Hotline 11.23.20
This week’s Hotline includes the following articles:
- President’s Column: All for which we are thankful…
- COVID-19 testing to be held today at W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse
- VCSU Art Club virtual sale Dec. 1-4
- VanHorn awarded Presidential Citation
- 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: All for which we are thankful…
Greetings from Valley City State University!
Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks and express appreciation. It is one of my favorite times and holidays of the year. While we know that many of the traditional celebration gatherings with family and friends may be impacted by the pandemic, we can still reflect on all for which we are thankful. With this important holiday upon us, I’d like to take a few moments to share our appreciation for the gifts we enjoy at Valley City State University. These gifts help us to fulfill our mission for the benefit of our students, faculty, staff, community, region and state, and we are so grateful for our partnerships that make it all possible.
Successful fall semester
I’d like to begin with a personal thank you to our faculty, staff and students for helping us to continue our campus operations in the midst of a global pandemic. Faculty have developed and redesigned their courses to be delivered in a variety of different formats including traditional face-to-face, synchronous and remote delivery. Staff have been able to provide the same personalized service to which our campus is accustomed. We are grateful for the consistency of operations including facilities, campus offices, food service and housing. We sincerely appreciate that our students have been patient, flexible and understanding through all of the challenges and changes they faced this semester. Many did not know what to expect this semester, but as we reflect on the past three and a half months, we can be happy and satisfied with the results.
Community support
We are grateful for the support of so many individuals making a difference for VCSU and our students. With over $1.8 million in scholarship allocations this past year, there is a clear correlation between our enrollment growth, stability and retention of students. The addition of our first ever Viking Day of Giving brought in nearly $23,000 of additional scholarship support. All levels of support are helping our students achieve and attain their goal of a university education while minimizing the amount of student loans along the way.
Center for the Arts
We are grateful for our new academic building rising up just west of the Student Center. Seeing the daily progress of the building with additional walls and framework installed each day is so very exciting, and the progress has been helped by a cooperative weather pattern these past few weeks. We are thankful for all of the architects, designers, contractors, sub-contractors, suppliers and site workers who are part of the project and are all very excited to see the project continue toward a December 2021 completion date.
Intercollegiate athletics
We are grateful for the opportunities for our student-athletes to train in a safe environment, be a part of a team, participate in a competitive conference and non-conference schedule, carry forward the Viking tradition of excellence, and represent VCSU in competition. We know that there are numerous positive mental health benefits for our students to have the opportunities to participate the way they have this fall semester.
Beautiful campus in a beautiful city
Finally, we are grateful to come to work each day in one of the most picturesque and beautiful campuses in the upper Midwest, nestled in the heart of our beautiful community. This is truly a beautiful and remarkable place.
On behalf of the students, staff, faculty and administration of Valley City State University, we wish you all a wonderful and enjoyable Thanksgiving! May this be a time of giving thanks for family, friends, community, and continued collaboration for years to come! Take a moment to reflect on all that you are thankful for at this special time of year and share those thanks with those who are close and important to you.
Go Vikings!
COVID-19 testing to be held today at the W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse, “The Bubble”
A free COVID-19 testing event for the VCSU and Valley City communities will be held today, Monday, Nov. 23, from 1-2 p.m. at the W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse, “The Bubble”.
DRIVE THRU TESTING WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE.
This event is a WALK-IN testing event. Colder temperatures have moved operations indoors. If you wish to be tested, please park your vehicle and enter through the main entrance.
Preregistration at testreg.nd.gov is encouraged; one only needs to register once.
VCSU Art Club virtual sale
The VCSU Art Club will he hosting an art sale Dec. 1-4. The sale will be a live virtual event.
The Open Studio Art Club at Valley City State University’s mission is to promote, support and sponsor professional development, visiting artist, art workshops, art sale, and art activities on the VCSU campus and in the surrounding community.
The Art Sale proceeds fund Art Club activities throughout the year. The VCSU Art Club supports campus community arts activities, including art workshops, sales, and professional development for members.
VanHorn awarded Presidential Citation
Dr. Shannon VanHorn, Department of Communication Arts, was awarded a Presidential Citation by National Communication Association President Kent Ono, University of Utah, for her work as Chair of the Teaching and Learning Council and as a member of NCA’s Executive Committee. The award was presented during the awards ceremony of the virtual annual NCA Conference on Nov. 21.
VanHorn has served three years as a member of the council, one year as chair-elect, three years as chair and three years on the Executive Committee. Her terms end Dec. 31.
The National Communication Association (NCA) is a not-for-profit membership-based scholarly society founded in 1914. NCA’s mission is to advance Communication as the discipline that studies all forms, modes, media, and consequences of communication through humanistic, social scientific, and aesthetic inquiry. It has more than 8,000 members that come from throughout the United States and the world.
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
Men’s Basketball
Tuesday: VCSU 97, Trinity Bible College 68
Friday: VCSU 87, North Central University 74
Saturday: VCSU 100, Baptist Bible College 76
The VCSU men’s basketball team extended its winning streak to six games after three more victories this week. The Vikings averaged 95 points per game this week and now have a 6-1 overall record.
Women’s Basketball
Friday: VCSU 57, Presentation College 37
Saturday: Dakota State 94, VCSU 52
The VCSU women’s basketball team won its season opener on Friday, defeating Presentation College en route to a 1-1 record at a tournament in Madison, S.D. The Vikings will now play three games this weekend at a tournament in Helena, Mont.
Men’s Basketball Postponed
VCSU’s scheduled men’s basketball games against Oak Hills Christian College on Nov. 24 and Dec. 1 have been postponed. Make-up dates have not yet been set.
Upcoming Events
Nov. 27: WBB @ Helena, Mont. vs. Carroll College, 5 p.m.
Nov. 28: WBB @ Helena, Mont. vs. MSU-Northern, 1 p.m.
Nov. 29: WBB @ Helena, Mont. vs. Montana Tech, 11 a.m.
What’s happening at VCSU and around Valley City…
Monday, November 23
12 noon VC Lions Club meeting, Valley City Eagles Club
1-2 p.m., free COVID-19 testing for Valley City and VCSU communities, W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse
Tuesday, November 24
6 p.m. VCBC Public Library virtual cooking class – beefy baked ravioli – call 845-3821 for information
7:10 p.m. Bingo, Valley City Eagles
Wednesday, November 25
VCBC Public Library virtual story hour on Facebook Live featuring Reada Reddy – call 845-3821 for kit and information
Thursday, November 26
Thanksgiving Day
No VCSU classes – VCSU offices closed
Friday, November 27
No VCSU classes
5 p.m. Viking women’s basketball vs Carroll College, Helena, Mont.
Saturday, November 28
1 p.m. Viking women’s basketball vs. MSU-Northern, Helena, Mont.
Sunday, November 29
11 a.m. Viking women’s basketball vs. Montana Tech, Helena, Mont.
Monday, November 30
1-2 p.m., free COVID-19 testing for Valley City and VCSU communities, W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse
Wednesday, December 2
10 a.m. VCBC public library virtual story hour on YouTube
Thursday, December 3
7 a.m. Valley City Optimist meeting on zoom, Contact morast@hotmail.com to join
7 p.m. VCBC public library Crochet Club on Zoom