Latest news with #UND
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
UND staff members say Center for Aerospace Medicine will serve as resource to pilots throughout the state
May 27—GRAND FORKS — With the passage of House Bill 1612, UND will be able to expand mental health support and Federal Aviation Administration medical certification assistance to pilots throughout the state. "(The bill allows) us to take what we've built here in Grand Forks and help pilots across the state of North Dakota," said Elizabeth Bjerke, UND's associate dean of aerospace. "North Dakota has the highest pilot per-capita rate in the country — there's a lot of pilots in the state of North Dakota, which is exciting. Now we're poised to help them." Signed by Gov. Kelly Armstrong on April 29, House Bill 1612 will allow UND to establish the North Dakota Center for Aerospace Medicine, which is a very new concept, Bjerke said. Up to $250,000 in one-time funding was allocated to establish the center, according to a press release the university issued Wednesday, May 14. The Center for Aerospace Medicine will address the unique standards for pilots, such as the routine medical physicals required to allow them to maintain a medical certificate and continue flying, according to Jessica Doty, director of student health services. Because the bill passed, pilots throughout North Dakota will be able to meet with aviation medical examiners (AMEs) located at UND, according to Rep. Landon Bahl, R-Grand Forks, who was the primary sponsor of the bill. In the past, UND's AMEs only met with UND student pilots, while others had to travel out of state to meet with AMEs, who are trained specifically by the FAA, which oversees medical requirements and determines what diagnoses and medications may affect a pilot's certification. House Bill 1612 will also allow UND to do additional work to increase awareness and outreach, Bjerke said. Some of those efforts will include working directly with pilots, but there will also be efforts to teach health care providers and UND medical school students what pilots' needs and standards are. How exactly to move forward is still being discussed, Bjerke said. Another mental health professional may be hired to accommodate the anticipated increase in clientele. The Center for Aerospace Medicine will function as a collaboration between campus partners, including the UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Student Health Services and University Counseling Center. "UND is just so uniquely set up for this, because we have the medical school; we have the aerospace college, with 2,000 students learning to fly airplanes; we've got our student health (department) that does 1,000 of these aviation medical (evaluations) a year, and has been doing them from 40 years; we have our counseling center with psychologists who are trained specifically on this aviation psychology piece," Bjerke said. "So we just have all the right players right here at UND. It only makes sense to really come together for this initiative." The purpose of pilot health requirements is to protect both them and their passengers, but one consequence is that pilots sometimes hesitate to disclose mental health concerns or seek help, Doty said. "When a pilot has any sort of mental health diagnosis or mental health needs, their medical certificate's at risk," she said. This issue came to the forefront during the pandemic, when UND staff realized how challenging it was for student pilots to seek help, particularly due to concerns that they would risk disrupting their flight training. An aviation mental health task force was formed, and different stakeholders were brought in to address the problem. "Despite that effort, tragedy befell UND aviation in the fall of 2021 with the death of John Hauser, who was on a training flight to Fargo," the university's press release said. Hauser's death, determined to be a suicide, was something of a catalyst for the university, Bjerke said. Since then, a number of initiatives have been enacted, including establishing the annual Aviation Mental Health Summit and directing $600,000 in investment funds to building an aerospace network that would increase students' access to care, according to the release. "We've been building a UND to better serve the state of North Dakota, and the pilots and air traffic controllers across the state," Bjerke said. Hauser's death was not only impactful to current UND students and staff; it also had an impact on Bahl, who was in the same fraternity as Hauser — Delta Tau Delta. "That's really what started, I would say, a lot of these conversations — especially at the university level — in terms of mental health within aviation," Bahl said. A second pilot from the same fraternity died by suicide within a year, prompting Bahl to pursue solutions at the federal level. He said he was disheartened to learn how challenging the process would be, but determined, he sought local help. He connected with Bjerke and Doty early on in this legislative session, and they made the proposal that would ultimately become House Bill 1612. The bill had tremendous support, with supporting testimony from 40 fraternity brothers and approximately 20 others, Bahl said. The bill's passage is a step in the right direction, but his hopes do not end there. "The much larger win is when we are able to change federal regulations and the strong, stringent guidelines that they put on pilots — because that's ultimately what ensures that pilots do or don't go seek help," Bahl said. "The day will come where the FAA will look at what we're doing here in our state, and we'll be a huge, huge guide for them to start to change FAA guidelines."
