News from Minot State University -- North Dakota

March 5, 2010 Campus Announcements



Events

Symphony celebrates winter’s passing at spring concert Saturday evening

To continue with the “Myths and Legends” of music, the Minot Symphony Orchestra will bring violinist Anna Karkowska to Ann Nicole Nelson Hall’s stage Saturday (March 6), 7:30 p.m. Maestro Dennis Simons, professor of music, is the orchestra's conductor.



Minot State University students, faculty and staff are admitted free with a current ID. Additional tickets for adults are $20 per concert or $65 for a season ticket. The price for senior citizens is $15 single, $50 season; students 12-18, $10 single, $30 season; children, $5 single, $15 season. The last of “Myths and Legends” is the Pops Concert, Apr. 24.



For additional information, visit MSO’s Web site, www.minotstateu.edu/symphony/.



Watch MSU Men's Club Hockey at ACHA national tournament
The MSU Men's Club Hockey Team will compete at the 2010 American College Hockey Association national tournament in Bensenville, Ill. They will play Oakland University, Rochester, Mich., in opening round play Saturday (March 6) at 5 p.m. This game will be live-streamed in the Beaver Dam at 5 p.m.



The winner of this game will advance to play the winner of the Lindenwood University/Rutgers University game Sunday (March 7) at 4 p.m. (If the MSU Men’s Club Hockey Team win their Saturday (March 6) game, this is the time they will play Sunday (March 7.) Come and help cheer the Beaver hockey team on to a national championship!

--Lisa Eriksmoen, director of student life and advisor to MSU Men’s Club Hockey



Office of Public Information



The following text is from an Office of Public Information news release sent to media earlier today:



For Immediate Release: Date: March 5, 2010



MINOT STATE RECEIVES NATIONAL COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD

Minot State University has been named to the 2009 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteerism, service learning and civic engagement. MSU is the only university or college in North Dakota to earn this award in 2009.

The Corporation for National and Community Service, which administers the annual Honor Roll award, recognized more than 700 colleges and universities for their impact on issues from poverty and homelessness to environmental justice.

“We’re more than pleased to receive this Presidential Honor from the Corporation for National and Community Service,” said David Fuller, president of Minot State University. “While we’ve felt for some time that we were reaching out to the community in many special ways, being on this Honor Roll validates those achievements and gives us incentive to continue to connect with groups in need as well as assist in solving society-based concerns and issues.”

Some examples of Minot State volunteer, service-learning or civic-engagement projects that MSU is proud of include:

· The Adult Health Maintenance Clinic, a hands-on service-learning experience for students to assist senior citizens in Henry Towers with vital health concerns.

· Freezin’ for a Reason, the MSU Student Social Work Organization promoted awareness and raised donations to assist the homeless in the region.

· Champions of Character/Dream Catchers Day, an opportunity for youth with disabilities to participate in a baseball game, with MSU student-athletes as teammates.

“Congratulations to Minot State University and its students for their dedication to service and commitment to improving their local communities,” said Patrick Corvington, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. “Our nation’s students are a critical part of the equation and vital to our efforts to tackle the most persistent challenges we face.”

Universities on the Honor Roll are chosen based on a series of selection factors including the scope and innovation of service projects, percentage of student participation in service activities, incentives for service and the extent to which the school offers academic service-learning courses.

College students make a significant contribution to the volunteer sector; in 2009, 3.16 million students performed more than 300 million hours of service, according to the Volunteering in America study released by the Corporation.

The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve America programs, and leads President Obama's national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit www.nationalservice.gov.

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General Information



Parking needs for special visitors to campus

Due to a need for additional parking spots for campus visitors during March, some lots will be blocked off to accommodate them. For those temporarily displaced during this time, we would encourage you to park north of the Dome or at the old AJ Automotive parking lot during the times listed below.

Today (March 5) — for the Girls State Class B Basketball Tournament in the Dome, L lot will be set aside for them.
March 12 — for the Special Olympics, L lot will be set aside for them.
March 26 — for the North Dakota Council of Teachers of Mathematics at Model Hall, the unreserved lot northwest of Model will be set aside for this group.
March 26 — for the State Amateur Basketball Tournament, L lot will be set aside for them.

For March 15-16, as a result of the Western North Dakota Energy Impact Symposium, those with A and C lot passes are being asked to park anywhere else on campus, and they will not be ticketed for doing so.



For March 17-19, as a result of the Boys State Class B Basketball Tournament in the Dome, those with an L lot pass are encouraged to park anywhere else on campus, and they will not be ticketed for doing so.



