Viterbo to Offer First Doctorate Program: Doctor of Nursing Practice

The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges (HLC) has granted Viterbo approval to offer a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree beginning this fall.

Full accreditation followed a two-day campus visit last November by an HLC team, which subsequently filed a report recommending approval to begin the doctorate program.

The DNP is a clinical doctorate structured to provide evidence-based care to meet regional health care needs.

“The accreditation visiting team that visited was very positive and recommended approval without any conditions,” said President Rick Artman. “The team’s members were highly impressed with our new state-of-the-art nursing center and simulation labs, our research capabilities, the curriculum, the quality of faculty who will be delivering this program and the support from our board of trustees and regional health care providers.”

According to Silvana Richardson, dean of the School of Nursing, the four-year doctoral program will enroll students in its first class this fall, with anticipation that the total number will eventually grow to 50.

“Prior to the official approval, the university wasn’t permitted to publicize or recruit for the DNP but word that Viterbo was seeking approval for the DNP prompted inquiries timely enough to assure fall enrollment,” said Bonnie Nesbitt, assistant dean and director of the graduate program.

For Viterbo, the DNP allows the university to expand its academic portfolio in nursing from the bachelor’s degree to the clinical doctorate thus solidifying its role as a regional leader in this important health care profession. Demand for the nurse practitioner with the advanced level of clinical expertise is expected to grow significantly in the coming decades as the population ages and the need to manage chronic health conditions as well as emphasize health promotion and disease prevention increases.

“The program will be selective, Richardson said, “and designed to attract highly qualified nurses interested in becoming leaders with enhanced organizational skills to improve health outcomes as members of inter-professional health care teams.”

The DNP is addressing the reality of today’s health care environment, which is increasingly complex, requiring more nurses who are educated at the highest professional level, Richardson said. The DNP graduates will find employment in clinical and academic settings utilizing the latest evidence-based practices.

Viterbo currently graduates more bachelor level nurses than any other private college in Wisconsin. In all, nearly 780 students are enrolled in nursing programs at the undergraduate and graduate level on the Viterbo campus or at other sites throughout Wisconsin.

Richardson indicated the initiation of the DNP symbolized the university’s commitment to providing aspiring nurses a complete range of professional nursing programs from the bachelor to the doctoral level.

For Barb Gayle, vice president for academic affairs, the announcement represents a historic step in the evolution of the university. “Twenty-five years ago, Viterbo began offering its first graduate programs. Now, in addition to our five master’s level programs, we have taken a huge step, offering a doctorate to those who seek the highest level of educational training.

“This achievement deserves to be celebrated because it represents a great deal of hard work and preparation on the part of many people,” Gayle added.

Leadership at Noon Series to Feature Gerrard-Hoeschler Realtors Tuesday

The Leadership at Noon series will conclude for the academic year with Gerrard-Hoeschler Realtors Co-owner Nancy Gerrard and President Rick Staff Tuesday, March 19 from noon–1 p.m. in the Reinhart Center Board Room.

The Leadership at Noon series features business leaders discussing the key values that contribute to successful business practices.

Gerrard-Hoeschler Realtors has been a locally owned business for over 60 years. Hoeschler Realty was founded by Jake Hoeschler in 1950 and Gerrard Realty was founded by Bill Gerrard in 1954. The companies merged to form Gerrard-Hoeschler Realtors in 1991.

Today Gerrard-Hoeschler is one of the largest realty companies in the region, with a primary market area of La Crosse, Vernon, and Monroe counties in Wisconsin and Winona and Houston counties in Minnesota.

All Leadership at Noon series events are free and open to the public. Audience members are welcome to bring their own lunch or purchase a boxed lunch for $5. The Leadership at Noon series is sponsored by the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership and the Dahl School of Business.

Apply for an Ethics Institute Research Fellowship

The D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership will award up to two fellowships for the 2013-14 academic year for Viterbo University faculty to do research in their fields related to the topics of ethics and leadership. The fellowships will provide each recipient with an award of up to $7,000. All recipients will receive a $1,000 stipend plus up to $6,000 in additional funds to reduce the recipient’s teaching load by three credits each summer of the award (2013 and 2014). Funds may be used to cover expenses associated with extensive research projects. Recipients will be named “Fellows of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership.”

The purpose of the research fellowships is to increase the amount and quality of research conducted at Viterbo University related to ethics in leadership. The increased research will serve to enhance the reputation of the university as a whole and help to improve the quality of teaching in both undergraduate and graduate programs. All Viterbo faculty members are eligible to apply for the fellowships.