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
UND dedicates monument at Hyslop at Memorial Village
May 23—GRAND FORKS — Fifty-one military service members who lost their lives during WWI were remembered and honored Thursday, May 22, during a dedication ceremony for the monument that graces the entrance of the Hyslop at Memorial Village building. The monument "shines a light on the sacrifices our students gave to their country," said President Andrew Armacost during the ceremony. Several members of the local American Legion post served as the color guard for the occasion. The colors were presented in ceremonial fashion and the U.S. flag was raised to the middle, and highest, of three flagpoles, between the North Dakota flag and the UND flag. The monument includes the names of 33 UND soldiers and 18 members of the Student Army Training Corps. The trainees were not UND students, but they came to UND to prepare for military service. All 51 died during WWI. The memorial "is a perfect example of the sacrifice that they and others have made not just to the university, but the nation," Armacost said. "We owe it to them that that sacrifice is recognized and remembered forever." The memorial is titled "Memorial Stadium Monument" and the message on its face reads: "Dedicated to those from the University of North Dakota who served, fought and died during WWI. We honor their sacrifice and preserve their legacy in stone and memory. Memorial Stadium, 1927. Memorial Stadium Monument, 2024." Atop the brick base, five black granite pillars stand tall — four of them reflect aerial views of the stadium full of fans. The pillar on the right lists the names of those who lost their lives during WWI. That pillar reads "Honor. In Memorial" and "They hover as a cloud of witnesses above this nation. — Henry Ward Beecher," followed by the 51 names. The Hyslop at Memorial Village building, located on the southeast corner of the intersection of Second Avenue North and Columbia Road, has provided first-floor office space for athletic department personnel since July 2024 and living quarters — in one- to four-bedroom apartments — for students and others during the past academic year. It occupies the area where the former Memorial Stadium was built in 1927 — with 392,000 bricks — and razed in 2021, Armacost said. A ceremony held in March 2021 was before the stadium was razed. About 100 years ago, nearly $200,000 was raised by students, faculty, alumni and Grand Forks business-owners to fund the project, which was dedicated to 33 UND soldiers and 18 young men who trained for the military at UND and who died in WWI. The stadium was also meant to honor Webster Merrifield, the university's third president. The campaign was titled "Help the U that is helping you," Armacost said in his remarks during the program. Thursday's ceremony replicated the ceremony that occurred in 1927, including Armacost's reciting the names of the 33 UND soldiers who died in WWI. At the conclusion of the reading, Joel Ness played the somber Taps. "We gather together to dedicate not only a monument, but to honor a legacy of the UND students who left to serve in WWI and never returned," said Steve Burian, who serves on the Memorial Village Development Team and led the construction project. A UND alumnus and track athlete, Burian is president and CEO of Burian and Associates and serves on the UND Advisory Board. The monument is a testament to "the courage, commitment and character of those men," but also to the athletes, students and fans who filled and enlivened the stadium. Those enthusiasts "poured their pride into UND at this historic site," according to the event announcement. The five vertical pillars of the monument represent "loyalty, respect, service, courage and most importantly sacrifice," Burian said. The legacy of this site is preserved through a time capsule, he said, and space has been designated for the capsule that will contain "a message for the future, about how far we've come" and progress expected in decades ahead. Burian expressed gratitude to Armacost for "his deep respect for the military" and personal oversight of this project. "May this memorial forever stand as a place of remembrance, reflection and gratitude," Burian told the crowd. In his remarks, Armacost noted that the time capsule — to be placed in the building later — contains the flag that last flew in 2021 before Memorial Stadium was razed, a 2021 UND yearbook that features the stories of the 33 soldiers who died in WWI, the original ticket to the first game played in the stadium in 1927, other UND military items, an official football, and "a handwritten note from me to the UND president 50 years in the future." The capsule will be placed within the new building sometime this summer, he said.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
UND celebrates spring commencement, capping a year of momentum
