Embracing change and valuing tradition

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Greetings from Valley City State University!It’s no surprise that VCSU has a long and storied tradition of providing education to the citizens of North Dakota. A significant and founding principle of that long-standing tradition is in preparing the next generation of teachers for our state and beyond. I was proud to report — and brag a bit — to the House and Senate appropriations committees that more than 1,400 teachers and school administrators in North Dakota are graduates of VCSU! It’s paramount for us to not lose sight of our traditional purpose and mission while pursuing growth and change. Staying on the leading edge of innovative programs will position us well as we enter our next chapter as a university. Lately I’ve fielded many questions regarding progress on our new $32 million arts and communication building on campus. Here is a progress report as of this writing:

  • A campus committee comprising students, faculty, and staff has been formed to meet with the architects and design team.
  • The committee has met several times with the architects to make important decisions on space needs and design, keeping in mind the future needs of the art, communication, and music programs to allow and encourage enrollment growth.
  • A construction manager will be selected in the next month.
  • Site preparation work, including soil survey samples, will begin this fall.
  • Ground breaking will take place in the spring of 2020.
Summer is also a time for renovation and repair work on campus. I hope you’ve had the opportunity to walk through or drive by campus in recent weeks. The lush green space and beautiful trees help make VCSU the most beautiful campus in North Dakota! The addition of the “Welcome to Valley City State University” sign on the retaining wall at the west entrance to campus is impressive! Also, we are thankful to the Alumni Association for providing a new “Welcome Alumni” sign on the north side of the walk bridge. The track project is nearing completion, curb and gutters have been replaced, and plans for other facility repairs, including roof work on McCarthy, the Osmon Fieldhouse, and the Student Center, along with new sidewalks, tuckpointing, and new seats for Lokken Stadium will continue through the summer. Maintaining our focus on providing the best academic, athletic and co-curricular opportunities for our students will continue to inform our work as we move forward, all the while embracing change and adhering to our tradition of excellence.Go Vikings!