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President's Message
 As we welcome our first summer students, I want to thank all who organized and participated in the hectic schedule of recognition events over the past few weeks.
I was extremely pleased with Friday’s commencement ceremonies for Bemidji State and Northwest Technical College ̶ and filled with pride as president. Likewise, the brunch for grads and families, several stolling and pinning events, and the Employee Recognition Celebration were all fun and gratifying.
In July we will welcome Dr. Tony Peffer, our new provost and vice president for academic and student affairs, and I am grateful that Michelle Frenzel has agreed to a permanent appointment as executive director of enrollment management. The search committees for both positions did an excellent job.
Many projects await for all who will remain on campus these next few months. We expect an outcome on the Minnesota state budget within a couple of weeks, and I will share what it means for BSU and NTC as soon as possible. No matter what, student success will remain our highest priority.
Have a wonderful summer!
Faith Hensrud, Ed.D.
President
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Celebrating the Class of 2017
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- A dozen Honors Program graduates received their stoles at a May 4 ceremony in the Crying Wolf Room.
- A look at some of the many custom cap decorations on display Commencement.
- Graduates and their families gathered in the Hobson Memorial Union before Commencement for BSU's traditional pre-Commencement brunch.
- Justice Anne McKeig received her Distinguished Minnesotan proclamation at BSU's 16th Annual Golden Beaver Society Luncheon May 5 at the American Indian Resource Center.
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BSU Recognizes a Millennium of Service at
Employee Recognition Celebration
Winners of Bemidji State's inaugural Awards of Excellence at the annual Employee Recognition Celebration headline this month's Faculty and Staff News. Professor of Psychology Dr. Sandra Kranz (pictured, above left, with President Hensrud) won BSU's first Distinguished Service Award.
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Kierstin Hoven Wins Board of Trustees
Professional Excellence in Service Award
Kierstin Hoven, director of campus recreation, received the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees’ 2017 Professional Excellence in Service Award April 19 at the Board of Trustees Awards ceremony in St. Paul. In selecting Hoven for the honor, the Board of Trustees noted her superior supervisory skills, her dedication to developing a team environment on her staff and a commitment to creating a culture that allows her staff to reach its full potential and to find ways to positively impact students.
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Michelle Frenzel Named
Executive Director of Enrollment Management
Michelle Frenzel has been named executive director of enrollment management for Bemidji State and Northwest Technical College. She had held the position on an interim basis. Her permanent appointment began May 8.
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Darrin Strosahl Named Vice President for
Academic Affairs at Northwest Technical College
Darrin D. Strosahl, currently academic dean of skilled trades and industry division at St. Cloud Community and Technical College, has been named vice president for academic affairs at Northwest Technical College. His appointment begins June 5.
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BSU Sustainability Efforts Rewarded with
U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon
Bemidji State is one of nine post-secondary institutions in the country to be honored with a 2017 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools Postsecondary Sustainability award.
The honor places BSU among a group of 63 total honorees for 2017 — which includes 45 schools and nine school districts in addition to the post-secondary winners — being recognized this year for innovative efforts to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, improve health and wellness, and ensure effective sustainability education.
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Keillor Entertains Campus on Gratitude Tour
Former “Prairie Home Companion” host Garrison Keillor brought a new, experimental brand of humor to a sold-out crowd in the Beaux Arts Ballroom on April 24.
Bemidji was one of five stops across Minnesota on what Keillor called “The Gratitude Tour,” where he experimented with humor found in life’s serendipity and lucky breaks rather than its setbacks and pitfalls.
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Registration Open for System Office's Annual Frontline Conference, May 24-25
MAPE and AFSCME employees are invited to attend the Minnesota State system's 12th annual staff development conference. Commissioners Plan employees are also welcome to attend. BSU and Northwest Technical College are hosting this year's conference May 24-25.
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Applications Open for 2017-18
Beaver Success Coaches
BSU's Beaver Success Program has wrapped up its second year and applications are open for 2017-18 coaches. This coming year, anyone on campus — with their supervisor’s permission — may apply to be a Beaver Success Coach to as many as five new students. This program will require approximately 20 hours of your time over the course of the year and the expectation is that these duties are considered part of a coach's regular job responsibilities in support of continued campus retention activities.
An application was distributed via fac_staff on May 9. If you are interested in serving as a Beaver Success Coach, discuss the opportunity with your supervisor and return the completed application to Kelly Knapp before June 2. Coaches will be selected by June 30, with student assignments made in August.
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Strategic Planning Committee
Will Seek Initial
Campus Input This Fall
Bemidji State’s Strategic Planning Committee will work this summer to establish and refine goals for the university’s new multi-year plan. The committee will meet next week with consultant Howard Cohen to identify themes for major goals and assign development of goal statements to committee. From June through August, the subgroups will refine them into SMART (specific, measurable, achievable and relevant) goal statements. After review by the full committee and development of action steps by the subgroups, campus stakeholders will be invited to share feedback on goals and priorities in October. The plan is scheduled for completion in December.
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Minnesota State system budget
caught in emerging standoff
Budget talks between the Minnesota Legislature and Gov. Mark Dayton are at a critical stage with the approach of a May 22 legislative deadline. Although funding for the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities, including BSU and NTC, appear likely to fall short of the system’s request for $143 million in additional general fund support, the final outcome will hinges on multiple issues, including tax relief. It’s also unclear whether the Legislature will allow the system to consider higher tuition to help cover rising costs. It does not appear likely that the replacement of Hagg-Sauer Hall will be including in a statewide capital bonding bill for 2017. The project will remain atop BSU’s priority list for future bond funding.
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- BSU celebrated the traditions and cultures of its international students April 11 at the 48th Annual Festival of Nations.
- Maddy Treuer was named Outstanding American Indian Student of the Year at the 37th Annual American Indian Students Awards Recognition Banquet April 13.
- For the 71st year, students presented the Funtastic Dance Follies – BSU's second-longest annual tradition behind only Homecoming — April 21-23.
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Baseball Trio Earns All-NSIC Laurels
A trio of baseball student-athletes were selected to the 2017 All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference team. Junior Scott Litchy and sophomore Gunner Olszewski were selected to the All-NSIC First Team while senior Collin Eckman was named to the All-NSIC Second Team.
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