May 17—GRAND FORKS — More than 1,000 UND students celebrated commencement during festivities Saturday at the Alerus Center. "You join an alumni family that is over 150,000 strong — a family that cares deeply about the university and, most importantly, has cared about each of you as you prepare to step into the next chapter of your lives," Mike Mannausau, of the UND Alumni Association and Foundation, told graduates. "This momentum is fueled by your hard work, the dedication of our faculty and staff and the amazing support of alumni who believe in the transformative power of a UND degree." In total this spring, more than 1,100 undergraduates and 600 graduate students received their degrees. Earlier in May, nearly 60 students graduated from UND's School of Medicine and Health Services and 73 students graduated from the School of Law. UND Hall of Fame member Jim Kleinsasser spoke at both the graduate and undergraduate ceremonies for the commencement speech. Kleinsasser is a North Dakota native who spent 13 years playing for the Minnesota Vikings and was recently inducted into the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame. "UND isn't just a university, it's a community," Kleinsasser said. "It's a community that will positively impact you throughout your life if you let it." Kleinsasser also received the President's Medal, the highest honor UND President Andrew Armacost can give. Kleinsasser gave advice to UND graduates. He urged them to stay connected and show up, adding that adversity will make them stronger. "From this day forward, I hope that you all show up every day, meet adversity with an attitude of growth and change, and stay connected to this university so you have a support system behind you when facing that adversity," Kleinsasser said. During proceedings, UND also awarded an honorary degree to Noren Pan. The Grand Forks native is co-founder and president of MicroLink Devices. Pan's work focused on research into microwave and solar cell devices and he also helped establish UND's Stratospheric Operations and Research Symposium. The undergraduate ceremony was accompanied by performances by UND's wind ensemble and vocal performances of "America the Beautiful" and "Alma Mater" by Ella Henry. The graduate ceremony included performances by Henry and by pianist Roxanne Gessley. North Dakota State Board of Higher Education student member Maxwell Eriksud, a current UND student, reminded graduates that UND is always a place to call home. "UND is more than a campus — it's a home and like all homes, there comes a time where we must all leave," Eriskrud said. "The beauty of UND is that while we may leave today, it will always be a home to come back to."
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
UND celebrates spring commencement, capping a year of momentum
May 17—GRAND FORKS — More than 1,000 UND students celebrated commencement during festivities Saturday at the Alerus Center. "You join an alumni family that is over 150,000 strong — a family that cares deeply about the university and, most importantly, has cared about each of you as you prepare to step into the next chapter of your lives," Mike Mannausau, of the UND Alumni Association and Foundation, told graduates. "This momentum is fueled by your hard work, the dedication of our faculty and staff and the amazing support of alumni who believe in the transformative power of a UND degree." In total this spring, more than 1,100 undergraduates and 600 graduate students received their degrees. Earlier in May, nearly 60 students graduated from UND's School of Medicine and Health Services and 73 students graduated from the School of Law. UND Hall of Fame member Jim Kleinsasser spoke at both the graduate and undergraduate ceremonies for the commencement speech. Kleinsasser is a North Dakota native who spent 13 years playing for the Minnesota Vikings and was recently inducted into the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame. "UND isn't just a university, it's a community," Kleinsasser said. "It's a community that will positively impact you throughout your life if you let it." Kleinsasser also received the President's Medal, the highest honor UND President Andrew Armacost can give. Kleinsasser gave advice to UND graduates. He urged them to stay connected and show up, adding that adversity will make them stronger. "From this day forward, I hope that you all show up every day, meet adversity with an attitude of growth and change, and stay connected to this university so you have a support system behind you when facing that adversity," Kleinsasser said. During proceedings, UND also awarded an honorary degree to Noren Pan. The Grand Forks native is co-founder and president of MicroLink Devices. Pan's work focused on research into microwave and solar cell devices and he also helped establish UND's Stratospheric Operations and Research Symposium. The undergraduate ceremony was accompanied by performances by UND's wind ensemble and vocal performances of "America the Beautiful" and "Alma Mater" by Ella Henry. The graduate ceremony included performances by Henry and by pianist Roxanne Gessley. North Dakota State Board of Higher Education student member Maxwell Eriksud, a current UND student, reminded graduates that UND is always a place to call home. "UND is more than a campus — it's a home and like all homes, there comes a time where we must all leave," Eriskrud said. "The beauty of UND is that while we may leave today, it will always be a home to come back to."
