Focus 7

Knowlton’s Notes: Focus On Developing New Financial Resources
The last “focus” of the seven identified in the new Dakota State University strategic plan is on developing new financial resources. This focus is key if we are to make the kind of progress all of us would like to see here at DSU. To develop new programs, add more students and improve our facilities we will need new sources of revenue and support. To this end the university has identified these five activities as keys to realizing these much needed financial resources.

1.Support the DSU Foundation in its efforts to conduct a successful comprehensive campaign.
The university is at the beginning stages of a campaign to reach out to alumni and friends of the university to gain funds for building projects and for scholarship support. Over the next few years members of our development office (including me) will be on the road and working to connect these individuals to our vision and to the mission of DSU.

2.Expand corporate partnerships to support campus endeavors.
With the increasing number of corporations and businesses looking to hire students from DSU and our tie to industries in the region (financial, health care, etc.) we will initiate a special campaign to reach out to these groups.

3.Increase campus efficiencies by “going green”.
While raising additional revenue is important, it is also important that we are good stewards of this campus. We can find ways to reduce energy costs by becoming more environmentally conscious and by initiating more “green” practices on the campus.

4.Obtain funding to support facilities and campus infrastructure improvements.
Through grants and through legislatively funded projects we hope to make improvements to the campus. For example we are in the first stages of a request to the legislature that would provide funds for renovation our Science Center.

5. Increase financial support from alumni and other benefactors.
Through regular publications, our improved telethon system, and as a part of our foundation’s comprehensive campaign we have increased goals for annual giving and endowment support.

We have set some significant and challenging goals for our fundraising efforts.
By 2012, the DSU Foundation net assets will reach $10 million, the annual phonathon will reach $150,000 in pledges, and the University will have new resources in place to support new academic programs and initiatives. Current assets are approximately 6 million dollars and our telethon raised approximately 75 thousand dollars last year.

This last issue of the Trojan Times for 2007 concludes my series on the new DSU strategic plan. I have posted some of these articles to my blog http://presidentspage.blogspot.com/ and would welcome any comments or additional ideas.
As a part of this effort we will be reaching out to our alumni, the local community, corporations, families, faculty and staff and even students to help us meet these important goals.

Experiences

Yesterday I had the opportunity to host three individuals from China at the president's home here at DSU. One of the individuals is a student in our MIS graduate program and the other two are visiting faculty from East China Normal University in Shainghi. As I sat at the dinner table and as we conversed about China, the US, Madison, DSU etc I couldn't help but be struck by how wonderful it is when cultures come together. When individuals from other sides of the world can share their views and their knowledge. This is particularly striking when one thinks about how a very short time ago the interaction with individuals from China was so restricted because of our political and governmental differences. All three of these individuals are from large cities (14 and `13 million people) - what an interesting contrast Madison, SD must be. When asked about the differences one of the visitors replied about how quiet it was here. This was not a negative comment and anyone who has spent time in a large metropolitan city would understand this observation.

I so sincerely hope that students and faculty here at DSU will find opportunities to interact with these wonderful individuals and will find the time to really communicate with them while they are a part of our DSU campus. This is so much a part of what it means to be in a university experience. Doug

Veteran's Day

In the fall of 1972 I was drafted into the US Army. This was a turbulent time and Vietnam was still an issue. I remember sitting in the draft office in Denver Colorado taking some type of literacy test. There were young peiople all around me who wanted to do well on the test as they saw the military as a positive experience for their life. I on the other hand was still caught in the fear, guilt, anger and self deprecation that accompanied the decision to be a part of a military that was involved in a very negative war in Southeast Asia. In the end I spent two years stationed in Virginia and became part of a special unit developing the latest self paced education activities using slides and cassette tapes! Yes I am a veteran but can't escape the mix of feelings everytime veterans are recognized or asked to stand at a public event. Two years ago I spoke at a veteran's day event at the local high school - may have been the first time I actually acknowleded in a public way my military service. I wonder how many Vietnam era vets still have the same feelings that I do. Doug

Writing

Yesterday, Thursday - November 8, 2007 I had the chance to welcome some faculty from around the region to the Great Plains Alliance for Computers and Writing. It was a very intriquing meeting and it also gave me the chance to reflect on my own journey as a writer. I don't think of myself as a writer and yet when I think about my position and my daily work I know that I spend a great amount of time writing - emails, letters, newsletters and other correspondance.

