Hotline // April 22, 2026
This week’s Hotline includes the following articles:
- Dutton, Kiecker Receive Faculty Excellence Awards
- Opera Ensemble this Sunday
- Presidential Search at VCSU Suspended
- Leker Attends MPA Conference
- Communications Faculty Present at Central States Communication Association Conference
- Viking Sports Update
- What’s happening at VCSU and around Valley City…
Dutton, Kiecker Receive Faculty Excellence Awards
Photo: VCSU faculty Anthony Dutton, center, is pictured with VCSU administrators and employees from the social science department.
Valley City State University faculty have named Anthony Dutton, Ph.D. and Lindsey Kiecker, M.S. as the recipients of the 2025-26 VCSU Faculty Excellence Awards.
Interim President Allen Burgad and Vice President for Academic Affairs Larry Brooks presented the awards earlier this month. Dutton and Kiecker were recognized for their exceptional dedication and commitment to students and the University by outstanding teaching, scholarly activities and university service. The awards are nominated and voted on by fellow faculty members.
Dutton was honored with the Senior Faculty Excellence Award. He is a tenured professor in the social science department and also serves as chair for the music department. He has been a faculty member since 2009 and holds a doctorate in philosophy.
Kiecker was recognized with the Junior Faculty Excellence Award for her work as an assistant professor in the science department. She has been a faculty member since 2023 and has a Master of Science in chemistry.
Photo: VCSU faculty Lindsey Kiecker, center, is pictured with VCSU administrators and employees from the science department.
Opera Ensemble this Sunday
The VCSU Music Department invites you to attend the Opera Ensemble on Sunday, April 26 at the Larry J. Robinson Center for the Arts Performance Hall at 3 p.m.
The ensemble will feature selections from popular musicals such as Footloose, Fiddler on the Roof, Sound of Music and Spamalot!
Presidential Search at VCSU Suspended
The search committee appointed by the State Board of Higher Education to identify the next permanent president of Valley City State University (VCSU) has suspended the current presidential search process.
The decision was made by the search committee following the recent withdrawal of multiple semi-finalist candidates who accepted other professional opportunities prior to on-campus visits.
“The State Board is committed to identifying a leader who is the right fit for Valley City State University and its future,” said search committee Co-Chair and State Board of Higher Education Vice Chair, DJ Campbell. “At the outset, the search committee at VCSU was committed to bringing a robust group of semi-finalists to campus for consideration and evaluation by the campus and Valley City community. Because recent withdrawals limited our ability to meet that goal, the committee agreed it is in the best interest of the institution to pause the search and reassess next steps to ensure a strong and diverse candidate pool for campus and community consideration.”
Valley City State University will continue to be led by its current interim president, Dr. Allen Burgad, whose steady leadership and strong connection to the institution have provided continuity and stability for VCSU during this transition period.
Search committee co chairs Erica Buchholz, VCSU Vice President for Finance, and DJ Campbell will work with the State Board of Higher Education to evaluate options and determine next steps, including the anticipated relaunch of the search. Updates will be shared with the campus community as decisions are made.
Valley City State University remains focused on advancing its mission of providing high quality education, supporting students, and serving the needs of the community and the state.
Leker Attends MPA Conference
Lindsey Leker, associate professor for social science, attended the Midwestern Psychological Association (MPA) Conference in Chicago, Ill. April 16-18. She attended many sessions that focused on the following topics: the use of animal models in cognitive neuroscience research, microaggressions and microaffirmations, diversity and equity in the classroom, student engagement in the classroom, and advanced statistical techniques. She also attended many undergraduate and graduate student poster sessions.
Key takeaways from the conference included various techniques that can be used to encourage student participation in the classroom and increase student accountability. Many presentations focused on briefly introducing educational concepts, having students do various activities to engage in the material, and coming together as a class at the end to discuss. The presentations also focused on responsible AI usage and how to teach responsible usage in the college classroom.
Communications Faculty Present at Central States Communication Association Conference
Shannon VanHorn, Ph.D., and Jenni Lou Russi, M.F.A, communications faculty, presented at the Central States Communication Association Conference, April 17-19 in Minneapolis, Minn. The theme this year was Translate!
VanHorn presented in the following panels: “Translating AI’s Potential in Higher Ed,” “Communication in Translation: Identifying Disciplinary Content That Makes a Difference,” and “Higher Education in Transition: Implications for Undergraduate Institutions.”
VanHorn and Russi presented in the panel “Translating Death and Dying: Communication Supporting Students, Colleagues, and Self.”
Central States Communication Association (CSCA) is an academic organization of communication professionals including college and university professors, students, and K-12 educators.
CSCA was founded in 1931 to promote the communication discipline in educational, scholarly, and professional endeavors. The association, which consists of the 13 Midwestern states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio, is governed by an Executive Committee and is legislated by its constitution and bylaws.
The organization has grown to become the largest regional communication association in the United States and the fourth largest academic communication association in the world.
Viking Sports Update
Find the latest updates on Viking Athletics at https://vcsuvikings.com/.
What's happening at VCSU and around Valley City...
April 24
Viking Visit Day
May 2
8:30 a.m. Crocus Hike, meet at Rosebud Visitor Center to drive to Clausen Springs Recreation Area trailhead. Find more information about this hike and other events hosted by the Sheyenne River Valley Chapter North Country Trail Association at https://www.meetup.com/ncthikersinnd/events/
Find out what’s happening at VCSU: https://www.vcsu.edu/news-events/
Find out what’s happening in the community: https://www.valleycitycalendar.com/