1

Cornerstones:

Making a Difference – Yesterday, Today, and

Tomorrow

125th History

Valley City State University

1990-2015

2

Preface

This book has been compiled as a contribution to Valley City State University’s quasquicentennial celebration. The

authors acknowledge Donald Welsh’s centennial history of VCSU completed in 1990: Cornerstones. It is now time to

write the next chapter. This work builds on Welsh’s research and continues the story that is intended to be a compliment

to Cornerstones and does not attempt to rewrite or revise the history of the first one hundred years of VCSU. This work is

a stand-alone volume and is intended to celebrate the accomplishments, demonstrate how it overcame obstacles and

struggles, and record how VCSU has positioned itself for a bright and successful future over the last twenty-five years.

The authors refer you to Cornerstones to read the full history of VCSU.

A brief recap of those first hundred years is warranted. Located in a pleasant small North Dakota town, VCSU has

a picturesque campus with historic buildings. From its humble beginning, the institution was a product of both local

community initiative and direction from the North Dakota legislative assembly. Eager for early action, representatives of

the Valley City community prevailed upon the first legislative assembly to pass a bill implementing the constitutional

provision. Established in the original North Dakota Constitution of 1889 as the State Normal School, the school opened its

doors on October 13, 1890 in rented quarters in Valley City and in September of 1892 moved to its present location. In

1894, the first graduating class, consisting of three members received normal school certificates.

The school has since changed its name three times. In 1921, the legislative assembly authorized the State

Normal School at Valley City to award a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education (later changed to Bachelor of Science in

Education), and designated the institution as Valley City State Teachers College, effective July 1, 1921. The new status

subjected the college to new standards of academic quality and breadth of program. The curriculum in the liberal arts and

general education expanded to provide a broader intellectual foundation. The purpose of the institution was enlarged to

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include the preparation of secondary school teachers and supervisors as well as elementary school teachers, and

preparation of students for vocations and professions other than teaching. In 1939, an important development in

governance of the institution occurred with a constitutional revision creating a State Board of Higher Education and

placing all of the state’s institutions of higher education under its control. Although the College had offered a liberal arts

program since 1946, it was not until 1963 that the legislative assembly recognized the expanded mission and designated

the institution as Valley City State College. In 1987, the name was changed to Valley City State University.

Though these name changes serve as tangible signs of a transforming institution, VCSU experienced substantial

transformation in the last twenty-five years tantamount to name changes: first laptop university in 1996, online program

offerings beginning in 1999, and became a graduate institution in the fall of 2005 with permission to grant a Master’s in

Education. While VCSU’s name remained consistent since 1987, its identity has changed dramatically in the subsequent

years. These transformations, along with the innovation of new programs and infrastructure improvements, have resulted

in VCSU being nationally ranked by U.S. News and World Report for eighteen consecutive years. Valley City State

University has been ranked number one or two in the region between 2008 and 2015. Moreover, US News and World

Report has recognized VCSU’s online Bachelor and Master’s degrees. This ranking has also benefited the University,

the community, and the state with increased enrollment. In the fall of 1991, ninety percent of the students were North

Dakota residents; nearly twenty five years later, that number has dropped to 60 percent, with out-of-state students at 35

percent and international students at 5 percent. In the spring of 2014, VCSU reported its highest enrollment in both head

count and FTE (Full Time Equivalent).

Valley City State University has come a long way since its original objective “to give instruction in the Science and

Art of Teaching, and to prepare teachers for the efficient discharge of their duties in the public schools of the State.”1 The

current mission statement, last revised in 2012, reflects a broad and national scope of influence to prepare students for

the 21st century. Over the last twenty-five years, VCSU has adapted, adjusted, and responded to the challenges of ever

4

changing demands in higher education. Social changes and technological innovation, as well as the political and

economic fluctuations at the state and federal levels have served as the impetus for many of these changes. The

flexibility and resilience to meet these challenges have made VCSU a leading institution of higher education in North

Dakota. This history is a testimony to the hard work, dedication, and effort of the staff, faculty, and administration to

provide a sound education for its citizens in North Dakota, the region, and the country.

