DSU News Public Affairs http://www.dsunews.com Fri, 21 Nov 2008 02:00:51 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.dsunews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=769&Itemid=21 Sanford Underground Lab Director Dr. Jose Alonso will present, “Neutrinos and Dark Matter in the Black Hills,” at Dakota State University as part of the Lab’s popular “Deep Science for Everyone” lecture series. The presentation will be Wednesday, November 19 at 7:00pm in the Technology Classroom Building on the DSU campus. The event is free and open to the public. The South Dakota Science and Technology Authority is reopening Homestake for use as a deep underground science lab. The National Science Foundation is considering a proposal to make the Homestake a Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL.) If that proposal is successful, Homestake will be the first new national lab in decades. Dr. Alonso will report on current progress at the Homestake and how the worldwide demand for “deep” science labs is creating opportunities for various groups across the state, including students, teachers, researchers and anyone interested in the frontiers of science. Deep Science for Everyone, East River edition 2008, is sponsored by the Sanford Underground Laboratory at Homestake and by the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority. Co-sponsors include Dakota State University, South Dakota State University, the University of South Dakota, the Kirby Science Center at Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls and South Dakota Public Broadcasting. Fri, 07 Nov 2008 09:41:38 +0100 http://www.dsunews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=767&Itemid=21 The Museum of Visual Materials is hosting the creative black and white photography of Tom Jones of Madison, South Dakota. Professor Jones has inspired many future photographers with his skills and techniques. The experience of his photography takes you into a relaxing contrast of the realworld while some of his other works take you to a transition of an unknown abstract dimension. Tom Jones' works will be displayed at the museum until the end of December. The meet and greet artist reception will be held on the First Friday, November 7th at 5:30 . The Museum of Visual Materials is located at 5th and Main Downtown, Sioux Falls. For information please call 605-271-9500, or visit us at www.sfmvm.com Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:37:58 +0100 http://www.dsunews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=766&Itemid=21 DSU associate professor of art Alan Montgomery has paintings on display at Northern State University in Aberdeen through January 16.The exhibit, entitled “Resolution-Dissolution,” is in the President’s Gallery on the second floor or Spafford Hall on the NSU campus. Montgomery is a native of Belfast, Ireland. With his work, Montgomery wants to “communicate something about the transient and ephemeral quality of life.” He uses sources found in the media, popular culture, and natural phenomena and says his work “embodies states of flux.The exhibit is open to the public. Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:23:28 +0100 http://www.dsunews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=732&Itemid=21 Former Dakota State President Dr. Jerry Tunheim has shared the bounty of his country garden with his friends and neighbors for years. For the past 3 years he has also been sharing that bounty with the Dakota State University Women’s Basketball teamStarted under former coach Jeff Dittman and continued under new coach Joe Reints, Dr. Tunheim would offer vegetables from his garden in return for a donation to the women’s basketball program. Over the years the program grew until this summer over 20 groups participated. For $250, participants receive vegetables each week, freshly picked from Tunheim’s garden. All proceeds are donated to the women’s basketball program. The amount raised from the garden this year was $5,000. Tunheim is matching that amount with $5,000 of his own. That amount will be matched by the Dakota State Foundation’s Title III grant money, making the total donation $20,000. The money will be used to start the Tunheim and Friends Garden Cooperative Endowed Scholarship. Scholarships from the endowment will be given to members of the DSU Women’s Basketball team Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:35:24 +0100 http://www.dsunews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=720&Itemid=21 Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin was on the DSU campus recently and met with a group of Dakota State University students from Women in Science and Technology (WIST.) The students, along with advisor Dr. Barbara Szczerbinska, told Herseth Sandlin about the groups' achievements and future projects, and discussed with the Congresswoman ways they could further their involvement in the science and technology fields. Fri, 17 Oct 2008 07:17:26 +0100 http://www.dsunews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=709&Itemid=21 Dakota State University has been recognized for outstanding use of technology in higher education with a 2008 WCET Outstanding Work (WOW) Award. WCET is a membership cooperative of institutions and organizations dedicated to advancing access and excellence in higher education through the innovative use of technology. WCET has members in 46 states and six countriesDakota State was honored for the Student Retention Alert System which is a web-based early-alert system that signals faculty and advisors about students needing help before they fail their classes.Other programs recognized included Ohio, University of Alaska Southeast, University of Texas, and California State University.A more detailed version of the award winning Dakota