENT SUCCESS

One of my many highlights in the past year was taking time to visit local high schools—our true partners. I had the opportunity to spend time at the following high schools in the region: Barnes County North, Valley City, Lisbon, Maple Valley, Oak Grove Lutheran, Sheyenne, Community, and West Fargo.

I learned a lot, and the visits reinforced for me the notion that all the players—area PreK-12 schools, local communities, regional employers, and our university—must be strategically aligned if we are truly going to achieve our mission of “preparing students to succeed as educators, leaders, and engaged citizens in an increasingly complex and diverse society.”

The conversations I had on those school visits also set the stage for our second annual Summit on Student Success, in which school superintendents and principals are invited to campus to talk about enhancing the high school to college transition process. The purpose of the event is to strengthen our partnerships, create synergy by actively sharing information and ideas, and ultimately to adapt practices that make a difference for our students. This year’s event was held June 22 in the VCSU Student Center.

We were honored with the participation of Ned Clooten, Wahpeton High School principal; Brian Duchscherer, Carrington superintendent; Morgan Forness, Central Cass superintendent; Rick Jacobson,

Report to State Board of Higher Education July 2017

Wahpeton superintendent; Josh Johnson, Valley City superintendent; Steven Johnson, Lisbon superintendent; Michael Severson, Barnes County North superintendent; Cory Steiner, Northern Cass superintendent; and Brian Wolf, Maple Valley superintendent. We were also grateful to be joined by Mike Ness, a member of the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education who previously served more than 40 years as a K-12 teacher and administrator.

Our conversations included vertical alignment of math and English curricula between K-12 and college, college retention initiatives and the use of data-driven strategies, and the vision of Superintendent Cory Steiner for a new model of education in Northern Cass.

We also took time to highlight VCSU educational programs available to K-12 classes, including the Prairie Waters Education and Research Center, the VCSU Planetarium, and Medicine Wheel Park, along with the CSSE Roadshow in which computer systems and software engineering professors and students present on technology career awareness in K-12 classrooms.

Other VCSU opportunities discussed included early-entry and dual-credit programs for high school students, as well as professional development and licensure for teachers, including STEM professional development, extended learning for continued teacher licensure, the Master of Education and Master of Arts in Teaching degree programs, and Transition to Teaching, which provides teaching licensure requirements for someone with a college degree who does not wish to complete an advanced degree.

Joining me in the conversation and representing VCSU were students Stephanie McCann (Verona, N.D.), Mikayla Cramer (Amenia, N.D.), Paige Fettig (Bismarck, N.D.), and Tara Von Hagen (Arthur, N.D.), as well as faculty and staff members John Andrick (director of student academic services), David Bass (assistant professor of education), Jim Boe (director of graduate studies); Greg Carlson (director of institutional

research and assessment), Margaret Dahlberg (vice president for academic affairs), Rhonda Fairfield (executive assistant to the president), Alan Olson (associate professor of education), Pete Smithhisler (vice president for student affairs), Charlene Stenson (director of enrollment services), Nate Stewart (athletic director), Greg Vanney (director for marketing and communication), Wesley Wintch (vice president for business affairs), and Jamie Wirth (director of the Great Plains STEM Education Center).

The Summit on Student Success followed an exploratory conversation, directed by Morgan Keasler, chair of the VCSU Department of Business, with employers who hire our graduates. That conversation focused on gathering data from employers about VCSU student strengths and areas for improvement, encouraging networking between faculty and area businesses to strengthen partnerships, and raising awareness as well as generating potential opportunities for internships and other high-impact engagement practices.

Employers stressed the need for graduates to prepare for the job-search process through early networking, résumé development, and interviewing skills. The development of soft skills is a critical need for employers, with some reporting this as a strength for VCSU graduates and some reporting it as an area for improvement.

In her summary report, Morgan reported that employer comments centered around access to students and experiential-learning opportunities. Employers would like to be involved in the classroom as guest speakers, serve as field-trip destinations, help students build workplace skills through internship opportunities, incorporate real-world projects into the classroom, aid in soft-skill development,

and provide guidance in helping students translate their experiences in the classroom into marketable skills for their résumés. These are areas in which VCSU has been diligently working and will further embrace as we move forward with our strategic plan.