5

Acknowledgements

There is much effort that goes into writing a history of VCSU. I want to thank the four presidents, Dr. Charles

House, Dr. Ellen Chaffee, Dr. Steven Shirley, and Dr. Tisa Mason for kindly writing letters to accompany this work. Their

thoughts and reflections have added to the richness of this work. I also want to express my gratitude to Dr. Margaret

Dahlberg for her support and encouragement throughout this process; Dr. Anthony Dutton and Dr. Julee Russell for

reading and commenting on the drafts; the students in my Fall, 2013 Historiography class for help in research; and to all

who helped me with the fine details of this work. This work would not be possible without their help and support.

Thanks,

Dr. Steven King

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7

Table of Contents

I. Preface – 2

II. Acknowledgements – 5

III. Map of VCSU - 6

IV. A Letter from Dr. House - 9

B. Setting the Stage (1990-1993) - 14

a. Emerging Technologies - 16

b. Mandates and State Initiatives - 19

c. Physical Changes – 21

d. Medicine Wheel – 22

e. Freshmen Experience – 23

f. Challenge Going Forward - 24

V. A. Letter from Dr. Chaffee

B. Transformation (1993-2008)

a. The President’s House

b. Laptop Initiative

c. The Impact of Emerging Technologies

d. Renovations and Additions

1. Lokken Track Resurfaced

2. Kolstoe Hall

3. Graichen Gym

4. Softball Complex

e. The Kathryn Center

f. Business and Community Relations

g. Center for Innovation and Instruction

8

h. Career and Technical Education Program

i. Master’s in Education

j. Sister Universities

k. Jamestown Campus

l. Student Life and Activity

m. Conclusion

VI. A. Letter from Dr. Steven Shirley

B. Innovation (2008-2014)

a. Infrastructure

b. The Flood of 2009

c. Connections with China

d. Bottineau

e. Elementary Education with Wyoming

h. Prairie Waters

i. STEM Education Center

j. NAIA Football Conference

k. Student Life

L. Dr. Shirley Resigns

VII A. Letter from Dr. Tisa Mason

B. The Next Chapter (2014-

VIII. Appendix

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Letter from Charles House

Dear Friends,

I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to your history of the years that have passed since the

Valley City State University centenary. A twenty-five year retrospective begins in 1989; an interesting

circumstance because 1989 was a pivotal year in the history of VCSU and in the history of higher

education in North Dakota generally. My recollections are documented by the file of addresses I made

annually to the university faculty and staff, and circulated to the chancellor and members of the State

Board of Higher Education.

The legislative session of 1989 produced a modest increase in funding for the state’s colleges and

universities. That was a brave and forward-looking move against the background of a struggling North

Dakota agricultural economy, produced mainly by three or four years of severe drought. The budget

increases were funded by increases in state income and sales taxes that were certain to be submitted to

public referendum. Anticipating referral, the Legislative Assembly passed the appropriations with an

emergency clause attached: if the referral were to succeed, budget reductions would be made

immediately. The reduction for VCSU would be about $600,000, much of which would already have

been spent.

Fortunately, the referrals failed, though narrowly; but the debates were rancorous and divisive

among institutions and communities. One proposal was floated that would reduce Valley City to a two-

Charles House: 1982-1993

The modest Increase in State

funding in 1989 causes

economic uncertainty for

VCSU.

10

year community college. The proposal was headed off by Marcia Foss’s masterful study, in her office

of career counseling and placement, proving from enrollment patterns what the proposers probably

intended: that such a move would effectively close the institution.