We appreciate your understanding in being displaced to accommodate extra visitors on campus. For questions, call 858-3210.

--Roger Kluck, director of facilities



MSU in the News

(To inform the MSU community of Minot State items in the media, the Office of Public Information will provide links to items.)



Gabe Rauschenberger, an alumnus, is one of four teachers in the U.S. who will be using a pilot aerospace science curriculum directed by the NASA. www.minotdailynews.com/page/content.detail/id/537197.html?nav=5010



Absence Confirmation

Confirmation of anticipated student absence from class for fastpitch softball
The following students will be unable to attend classes Tuesday through Friday (March 9-12) in order to travel to and from or participate in fastpitch softball:



Bartel, Brittany

Britz, Jana
Dubois, Lana
Elliott, Melissa
Friesen, Tiffany
Gautron, Corinne
Giles, Josie
Greenberg, Amanda
Hoehn, Emily
Jundt, Bethany
Kruk, Britney
Landles, Lindsey
Lundeen, Molly
Matthewson, Leah
Mitchell, Deanna
Murray, Shannon
Penner, Janessa
Sparwood, Brittany
Thiesen, Kyla
Waldner, Bailey
Ziler, Nicole

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 858-4452 or bill.triplett@minotstateu.edu. Thank you for your cooperation.
--Bill Triplett, head softball and assistant women’s basketball coach



Confirmation of anticipated student absence from class for band tour
The following students will be absent from their classes Wednesday through Friday (March 10-12) to perform in a band tour:

Alanna Wiens

Jasmine Massingill

Jamie Larson

Taija Hahka

Brittany Lund

Terri Rubbert

Amanda Kopecky

Cassie Toavs

Jennifer Brenna

Alyssa Beyer

Sarah Smith

Cassidy Weiss

Tinisha Gimbel

Angie Orluck

Alyson Gross

Elise Roberts

Blair Tande

Larissa Baker

Sally Podrebarac

Hayden Collins

Adam Spain

Brandon Betz

Josh Stevens

Joel Wiedrich

Caley Pieper

Milo Mell

Dan Wiedrich

Josh Johnson

Jesse Willson

Grant Johnson

David Holler

Christian Reistad

Justin Goetz

Matthew Vana

Craig Zietz

Jacob Bock

Tyler Martin



If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 858-3185 or cheryl.kremer@minotstateu.edu. Thank you for your cooperation.
--Cheryl Kremer, administrative assistant in the Division of Music

Confirmation of anticipated student absence from class for women’s basketball
The following students will be unable to attend classes Monday through Friday (March 8-12) in order to travel to and from and participate in the NAIA II National Tournament in Sioux City, Iowa:

Cordova, Adrianna
Durkin, Caitlin
Erickson, Kallie

Folven, Caroline

Garza, Dora
Hendrix, Ari
Larson, Micheala

Lizotte, Heather

Loftesnes, Whitney

Mack, MacKenzie

Medcalf, Sam
Mettler, Meagan

Molina, Sacarra
Randall, Katie
Safranski, Lauren


If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 858-3261 or sheila.gerding@minotstateu.edu. Thank you for your cooperation.
--Sheila Green Gerding, head women’s basketball coach
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Notifying the Office of Student Life or faculty members through the Office of Public Information (using this format or by any other means) does not constitute an excused absence. Whenever a student anticipates an absence, he/she should contact the appropriate faculty member prior to missing class.

It is up to the discretion of the faculty member whether or not students will be excused from class or allowed to make up any missed work. Each faculty member establishes his/her own guidelines regarding class absence, and whether or not a student will be allowed to make up missed work.*
*Based upon “Class Absence Policy,” 2000 - 2002 Student Handbook - Minot State University.



Reminder: Check the campus calendar on the MSU home page for additional events at www.minotstateu.edu/.

North Dakota People.org Think We are Near Health Care

Hi Senator Seymour,

We have debated, agonized, compromised, gone to meetings, lobbied, myth busted, and rallied. The long road to pass comprehensive health care reform in America has reached decision time. It is time to pass it!

The reforms that are on the table now will make health care more affordable for people and for businesses, and they will put checks on insurance company abuses.

On Wednesday, President Obama said it is time for Congress to vote and he stated the obvious, "I don't see how another year of negotiations would help. Moreover, the insurance companies aren't starting over."

The same day, NDPeople.org released a statement to respond to the President's remarks. You can listen or read President Obama's remarks. Here's another article about Wednesday's activity from the Huffington Post.

