MSU President's Column for Traill County Tribune

July 4, 2020 

Embracing opportunities and all that lies ahead

The coronavirus pandemic has no doubt upended life as we know it. There are still many unknowns, but one thing that we do know is that one of the best ways to slow or stop the spread of the virus is social distancing. On a small scale, social distancing can be challenging, but when you look at the broad picture, social distancing in a rural area such as Traill County comes with the territory.

Since we are less densely populated, we don’t have occasion to come into contact with as many people as would happen in urban areas. In addition, the residents of rural areas tend be neighborly, considering how their actions will affect one another. We don’t want to do anything that would jeopardize the safety of our neighbors.

I’ve thought many times through this pandemic situation about how blessed we are to be located where we are. Isolating can be like second nature because of the sparser population base. In addition, the residents of this area probably aren’t as mobile as those in urban areas who are traveling to places far and wide for various reasons.

North Dakota University System Chancellor Dr. Mark Hagerott has suggested that the pandemic may initiate a renaissance of sorts for small universities like Mayville State University. I would agree. While the pandemic has heightened our awareness of safety and precautions related to the virus, Mayville State has always provided safety in a number of other ways. This package has the potential to be something on which those living in urban areas would now place a greater value.

Mayville State has long been known for the special niche provided for students who are looking for a little more attention as they pursue their higher education goals. At “The School of Personal Service,” staff and faculty truly care about their students and go above and beyond to assure that they have the tools they need to succeed. In a smaller campus environment, students have the opportunity to gain valuable and life-changing experiences by becoming involved in and out of the classroom.

Our highly successful grant-funded research projects in which our students play an integral role are just one example. I can’t help but think about Mayville State’s members of Collegiate DECA who have been extremely successful in their state and international competitions. I would be remiss in not mentioning the exceptional experiences of our student-athletes. Our intercollegiate athletics opportunities allow many to excel beyond their high school years, all while they are earning college degrees. I am confident in the ability of our graduates, prepared with their Mayville State experiences, to make a positive impact in the communities where they choose to work and live.

To help us better accommodate the prospective student recruitment and admissions processes, we have done some internal restructuring. The Office of Admissions and Academic Records, directed by Heather Hoyt, is now processing applications for admission, aligning this activity much closer to the transcript review process and other functions within academic records. This will create efficiencies and enhance our response time. Led by Jim Morowski, the Office of Recruitment and Outreach will focus on identifying opportunities to expand our reach to new prospective students and external stakeholders locally, regionally, and nationally, in order to continue to grow the university.

To be sure we are prepared for the return of face-to-face instruction this fall, Dr. Tami Such and Dr. Andrew Pflipsen are leading our COVID-19 restart taskforce. The taskforce has been charged with the following:

  • Identifying and addressing challenges, obstacles, and considerations needed
  • Identifying needs and finding practical, pragmatic solutions aligned with state, North Dakota University System, and Centers for Disease Control guidelines that fit Mayville State’s scale, resources, and campus environment
  • Providing recommendations to administration for final decision-making regarding the exact plans for fall semester resumption of full operations
  • Assisting in the creation of COVID-19 restart mandatory training requirements for employees and residential students

The taskforce is split into two subcommittees, one dealing with operations and led by Dr. Pflipsen, and one dealing with academics and led by Dr. Such. The full taskforce meets every-other week, as do each of the subcommittees. There is a cross-section of representation among all Mayville State employees as well as students. I applaud and appreciate the work of all who are involved with this very comprehensive process.

We can find good in all things and that is true with the coronavirus pandemic as well. We have learned new and more efficient ways of doing things that will become a part of our way of conducting business going forward. We have a renewed appreciation for the value of rural areas. Our gratitude for one another as people has been heightened. We embrace the possibilities that exist for an even brighter future for Mayville State University and look forward to all that lies ahead in our rural community that holds so much promise.