The financial implications were immense, but the legislative appropriation language in HB 1618

also directed an intensive planning effort and funds were provided for board office staff for that

purpose. A special interim legislative committee was appointed to oversee the process. I attended a

historic meeting in Bismarck on August 4 involving the Governor’s office, the interim legislative

committee and legislative leadership, the State Board of Higher Education, and institutional

presidents. The purpose was to begin forging a political partnership that had been called for in an

earlier consultant’s report (the Enarson Report, 1986). The substantive item for discussion was the

Board’s draft planning document.

Whether or not the meeting was successful in fulfilling its purpose is difficult to say. It was -- in the

sense that the issues were joined even though the parties were far from consensus. It was

abundantly clear that the legislators were looking for some red meat. With varying degrees of

bluntness they let the Board know that they expected what one legislator described as “dramatic and

sweeping changes” – thinly-disguised code-language for closing institutions or radically altering their

missions. That recurring theme was “the elephant in the room,” for most of my years as president.

An anecdote: Only in North Dakota could the president of a small state college expect to have the

state governor drop in at his or her office for a chat, unannounced. It happened to me and I am

skittish about naming names. Anyway, it happened and I seized the opportunity to let the governor

know what I thought the smaller institutions contributed to the state that the major ones did not. He

Charles House: 1982-1993

Historic meeting in Bismarck,

August 4, 1989.

The governor drop in to see

Charles House.

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listened politely, because he really is a gracious person, but then he replied, “I understand what you’re

saying, Mr. president, but I don’t believe it.” He went on to expatiate on the economies of scale.

In August, as the 1989-1990 academic year opened, the faculty and staff on the campus had other

pressing concerns to deal with in addition to the normal beginning-of-classes agenda. Accreditation

visits by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and by the North

Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA) were scheduled for 1992 and 1993 respectively.

Preparatory self-studies needed to be undertaken immediately. Accreditation self-studies necessarily

begin with clear statements of institutional mission, role level of chancellor and board.

The dismal litany of “too many colleges” continued to reverberate around the state– as it had, in fact,

since around 1915 – although there was some comfort in the board’s assertion in its planning document

of an intention to “govern all of the existing institutions.” My own view was that the best protection for

VCSU lay less in its political efforts in Bismarck than in the quality of its performance in Valley City. The

two accreditation processes would provide a platform for the demonstration of the quality we knew was

already present in the school.

After I made that declaration to the faculty, Dr. Larry Grooters, Chair of the Education division,

counseled me privately that NCATE had adopted stringent new standards that would be difficult for

Valley City to meet. Most significant was the requirement that no faculty member involved in teacher

preparation could carry more than a 12 credit hour teaching load. That included nearly every faculty

member in the institution, many if not most of whom were carrying 16 hour loads, owing to budget

Charles House: 1982-1993

“Too many Colleges”

NCATE accreditation and its

importance for the future of

VCSU.

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reductions in the previous four years. At this point I quote from notes of my remarks to a special

meeting of the faculty on September 26, 1989.

. . .Since we last went through the NCATE accreditation process, standards have changed

dramatically. . . . NCATE standards have become much more specific, more detailed and more

rigorous. . . . If we are to retain our accreditation, it will require some fundamental changes in our

curricula and in the way we organize our teacher preparation programs. All of us are affected. To

approach these basic changes and outline an action agenda, I constituted an ad hoc committee and

arranged for them to have an uninterrupted two-day meeting from Wednesday evening until Friday

afternoon last week. I joined them for two hours at the end of their session, and I have no hesitancy

at all in saying that those two hours were the most important two hours I have spent in my job. On

two evenings their meetings ran into the wee small hours, and the results were exciting beyond my

wildest expectations in terms of the spirit of colleagueship and cooperation, breadth of outlook and a

vision of the University that is both creative and achievable. I want to take this public opportunity to

thank the members of the group: Claude Burrows, Terry Corwin, Mary Lenaburg, Stuart Glazer,

Don Mugan and, very specially, Larry Grooters who chaired the group. Judy Kemp (vice president

for Academic Affairs) met with them as resource person.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

As a concluding recommendation the ad hoc committee put forward a proposal I find more

exciting than I can fully express. It is a bonus from the meeting that goes utterly beyond my

imagination. It is a plan for creating a Center for Innovation in Instruction, building on our

established capabilities in telecommunication and computer-mediated instruction. Such a center

would be entirely consistent with our mission and with the Board’s efforts to develop Higher

Charles House: 1982-1993

“The most important two

hours I have spent on my job.”