For me, these activities highlight our relentless focus on student-centered success and strong commitment to strategic partnerships with PreK-12 schools and employers. The conversations were genuine and helpful, and reminders of why it is great day to be a Viking!

ECONOMIC IMPACT STRENGTHENS COMMUNITY

I am so very grateful for the many ways our local community supports Valley City State University. I am equally proud of the significant impact VCSU has on the community. Many of our faculty and staff reside here, send their children to our local schools, and serve as engaged citizens in a myriad of ways. Similarly, many of our students are employed here, live here, and serve here. The friendships created warm the heart and often change lives. That is impact.

There is another impact made by VCSU not so readily thought about—the economic impact. Every two years the North Dakota University System commissions a study of the economic contribution the universities and our students have on the state and local economy. Did you know that in the most recent study the economic impact of VCSU on the Valley City area for fiscal year 2015 was an estimated $91.5 million, an 18 percent increase over the last 5 years!

Key economic indicators included in the study were direct impacts, total level of economic activity, personal income,

Educational administrators attending the second annual VCSU Summit on Student Success included (front, left to right) Michael Severson (Barnes County North), Steven Johnson (Lisbon), Tisa Mason, Brian Wolf (Maple Valley), Mike Ness

(State Board of Higher Education); (back) Morgan Forness (Central Cass), Ned Clooten (Wahpeton), Rick Jacobson (Wahpeton), Josh Johnson (Valley City), Cory Steiner (Northern Cass), and Brian Duchscherer (Carrington).

retail trade, tax revenues, and employment. Increased retail trade activity was estimated to have more than doubled from $9.5 million in fiscal year 1999 to $20.4 million in fiscal year 2015, representing an $11.0 million, or 115 percent, increase.

Accordingly, increased levels of retail trade activity would generate $946,000 in sales and use tax in fiscal year 2015, and personal income tax collections were estimated to be $520,000 that same year. Further, the report indicates that levels of business activity resulting from VCSU expenditures would support 200 jobs—in addition to faculty and staff jobs—in 2015.

Students also contribute to the local community in a big way. In fiscal year 2015, direct impacts of student spending in the Valley City area were $10.4 million, with a total economic contribution from student spending of $25.9 million. The report indicates that this level of student spending would generate an additional $543,000 in sales and use tax revenue, along with $94,000 in personal income tax collections—creating enough business activity to support 45 jobs.

The message I take away from that data is that our partnership is strong. We add value to the community and the community makes us better. Our enviable town/gown relationship—whether counted by the strength of our positive interactions or in dollars—makes it yet another great day to live in Valley City, and a great day to be a Viking!

FACULTY SENATE Jackie Owen

AMID ‘SUMMERS OFF’ DREAMS

As we approach midsummer, I’d like to continue examining what colleagues are doing on their “summers off.”

Professor Shannon VanHorn is presenting at the NDUS Distance Learning Director’s meeting, a two-day stint in Bismarck. She is also working with schools that are transitioning to the Blackboard learning management system, writing a literature review for a study on teacher misbehaviors in online courses, reshaping a study on gender in online courses, and creating an eight-week course for librarians on the use of OER (Open Educational Resources). In addition, she is reshaping a graduate course and creating two other courses. Associate professor Katie Woehl taught a three-credit Introduction to Psychology course online in June. Teaching a 16-week course in 4 weeks means that the course is condensed—and so is the intructor’s interaction within the course. “I spent time each day interacting with students and providing feedback on their work,” writes Woehl. Typically, this means six or more hours each day, for one course.

In addition to teaching, Woehl will be starting a new research program in the fall, which includes mentoring a student for her SOAR (Student Opportunities for Academic Research) project. Connected with this, she will spend additional hours this summer familiarizing herself with the existing literature and outlining plans for data collection in order to be fully prepared “as students arrive back in August.”

Assistant professor Karri Dieken will be working with printmaking students to complete a series of 22 prints each for a print exchange with 7 institutions across the state. The exchange is put together by Amanda Hiedt at the Plains Art Museum’s Print Shop. Dieken will also be teaching a three-credit general education art course online.

In addition, she will be completing five new paintings for the Home Sweet Home Series that will head to Arizona in a collaboration with artist Holly Campbell. Dieken will also work on three new paintings and prints for an exhibition this fall in Ann Arbor, Mich. She kicked off her summer with a volunteer effort, bicycling from Minneapolis to Milwaukee to Chicago over six days to raise awareness for kids with cancer. Her goal?—1,000 miles during the month of June.