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ray Richards neighbors want UND to pursue other options; UND says this is best way to cover course's deficit
May 15—GRAND FORKS — Rather than move forward with development plans at Ray Richards Golf Course, residents who live nearby told UND representatives that the university should pursue other options. The discussion came during a neighborhood meeting Thursday evening at UND. The university is proposing to construct 300 rental units, a year-round driving range and other entertainment, and a home for UND's golf team on the east and southeast sides of the course. Residents and UND representatives met in late April about the proposal and many of the same points were rehashed Thursday. The residents at Thursday's meeting were largely against the proposal. "I am appalled that you would do this to these people who are saying simply stop and look at what you're doing to us," neighborhood resident Sherry Houdek told UND representatives. "I don't think you are at all looking at what is aligned in any of your plans that you tout as being a very important mission and vision." Others added that UND and the city should have done more to alert a higher number of nearby residents about Thursday's meeting, especially given that the area is home to Altru's new hospital and Century Elementary School. UND and the city were only required to alert residents within 800 feet of the proposed site. "I know there must be a code of how far that you have to advise people of this type of rezoning, but I think it's totally inadequate," Mona Leake said. "I just don't see how this is going to benefit our neighborhoods." Elected representatives of the area also have their concerns about the project and have heard the concerns of the neighborhood. "I hear all these comments and I want to compliment every one of you on the decorum (you display)," said state Rep. Eric Murphy, a Republican from District 43, which encompasses the area. "This is an upsetting thing. I don't particularly care for it, but I want to hear from you." City Council member Ken Vein, who voted against the project's tax incentive pre-application, said he still has questions but has appreciated UND coming forth with ideas. "I have two issues. One is the loss of the golf course, which I would never want to see happen, but also the detrimental impacts of what's maybe being proposed," Vein said. "There are a lot of things that have to happen, but I do see the Ray Richards Golf Course as a public asset of significance and once it's gone, it's gone forever." If development of some sort doesn't move forward, selling the golf course could be an option. According to UND President Andy Armacost, the course is losing around $400,000 to $600,000 a year. The course was closed from 2016 to 2020 due to state budget cuts and needed improvements and will be closed again for two years when the nearby 42nd Street underpass is constructed. Two previous proposals for which UND sought bids never attracted bidders. One was in 2015 for a restaurant and clubhouse to generate additional revenue and, shortly after, another for private management of the course. This latest proposal for apartments and a driving range only had one qualified bidder. "We're trying to find a way to make a great project that benefits the entire city of Grand Forks, but also mitigating the concerns that you have," Armacost said. "We have been trusted to run a golf course by the Ray Richards family. We can't do that without additional sources of revenue." For the developed portions, UND would still own the land, but lease it to the developer for the apartments and receive payments. That amount would hopefully be enough to mitigate the course's deficit, according to Armacost. The land on the west side of the course can't be used for development because additional access off 42nd Street wouldn't be allowed after the underpass construction. Other issues include the limited funds to rehabilitate the course as part of the underpass project and because of the stormwater drainage needs of the neighborhood. Residents said that they would prefer townhomes or owner-occupied housing, like what exists to the south. However, the city has a demand for apartments with a vacancy rate of less than 3%, which, if it continues to remain that low, will drive up rents citywide, Grand Forks Director of Community Development and Planning Ryan Brooks said. "In the last two years, we have not handed out any new permits (for apartments)," Brooks said. "There is a concern about where our apartments are at in terms of future livability and what the rents are going to be." At present, the land surrounding the golf course is a mix of apartments and townhouses. The land is zoned in the University District, which is a wide zoning designation ranging from Ray Richards to the heart of UND's campus. A rezoning would be needed for the commercial aspects of the project. The project still has a long way to go and needs numerous approvals from Grand Forks city staff, planning and zoning commissioners and City Council before UND could even begin on the site. UND has said the goal would be to have construction occur while the course is closed for 42nd Street construction.