Laying the foundation for the

future of VCSU.

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Education centers. Resources are an obvious problem but the concept has good grant-funding

attractiveness. A second problem is that if such a center were to serve as an in-service training facility

for teachers, it would need to grant graduate-level credit. That is not an insurmountable problem. . . .

The idea is practical, possible and visionary, and I plan to pursue it.

The rest, as they say, is history. It took Dr. Chaffee’s consummate skill and, most importantly, her

absolutely phenomenal energy, to make the vision come to fruition. But none of it would have been

possible if it were not for the character of a faculty and staff that would respond so energetically and

courageously to almost-impossible challenges.

To complete the record, after a change in the chancellor’s office and another four years of budgetary

anxieties, in 1993 I retired to what has been an astonishingly busy retirement. June and I have recently

made the move to California, close to family, and barely missing the coldest North Dakota and Minnesota

winter of recent years. June joins me in sending our hearty congratulations, our fond greetings and

sincere best wishes. We wish we could be with you.

Very truly yours,

Charles B. House, Jr.

President emeritus

Charles House: 1982-1993

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Setting the Stage (1990-1993)

The second century of Valley City State University began under a cloud of economic uncertainty,

population loss, and a contentious state government that was reluctant to support Higher Education

and targeted it for funding reduction. The two main concerns driving state government decisions in the

late 1980s were farm foreclosures and out-migration. The population of North Dakota had dropped by

14,000 throughout the 1980s. North Dakota witnessed a significant demographic change in 1987:

North Dakota transitioned from a rural to an urban state. As a result, the traditional rural high schools

that VCSU relied on to recruit its freshmen class were graduating fewer students: of the 38 high

schools that served as the primary recruitment, enrollment in these schools dropped from 4,049 in

1980-81 to 2,921 in 1990-91. These challenges, however, did not deter the leadership at VCSU from

moving forward with a vision that would significantly transform VCSU over the next twenty-five years.

While laying out a vision for the future in the opening years of the 1990s, VCSU was feeling the

impact of the state economic situation: in the previous decade, North Dakota’s total appropriation for

higher education, taking into account inflation, was reduced by nearly ten percent; the budget declined

from 24 percent to 20 percent. In December, 1989, the citizens of North Dakota went to the polls to

vote on measures that would increase the state income tax. If passed, VCSU would benefit with an

increase in revenue of over $810,000. It failed. Though the economic challenges and potential impact

on Valley State University were significant, exciting and new developments for VCSU were taking

shape: a vision was forged, and a foundation was laid that would not only ensure that VCSU would

survive, but thrive.

Do you remember 1990?

Freshman Class: 196

Number of Students: 1082

Graduating Class: 178

King and Queen:

Steve Fike and Mary Enstad

Athletics:

Softball team wins

Conference Championship

Teacher of the Year:

Kathryn Holleque

________________________

Average Price of Gas1: $1.00

Most popular Song2:

“Hold On” by Wilson Philips

Popular Movie3:

Home Alone, Starring

Macalulay Culkin

________________________

1. According to Energy.gov

2. Most popular pop song according to

Billboard Year-End Number-one Single

3. According to Box Office Hits by the

Decade and Year.

15

During the closing years of the 1980s, Charles House and the leadership at VCSU realized that

survival of VCSU rested not with the support from state officials as much as it did with quality education

and innovation of instruction. House and others realized that emerging instructional technology would

play a key role in accomplishing the quality education and innovation they were seeking. At board

meetings and other events, Charles House began to showcase a mobile instructional technology unit.

