Hotline 3.29.21

President's Column: Transitioning to a new normal

Greetings from Valley City State University! It was almost exactly one year ago – March 20, 2020 – that we made the decision to deliver academic instruction online for the remainder of the spring semester. This was the week following spring break and, while difficult, it was the correct decision to make for the health, safety and welfare of our students, faculty, staff and community.

As a laptop campus with a long and successful history of technology innovation and application, we were able to make this transition to distance learning relatively seamlessly. When we made this decision, little did we know the long-lasting impact of Covid-19 on our community, state, nation and world.

Fast forward to today, and the conversations are much different – uplifting, exciting and positive for the future. Realizing that protective protocols will remain in place, and specific details of the event are still being discussed, it is with great excitement that we announce we are planning for an in-person commencement ceremony on May 15, 2021. This will be our first return to a face-to-face ceremony since December 2019. All graduates recognized at our Virtual Commencement Ceremonies in May 2020 and December 2020 are invited back to participate in this face-to-face ceremony on May 15.

In addition to the in-person commencement, our foundation and auction committee are busy planning for the annual VCSU Scholarship Auction on May 21. This, too, will be a return to an in-person event, and we greatly look forward to celebrating the success of VCSU with our community and supporters. More details on both events will be forthcoming as we plan and prepare in the coming weeks.

The spring semester always seems to breeze by quickly, and the end of the semester will soon be upon us. We hope that you can find some time to enjoy the beautiful spring season we are having and look forward to welcoming you to our campus at any time!

Go Vikings!

What’s with the flamingos on campus?

VCSU Green Dot is a new violence prevention program on campus. The mission of the program is to empower VCSU employees and students with active bystander skills through awareness, programming, and education, resulting in a culture where violence will not be tolerated and everyone does their part to provide a safe campus.

The flamingos around campus are there to help raise awareness to the new program and provide a link to the new VCSU Green Dot OneStop page.

The program is housed in the VCSU Counseling Services office and works in collaboration with Valley City Community Green Dot and Alteristic.

If you have questions, please reach out to Kelsie.Carter@vcsu.edu.

Brown to give artist talk this week

Gratia Brown, assistant professor of art, will give an artist talk on March 31 at 11 a.m. The event will be livestreamed on VCSU’s YouTube channel.

Gratia loves to make things, break things, and create pieces that celebrate fragments and debris’s poetic nature. She earned her Master of Fine Arts in Ceramics from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and her Bachelor of Arts in the History of Art & Architecture and Anthropology from the University of Pittsburgh. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Art at Valley City State University (N.D.), where she teaches ceramics, sculpture, art methods, and art history. She will participate in the Studio Paducah artist residency program in the summer of 2021.

Valley City State University purchases high-grade telescope

Exploring the universe using a high-grade telescope will be a thrilling experience if you are a student enrolled in VCSU’s Introduction to Astronomy (Physics 110) course.

In high resolution a Moon gaze will fill the eyepiece, rings of Saturn and her moons become poignant, and what is considered a blurry star is realized to be the Small Magellanic Cloud, prompting imaginations of what these untouchable worlds might contain.

For example, M51, or as it is known the Whirlpool Galaxy, is viewed as a modern snapshot of two cannibalizing galaxies, interacting and falling gravitationally into the other. In its study we learn what to anticipate in four billion years for our own Milky Way and nearby Andromeda galaxies as they swoon together in a type of ballroom dance. 

In participating in the introductory astronomy class at VCSU, Dr. David DeMuth suggests “students realize the enormity of the universe, and equally how small the Earth is in its relation,” a humbling message and one that provides perspective on any seeming battles or daily indifferences. He adds that the class is often filled by art, music, and elementary education majors seeking an academic program requirement, but it is also a requirement for a physics minor, making for interesting conversations during lectures and labs.  

