|
|
 |
|
 |
|
FYI CAMPUS NEWSLETTER
MAY 17, 2012
|
We hope you enjoy the May 2012 edition of the FYI Campus Newsletter. Please share your news and stories by calling or emailing Vicki Voskuil at 224-5754 or Vicki.Voskuil@bismarckstate.edu.
|
May 18 - Staff Development Day
Friday is Staff Development Day and all offices will close at 11:15 a.m. You can click here to find a sign to post on your office door. The schedule includes information about new initiatives, security, identity theft, new employee introductions, construction updates and more. See you Friday!
Budget update from May 9
Larry provided a summary of the budget and salary information last week. To take a look at the charts, graphs and more, click here.
Summer hours
Summer hours have begun and will continue through August 3. BSC's regular working hours for the summer are 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays-Fridays (1/2 hour lunch).
If you haven't already done so, please remember to communicate summer hours by adding them to the end of your email signature (BSC summer hours are 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.) and by changing your voice mail.
Summer dress code
- Business casual wear during the week, which might include slacks, khakis, skirts (modest please), capris (calf length), polo shirts, blouses, dress shirts, blazers, etc. Keep in mind that you are representing BSC to the public and we want to portray a relaxed, yet professional atmosphere.
- Jeans (i.e. no holes or frayed jeans) on Fridays (with $1 donation)
- No shorts
- No flip flops
Larry going public
Larry's blog will go public soon, feeding directly to our BSC homepage at bismarckstate.edu. With his timely topic matter, insights into campus activities and enthusiasm for all the good work at BSC, Larry's blog is ready for primetime!
|
Faculty and staff honored
Four recipients were chosen from 44 nominations for this year's faculty and staff awards for excellence. They were honored at the annual BSC Celebration April 30. The awards recognize significant or meritorious performance in professional roles. Representatives of the BSC Foundation Programs Committee, student Board of Governors, faculty, and staff selected recipients. Excerpts from the nominations follow:
|
FACULTY AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE
Dean Bellin, assistant professor of technical theatre, has provided all technical services for Sidney J. Lee Auditorium (SJL) and the Theatre Arts program the past four years. He assisted the collaborative effort with the University of Mary to stage "Titanic - The Musical" and helped realize programming for Conversations at BSC and the Eric Sevareid and 9/11 symposiums. His technical theatre students won the Golden Wrench top award at the 2012 regional theater competition in Iowa. The nominator wrote: "The level of production quality for BSC Theatre productions has blossomed under Dean's supervision. In addition, he has improved the quality of all presentations in SJL. Dean is outstanding in the classroom and urges students to own their education." Bellin also mentors students who have designed sets and done technical work for BSC and Capitol Shakespeare productions.
|
Ken Paulus, professor of welding, CETI/TrainND, has worked for BSC for 32 years. He taught welding and chaired the Transportation and Construction Department from 1980-96. His current work is to certify welders for regional power plants/utilities and mining companies in North Dakota and Wyoming using the Mobile Training Lab and train inmates at Missouri River Correctional Center in welding. Ken has numerous awards, recognitions and certifications, long service on BSC committees, and has designed BSC and state welding curriculum.
|
STAFF AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE
Dusty Anderson, video production specialist, has worked with nearly every department during his two years at BSC. He teaches the video production classes for Mass Communication and helped students create "Mysticast," which first aired in fall 2010. Dusty works in the Instructional Technology Center at the NECE. He assists faculty with video/audio needs, researches new gear and technology, and video streams campus events. The nominator praised his strong work ethic, friendliness, professionalism and proactive ideas. "Dusty is the one who steps up in any capacity needed. He volunteered to record a video for the BSC/United Way cookbook campaign and joined BSC's 75th Anniversary Committee. He always considers how the current project will enhance BSC student experiences. Indirectly, we all benefit from Dusty's expertise."
|
Nancy Gordon, counselor in Student Affairs and online psychology lecturer, provides holistic guidance to students struggling with personal issues that hinder their success at BSC. She focuses on student retention and chairs the AQIP Student Success Project and "A Healthy BSC Community" teams, advises the BSC Anime Club, and serves as BSC representative on several community initiatives. Hired in 2005, Nancy is a CHOICES facilitator, an alcohol/drug prevention program, and a certified Question, Persuade, Refer Suicide Prevention instructor. The nominator wrote: "Nancy is one of the most committed and giving club advisors on this campus. She is continually thinking of new ideas and coordinating events to benefit her students . . . and inspires others to invest in their students. She reminds us why this college exists, and what we are here for - the students."
