This morning Tisa Mason, vice president for Student Affairs, was named as the next president at Valley City State University, in Valley City N.D. according to a release from the North Dakota University System.
“The Board is pleased to appoint such an innovative leader as Dr. Mason to serve as the president of Valley City State University,” said Kirsten Diederich, North Dakota Board of Education Chair. “Her dedication to students and creative leadership style make her uniquely qualified to lead an institution focused on flexible, accessible, and innovative programs like VCSU.”
Diederich also served as chair for the campus committee that, “screened applicants, interviewed semifinalists, and forwarded its recommended finalists for the position to the Board,” according to statement.
“The President Search Committee deserves credit for its thorough work, as does Dr. Dahlberg for her work as interim president during this time of transition,” Diederich said. “The committee was impressed by Dr. Mason’s commitment to higher education access and diverse educational delivery methods, and I expect she will do an excellent job leading the university.”
“Mason will take over as president no later than December 31. She will succeed Dr. Steven Shirley who became president of Minot State University in July,” according to the NDUS statement.
Margaret Dahlberg is the current interim president at VCSU.
In response to the announcement FHSU released statements from Mason, and FHSU President Mirta Martin, both expressing thanks to the FHSU community.
“I will always treasure that experience,” Mason said. “I also wish to thank former President Ed Hammond for the opportunity to serve as a member of his executive leadership team during the past six years and especially for the support he provided to me, the Division of Student Affairs and our students. I am also very grateful to Presidents Hammond and Martin for their invaluable guidance, encouragement and inspiration throughout the presidential search process.”
“Through my responsibilities as vice president for student affairs, I have had the opportunity to work across the university with the executive leadership team, faculty and staff on a variety of initiatives designed to enhance learning and improve the FHSU experience,” Mason said. “The tremendous talents and perspectives of my FHSU colleagues have enriched my knowledge base and prepared me well to serve as a university president. I want to thank the FHSU community for the support and deep friendships forged as together we worked to help students succeed.”
“I am so thankful that she has been at my side during my early months at Fort Hays State,” Martin said. “I thank Tisa, too, for her years of service to our university. Our loss is definitely North Dakota’s gain. I’m comforted knowing that despite the distance, our friendship will continue.”
Prior to her position at FHSU Mason served as the Dean of Student Life at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and the Executive Director of the Sigma Kappa Sorority and Foundation in Indianapolis, Ind.
TMN will follow the story as it develops.