President’s Column: A Flurry of Activity

Greetings from VCSU! When one looks outside, it’s hard to imagine we are soon to be welcoming the month of April, but here we are in the final stretch of the Spring 2023 semester! With about six weeks left until spring commencement, there is much regular and important work still happening on campus. Faculty and students are preparing for end ...

President’s Column: Campus updates

Student successes,  Senate Appropriations, Tech Wars, music events, track and field Greetings from Valley City State University! The winter weather has not been loosening its grip as of late! Despite the continued longevity and persistence of this weather, the business and work of the institution continue. On Wednesday, March 8 I was fortunate to represent VCSU in our Senate Appropriations ...

President’s Column: Alumni in Arizona

Greetings from VCSU! As I write this week’s column from the warmth of my office, the temps outside are at the lowest of the season. It harkens me back to our early February alumni visits and events held in Arizona. I joined Kim Svenningsen-Hesch and Cory Anderson from our Foundation and Alumni office and ventured south to host and meet ...

President’s Column: Helping in time of need

The higher education community was saddened to recently learn of the planned closing of Presentation College in Aberdeen, SD at the end of the summer 2023 semester. Many students, faculty, and staff have been impacted by this closure. Additionally, as a member of the NAIA Collegiate Athletic Conference and North Star Athletic Association, VCSU and other NSAA schools will have ...

President’s Column: Blizzards & Budgets

Greetings from Valley City State University! These past number of weeks have presented many challenges on the weather front. Road closures and a massive winter storm resulted in closing the campus and cancelling our winter commencement exercises on Dec. 15. While we were very disappointed with this, keeping our students, families, faculty and staff safe was our number one priority ...

President’s Column: Enrollment, Excellence, Engagement, and Innovation

Greetings from Valley City State University! I hope this column finds you enjoying preparations for time spent with family, friends and loved ones. We have recently completed our new strategic plan entitled, “Forward Together” with an overarching goal to be the region’s preferred institution for students seeking transformative, quality experiences, and meaningful connections. The campus-wide implementation team is working with ...

President’s Column: A Valley City visit with the Chancellor

Greetings from Valley City State University! As I write this message, the autumn sun is low in the sky creating a shadowy landscape on the campus front lawn. The leaves are mostly fallen, and I’m reminded of the beauty of the changing seasons and how fortunate we are to fully experience four vastly different seasons. We were fortunate to host ...

President’s Column: Accreditation and Collaboration

Greetings from Valley City State University! In my most recent column, I addressed some of the successes and innovations in our School of Education. Today, I’d like to share some thanks and recognition pertaining to our recent accreditation site visit and continued collaboration with the Valley City Public Schools and regional partners. [caption id="attachment_20095" align="alignright" width="360"] President Alan LaFave[/caption] The ...

President’s Column: VCSU leads in education and innovation in teacher preparation

Greetings from Valley City State University! Wherever I travel in ND and surrounding states, one of the most recognized and celebrated centers of excellence on the VCSU campus is the School of Education. With over 1,435 educators serving as teachers and administrators in 336 schools throughout North Dakota, we are proud to be positively known for this excellent program and ...

President’s Column: Welcome to new staff on campus

In addition to the new faculty, I introduced previously, we also have two dozen new staff members.  Although they’re not typically in the classroom, these individuals often have much direct contact with students and contribute greatly to making a VCSU education what it is for our students and their families. Joining the staff at VCSU are the following 24 individuals ...