Christina Burns, Foundation programs coordinator, organizes the nomination and selection process. Full-time employees received cash gifts of $1,000 from the BSC Foundation.
|
 |
|
|
|
Left to right: Derek Gosselin, Martin Nielsen, Al Koch, Deidre Pugh, Lee Huber
|
|
State Occupational Safety and Health Consultation Program recognized
The North Dakota Occupational Safety and Health Consultation Program based at BSC was recognized at the annual OSHCON (Occupational Safety and Health Consultation) conference in Nashville, Tenn., in April. The program received an OSCAR (On-site Consultation Achievement Recognition) for its work over the last year on the new OSHA information system. This system is used to file safety and health reports with the national office. North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Colorado and Wyoming were chosen to test this new system in April 2011. The team put in long hours perfecting the new system, which will be adopted in other states once it is ready.
|
Dean Gunsch has long BSC career
On Tuesday, May 15, associate professor Dean Gunsch cleaned out his office in the Technical Center and left with just one box and some pictures. Lots of stuff left, he said, but that's for the next person to use. Other challenges wait as he closed the door on 34 years of teaching Automotive Technology at BSC, saying, "I really enjoyed working here. People have been really great."
Gunsch started in 1978, when Auto Technology was an 11-month program. He piloted the program's restructuring and spent many years as program chair and then Transportation and Construction Department chair. Gunsch led the effort to achieve certification for Automotive Technology from the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation in 1990 and the ASE (National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence) certification for faculty.
"Everything he does is professional," said Lee Friese, current department chair. "If it's something to do with auto tech, policies or Faculty Senate, he knows his stuff and how to handle himself in a professional manner. He's very knowledgeable and does his research."
In 1993, Gunsch won a top educator award for achieving the highest score in the nation on the ASE advanced engine performance test. He compiled and wrote the lengthy application that gave Automotive Technology the designation as best college program in the nation in 1992 from the Automotive Industry Planning Council. Gunsch thinks his biggest contribution has been to facilitate these milestones.
While proud of those accomplishments, he said, "It still comes down to teaching. I have students who did pretty well and some started their own business. When it all comes down to it, students are what gives the job meaning."
His family includes wife Diane and grown son Jesse, who have enjoyed many a sailing trip with Dean, as well as long-distance biking, canoeing, backpacking and wind surfing over the years.
|
PROGRAM FEATURE - GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
GIS maps great career opportunities for students
Things move fast in a world connected by Global Positioning System (GPS) software. BSC responded to the high demand for GPS knowledge seven years ago with a couple of geographic information systems (GIS) classes in the Engineering Technology program. The classes became the base for the Geographic Information Systems program headed by Angela Milakovic, assistant professor of GIS.
She developed the curriculum and cast the young program into the national limelight in 2007 when she was one of 20 two-year college instructors selected for geospatial education training by NASA through a National Science Foundation grant. In 2010, Milakovic received the Achievement in GIS Award at the International GIS Users world conference for furthering GIS education nationally. Today, she continues in the forefront as part of a national initiative to create standards for model courses through the GEOTech Center.
With rapid growth of BSC's program, GIS added full-time assistant professor Mark Steele two years ago. He divides his time equally between teaching GIS and Engineering Technology courses.
"Our lab is going all day long with a full schedule," Milakovic said. "The introductory GIS class (GIS 105) is so popular, we are opening a second section next fall based on last year's over-rides. The teaching load is more than one person can handle."
|
The program's powerful computer lab accommodates 20 students, but online classes reach many more. Enrollments have come from Texas, Washington, D.C., the Caribbean, Norway, Germany and elsewhere. GIS has received a lot of interest from the military. Students and employees involved with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, a data support agency of the U.S. Department of Defense, take BSC courses.
"We are counted among one or two programs in the United States they can take online that fits what they are looking for," Milakovic said.
GIS proficiency is one of the Top 10 skills employers seek in job applicants. BSC's program provides courses in computer aided design, photogrammetry, remote sensing, cartographic design, advanced GIS applications, databases, and general courses in geography and state and local government for the Certificate. For the AAS degree, courses are added in database theory, Visual Basic, GIS project development and management, elementary statistics and professional writing.