The effort paid off. In February of 1990, the State Board of Higher Education requested that VCSU

revise its mission and designated VCSU to be an institution for the “superior small-college preparation of

teachers and of small business personnel for its region,” as well as “to play a statewide leadership role in

rural education, including rural education policy planning and effective use of instructional technology.”2

Though it was presented as a mandate from the State, it was permission to go forward with requests

House had been seeking. But there was a catch: in return, VCSU would phase out its two-year

Associate degree programs, institute new entrance requirements, and develop full college preparatory

curriculum to help students transition to college life.

There was another issue emerging, that had it gone into effect, would have fundamentally

transformed VCSU: a proposal to convert VCSU into a two-year institution. This would have reversed the

mission the State Board of Higher Education supported in February. The board met with concerned

students and faculty at VCSU; though most board members voiced their support to keep VCSU a four

year institution, there was public pressure for the change, believing that it would save North Dakota

significant revenue. With state legislatures desiring change, and the lack of public support, Dr. House

admitted that “it is hard to be optimistic.”3 Nevertheless, the cloud of uncertainty and mixed messages

from leading officials did not deter VCSU from developing a plan to implement new instructional

technologies including interactive televisions, teaching courses using video-disks and CD-ROM, and

Milestones, Recognitions,

and Accomplishments:

1990, SBHE designated VCSU

as the state’s institution for

instructional technologies and

excellence.

1990, VCSU first to offer a

Telecommunication Lab for

teacher education in North

Dakota.

1990, VCSU recieves a

$200,000 grant from IBM to

establish a state of the art

computer lab.

1990, VCSU offers the

Elementary Education

program at NDSU.

16

incorporating audio, video cameras, and print media in the classroom. Valley City State University was

the first institution in North Dakota to incorporate this array of technology.

Emerging Technologies

Completed in the fall of 1989, VCSU showcased its Telecommunications Lab during the spring of

1990. Two adjacent classrooms in McCarthy hall were designated and fitted with the technology to

simulate two school rooms far apart. This hands-on experience was the first in North Dakota.

Students would sit in one classroom, and an education student would prepare a lesson and teach it

from the adjacent class. Valley City State University was the first school of higher education in the

state specifically addressing the teaching methodology for interactive video. The anticipation at the

time was that it could be linked to rural schools. It was hoped that teachers could observe student

teaching without having to physically visit the school, saving time and money. At about the same time

there was a classroom in Vangstad Hall being fitted

with a telecommunication lab as well. These labs

were designed to reach out to the rural schools and

offer courses with other higher education institutions.

The technology soon saw other added benefits: the

rural health project from University of North Dakota

began to offer three courses toward a major in social

work via the telecommunications lab at VCSU. One

of the requirements for this arrangement was the need for a telecommunications lab that could be

accessible 24 hours a day. A second communications lab was opened on the second floor of

Vangstad. By fall of 1994, the first courses were being offered between Mayville and VCSU. This

The Telecommunication in McCarthy. Pictured (l-r) Joe Tykwinski, Instructor and first CIO, Gerald Bartholomay, superintendent at Sheldon High School, and Leon Johnson, superintendent at Sargent Central High School.

Do you Remember 1991?

Freshman Class: 212

Number of Students: 1,083

Graduating Class:206

King and Queen:

Kendall Railings and Kathy

Mans

Athletics:

Women’s Basketball

Conference Champions.

Teacher of the Year:

Joe Stickler

________________________

Average Price of Gas: $1.14

Most popular Song:

“(Every Thing I Do) I Do It For

You” by Bryan Adams

Popular Movie:

Terminator 2: Judgement Day,

Starring Arnold

Schwarzenegger

17

technology has allowed VCSU to offer courses to other institutions and, perhaps even more importantly,

has allowed students to take courses from other institutions that would not otherwise be available to

them.

