This week’s Hotline! includes the following articles:

• President's Column: 2018 a good year at Valley City State University
• Archuleta to present NDU 2019 legislative preview on Friday
• Rotary Pancake Feed on Jan. 22 to benefit V-500
• Tufte named ‘Staff Member of the Quarter‘
• Students develop instructions for web-based accessibility tools
• Student Affairs, RAs hear from Zinger on mental health
• Da Vinha publishes article in Presidential Studies Quarterly
• Viking sports update
• What’s happening at VCSU and around Valley City…

The VCSU Hotline! online newsletter is published every Monday during the regular academic year. When a Holiday falls on a Monday, Hotline! will be published on Tuesday. Deadline to submit articles (photos encouraged) is 3 p.m. the Friday before publication.

President's Column: 2018 a good year at Valley City State University

Alan LaFave, D.M.A.

I officially began my work on campus December 17, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to serve this outstanding institution. When the State Board of Higher Education selected me as VCSU’s 14th president on September 27, I couldn’t have been more excited, and the excitement has continued to build since then.

Prior to my visits to campus this September as part of the interview process, I did my homework and knew of several of the accomplishments listed here. Now that I’ve come to know the people of VCSU and Valley City a little better, I understand how all of this has happened: I see the pride, I see the effort, I see the commitment.

Thank you for the trust you have placed in me—let us work together to build upon the rich VCSU legacy in the years to come.

Going forward, I’ll tell you more about what I’m doing here as the new president of Valley City State University, but for now I’d like to recognize some of the successes the university enjoyed in 2018 under the leadership of Interim President Margaret Dahlberg.

It’s been a good year at VCSU; here are some of the highlights.

National recognition

The university continues to receive national recognition. Early January 2018 brought the news that VCSU’s online programs were nationally ranked in U.S. News and World Report’s “2018 Best Online Programs.” We’re proud of our people and our programs, and thankful for the opportunity to make a VCSU education available to those at a distance who need the flexibility that online programs offer. And in September, we learned that VCSU once again was named a U.S. News “Best College” for 2019, the 21st consecutive year for that recognition. U.S. News ranked the university third among Midwest public regional colleges in their “Best Colleges 2019” guidebook; VCSU has now been ranked among the top three Midwest public regional colleges each year since 2010!

Enrollment records

A VCSU education continues to be a great choice for students and their families. In the first week of February 2018, the university took pride in announcing record spring enrollment with a headcount of 1,500 and an FTE (full-time equivalent) figure of 1,044. The final fall enrollment numbers were announced on September 18, and you guessed it, another record for VCSU! Fall semester brought a record-setting headcount of 1,547 students, with 1,404 undergraduates. Let me repeat Interim President Dahlberg’s words: “Strategic growth doesn’t happen by accident—it takes dedication and commitment—and I applaud the community for these achievements that come from working together.”

Athletic successes

The Viking athletic program enjoyed many successes in calendar year 2018. Women’s basketball won the conference tournament championship in February and advanced to the NAIA national tournament in March. The softball squad was ranked in the national Top 25 poll for the first time in program history last spring. Track and field’s Megan Johnson (triple jump) and Kyle Odegard (javelin) earned All-American honors at the NAIA national meet in Gulf Shores, Ala., in May. In the fall came notice that the Viking athletic program had earned NAIA Champions of Character recognition for the 16th consecutive year and silver-level recognition for the second straight year. And in November, three cross country student-athletes—Grace Miller, Allyssa Weitkum and Riley Roy-Lagasse—ran at nationals in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Record scholarship allocation, track fundraising highlight foundation efforts

The VCSU Foundation allocated a record $1.623 million for student scholarships in 2018-19. That tremendous amount of support makes a real difference for our students and their families as we strive to keep a VCSU education affordable.

In support of Viking athletics, the VCSU Foundation kicked off fundraising efforts for the track and field facilities at Lokken Stadium. Announced in June 2018, the project—which exceeded $1 million—enjoyed a fast start thanks to the generosity of John Hill, one of our stalwart supporters from Valley City who contributed much of the needed funding. Most of the work was completed before winter; next spring the final surface will be applied to finish this upgrade to our athletic facilities.

The foundation also recognized Kevin “Sparky” Kamphuis of Valley City in August with its “Difference Maker Award” for his steadfast volunteer efforts in support of Viking athletics over the years.

Alumni achievements

Our graduates figure prominently in the VCSU story. One of our most distinguished alumni, Gary Tharaldson, class of ’67, came to campus on May 8 for a presentation and book-signing of his biography, “Open Secrets of Success: The Gary Tharaldson Story,” in the W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse. The entrepreneur and hotel magnate shared stories and answered questions; by all accounts, it was a great day to be a Viking!

