Welcome Week
August 18-22, 2025
Welcome to the 2025-26 academic year! Welcome Week includes time to celebrate the previous year including accomplishments and promotions, and to look ahead toward the new academic year.
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*State of the University Address and All-campus Welcome Breakfast attendance is expected for all employees.
Required faculty sessions are indicated by (All Faculty) or (New Faculty). Adjunct faculty are invited to attend as able. Other audiences and invitations to attend are indicated as such in the event title.
Monday, August 18
Location: Heston Hall Lobby (front door)
Description: New faculty are invited to meet each other and several Deans to walk together to the breakfast, if they would like.
Location: Dakota Prairie Playhouse
Host: President's Office
*Mandatory – all employee attendance expected.
Location: Dakota Prairie Playhouse
Description: Following breakfast, a photo station will be available for anyone who wishes to have their employee photo retaken.
Host: Marketing
Location: Beacom 112
Host: Provost Hoey
Location: Karl Mundt Library 201
Host: Center for Teaching and Learning
Description: Faculty are invited to join a 30-minute session to review a first-week checklist covering syllabus updates, D2L setup, course activation, and the online SDBOR QA Review items. We’ll also share quick, creative ideas for making the first week welcoming and engaging.
Location: Karl Mundt Library 201
Host: Center for Teaching and Learning
Description: Meet with the CTL team and enjoy the conversation while getting one-on-one D2L support—whether building a new course, refining existing content, or polishing final details. Drop in anytime during the session, stay as long as you’d like, and leave whenever you’re ready.
Tuesday, August 19
Location: Tunheim Classroom Building (TCB) Auditorium
Host: Provost Hoey
Description: Provost Hoey will share an Academic Affairs update and vision for teaching and learning in 2025-26.
Location: Tunheim Classroom Building (TCB) Auditorium
Host: Laura Cross, Registrar and Autumn Glanzer, Associate Registrar
Description: Registrar provides an annual FERPA training, including recent updates.
Location: Tunheim Classroom Building (TCB) Auditorium
Host: Dr. Ashley Podhradsky, VP for Research & Economic Development and Dr. Peter Hoesing, Associate VP for Research & Economic Development
Location: Tunheim Classroom Building (TCB) Auditorium
Host: Kyle Cronin, General Faculty President, Vice President Rich Wicklein, and Secretary Shawn Zwach
Description: General Faculty will hold its first meeting of the academic year, open to all full-time faculty.
Location: Tunheim Classroom Building (TCB) Auditorium
Host: Zoe Mortrude, Assistant Director of Disability, Prevention, and Intervention Services
Description: Zoe Mortrude and team will introduce the new streamlined process and platform for ADA accommodations. They will share their vision for collaborating with faculty and serving students this year in addition to answering any questions.
Location: Tunheim Classroom Building (TCB) Auditorium
Host: Counseling Center
Description: Nicole Bowen, Director, and the Counseling Center Team will lead a session focused on meeting the current student mental health needs with strategies.
Host: Sponsored by the Madison Chamber
www.chamberofmadisonsd.com
Description: Join the Madison community for one of the final DownTown MadTown events of the Summer. Enjoy fun for the whole familty with food trucks, kids's inflateables, and live music. Dakota State Univeristy will be the co-sponsor for the following week.
Wednesday, August 20
Location: Learning Engagement Center (LEC)
Description: Stop in for a tour, meet the staff and enjoy a treat!
Host: LEC Staff
Location: Beadle Hall 206
Host: Dean Stacey Berry
Location: Beacom 117
Host: Dean Mary Bell
Location: East Hall 108
Host: Dean Dorine Bennett
Location: Tunheim Classroom Building (TCB) Auditorium
Host: Kristen Uilk, Director of Academic Support Services and Laura Cross, Registrar
Description: This session will provide a brief introduction to TrojanConnect, DSU’s student success platform, and outline upcoming training opportunities for faculty and staff who wish to expand their use of the system throughout the semester.