Computers began to impact every aspect of the educational experience in the early 1990s. Beginning

in the fall of 1990, all students

taking freshmen English were

taught using Apple II, G-S

computers. One lab had 24 Apple

II, G-S computers networked for

student use and one for the

instructor, with overhead projection

capabilities. There was also an

Apple Macintosh lab. With a grant

of $200,000 from IBM, the campus’

most advanced computer lab was

opened to students in June of

1991. This grant was part of a national program that provided technology to higher educational

institutions to improve U.S. elementary and secondary education. Sandi Ludwig, IBM’s marketing and

services manager for North Dakota stated that “only those schools with the commitment and ability to

make the most of this donation have been selected.”4 Located in McCarthy Hall, the lab housed

seventeen IBM Personal System/2 workstations. The lab was specifically created for education majors to

learn how to integrate advanced technology in the classroom as a teaching tool. In 1992, NCATE noted

In June, 1991, the IBM lab in McCarthy Hall opened to students. The state of the art computer lab was used to strengthen VCSU’s commitment to prepare teachers to use advanced technology as a teaching tool.

Milestones, Recognitions,

and Accomplishments:

In 1991, VCSU received a

$200,000 grant for a state of

the art computer lab.

1991, VCSU installs its first

elevator to comply with

Federal Law.

18

that “The University has the richest per-student access to computers of all institutions in the state. The

complement of computer stations was approximately one station for every 4.9 students.”5 Technology

was beginning to impact education in the form of interactive televisions and computer labs, the genesis

of what became a ubiquitous element in the higher educational experience at VCSU. Valley City State

University was well on its way to fulfilling its mission as technology leader in the state of North Dakota.

To assist in implementing the technology and support innovation, as well as to help train faculty, VCSU

received some high profile grants.

Valley City State University received its first Bush Grant on June 30, 1992 for 60,000 dollars, and

received a renewal again in 1995. These funds were specifically granted to VCSU for faculty

development. To implement programs and foster innovation in the use of technology, the campus

established a Faculty Development Committee. Common computers on campus in the early 1990s were

the Apple II, Apple Macintosh, IBM PS/2, and Commodore 64 and 128. Though computers were

becoming common use for students to complete homework assignments, for many faculty members,

computers and software were not yet a part of their daily teaching experience. When surveyed

regarding what software or technology they would like to use, many had no idea what was even

available or how they might use it in the classroom.6 Faculty were still unsure as to how this emerging

technology might impact their teaching and the classroom experience.

Technology in the classroom, however, was beginning to transform the classroom. Some of the

Bush Grant funds were used to purchase video disk players, color monitors, hand held scanners and

other technology. VCSU created an inclusive atmosphere so that all faculty would support the

implementation of educational technology in the classroom. With training for the faculty, and the

technical and hardware support, substantial innovation began to take place in the classroom. Though

Do you remember 1992?

Freshman Class: 212

Number of Students: 1,003

Graduating Class: 192

King and Queen:

Anthony Fast and Beth Loibl

Teacher of the Year:

Mary Lenaberg

________________________

Average Price of Gas: $1.13

Most popular Song:

“End of the Road” by Boyz II

Men

Popular Movie:

Aladdin, Starring Robin

Williams (Voice)

19

technology was transforming the classroom and the college experience, there were other changes

impacting students in other areas as well.

Mandates and State Initiatives

Change also came as a result of outside forces: there were state and federal mandates, as well as

requirements issued from one of VCSU’s major accreditation agencies, the National Council for

Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). With the passage of the The Americans with Disabilities

Act, state and federal buildings were required to be universally accessible. In the spring of 1989, the

state appropriated $150,000 to install an elevator on the west side of McFarland hall. The first elevator

was in operation in January of 1991. Since then, all other buildings include elevators or wheel chair

ramps. The latest building to become accessible was the President’ house. The remodeling project in

the summer of 2014 included an elevator and a ramp.