Joan Klein, assistant professor in education, is teaching three courses and rebuilding a previously taught course. Assistant professor John LeTellier is starting work on a book regarding music technology and the educator, along with writing, recording, and producing a new music album.

“Summer is a busy time for me,” writes assistant professor Luis da Vinha. To begin with, he is writing a paper for presentation at the Northern Great Plains History Conference in September titled “Making Transitions Great Again! The Trump Presidential Transition Process in Historical Comparison.” He is also writing two texts for academic journals: “Previsivelmente Incoerente: Uma Avaliação Preliminar da Política Externa de Donald Trump” to be submitted to R:I Relações Internacionais and “A Política Externa como Construção Emergente: Uma Alternativa ao Modelo de Equilíbrio Pontuado” to be submited to Estudos Internacionais. In addition, da Vinha is teaching a two-credit online Geography Survey course, Geography 111.

In his spare time, he is promoting his book titled “Geographic Mental Maps and Foreign Policy Change,” which will be available later this month. He is also writing a paper proposal for the 2018 International Studies Association annual conference, along with developing and submitting a book proposal with associate professor Anthony Dutton on foreign policy change, an edited volume with six to eight authors. Of his summer, da Vinha writes, “I have probably overcommitted myself again!”

But that, it seems, is what many VCSU professors do, during our “summers off.”

STAFF SENATE Sarah Larsen

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead

The quote above is a thoughtful reminder for all of us here to recognize our ability to impact both our campus community and local community with continued hard work and commitment to higher education. We have a dynamic and engaged group of returning senators, and they are excited to work with our new senators and instill Viking pride within our colleagues and community members.

VCSU Staff Senate welcomed the following senators at our transition meeting in June: Erica Bucholz, Joey Nix, and Dina Splettstoesser.

Erica is the controller in the Business Office. She has worked for VCSU for the past seven years starting as the accounting assistant before moving into the controller role.

Joey, originally from Jamestown, N.D., is in his eighth year of employment at VCSU as a network administrator in Technology Services. He is a VCSU graduate—class of 2000—with a bachelor’s degree in CIS. He loves to be outdoors and work with motorsports.

Dina started working in Building Services for Facility Services in February 2017. She enjoys fishing, boating and spending time with her children on the weekends.

We have a wide variety of knowledge and expertise in our senate, and I look forward to helping meld these different skill sets into a united voice as Staff Senate.

VCSU continues to welcome visitors to campus throughout the summer. While there may not be as many students walking to and from class like there are during the fall and spring semesters, prospective students are able to see for

themselves the splendor of our campus buildings with a guided tour from a Viking Ambassador, meetings with an admission counselor and a professor in their area of study, and an end-of-tour visit to the Gaukler Family Wellness Center.

We welcome everyone who wants to come take a closer look at Valley City State University during the summer months because there’s really nothing better than walking around our beautiful campus with the sun shining on your back!

STUDENT SENATE Niklas Ernst

Why do students choose to attend Valley City State University? While every student has his/her individual motives, most will cite the small size of school and community as an influence in their decision.

Small class sizes and one-on-one interactions with professors are a distinction of VCSU. However, more important are the powerful relationships those characteristics generate for our students. The value of these bonds is best described in one word—mentorship.

Mentors are found everywhere on campus. They are professors, coaches, and staff members. Some are more visible than others, but all serve as a critical resource and inspiration for students. They widen our horizons and push us to fulfill our dreams, all while sparking something in the minds of young individuals.

Moreover, a mentorship serves as a powerful bridge between two persons who learn from one another. If built on trust and mutual understanding, such relationships benefit both sides. Mentees enhance their knowledge through the expertise of their mentors, while mentors benefit from being challenged by new perspectives and innovative ideas.

It is common that our alumni thank individual faculty or staff members for their positive influence on their academic careers. I know firsthand the impact such mentors have on my life, and I thank them for their continued mentorship and dedication.

However, the difference between a good and a great mentor is while one positively influences his/her mentees, the other teaches them to be critical and not to be influenced. I am pleased to say that VCSU offers its students such great mentor, mentors who enable our university to send critical-thinking graduates into the world.

2017 VCSU Staff Senate