With the purchase of a CPC deluxe EdgeHD Cassegrain telescope, students will enjoy high definition and portable access to the stars. Moreover, the telescope includes robotic controls that will allow the students to easily access a huge catalog of stars, galaxies, and other exotica. 

The universe is an amazing place. North Dakota skies are featureful both in their darkness, but also in the long horizons. When peering through the eyepiece of a HD telescope, students are often transfixed, asking why one star is flickering red, another blue, or is there two interacting stars where I thought there was one?  To share their discoveries on Instagram, a low-cost imaging camera was purchased, allowing students a shot at freelance astrophotography.

The project was initiated through an Affiliate Mini-grant received from the North Dakota Space Grant Consortium (UND) in a partnership with the science department at VCSU.  The telescope complements a rather extraordinary planetarium that VCSU hosts on the third floor of Rhoades Science Center, and it aims to be a resource to the Valley City High School astronomy class.

A “First Light” star party is being coordinated with Dr. Andre Delorme, science chair, for the fall semester at his Prairie Waters Education and Outreach Center which is 17 miles south in Kathryn, noting “the impressively light pollution free skies.”  Stay tuned for that announcement.

Aberle awarded DECA Honorary Life Membership Award

Amber R. Aberle, Ed.D., attended the North Dakota High School DECA conference and competition March 14-16 in Bismarck, N.D. as a conference volunteer. On March 14, she was awarded the 2021 recipient of the Honorary Life Membership presented by ND DECA for her dedication to ND Marketing Education and to ND DECA.

She received this honor for her continued work to prepare students for marketing education positions in the state and how to serve as a DECA advisor. She encourages leadership, career preparation, and entrepreneurial encouragement through her efforts with offering the Emerging Leaders competition at Valley City State University for the past several years, one of the largest attended competitions in the region. She has volunteered for the last 9 years for the high school conferences helping with conference set up, tabulation, judging, resetting of rooms, and all that comes with running a conference. Her dedication to the students of North Dakota Marketing Education and DECA along with her continued work in preparing teachers for the profession is commended.

‘Difference Makers’ awarded

Kay Johnson, building services, received the “Difference Maker” award for January. She was nominated by the administrative assistants group. Her nomination read, in part, “Awhile back we had some important visitors coming to campus to meet with the President and upkeep of 2nd floor McFarland had been relaxed since it was over break and building services workers were on vacation. I asked facilities services if anyone would be available to help tidy up immediately. Kay came right over, supplies in hand. Kay cleaned, mopped floors, vacuumed, emptied trash, and even cleaned the windows on the front door. She was pleasant and happy to help. She commented, ‘it was just like at home and necessary to polish up for the company coming.’ Kay is always pleasant and takes pride in her work. This is something that makes a VCSU Difference Maker.”

Mark Potts, sports information director, received the “Difference Maker” award for February. He was nominated by enrollment services. His nomination read, “Enrollment services is very appreciative of Mark for stepping up and helping complete various projects needed for promoting the university. One example is that of our yearly view book, where Mark provided great feedback and encouragement to complete the job. When we had the impulsive idea of creating a Christmas video for prospective students, Mark graciously helped set this up and made it all happen in a very short time. Mark has been a Difference Maker to us and we are thankful for his dedication and expertise.”

Nicki Brockopp, accounts payable specialist, received the “Difference Maker” award for March. She was nominated by Allen Memorial Library staff. Her nomination read, in part, “Nicki is always cheerful and helpful, even when we are asking dumb questions (sometimes for the third or fourth time)! We always know we can count on her.”

You can find a full list of “Difference Makers” for the current year on our website.

COVID-19 testing event this week at the W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse, “The Bubble”

A free COVID-19 testing event for the VCSU and Valley City communities will be held this week from 1-2 p.m. at the W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse, “The Bubble”. Rapid and conventional testing will be offered at this event on March 29.

These are WALK-IN testing events. If you wish to be tested, please park your vehicle and enter through the west entrance. Handicap parking spaces and access are available at the east entrance. Preregistration at testreg.nd.gov is encouraged; one only needs to register once.