As most individuals my age I started out writing with a pencil and paper and then in that shared experience I learned to type in a room with 40 students and manual typewriters. It was not a pleasant experience. Yes I am that old - no word processing. When I left for college I had a small portable manual typewriter. I did not use it to write I used it to type after I had written out what I wanted to type. When I went to graduate school I was still typing but using an electric typewriter and "White Out". Then when I got my first job in a medical setting virtually all my "writing" was done with a hand held dictaphone that someone else then transcribed. I thought the writing - cognitively I was processing grammar and punctuation. Transition to faculty member and now composing and writing at a desk top computer. Now all my writing is with my computer and I can edit and compose almost simultaneously. What a different experience or journey this must be for our current students. What does it mean to insert IM language, icons, U tube videos etc.? Not better - not worse just different and I think perhaps more experiential. Hmmmm wonder if the voice recognition will become so sophisticated that this whole keyboard thing will just disappear. Then I will be back to the dictaphone thing!

newsletter

November 9, 2007

To the DSU Community:

This past couple of weeks has been full of interesting activities that make life on a college campus so rich and rewarding. Even though it is not all inclusive, I hope this newsletter will give you a quick glimpse of the diverse activities going on at Dakota State.

Last Friday I was able to briefly welcome a group of over 80 individuals who were attending an “Invention to Venture (I2V)” conference sponsored by the National Association of College Inventors and Innovators. Dakota State was the site for the South Dakota offering of the workshop. Josh Pauli and the new Center for Technoentrepreneurism (CT@DSU) organized the event that featured speakers from other universities (Creighton University etc.) and was keynoted by Dr. Al Kurtenbach, founder of Daktronics.

Yesterday I heard a few presentations and welcomed a group of individuals from around the region (Iowa State University, Minnesota State-Mankato, NDSU and others) to the Great Plains Alliance for Computers and Writing Conference. Lots of energy and interest in the work being done here at DSU and other places to incorporate new technologies into the writing experience of student. It helped me reflect on my own writing journey. A journey that included handwriting, an old portable grey typewriter, hand held and desk top Dictaphones, and now different levels of word processing. It also inspired me to get back to my blogging activity – thanks to Dan Weinstein!

On Monday evening I held a reception (free food) for a small group of my Presidential Scholar students. We held the reception in the DSU Art Gallery. I was very pleased that Alan Montgomery and his assistant Newt Anderson were willing to give some background on the gallery and the artist currently on display. The other “very cool” part of the presentation included the use of some new social networking software to connect directly to the artist. Thus, the students and I were able to see and communicate with him while learning about his work. I hope to do other activities with the scholars group that will expose them to different activities and opportunities available on campus.

