Hotline 10.26.20

This week’s Hotline includes the following articles:

• President’s column: Walls rising up…
• COVID-19 testing to be held today at Winter Show
• Kappa Delta Pi welcomes 12 new VCSU initiates
• Bremer presents at conference
• Put Care19 Alert app to work for you
• Coronavirus update
• Viking sports update
• What’s happening at VCSU and around Valley City…

The VCSU Hotline online newsletter is published weekly during the academic year. Deadline to submit articles (photos encouraged) is 3 p.m. Friday. Please submit articles to carolyn.holen@vcsu.edu 

President’s Column: Walls rising up…

One of the most significant events on a college campus is commencement and the celebratory recognition of a young person’s accomplishment of the completion of their degree. Another of the more exciting aspects of campus life is seeing the landscape improve and change. Whether this takes place in the form of renovation or new construction, facility improvements are vital to maintaining high-quality and functional educational delivery space for our students. This has been an exciting week at VCSU, as we have seen the first walls set in place for the new Center for the Arts.

As the walls begin to rise, you can just imagine the movement of students, faculty, staff and members of the public through this new facility. I can envision the hallways, classrooms, and labs bustling with students, the foyer full of attendees at a pre- or post-concert event, the rehearsal rooms active with large and small ensembles, the art gallery sponsoring numerous shows from visiting artists, faculty and students, the studio spaces filled with students honing their performance, drawing, painting, sculpture and design skills.

It’s quite amazing to watch a construction project of this complexity and magnitude move forward. I recall one of the most exciting and stressful times of mine and Kari’s lives was designing and building a new home thirteen years ago. From working on initial design to deciding final details with sub-contractors, excavators, framers, plumbers, electricians, and choosing everything from outlet locations to finishes throughout, it’s a very intense process.

The planning for this project spanned years and many iterations in design. Now, the Center for the Arts construction is well underway. The walls that are currently being put in place are actually the framework for the concert hall inside the main building. Once this is completed, the exterior walls and framing for the main building will begin. We are so appreciative of all of the workers on this project, especially as the weather and temperatures begin to signal the beginning of the winter season and extend our thanks and well wishes to all involved for safety throughout the process.

If you would like to follow along and monitor the daily construction progress on the building, we invite you to check out the live cam link on the front page of our website, vcsu.edu.

Finally, one last significant event in our lives is the election we’re privileged to participate in. We all have an opportunity to vote in the upcoming election on Nov. 3. I encourage everyone to be a participant in this important civic process, and help guide our community, state, and nation forward together.

Go Vikings!!

COVID-19 testing to be held today at Winter Show

A free COVID-19 testing event for the VCSU and Valley City communities will be held today, Monday, Oct. 26,  from 1-2 p.m. at the North Dakota Winter Show.

Preregistration at testreg.nd.gov is encouraged; one only needs to register once.

Kappa Delta Pi Welcomes 12 new VCSU Initiates

Kappa Delta Pi (KDP), an international honor society in education, was founded in 1911 to foster excellence in education and promote fellowship among those dedicated to teaching. KDP supports and advances educators throughout their teaching careers and offers opportunities for leadership, camaraderie, academic development, and professional resources. Consistently growing for over a century, KDP’s membership exceeds 1.2 million. The Zeta Sigma chapter of KDP at VCSU was founded in 1950 through 2002 and was reinstated in 2015. On Oct. 16, KDP welcomed 12 new VCSU student initiates into the Zeta Sigma chapter through the National Virtual KDP Initiation Ceremony hosted by KDP President, Dr. Elizabeth Elliott.  Planning will begin for the spring fundraiser and service project.

New initiates include:

• Advisor, Dr. Abigail Bremer
• Evan Diede
• Rachel Dominguez
• Lauren Roscoe
• Cassie Gefroh
• Kara Levorsen
• Madison Ressemann
• Tori Reindel
• Audrey Miller
• Eleanor Bierman
• Millisa Kukowski
• Savannah Lischefske

Put Care19 Alert app to work for you

VCSU students and employees are strongly encouraged to download a free smartphone app, Care19 Alert, to help stop the spread of COVID-19 by notifying users of possible COVID-19 exposure while protecting their privacy with technology developed by Apple and Google.

Care19 Alert uses Bluetooth proximity technology provided by both Apple and Google notification systems. The app provides proactive alerts and notifications to users based on anonymous keys exchanged between smartphones as users go about their daily activities.