Clearly, opponents have stalled, reneged, sidestepped, lied, fabricated, and all the time put insurance companies' money-making ahead of working families' ability to pay for health care. When we see Republicans irrationally throwing everything they have at killing reform (the kind that would help everyone have care), it is important to remember that's what someone does when they are about to lose. They lost on Social Security and Medicare and they really don't want that to happen again.

If you'd like more information about the process the Democrats are considering to get reform over the last hurdle or about poll numbers being thrown about, here are a few good explanations:
E.J. Dionne, Jr. explains reconciliation and bipartisanship. Washington Post, March 4, 2010. Says it like it is. Shows why Republican objections are hollow political tactics of the moment.
"Kent Conrad Rips Media: Yes, we can do reform via reconciliation," Greg Sargent blog post on Plum Line, March 1, 2010. The media, the pundits, those who think they are so smart and filter the news for us, often get it wrong. Senator Conrad clearly explains how reform can pass. Makes sense.
FACT CHECK; Dueling polls and dubious stats, by the Associated Press, February 28, 2010.
As always, let us know your suggestions or what you think. Please forward this on to your friends, neighbors, family and everyone else. Thanks for your commitment to pitch in and make our community and the world a better place.

Don Morrison
NDPeople.org
410 E Thayer Ave, First Floor, Suite 2
Bismarck, ND 58501
(o) 701-224-8090
info@ndpeople.org

To win we must make hope possible rather than despair convincing.

Would you like to forward this email to a friend? Click here.
Remove my name from all future email correspondence

Address postal inquiries to:
NDPeople.Org
410 E. Thayer Ave
Bismarck, ND 58501-4049
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Minot State University -- North Dakota

March 4, 2010 Campus Announcements



Events

Earth Day 2010 slated for April 22

MSU celebrates Earth Day! Join in April 22, 2010. The MSU Sustainability Committee invites you to participate and make MSU greener!



Important reminders on ways to get involved:

Poster/project/product presentation — Free Earth Day T-shirt! Entry forms are available from penny.brandt@minotstateu.edu, entry deadline March 15.
Earth Day design contest — The winning designer will receive $100! Entry forms available from linda.olson@minotstateu.edu, entry deadline March 15.
Campus Clean-up Day — Make a difference … free Earth Day T-shirt! Take part on Earth Day, April 22.
“Best New Sustainability Idea for MSU” Contest — The winning idea will win you $100! Entry forms available from linda.olson@minotstateu.edu, entry deadline March 15.
Full information available from Linda Olson, chair of the Division of Humanities and professor of art, or on the Sustainability Web site under MSU news, www.minotstateu.edu/sustain.

--Sustainability Committee

NDCPD invites campus to presentations by associate director candidates

The North Dakota Center for Persons with Disabilities will be interviewing two more candidates for the associate director position next week. David Roof will be giving a presentation Monday (March 8) at 2:30 p.m. in the Westlie Room (Student Center, third floor). Lori Kalash is presenting March 11, at 2:30 p.m. in the Olson Library, Study Room (downstairs). All MSU faculty, staff and students are invited to attend.



Roof is presently completing a doctorate in educational policy studies at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. His dissertation is titled “The Dawn of Idiocy: Abnormality as the Norm of Human Intelligence.” In it, he examines how scientists used the abnormal to reconfigure the basis of human intelligence and linked thought to identity. Roof holds degrees in education, special education, language, literature and socio-cultural studies. He has numerous papers, presentations and a forthcoming book. Roof taught students with emotional/behavior problems in California and worked as an adaptation and access technology coordinator in New Mexico.



Kalash holds an educational doctorate from the University of North Dakota, which she received in December 2009. Currently a special education teacher in Devils Lake, she works with children with autism and runs the 21st Century afterschool program. Kalash wrote the most recent federal grant application for this program's funding. Her dissertation was on parent perceptions of diagnoses and interventions for their children with autism. Kalash, an East Grand Forks native, has been a public school physical education teacher.



The first candidate, Mikael Snitker-Magin, gave a presentation March 1. For questions, contact 858-4154 or korie.huettl@minotstateu.edu.

--Korie Huettl, administrative assistant to NDCPD executive director



General Information



Unique matched savings account program available

Community Action Partnership-Minot Region, a non-profit organization in Minot, is offering a unique matched savings account program, the Individual Development Account program, for students. The program can make college more affordable. Community Action staff will be at Minot State University’s campus today (March 4) in the Student Center’s second-floor hallway until 3 p.m.



IDAs are matched savings accounts, which allow income-eligible participants an opportunity to earn up to $4,000 to use towards tuition. Fifty college students pursuing a range of degrees across North Dakota, including Minot State University, have used their IDAs to pay for tuition!



