November 26, 2024

NDSU Community, 

The leadership assembly met Friday afternoon to discuss several important topics that we should all be aware of. Please read the summary below of the initiatives presented: 

Retention Strategies 
Presenter: Becky Bahe, Director of Career and Advising Center 

We are committed to ensuring that students have the support and guidance they need to succeed and continue their education at NDSU. A critical time for this support is during our re-enrollment campaigns, which focus on helping students understand their class options and registration timelines. To make this process more seamless, we’ve taken several steps to enhance the student experience and will continue to engage in meaningful conversations and actions to improve it further. One way to contribute to these efforts is by utilizing the newly developed departmental discussion guide. Created by the President’s Council on Retention, this guide is designed to facilitate departmental conversations about student success. You can access the guide via your NDSU email. 

Dual Credit/Early Entry 
Presenters: David Bertolini, Provost; Stacy Duffield, Director of the Office of Teaching and Learning 

Provost Bertolini provided an overview of dual credit and early entry programs, clarifying the distinctions between the two and how NDSU might offer such credit options to Cass County students enrolled in select courses. Stacy Duffield emphasized strategies to expand these programs as effective recruitment pathways, aiming to enhance access and create more opportunities for high school students to engage with NDSU. 

Employee Engagement 
Presenter: Carrie Anne Platt, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs 

Gallup presented survey results and trends to NDSU leadership on Nov. 25. Supervisor training sessions are scheduled for Dec. 4 and Dec. 11, focusing on interpreting data and developing action plans. An overview of the results will be shared with the NDSU community on Dec. 12 via Zoom. Supervisors will lead "State of the Team" conversations and submit unit action plans by Feb. 28. 

Artificial Intelligence 
Presenter: Marc Wallman, Vice President for IT/CIO 

VP Wallman talked about a new digital accessibility/ADA compliance ruling from the Department of Justice. Starting spring semester 2026, NDSU will fully discontinue the use of the legacy Blackboard platform and will utilize Blackboard Ultra. This will allow instructors to have an easier time complying with ADA requirements and provide a more consistent and accessible student experience. Departments should be scheduling time now with Instructional Design staff by emailing instructional.design@ndsu.edu to allow sufficient time for implementation.  

The implications of AI in higher education were also discussed, emphasizing data privacy and the importance of understanding legal protections for sensitive information. Faculty and staff were encouraged to shift their perspective from asking, "What can I do with AI?" to "What am I allowed to do with the data I work with?" For more details, visit the NDSU Knowledge Base. 

Website and Brand Update 

Presenter: Seinquis Leinen, Senior Director of Strategic Enrollment Management on behalf of Kathryn Kloby, Vice President for Communications and Marketing 

NDSU website and branding updates are underway. The new Drupal-based website, replacing Typo3, is set to launch on March 3, 2025, featuring an updated design and refined institutional voice aligned with ongoing brand revisions. University Relations and IT are collaborating to develop a dedicated Web Team while maintaining support for Web Principals and campus colleagues.  

Stay updated on progress at http://ndsu.edu/internal/web. 

If you have any questions or need further details about these topics, please feel free to reach out to the presenters or me. Thank you for your commitment to advancing NDSU’s mission and initiatives. 

Best regards, 

David Cook