Care19 Alert users will be notified if their device was in proximity of another device whose user tests positive for COVID-19. The app updates daily with positive COVID-19 results submitted by other users, which are then checked against the list of random keys that each device has encountered for more than 15 minutes in the last 14 days. 

People who use Care19 Alert must explicitly choose to turn on exposure notifications, and they can turn off the app at any time. The Apple-Google Notification System utilized by the app does not collect, use or store any device location, including for users who report positive results.

Users have the option to decide whether to report a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, and identities are not known to Apple, Google or other app users. The system is only used for exposure notifications by official public health authorities and is not monetized.

The free app is available to download through the App Store and the Google Play Store. For more information, visit ndresponse.gov/covid-19-resources/care19.

Coronavirus update

Campus coronavirus updates can be found at www.vcsu.edu/coronavirus-information. Here you can find updates with news of positives cases within the campus community, along with information regarding impact to campus activities and facilities.

A dashboard detailing COVID-19 isolations and close contacts can be found at www.vcsu.edu/coronavirus-information/covid-19-dashboard/. This information will be updated regularly as needed.

There is also a host of resources with detailed information for employees and students on OneStop at onestop.vcsu.edu/support/solutions/folders/10000082374.

A reminder that all students, staff, faculty, affiliates and campus visitors are required to wear face coverings when interacting with others on the VCSU campus. The VCSU Safe Operating Procedures regarding face coverings can be found at onestop.vcsu.edu/support/solutions/articles/10000052288.

Viking sports update

Cross Country

The VCSU men’s cross country team placed 9th out of 13 teams at the Mount Marty Invitational on Saturday. Mason Wendt (34th) and Jayden Wheeling (38th) were VCSU’s top finishers at the meet that featured 144 competitors. VCSU’s women did not compete. The Vikings will now prepare for the NSAA Conference Championships, Nov. 6 at Dakota State University. 

Basketball

The Valley City State University basketball teams are scheduled to open the season this weekend. The Viking women and men will play a doubleheader at the University of Jamestown on Friday, Nov. 30. VCSU’s women then host Briar Cliff University on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 1 p.m. 

Football

Valley City State’s scheduled football game at Dakota State University this past Saturday was postponed and will be made up in November. The Vikings are currently scheduled to host Dickinson State University on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 3 p.m. 

Upcoming Athletic Events
Oct. 30: WBB/MBB at University of Jamestown, 6/8 p.m.
Oct. 31: Football vs. Dickinson State University, 3 p.m.
Nov. 1: Women’s Basketball vs. Briar Cliff University, 1 p.m.

What’s happening at VCSU and around Valley City…

Monday, October 26

1 to 2 p.m. Covid Testing, North Dakota Winter Show Building

Wags & Whiskers Online Auction, website bidding begins at 1:00 p.m. October 26 and ends at 7 p.m.  October 28 (www.32auctions.com/svfa)

Tuesday, October 27

6 p.m. Virtual cooking class on Youtube, sponsored by VCBC Public Library

Wednesday, October 28

10 a.m. Virtual story hour on FB live & craft Halloween picture frame kit (call 845-3821 for a kit), sponsored by VCBC Public Library

Friday, October 30

5:30 to 7:30 p.m. 3^rd Annual Spook Out Cancer Event with drive-thru Trunk-or-Treat and online auction (October 19 through November 1) supporting Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center and Jamestown Regional Medical Cancer Center, sponsored by Puklich Chevrolet Buick GMC

6 to 8 p.m. Valley City Parks & Rec Trunk or Treat “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” event, Gaukler Wellness Center parking lot

6 and 8 p.m. Viking women’s and men’s basketball @ University of Jamestown, Jamestown, N.D.

Saturday, October 31

Halloween

3 p.m. Viking football vs. Dickinson State University, Shelly Ellig Field @ Lokken Stadium

Sunday, November 1

1 p.m. Viking women’s basketball vs. Briar Cliff University, W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse

Monday, November 2

1 to 2 p.m. Covid Testing, North Dakota Winter Show Building

Tuesday, November 3

Election Day

Friday, November 6

Fall Ladies Day with special activities at varied locations around Valley City

Saturday, November 7

Fall Ladies Day with special activities at varied locations around Valley City

Monday, November 9

1 to 2 p.m. Covid Testing, North Dakota Winter Show Building