IDAs are not a loan and do not have to be paid back. Qualified participants are able to save up to $2,000 in their IDA, which is matched by our program at a rate of 2:1. This means participants could earn an additional $4,000. Tuition must be for a school in North Dakota, and all deposits into the IDA must come from earned income — meaning that the participant must be employed.



That is a brief synopsis of the program. The application process is very easy, but there are only a limited number of slots available. If you know students who would benefit, or if you have more questions, just let us know. More information, including the application, is on our Web site, www.capnd.org/assetdevelopment.Community Action.pdf

For questions, contact 839-7221 or willy@capminotregion.org.
--Willy Soderholm, executive director of Community Action Partnership-Minot Region

MSU in the News
(To inform the MSU community of Minot State items in the media, the Office of Public Information will provide links to items.)


KMOT featured a Women’s Heritage Month story.

www.kmot.com/News_Stories.asp?news=38236


Reminder: Check the campus calendar on the MSU home page for additional events at www.minotstateu.edu/.
































































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Public Information Campus Announcements Archives:

http://www.minotstateu.edu/newsletter/archive.php


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Medicare Fee Update

On March 2, 2010, President Obama signed into law the “Temporary Extension Act of 2010.” Among other things, this law extends through March 31, 2010, the zero percent update to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule that was in effect for claims with dates of service January 1, 2010, through February 28, 2010. Consequently, effective immediately, claims with dates of service March 1 and later which were being held by Medicare contractors will be released for processing and payment. Please keep in mind that the statutory payment floors still apply and, therefore, clean electronic claims cannot be paid before 14 calendar days after the date they are received by Medicare contractors (29 calendar days for clean paper claims).



The Temporary Extension Act also extends the therapy cap exceptions process through March 31, 2010, retroactive to January 1, 2010. Outpatient therapy service providers may now submit claims with the KX modifier, when an exception is appropriate, for services furnished on or after January 1, 2010 through March 31, 2010.



The therapy caps are determined on a calendar year basis, so all patients began a new cap on January 1, 2010. For physical therapy and speech language pathology services combined, the limit on incurred expenses is $1,860. For occupational therapy services, the limit is $1,860. Deductible and coinsurance amounts applied to therapy services count toward the amount accrued before a cap is reached.



Some therapy providers have been holding claims for services furnished on or after January 1, 2010, for patients who exceeded the cap but qualified for an exception under previous law. These providers may submit those claims to Medicare effective immediately. Therapy providers, who submitted claims which were denied, for services furnished on or after January 1, 2010, for patients who exceeded the cap but whose services now qualify for an exception, should contact their Medicare contractor to request that their claim be adjusted to add the KX modifier and ensure the appropriate exception applies.



A small number of therapy providers continued to submit claims with the KX modifier for services furnished on or after January 1, 2010, even though the exceptions process had expired on December 31, 2009. Medicare contractors held these claims and will now begin to release them for processing. These providers do not need to take any action on the claims that were held.



Providers who charged beneficiaries for services that exceeded caps, which are now payable under the exception process, should refund the beneficiary’s cost, less the appropriate amount of deductible and co-insurance. Affected claims should be either submitted or, if already submitted, the provider should contact their contractor for an adjustment.

North Dakota Legislature March Update

Copy and Paste the URL below into your browser and enjoy.......


The North Dakota Legislature March Update: http://www.legis.nd.gov/docs/pdf/eventsnews.pdf

Taube Museum in Minot, North Dakota

Saturday, March 6th

Art Ala Carte, Spaghetti & Meatballs, Salad, and Dessert

11 am - 1 pm, Enjoy lunch and create art! – not just for kids – adults are welcome for lunch too!

Members: $6 Nonmembers: $8 Children 10 & Under: $5 (Pay at the door)



Sunday, March 7th: 2 – 4 pm

Book Reading by Debra Marquart - "The Horizontal World: Growing Up Wild in the Middle of Nowhere"

Includes book signing, discussion, and refreshments.

Sponsored by MSU Arts and Humanities Council



Thursday, March 11th : 5:30 – 7:00 pm

Public Reception: Absolute Dots by Ewa Tarsia, Polish born Canadian artist



Nancy F. Brown
Executive Director, Taube Museum of Art
2 N. Main St., Minot, ND 58703
701-838-4445

Fax: 701-838-6471

www.taubemuseum.org

European Union

The European Parliament voted overwhelmingly earlier this month to approve the new European Commission led by Commission President José Manuel Barroso following hearings for all 26 members of his team.