We’ll focus on how TrojanConnect is used to support Early Alerts and implement the new Attendance/ Course Registration Cancellation Policy. The session will include:
- A review of the policy and where to find it
- Step-by-step guidance on completing the initial attendance/participation survey
- Instructions for submitting a second survey to request course cancellation for non-participating students
- A walkthrough of the student cancel appeal process, including timelines
- Troubleshooting tips and best practices for using the platform effectively
Location: Tunheim Classroom Building (TCB) Auditorium
Host: Kristen Uilk, Director of Academic Support Services
Description: This session will provide an overview of DSU’s academic integrity process, designed to help faculty navigate suspected cases of academic misconduct with clarity and confidence. This session will walk through each step of the process, starting with how to report a concern, notify students, complete the disposition form to the resolution options (informal or formal). We’ll also cover policy timelines, documentation requirements, and the role of the academic integrity board in facilitating appeals and hearings. Whether you’re new to this process or looking for a refresher, this session will equip you with the tools to uphold academic standards while ensuring fair student engagement. We will also review the new form that should be used for all cases on suspected academic misconduct.
Location: Karl Mundt Library 201
Host: Mary Francis, Director of the Library
Description: Library director Mary Francis will share about faculty workload for new faculty and provide an update on new changse for returning faculty.
Location: Karl Mundt Library 201
Host: Mandy Hendrix
Description: Current Club Advisors will convene.
Thursday, August 21
Location: Various Locations
Host: Department Chairs
Description: This time is reserved for Department and other group meetings.
Location: Kennedy Center (KC) 104
Host: Dean David De Jong
Location: Karl Mundt Library 201
Host: Provost Hoey
Description: All new full-time faculty are invited to have lunch with Provost Hoey.
Location: Library 201
Description: Discover how to efficiently access IT support at DSU. This session will guide you through submitting service requests, tracking support tickets, and utilizing available technology resources. Stephanie will offer practical tips for getting timely assistance and following best practices when using DSU technology. In addition, a demonstration how to navigate and locate important information within DSU's internal site, TrojanNet. Shawn will highlight essential security protocols, common threats to watch for, and general tips for protecting your accounts, data and offer key insights into maintaining secure technology use at DSU.
This session is offered for new faculty, but it is optional for returning faculty who wish to learn more.
Host: Stephanie Baatz, Director of Support Services and Shawn Jaacks, Chief Information Office/CISO, ITS
Location: Library 201
Description: Get introduced to Panopto, DSU’s lecture capture tool. Tyler will walk through the basics of setting up and recording lectures. A must-attend for anyone planning to use Panopto in the classroom. Note: for more advanced coverage of Panopto, please be on the lookout the CTL’s session at a later date.
This session is offered for new faculty, but it is optional for returning faculty who wish to learn more.
Host: Tyler Steele, Systems Administration Manager
Location: Beacom 112
Host: Provost Hoey
Location: Karl Mundt Library 201
Host: CTL
Description: Drop by anytime during our CTL: Teaching and Learning Drop-In session to get support with anything pedagogy-related—from D2L assistance to learning design and student activity engagement—as you prepare for your courses.
Support is also available to walk with new faculty to practice using the technology in their classrooms.
Friday, August 22
Location: Campus Residential Halls
Description: DSU welcomes new students as they move-in!
Location: Beacom PREMIER Complex
Description: All of campus is invited to an ice cream social with new students and their families including a welcome from President Griffiths and Provost Hoey.
Other Upcoming Events
Location: Egan Ave
Host: Sponsored by DSU and Madison Chamber
Description: Join the Madison community for one of the final DownTown MadTown events of the Summer. Enjoy fun for the whole familty with food trucks, kids's inflateables, and live music. Dakota State is a co-sponsor for this night celebrating President Griffith's 10-year anniversary as DSU's President.
Time: 3:00 pm
Location: Beadle Hall
Description: All of campus is invited to the Beadle Hall Open House, celebrating the new rennovations to the historic building.
* Mandatory – all employee attendance expected.