Another change came as the result of a state law. New and returning students in the fall of 1990

found that they could no longer smoke in any of the buildings. Students and faculty now had to go

outside to smoke. All previously designated smoking areas were now off limits. The only exemption to

this was privately owned college dorms. Though this did cause some initial consternation from a few

students, staff, and faculty who complained that the state was telling them what they could and could not

do, it became the policy and the complaints quickly subsided. Valley City State University would go

tobacco free in 2008.

The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education implemented a new standard for

accredited institutions: education instructors and student teaching supervisors were limited to teaching

twelve credit hours. Since many faculty taught more than twelve hours, this was a challenge. Dr. Kemp,

Milestones, Recognitions,

and Accomplishments:

In 1992, VCSU was named one

of the top ten best

inexpensive schools in the

United States according to the

July/August issue of Special

Report Home Library titled

“How to Pay for College.”

1992, the V-500 Foundation

for the first time reached net

assets of over one million

dollars.

1992, VCSU transitions from

quarter to semester system.

20

Vice President of Academic Affairs said this would result in a reduction of class offerings and increase the class size in

others.7 It also resulted in course rotations that meant students would have to be more vigilant when scheduling their

courses to ensure they could graduate on time. One of the most significant changes to the institutional structure of VCSU,

however, came about shortly after Dr. Douglas Treadway became the first State Board of Higher Education chancellor.

In 1990, the State Board of Higher Education created the North Dakota University System. Under the leadership of

Chancellor Treadway, the environment of competition among the universities for enrollment and financial resources was

to be replaced with one of cooperation. Each campus was asked to focus on their strengths in an effort to create greater

efficiencies in operation, and look for ways to cooperate with other universities. In an effort to comply, three important

initiatives were implemented that greatly impacted VCSU. These initiatives were also in response to public pressure

demanding reduction in cost of and the desire to see change and efficiency in higher education. In December, 1992, in

response to the sentiment of the populace, the board initiated a partnership between Valley City State University and

Mayville State University with shared top administrators: President, chief academic officer, and chief administrator.

Another initiative from the State Board of Higher Education impacting students in the fall of 1992 was the transition to a

semester rather than a quarter system. This initiative was part of an NDUS shift for all universities, and was part of a

larger national trend. With the entire state university system on semesters, students would find it easier to transfer their

credits. To further help students transfer credits within the university system, the State Board of Higher Education

adopted the General Education Requirement Transfer Agreement (GERTA). This initiative was the result of each campus

working together to develop a set of agreed upon required general education courses that each campus agreed to accept

from any transfer student within the state or other associated North Dakota Institutions of higher education.

21

Physical Changes

The freshmen and returning students in August of 1992

experienced two significant changes in facilities. Students

had a a new, and welcomed, experience when they walked the

main floor hallway of McFarland “Old Main.” The hallways

main interior corridor, a crossroads of campus activity, had

been painstakingly restored to recapture its classic features

and remind visitors of the rich heritage of VCSU. The

$110,000 restoration project included removing the dropped

ceiling and relocating the pipes and electrical conduit to allow

the arches to be restored to their full height. The restoration

of the walls resulted in a return to their original wainscoted

design. It remains as one of the most attractive features.

The second significant change had to do with access to

downtown. Students were denied the privilege of walking

over the historic foot bridge. Built in 1901 at a cost of a little over $16,000, it had been closed in October of 1991 after a

young man drove across it. What started out as a prank, turned into a costly incident. The event created serious integrity

issues and concerns over the structural damage, and the bridge was closed for safety reasons. This historic bridge had

served as the main conduit for students between campus and the town. Without it, students had to walk either to 8 th

The Restoration of McFarland Hall to its original design began during

Thanksgiving break, 1991.