"This is the first time in our history that we are appointing the European Commission in our capacity as a real co-legislator," noted the European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek. "This is the dawn of a new decade, with a new way of working for the European institutions."

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EU in 2020



Setting out his vision for where the European Union should be in 2020, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso this month stressed the importance of Europe making a successful exit from the current crisis with an ambitious structural reform agenda. The goal of a Europe 2020 strategy should be a sustainable, social market economy, he said. "Europe 2020 cannot be business as usual: we need a step change in the effectiveness and delivery of the new strategy, designed to raise sustainable growth and create the jobs that we need. Whilst our starting position is arguably more difficult than before the crisis and perhaps than at any time in our generation, we also know that coordinated policy action can deliver on our objectives."

Europe 2020 is being designed as the successor to the current Lisbon Strategy, which has been the EU's reform strategy for the last decade and has helped the EU weather the storm of the recent economic and financial crisis.

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EU Aid to Haiti Relief Effort



At their meeting in Brussels this week, EU Foreign Ministers and EU High Representative Catherine Ashton stressed the urgent need to provide shelter for the population in Haiti.

The European Commission earlier this month mobilized a further 90 million euros in relief aid to Haiti, bringing the EU's total contribution to over 600 million euros.

"We should avoid at all costs a second-wave humanitarian disaster in Haiti," said Kristalina Georgieva, the new European Commissioner responsible for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response. "With the approaching rainy and hurricane season, giving people a roof over their heads is a key priority."

High Representative Ashton and Commissioner Georgieva will be in Haiti next week to evaluate the EU's humanitarian aid and to assess future needs.

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European Recovery in Progress But "Fragile"



According to an interim economic forecast released yesterday, the European Union economy is gradually recovering. Real GDP started to grow again in the third quarter of 2009, ending the longest and deepest recession in the EU's history. The exceptional crisis measures put in place in the EU played a major role in turning the economy around.

"The recovery of the EU economy is materializing but it is still fragile," said EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn, and urged that putting the European economy back on a strong and sustainable path should be the overarching objective. "For this we need to work on two fronts: the economic recovery and the consolidation of our public finances. The new Europe 2020 Strategy leading to the modernization of our economies should go hand in hand with the consolidation of our public finances. This is necessary for sustainable growth and job creation."

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EU to Assess Iraq Elections



Following an invitation from the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission, the European Commission has deployed an Election Assessment Team to assess and analyze the upcoming Council of Representatives elections in Iraq to be held on March 7, 2010. The deployment is a demonstration of the European Union’s commitment to support democracy in Iraq.

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EU Committed to European Perspective for Western Balkans



Visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Kosovo, EU High Representative Catherine Ashton met with political and civil society leaders in the region to discuss a number of bilateral issues, including the prospect of EU membership.

Speaking in Belgrade, High Representative Ashton said that "...the EU is determined that the future of the whole region lies in the eventual accession to the EU. Progress on that path depends on the commitment to reform at home...We will have to recognize that the integration of the whole region into the EU will take time. But we are backing you up with all our available foreign-policy tools. Our message is clear - the EU is with you until you are in the EU."

High Representative Ashton also met with representatives of the EU's Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), the EU military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Operation EUFOR ALTHEA) and the European Police Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUPM). With more than five thousand people working on the ground, these missions in the region remain essential for the long-term development of security and rule of law throughout the Western Balkans.

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EU Recommends Opening Accession Negotiations with Iceland



The European Commission has recommended the opening of accession negotiations with Iceland, following the country's July 2009 application for membership in the European Union. "The opinion is an important step in the accession process and provides guidance to Iceland in its efforts to become an EU member," said EU Enlargement Commissioner Štefan Füle.

Iceland's bid for accession comes at a time of economic crisis. Experience with former accession candidates shows that the prospect of EU membership and ensuing reforms have a stabilizing effect on financial markets. Iceland's application highlights the Union's role in promoting economic and political stability.

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EU Call for Social Networking Websites to Improve Child Safety



In conjunction with the Safer Internet Day on February 9, the European Commission said more needs to be done to protect children using social networking websites.

"If we want children to think before they post, social networking companies should post the right information using the right language," said former EU Commissioner for Information Society and Media Viviane Reding (now European Commission Vice President responsible for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship). "Last year the European Commission urged companies to act, and I am glad that many have heeded this call. However I expect all companies to do more. Minors' profiles need to be set to private by default, and questions or abuse reports have to receive quick and appropriate responses. The internet is now vital to our children, and it is the responsibility of all to make it safe.”

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