Two more alumni received national honors in November 2018. Deep in the heart of Texas, VCSU alumni Peder Gjovik ’77 and Katie Hatt M.Ed. ’16 won national awards November 28 at the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) national conference in San Antonio. Gjovik, associate professor and chair of the VCSU Department of Technology, was named ACTE 2019 Teacher Educator of the Year, while Hatt, health careers instructor in the Grand Forks Public Schools and the Grand Forks Area Career and Technology Center, was named ACTE 2019 New Teacher of the Year.

Recognition for alumna and staff member Stephanie Roelfsema ’07, M.Ed. ’14, director for residence life, came in the December 2018 issue of Prairie Business magazine. Because of her active involvement in the VCSU and Valley City communities, Stephanie was named to the magazine’s 2018 “40 Under 40” list, which recognizes 40 of the top business professionals under the age of 40 in the Northern Plains.

Visit from Governor and Lt. Governor

The campus drew distinguished guests in October 2018, when North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and Lieutenant Governor Brent Sanford came to visit on the 9th. They toured campus, saw the Valley City floodwall protection, met with students and faculty in the education and fisheries and wildlife science programs, held an open forum with faculty and staff, and met with the VCSU administrative leadership team. We’re thankful that our students were able to share their experiences and that faculty and staff had the opportunity to share their concerns as well.

Thanks to Margaret Dahlberg

On November 29, 2018, the community formally recognized Margaret Dahlberg for her service as interim president with a reception on campus and the presentation of a portrait to be hung in the Student Center President’s Room along with the portraits of all VCSU presidents. Margaret’s two stints as interim president are much appreciated, and she’ll continue to serve us very capably as vice president for academic affairs.

Archuleta to present NDU 2019 legislative preview on Friday

This Friday, Jan. 11, Nick Archuleta, North Dakota United president and VCSU alumnus, will be on campus to present a brief overview of legislative issues impacting higher education, as well as NDU’s plans for advocacy, in the upcoming 2019 legislative session.

To accommodate varying lunch schedules, Archuleta will present from 11:20-11:40 a.m., and then again from 12:20-12:40 p.m. in the Skoal Room. Please plan on grabbing lunch and bringing it over to hear the latest from NDU.

Ample time for Q&A will be provided during each session, so also bring what questions you have, or, if you can’t make either time, feel free to send those with a peer or email them to (or discuss them with) Jackie Owen or Lee Kruger, co-chairs of NDU at VCSU.

Rotary Pancake Feed on Jan. 22 to benefit V-500

The annual Rotary Club Pancake Feed will be held Jan. 22 from 5-7 p.m. at the VFW in Valley City. Part of the proceeds go to the V-500 Scholarship program.

Cost is $6 for adult and $4 for children ages 6 to 16. Children under 6 are free. Tickets are available from Rotarian Maggie Heinle in the Foundation Office.

Tufte named ‘Staff Member of the Quarter‘

Tyler Tufte, applications developer for technology services, was named the “Staff Member of the Quarter” in December.

His nomination read, in part, “Tyler’s role in my students’ course projects fulfills the VCSU mission and vision. He supported my students’ learning and experience. His work as web developer took him away from “his desk” and into the classroom. His support is a best practice example of “learner-centered” for all VCSU employees, not just faculty. But his contribution doesn’t end there. Tyler also supported the practical application of the process writers use to submit work orders/requests in professional organizations. With the help of Tyler, my students were able to experience and feel the challenges of depending on another department to complete a project. This experiential learning supports their success as future workplace professionals.”

Congratulations, Tyler!

Students develop instructions for web-based accessibility tools

Jackie Owen, interim Learning Center coordinator, enlisted the help of Jodi Shorma, assistant professor for language and literature, and her fall semester online communication and documentation class to write instructions for students with learning challenges to use web-based accessibility tools. MagicScroll, Readline and OpenDyslexic are just a few examples of the nine Google Chrome extensions that the class created instructions for.

These extensions can assist students with dyslexia, severe visual impairments, minimal technology skills, or those who are easily distracted when reading online text. The tools allow the user to have text read aloud to them, lessen distractions by removing ads, shade portions of text, improve their reading speed, talk to type and more.

"These extensions are made for those with accessibility needs; however, many can benefit from these tools. Having the instructions out on the website for any student to view on their own could make a difference for how they learn or empower them to ask for further help in the Learning Center, " said Owen.

Regarding the students who completed this project, Shorma commented, "The collaborative writing projects for this class actively engaged my students in problem-solving situations with real-life clients, users, and technical support."

The links to instructions for the Office 365 apps and the Google Chrome extensions can be found at https://www.vcsu.edu/academics/learning/ under “Student Resources.”

Pictured with the students are Shorma, Owen and Tyler Tufte (far left), applications developer for technology services, who uploaded the students' content to the VCSU website.