Award criteria will be determined by a three-member panel selected by the director of the Institute. The same panel will review the applications and determine the recipients. Applicants will submit a detailed proposal for research that includes regularly scheduled time for research. It is expected that award recipients will produce publishable research in their fields related to ethics and/or leadership. The research should also be relevant to courses taught by the faculty member in existing or proposed programs.   

Applications are due by Monday, April 22. Recipients will be announced by Wednesday, May 1. Submit proposals to Rick Kyte, ethics.

Hunger Banquet

The Hunger Banquet held March 13 in the Mathy Center opened the eyes of participants to the realities of world hunger. By the luck of the draw, participants were divided into three groups—15 percent were designated high income, 25 percent middle income, and 70 percent low income. The low income group dined on rice and water.

"Suicide Prevention in Afghanistan Combat Soldiers" Lunch and Learn Friday

The Viterbo community is invited to the Lunch and Learn “Suicide Prevention in Afghanistan Combat Soldiers” with clinical psychologist Michael Brandt, Ph.D., Friday, March 22 from 12:15–1:15 in the Fine Arts Center Hospitality Suite.

Brandt was the managing partner in a Milwaukee-based private practice for over 10 years before joining the Tomah VA Medical Center in 2004. He is a major in the Wisconsin Army National Guard and is chief of behavioral health for the State of Wisconsin. He has taught at both the graduate and undergraduate level and currently teaches in the Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling program at Viterbo.

Lunch is free, but registration is required. Contact Denise Homstad at ext. 3825 or dlhomstad@viterbo.edu to register.

World Languages Associate Professor Writes Book

Jesús Jambrina, world languages and Latin American Studies program coordinator, has written the book, Virgilio Piñera: Poesía, Nación y Diferencias.

The book examines the work of Cuban author Virgilio Piñera (1912-1979).

According to the comments of Humberto López Cruz of University of North Florida on the back cover of the book, “Jambrina has deeply researched Virgilio Piñera's work…These essays are more than a literary analysis, Jambrina points out the cultural and historical context in which Piñera wrote his poems making a meaningful contribution to the debates surrounding this indispensable Cuban author.”

This is Jambrina's first critical essays book. He published We and the Turtles (Poetry, Santiago de Chile, 2008). For more information about the book, visit http://www.ediciones.com/ or email ediciones@ediciones.com.

Flexible Benefit Plan Enrollment Open

The open enrollment period for the new flexible benefit plan year is underway. A flexible benefit plan is a pre-tax payroll deduction plan that allows employees to set aside dollars for eligible insurance, medical, dental, optical and daycare expenses before federal, state, and social security taxes are applied.

During this period of open enrollment, all employees who meet the eligibility requirements will be allowed to join the plan, make new elections if currently participating, or leave the plan. Wednesday, May 1 will begin a new plan year for the Viterbo flexible benefit plan. Remember, the sole purpose of the flexible benefit plan is to give you more spendable income by saving you money on your taxes. Here are some important things to keep in mind when enrolling:

Individual employees are not allowed to make any changes after the plan year starts unless there is a change of status. Common qualifying events include birth, death, adoption, marriage, divorce and loss or gain of coverage.

There will be a claims run out period at the end of the plan year to submit old claims. The account will be closed at the end of the run out period and no further claims will be processed.

Money left in the account at the end of the run out period cannot be refunded to you. This is referred to as the use-it or lose-it rule.

Click for more information on how the flex plan works.

All eligible employees should have received their flex plan enrollment packet the first week of March. The election form is due Friday, April 5. All benefit eligible employees are required to turn the form into payroll regardless of if you decline participation or want to use the same amount next year. Contact human resources or payroll with any questions.

President's Column

Strategic Issues for the Future 

In October 2012, the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees held a planning retreat. One outcome of that retreat was the identification of key strategic issues affecting the future of Viterbo. In consultation with the Executive Committee on Jan. 28, I proposed the formation of a study team to examine each of the four strategic issues. The study teams will take the next five months to prepare a white paper on each topic, identify the most important strategic decisions to be made, and project the consequences of these decisions. The teams will present their papers to the trustees in October 2013. These presentations and conversations will serve as the foundation for preparing the 2015–20 strategic plan for the university.

After receiving input from the cabinet on the composition of these study teams, I invited the following persons to serve. It was important for me to keep the teams small so as to facilitate meeting times and working relationships. Also, I selected individuals on the basis of their potential contributions to the team—through expertise, perspective, and wisdom. Study teams may invite others with special expertise on its topic to attend a meeting or to serve as a resource on a particular subject. 