Care19 Alert App

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.

Find more information or download the app here.

Coronavirus Update

Stay informed about campus coronavirus information with the following resources. Click each link to learn more.

• VCSU Coronavirus information
• COVID-19 Dashboard
• COVID-19: Campus Health & Safety Information
• Campus face covering policy
• Required Quarantine/Isolation Procedures for Employees

Vikings sports update

Softball
March 27: VCSU 18, Dakota State 6
March 28: VCSU 10, Dakota State 0; VCSU 9, Dakota State 1
The Viking softball team is now 10-3 overall and 3-0 in conference play. The Vikings conclude their series at Dakota State with one game on Monday. 

Baseball
March 23: VCSU 9, Mayville State 2
March 28: Dakota State 9, VCSU 7; VCSU 14, Dakota State 8
The Viking baseball team went 2-1 this past week and is now 8-15 overall and 1-1 in conference play. The Vikings play a doubleheader at Dakota State on Monday. 

Track & Field
Valley City State University athletes won three events, and both Kyle Odegard and Zachary Co qualified for nationals during the first outdoor track meet of the 2021 season. Odegard won the men’s javelin and hit the NAIA ‘A’ Standard to qualify for nationals during Sunday’s meet in Spearfish, S.D. Co did the same for shot put as they both punched their tickets to the national meet May 26-28 in Gulf Shores, Ala. 

Read more at www.vcsuvikings.com.

Volleyball
March 23: Dickinson State 3, VCSU 0
March 26: Dakota State 3, VCSU 0
The Viking volleyball team is the No. 7 seed for the NSAA Volleyball Conference Tournament, which starts Tuesday. VCSU plays its first round match at No. 2 Mayville State on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Upcoming Events
March 29: Softball at Dakota State, 1 p.m.
March 29: Baseball at Dakota State, 1/3 p.m.
March 30: Volleyball at Mayville State, 7 p.m. (NSAA Tournament)
March 31: Baseball at Concordia-Moorhead, 3 p.m.
March 31: Softball at Univ. of Jamestown, 3/5 p.m.
April 2: Baseball at Dickinson State, 2/4:30 p.m.
April 2: Softball at Dickinson State, 2/4 p.m.
April 3: Track & Field at Minnesota Morris Cougar Classic, 11 a.m.
April 3: Baseball at Dickinson State, 12/2:30 p.m.
April 3: Softball at Dickinson State, 2/4 p.m.

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

Monday, March 29
1 p.m. Viking softball @ Dakota State, Madison, S.D.
1 and 3 p.m. Viking baseball @ Dakota State, Madison, S.D.

Tuesday, March 30
7 p.m. Viking volleyball @ Mayville State (NSAA Tournament), Mayville, N.D.

Wednesday, March 31
10 a.m. VCBC Public Library story hour with Reada Reddy on Facebook. Call 845-3821 for kit.

Thursday, April 1
April Fools’ Day

Friday, April 2
Good Friday
No VCSU classes – VCSU offices closed
2 and 4:30 p.m. Viking baseball @ Dickinson State, Dickinson, N.D.
2 and 4 p.m. Viking softball @ Dickinson State, Dickinson, N.D.

Saturday, April 3
11 a.m. Viking track and field @ Minnesota Morris Cougar Classic, Morris, Minn.
noon and 2:30 p.m. Viking baseball @ Dickinson State, Dickinson, N.D.
2 and 4 p.m. Viking softball @ Dickinson State, Dickinson, N.D.

Sunday, April 4
Easter Sunday

Monday, April 5
No VCSU classes
6 p.m. Spring fever garden forum, NDSU Extension Office or online at www.ag.ndsu.edu/springfever/
7 p.m. Candlelight yoga class. Pre-register at www.lisamarie-reflexologyandyoga.com.

Go to www.valleycitynd.org/calendar.php to see more events happening in and around Valley City.