Student Affairs, RAs hear from Zinger on mental health

On Nov. 27, Student Affairs directors hosted Heather Zinger, executive director of Imagine Thriving, on campus. Zinger shared information and statistics about mental health and wellness for college students with all Student Affairs employees.

Following the presentation, Zinger and Tiahna, a University of North Dakota student, presented to all VCSU Resident Assistants. Tiahna shared her own story about dealing with depression. This presentation included how to recognize residents who may be struggling, as well as practical actions that can be taken.

College student mental health statistics include:

• 75 percent of lifetime cases of mental health conditions begin by age 24.
  
• 1 in 4 young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 have a diagnosable mental illness.
  
• More than 25 percent of college students have been diagnosed or treated by a professional for a mental health condition within the past year.

In general, if you observe an individual who appears to be struggling, respond with kindness and empathy and refer the individual to appropriate resources. On-campus resources include Betty Tykwinski, Student Health Services director, and Erin Klingenberg, PhD, LPCC, NCC, Counseling Services director.

If any department, group or organization would like more information about Imagine Thriving, located in Fargo, contact Erin Klingenberg at erin.klingenberg@vcsu.edu or 701.845-7424, or Heather Zinger at info@imaginethriving.org or 701.318-2046.

Da Vinha publishes article in Presidential Studies Quarterly

Luis da Vinha, associate professor of geography and political science, authored an article in the latest edition of Presidential Studies Quarterly titled “Competition, Conflict, and Conformity: Foreign Policy Making in the First Year of the Trump Presidency.”

The article employs the presidential management models framework to assess President Trump’s management style and identify the main dynamics involved in the administration’s foreign policy–making process in its first year in office. Da Vinha’s article uses a structured-focused comparison method to analyze how the advisory system functioned in the decisions to withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate change, decertify the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Presidential Studies Quarterly, published by the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, is the only scholarly journal that focuses on the U.S. president.

The article can be found at onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/psq.12509.

Viking sports update

Men’s Basketball
Friday: Waldorf University 79, VCSU 73
Saturday: VCSU 69, Viterbo University 55
The Valley City State men’s basketball team split a pair of road conference games this past weekend, including a 69-55 victory at Viterbo University. VCSU is now 4-10 overall and 1-2 in the NSAA. The Vikings are back home for games this weekend.

Women’s Basketball
Friday: Waldorf University 70, VCSU 61
Saturday: VCSU 69, Viterbo University 61
The Viking women’s basketball team split its road conference games this weekend, wrapping up the trip with a 69-61 win at Viterbo. The Viking women are now 5-9 overall and 2-1 in the NSAA. VCSU hosts Dakota State on Friday and Bellevue University on Sunday. 

Upcoming Events
Jan. 11: WBB/MBB vs. Dakota State University, 5:30/7:30 p.m.
Jan. 12: Track & Field @ NDSU Thundering Herd Classic, 11 a.m.
Jan. 13: WBB/MBB vs. Bellevue University, 1/3 p.m.

VCSU hosting Barnes County Boys Tournament this week
Valley City State University is hosting the 102nd annual Barnes County Boys Basketball Tournament this week. The tournament includes eight area high school teams playing games on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at the W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse.

What's happening at VCSU and around Valley City ...

Monday, January 7
Spring Semester evening classes begin at 4 p.m.

Tuesday, January 8
Spring Semester first full day of classes
12:05 p.m. Rotary, VFW

Wednesday, January 9
noon Kiwanis, Valley City Town & Country Club

Thursday, January 10
7 a.m. Optimists, Vicky’s Viking Room
noon Toastmasters, Student Center Norway Room
8:30–10:30 p.m. Vikings for Christ, Student Center Skoal Room

Friday, January 11
5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Viking women’s and men’s basketball vs. Dakota State University, W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse

Saturday, January 12
Viking track and field @ NDSU Thurdering Herd Classic, Fargo, N.D.

Sunday, January 13
1 and 3 p.m. Viking women’s and men’s basketball vs. Bellevue University, W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse

Monday, January 14

Tuesday, January 15
Payday
12:05 p.m. Rotary, VFW

Wednesday, January 16
noon Kiwanis, Valley City Town & Country Club

Thursday, January 17
7 a.m. Optimists, Vicky’s Viking Room
noon Toastmasters, Student Center Norway Room
8:30–10:30 p.m. Vikings for Christ, Student Center Skoal Room

Friday, January 18
Viking track and field @ SDSU DII Invitational, Brookings, S.D.
6:30 and 8:30 p.m. Viking women’s and men’s basketball @ Dickinson State University, Dickinson, N.D.

Saturday, January 19
Viking track and field @ Concordia Cobber Invitational, Moorhead, Minn.
3 and 5 p.m. Viking women’s and men’s basketball @ Presentation College, Aberdeen, S.D.

Sunday, January 20

Monday, January 21
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day observed
No VCSU classes – offices closed