Earlier in the week I had another opportunity to walk through a small house that the DSU Foundation has bought directly south of the campus. The house formerly belonged to Martin Gienapp and through a donation by his family of part of the cost of the house we are planning on turning it into the Gienapp International House. There we will be able to house a small group of international students and use it as a gathering place as well as a place to provide more programming regarding international experiences. We have already received some donations of furniture for the house. We need to do some renovations, but very soon it will be a focal point for our international students (Yes - Lynn Ryan is giddy about it – I was going to comment about getting giddy at this age but thought better of it!)
Here is a brief synopsis of some other meetings and activities that have made my life so full this past couple of weeks.
· During the fall of each year the foundation sponsors a series of dinners that are meant to be “thank you” events for individuals who have supported the university in a variety of ways. Sharon and I host the events at the Girton House and they are always filled with lively conversation. We concluded our series of dinners this past week. Next week we will host a dinner welcoming our visiting faculty from China.
· There are a few new people who will be arriving on campus or have arrived to take crucial positions on our staff. I welcomed our new help desk person Stephanie Baatz and I had a chance to participate in the interviews for a new Sponsored Programs director- Dr. Michele Kreidler from Ohio has accepted that position.
· On Tuesday I attended a South Dakota Chamber of Commerce sponsored symposium on the economic status of South Dakota. This meeting included a presentation on the economic and the demographic projections for the state.
· Also on Tuesday, Cecelia Wittmayer and I met with a group of consultants who are helping to plan the activities and direction for the new Science and Technology Park that will be a part of the University Center development in Sioux Falls. I am confident that DSU will have a very central and important role to play in that activity.
· Being in Sioux Falls on Tuesday also allowed me the chance to attend our regular “First Tuesday” alumni gathering at Shenanigans. This has grown to be a great way to connect with many alumni in Sioux Falls. There was a focus on our Health Information alumni this week and I had a chance to meet some of the key people in positions in the health information offices in both the major health providers in SF.
· Last night I traveled to Platte, SD to attend one of the Board or Regents Town Hall meetings. The Regents will be holding 19 of these meetings in communities and legislative districts across the state. This gives the regents a chance to tell the story and to help both legislators and citizens understand some of the exciting initiatives taking place on the campuses. Individuals in these communities seem so grateful that we are willing to travel to them to tell these stories. I have or will be attending meetings in Brookings, Mitchell, Platte and Watertown. I was able to share several pieces of information about DSU, particularly the fact that our education students are the only ones currently being prepared to teach in schools that have adopted the wireless mobile computing initiative.
· I have spent some time this week working with a PR firm in Sioux Falls. This firm is putting the final touches on our new ad campaign. This campaign should hit the TV and radio stations within a couple of days. It will also feature some electronic and static billboards focused on the greater Sioux Falls region. We will unveil our new tagline - “DARE TO DO” at DSU. Look for some new lapel pins and other opportunities to promote that theme in the near future.
· Wednesday night I cheered (stood and clapped appropriately to the DSU fight song) while our nationally ranked Lady T’s basketball team defeated Morningside. This was the second nationally ranked team that they defeated in a week and now have a record of 3 wins and no losses. One of our young players had an outstanding night going 10 for 10 from the field and 4 for 4 from the free throw line – Laura Tewes probably set a record with that performance.
· Our foundation office continues to do a huge amount of work on the starting activities associated with our comprehensive campaign. We held one focus/feasibility group in Rapid City recently and have scheduled meetings in Sioux Falls and Madison later this month. Plans are to also hold events in Omaha, Twin Cities, and probably Arizona. After the first of the year we will be holding information meetings for staff and faculty from the campus.
· I have started a series of meetings with the different colleges, our CSA staff and our students regarding the new DSU Strategic Plan. I met with the College of Education this past week and will meet with the College of Business and Information Systems this afternoon.
It is a little quiet around campus. Yesterday was assessment day and Monday is a holiday so many students will be spending the three day weekend at home (laundry, sleep and home cooking). I am planning to attend the open house this afternoon at Great Western bank (from 2-4 PM) for our men’s basketball team. I am looking forward to watching them play Hastings tonight at 7 and Dana tomorrow night at 6. Hope everyone has a good weekend and also that we all find an opportunity this weekend to think about the Veterans that have served this country. Doug

Applied Research

Knowlton’s Notes: Applied Research.
Many undergraduate students may wonder or question the impact of research activities on their education experience. Therefore I would like to use this next column in my series on the new Dakota State strategic plan to provide some insight into the impact of research on a campus like DSU. Our 4th “Focus” of the strategic plan is on “Advancing Applied Research”. While DSU has had some significant current successes in applied research and the development of innovative applications of technology, there is a need for DSU to play an even more important role in an overall statewide initiative. Over the last few years the state of South Dakota has identified and started to support the economic development missions of our universities. With Dakota State’s unique and focused mission in the arena of information technology it is imperative that we continue to provide leadership to this emerging field.
To advance and expand this leadership role five initiatives have been initially identified for this “Focus”.
Promote and support a research culture across all graduate and undergraduate programs.
Develop the Doctor of Science degree program in Information Systems into a leading, nationally recognized program with an emphasis on applied scholarship and multi-disciplinary research.
Recruit and retain a cohort of research faculty through competitive compensation, appropriate workloads and course schedules, and support of grant-writing, publishing, and involvement indiscipline specific professional organizations.
Use stipends and assistantships to promote an active research agenda for graduate students.
Develop and implement undergraduate research experiences to attract high-caliber students and to prepare them for post-graduate endeavors.
While there is significant emphasis here on our new doctoral program and the research activities of our graduate students, undergraduate research will be a part of our overall focus. Recently, the Center of Excellence awarded research grants to a number of undergraduate students who are working on projects with DSU faculty. These projects will provide students the opportunity to learn more about the specific field or discipline they are pursuing. It will also help students learn the process of research and the critical thinking that goes into this type of inquiry.
Another significant impact on the overall learning experience of our DSU students is achieved through the active research programs of our faculty members. As faculty members study and initiate research or other development activities, they expand their individual knowledge. This knowledge will then be applied in their teaching and impact the learning of their students.
Research activity leads to applications for grants that can financially support research assistants and provide new equipment. The university has established goals for achieving additional grant funding and sponsored programs. Faculty here at DSU have recently received funding from the National Science Foundation and six of our faculty have received “seed” grants that will allow them to begin their active research programs. This applied research focus of our strategic plan will potentially enhance all activities here at Dakota State.