State program is below.Dakota State University: Student Retention Early Alert System. Technology experts at Dakota State University—Dr. Haomin Wang and Ms. MingMing Shao—developed a web-based, early alert system as one means of increasing student retention. It provides instructors and academic advisors with an easy-to-use, browser-based tool for alerting student services and academic advisors when students have academic difficulties (e.g., missing class, missing assignments, missing exams, etc.) or behavioral difficulties, so that proactive actions can be taken to help the studentWhen an instructor searches for a student’s record, the database automatically populates student identification fields (advisor, major, etc.) and the instructor uses drop-down boxes to identify the student’s specific issues. Once completed, the system forwards the instructor’s report to both the student’s academic advisor and a centralized campus liaison. The campus liaison is responsible for contacting the student, for identifying and arranging additional services (tutoring, counseling, ADA testing, etc.) and for maintaining contact with the student to ensure that the follow-up services are helping to resolve whatever issues existed initially. The system facilitates communications between the instructor, academic advisor, and the university on the actions each has taken to assist the student and to document observable outcomes. Since implementing several new retention programs, including the early alert system, retention rates for DSU’s freshmen cohort rate increased by 6% over previous years. Wed, 15 Oct 2008 09:07:24 +0100 http://www.dsunews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=707&Itemid=21 South Dakota Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin will be on the DSU campus Thursday, October 16 from 3:15-4:15pm to participate in a discussion group with Dr. Barbara Szczerbinska and memmbers of the Women in Science in Technology (WIST) group. The event will take place in the Regents Room in the Trojan Center. Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:26:54 +0100 http://www.dsunews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=698&Itemid=21 Release from the Governor's Office of Economic Development Contact Jennifer Hodny, 605) 773-3301A $2 million grant to Dakota State University in Madison will help position South Dakota as a leader in the protection of financial infrastructure.The South Dakota Research and Commercialization Council awarded the money to DSU to develop the National Center for the Protection of the Financial Infrastructure. The money will be distributed over a five-year period. This is a critical time for our financial services industry. With the increasing use of e-commerce, e-banking and other technologies, people are more concerned than ever about the safety of their money,” said Gov. Mike Rounds. “DSU is partnering with the financial industry and federal agencies to develop, test and implement new ways to protect your money, including the prevention of identity theft. The financial industry is South Dakota’s largest non-ag sector, contributing $6.4 billion to the state’s $32 billion gross state product. “We are already a recognized leader in the financial industryso the creation of this research center in South Dakota makes a tremendous amount of sense,” Gov. Rounds said. DSU is partnering with Citibank, Wells Fargo, First Premier, the Federal Reserve, FDIC and the Department of Homeland Security to establish the center.The 2010 Research Centers, created as part of the state’s 2010 Initiative, have generated more than $70 million in activities since established four years ago. The centers have generated more than $5 for every $1 dollar of state investment, and have had more than a $100 million economic impact in South Dakota. Thu, 09 Oct 2008 06:19:51 +0100 http://www.dsunews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=694&Itemid=21 Dr. Tad Perry, Executive Director of the South Dakota Board of Regents, was the featured speaker at Dakota State University's Fall Convocation October 8. His speech was entitled “Real Education” and focused on the vaule of a college education and the unique leadership skills that come with that education. Convocation is a bi-annual event that brings students, faculty and staff, and the public on campus together. Student groups and in-seaons sports are highlighted. Idnuctees into Phi Eta Sigma were also recognized. Convocation is sponsosred by the DSU Student Senate. Picuted with Dr. Tad Perry is DSU Student Senate President Jake Heckmann. Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:50:53 +0100 http://www.dsunews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=680&Itemid=21 Dakota State University officials released record enrollment numbers for fall 2008 today (Wednesday.) The student head count at DSU rose from 2,570 students in 2007 to 2,780, an increase of slightly over 8%.Dakota State President Dr. Doug Knowlton reacted to the increase with this statement: “We are so pleased to announce this new record enrollment for Dakota State University. It reflects the growing recognition of our leadership in the development of information technology infused education experiences. This growth is particularly exciting as the increase is across the board in freshman, transfers, distance and graduate students. This amazing growth in our graduate program enrollments are key to the role we will play in promoting the economic development of this region and the state. Once again the future of DSU is very bright DSU’s enrollment increase is part of an 11-year trend of increased enrollments for the state’s public universities Enrollment figures for the six public universities in South Dakota were released today from Pierre. Wed, 01 Oct 2008 08:05:26 +0100