22

Street or 9th Street, a significant inconvenience. The result was a major restoration and replacement of much of the

structure. The bridge was taken down and sent to Minneapolis for

restoration. After nearly three years, a

rededication of the footbridge took place

on October 4, 1994. The entrances to the

bridge have been redesigned with cement

flower planters to ensure that a future

vehicle incident does not occur.

The Medicine Wheel

Joe Stickler, a long time faculty

member in the Department of Science,

along with several students from his astronomy class, began the construction of Medicine

Wheel Park in the fall of 1992. Since then, hundreds of students and volunteers have made

further contributions and have helped to maintain the park. Set among Native American burial

mounds overlooking the campus, this unique thirty-acre park has a solar calendar replica of an ancient Native American

Medicine wheel, a meridian or noontime calendar, a model of the solar system, and a 3,000 square foot perennial flower

garden. Located on the North Country National Scenic Trail, it has become a tourist site and popular place to host events.

Frequent events have included Equinox celebrations, astrology events, powwows and more.

The historic foot bridge connecting the campus and town

was closed from October 1991 to summer of 1994.

Two students, Kendall Grabs and Tony Railing wishing for the walking bridge to be open. They lived next to the bridge on South Central Avenue. At the time of this picture, September, 1992, repair of the bridge was still in question.

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The Freshmen Experience

In response to the state mandate to develop a college preparatory

curriculum, and the general concern among administration and faculty

regarding freshmen readiness for college, significant discussions took

place. By 1993, the last year of Charles House’s presidency, the

university revised the general education curriculum to help freshmen

better transition into college life. Valley City State University had already

established a program for freshmen called the “Freshmen Dialogue,” in

1984. During discussions on how to better serve incoming freshmen, a

student suggested that the name of the revised program should be

Learning to Live, Living to Learn because it emphasized two key parts based on a learner-centered campus. “Learning to

Live” focused on how students might change their ways of living in order to succeed in the higher education learning

environment; and the “Living to Learn” (L2L) focused on developing the skills for lifelong learning.8 The program included

upper level college students taking a mentorship role with the freshmen. Though there have been changes to the program

over the last twenty years, the L2L program continues to play a vital role in helping students transition and succeed in

college.

Challenges Going Forward

Though many initiatives were supported with grant money, the day to day operations of the institution saw many

challenges. The financial situation forced VCSU to reprioritize its expenditures. The 1989-91 biennium expenditure for

Get another picture.

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VCSU was reduced by a little over $800,000, representing a 14 percent loss in the budget. The Planning and Program

Evaluation committee froze wages, cut four positions, reduced operating expenses, reduced equipment expenditures, and

increased tuition. Budget cuts resulted in the loss of several programs including minors in drama and economics, majors

in communication education, art, and the composite Bachelor of Arts in music. Valley City State University, however, was

determined to move forward. Though it has cut several programs, VCSU expanded its Elementary Education program to

North Dakota State University. In the fall of 1990, VCSU began offering elementary education classes to 33 students on

the NDSU campus. What started out with a modest offering of two courses has resulted in one of the most successful

adventures established by VCSU. As of 2015, there are well over one hundred students enrolled in this program.

Though the last three years of Dr. House’s tenure as president were financially challenging, the leadership at VCSU

forged ahead with a vision to transform the institution. The classroom experience was changing from a lecture based

learning paradigm to a student-centered learning model. Students were expecting more from the classroom experience

than merely a lecture from the professor. When Dr. Ellen Earl Chaffee arrived on campus on 1993, she observed that

VCSU “was poised for dramatic adventures with people champing at the bit to run with their dreams.”9

1 Welsh, Donald H. Cornerstones: A Centennial History of Valley City State University 1890-1990. Valley City: Times Record, 1990, 5. 2 Put in information 3 Viking News, Jan 25, 90 p.2 4 Bulletin, June 1991, 1) 5 Get information for NCATE report 6 Get information about faculty use of technology in the classroom. 7 Get information on Dr. Kemps comments. 8 Information on Learning to live. 9 Information from Dr. Chaffee’s quote.