Milakovic finds summer internships for any student who asks, she said. Some are working at Montana Dakota Utilities, Beaver Creek Archeology, Metcalf Archeology, and Kadrmas, Lee and Jackson, an engineering firm. A current student and recent GIS graduate are working on a science research project in Mandan, an uncommon opportunity, Milakovic said. They are collecting air, soil and plant samples manually, mapping and learning to run new scientific instruments recently acquired by the Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory for a NASA-USDA project.
Find Milakovic and Steele on the east side of the NECE on third floor. Watch the GIS program video.
|
Technology abounds at BSC
BSC's Office of Innovation has been looking and listening for ways the campus has been creative and innovative. Recently, Eyes on Innovation has recognized faculty for the following innovative projects:
- More faculty are incorporating rich media into their classrooms and curricula.
- Smart Board technologies are being used in two math classrooms in the Technical Center.
- Students are using their smart phones to fill out their end of class evaluations.
East Coulee Design Contest
The contest has launched and all BSC students and incoming students are encouraged to submit their designs. Spread the word and help make the East Coulee beautiful. Information can be found at bismarckstate.edu/coulee-project.
Big effort in registration
While it's quiet now, campus will spring to life again in the fall when students descend. Between now and then, many students will use the new and updated Mystic GPS and be guided in their registration process by some new materials. It's beautiful work - kudos to Crystal Forster, Michelle Kraft, Leigh Nygaard and Sandi Fried for a very thoughtful and cohesive effort!
Story ideas welcome
Story ideas for upcoming Connections are welcome. Got a great project, something to say about higher education, someone on campus who you think ought to be profiled? Tell us about it and we'll tell everyone else!
Celebrate Diversity
The world is a big place, and its diversity is celebrated by our diversity committee. Check the calendar every month to learn more.
Who's using our campus? The Chronicle knows
Wondering who's in your favorite meeting room this week? Check the Chronicle.
Employee professional development news
Rita Nodland, alumni coordinator, traveled to Brooklyn Center, Minn., April 19 for training at the Nonprofit Finance and Sustainability Conference.
Kyren Miller, associate professor, NECE, attended a leadership meeting and accompanied Process Plant Technology students to the first National Process Simulation Troubleshooting Competition at Northern Oklahoma College in Tonkawa, Okla., April 20-22.
Elwood Hines, mail center coordinator, attended the Pitney Bowes Intermediate Mail Management Seminar in Peachtree City, Ga., April 22-25.
Al Koch, OSHA consultation program manager, attended the OSHA consultation program manager's meeting in Nashville April 22-27.
Mary Sennert, advisor, NECE, visited Prime Power School graduates April 23 at Fort Leonard Wood U.S. Army Base in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
Tyler Merkel, advisor, NECE, attended the Xcel Energy Education Fair in Roseville, Minn., April 25-27.
Nancy Gordon, counselor and Anime Club advisor, accompanied BSC Anime Club members to the Anime Central Convention in Rosemont, Ill., April 27-29.
Rita Lindgren, chief human resources officer, and Angie Friez, human resources specialist, attended the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) 2012 Talent Management Conference and Exposition in Washington, D.C., April 30-May 2.
Tom Marple, assistant professor of graphic design and communications, attended the "Gravity Free" Design that Opens Minds Seminar in Chicago May 1-2.
Lane Huber, chief distance learning and military affairs officer, traveled to Norfolk, Va., to attend the Hampton Roads Education Fairs (Navy) May 1-3. Huber also attended the Council of College and Military Educators executive board meeting May 14-16 in San Diego.
Ron Baranko, assistant professor, NECE, and Tyler Merkel, advisor, NECE, attended the 2012 Black Hills Bakken Conference May 1-4 in Spearfish, S.D.
Andrene Krein, academic advisor, and Annette Martel, multicultural/academic advisor, attended the National Academic Advising Association Region 6 Conference in Minneapolis May 2-4.
Wes Braun, associate professor, NECE, is conducting factory acceptance testing on the Great River Energy simulator project in Montreal, Canada, May 14-25.
Chad Vollmers, assistant professor of welding, is attending training for the Certified Welding Inspector/Consortium for Worker Education examination May 14-26 in Dayton, Ohio.
|
|
 |
|
