News
DCB starts academic year with changes
Scott Wagar
08/26/2014
Dakota College at Bottineau starts its academic year this week and the local college will see a variety of changes on its campus.
“We have a couple of capital, improvement projects that are currently ongoing and will be completed very soon. We are installing a 500 kilowatt backup generator that will power the entire campus in the event of a prolonged power outage,” said Dr. Ken Grosz, dean of Dakota College at Bottineau.
“Contractors are also completing a renovation of the heating, cooling and ventilation system in the old part of Thatcher Hall, replacing the system that has been in use since about 1949. Both projects were priorities for the campus and were funded in the last legislative session.
“Construction has also begun on a wash/pack facility at the northwest quadrant of the campus. The facility is a component of our Entrepreneurial Center for Horticulture and will be used for a demonstration site and applied research for the vegetable production industry. This project will also bring rural water to the existing high tunnel greenhouses located at the same quadrant of the campus,” Grosz said.
“And, a renovation of the Knudson Student Center is also underway. The project will be done in three phases and the first phase was begun in May. The intent is to modernize the building and to make it a more tech-ready, comfortable and welcoming space for students.”
Academically, DCB has added a number of programs, along with five new staff members.
“The college will begin a new Health Information Management program this fall that will be an addition to its inventory of allied health offerings,” Grosz said.
“Work is also being done to articulate a two-plus-two program in athletic training with Minot State University. We are also working with Minot State University to increase the number of career and technical program offerings we offer in the region to help satisfy the critical need for a trained and job-ready workforce.”
The new staff includes Rodney Armstrong as an ag instructor, Brandon Colvin instructing health and physical education, Dawn Romfo as a nursing instructor and the program’s director, Allison Scherr will teach health and physical education and will be the head coach for women’s volleyball and softball, and Joann Vandal as a nursing instructor.
Coming off a Bowl Game last season, DCB’s football program will see larger numbers and a new conference to compete in.
“The DCB football program continues to grow. This year approximately 100 student-athletes reported for preseason camp,” Grosz said. “For the first time, the Lumberjacks will compete in the Minnesota College Athletic Conference (MCAC).
Conference affiliation is a huge benefit to the program in that it gives it a set schedule against teams who also compete with student- athletes who do not receive scholarships for their participation. These attributes level the competitive playing field and also limits the travel for away games.”
Schools in the MCAC include Central Lakes College, Brainard, Minn.; Fond du Luc Tribal Community College, Cloquet, Minn.; Itasca Community College, Grand Rapids, Minn.; Mesabi Range CTC, Virginia, Minn.; North Dakota State College of Science, Wahpeton, N.D.; Minnesota State-Fergus Falls, Fergus Falls, Minn.; Minnesota West CTC, Worthington, Minn.; Ridgewater College, Willmar, Minn.; Rochester CTC, Rochester, Minn., and Vermillion Community College, Ely, Minn.
As school starts, enrollment numbers are staying steady from previous years with over 950 students enrolled this semester.
“Our head count enrollment last fall was 952 and we expect to exceed that number this fall,” Grosz said.
“The increase will be the result of a significant addition of full time students at the home campus here in Bottineau. The residence halls are at 110 percent of capacity in that the residential life operation has created extra space for students to reside.”
With new and exciting endeavors taking place on DCB campus, the college should no doubt see a productive fall semester and upcoming year.