Each team is expected to meet regularly, read contemporary literature/research on the issue, and formulate its findings in a draft report by Aug. 1. Team topics and composition are as follows:

• Academic Program/Portfolio and Delivery: Barb Gayle, chair. Sara Cook, Herb Heili, Keith Knutson, Rhonda Rabbit, Tim Schorr, Jenny Hedrick-Erickson
• Enrollment (Recruitment, Retention, Demographics): Rob Forget, chair. Mike Behan, Amy Gleason, Tina Johns, Pat Kerrigan, Marci Kuhrt
• Pricing, Discounting, Cost Structure, Cost Containment: Todd Ericson, chair. Sue Batell, Tom Knothe, Alissa Oelfke, John Robinson, Paul Wilhelmson
• Innovation and Technology: Glena Temple, chair. Sarah Bearbower, Scott Gabriel, Jeff Nyseth, Jen Sadowski, Gretel Stock-Kupperman

Joining me as a leadership and resource team for the overall project are Diane Brimmer, Gary Klein, Naomi Stennes-Spidahl, Gene Alberts, Sheila Severson, and the four team chairs.

I am grateful for the service of these team members on this very important task.

Rick Artman

Campus Ministry

By Emilio Alvarez

As many of you may already know, over spring break, 16 individuals traveled to Cincinnati for a week of service with the Franciscan Sisters for the Poor. For many, Cincinnati was a new location that brought about its questions, concerns, and challenges. In past years, students had travelled to New Orleans, South Dakota, and Pittsburgh for previous service trips. With a change in location, this service trip also came with a change in spirit.

Cincinnati is a very large urban environment. When the group arrived, we first noticed the multitude of buildings and skyscrapers located in the downtown area. There is always a sense of excitement when you are able to gaze upon a major league stadium, ours being the Bengals National Football Team and the Cincinnati Reds Major League Baseball team. As we continued driving we soon travelled to the outskirts of the city and we began to see the forgotten areas where many individuals lived in poverty.

It was amazing how impactful the people of Cincinnati were in the first two days. On day one of our service, participants were split into three groups. One group painted the inside of a house for an elderly woman who was in the hospital, one group travel to a social service site called St. John’s and prepared food to distribute through a sandwich window, and the last group worked in the Free Store food bank of Cincinnati (a large food pantry facility that funnels food to over 480 food pantries throughout the city.) After the first day of work, we returned home to make ourselves a community dinner and had guest speaker Tommy Thompson come in to share his experience of being homeless for more than two and half years.

Each day we spent in Cincinnati truly pushed all of us outside of our comfort zones. I know the students gained a lot of knowledge through their experiences and all of them proved they were all “servant leaders” literally and at heart. I saw this through their willingness to share, help, give, and reflect. Many expressed excitement to return home and spread the awareness of how to help. Others want to serve for years to come. In the end, I believe God gave us an opportunity to encounter him in the people of Cincinnati.

I would like to personally thank everyone for their prayers, support, and donations for this trip. Viterbo is a great place and it is reflected through all of the support we received during this service trip. Thank you.

By Fr. Conrad Targonski, OFM 

“We have a Pope!”

As soon as the news came over the Internet, some Viterbo students ran up to the bell tower of San Damiano Chapel and rang the bells along with other churches of the area and the world.

Reflecting on the reputation of Cardinal Bergoglio, now Pope Francis I, the former archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, I immediately saw him as a true “servant leader” and know he would feel very comfortable at Viterbo.

“We live in the most unequal part of the world, which has grown the most yet reduced misery the least,” he once said to a gathering of Latin American bishops in 2007. “The unjust distribution of goods persists, creating a situation of social sin that cries out to heaven and limits the possibilities of a fuller life for so many of our people.”

Even though a Jesuit, he sounds like he has the heart of St Francis of Assisi. May God bless him in his ministry.

Rose Awards Nomination Deadline Nears

Nominate a deserving colleague for Employee of the Year, Servant Leader, the Alec Chui Memorial Award, or the other major honors to be announced at the annual Rose Awards ceremony Thursday, May 2 at 3:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center Recital Hall.

Nominations are now open and are due by Monday, April 1. A complete description of all the awards and the nomination forms are available at www.viterbo.edu/awards.

VU After Dark Programming Assistant Positions Available

By Emily Alvarez

VU After Dark (VUAD) provides students with free events beginning at 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings. By providing events for students to attend regularly, the program gives students a chance to stay on campus, make new friends, and have fun. VUAD has been continually growing since it began five years ago. From close to 800 student attendees in 2009, to almost 1,500 attendees in the 2012 fall semester alone, VUAD has become a thriving campus program.

We are currently seeking two students to be paid programming assistants to replace those who will be leaving us next year. This is a great opportunity for students to meet new people, work with a budget, use their organizational skills, be part of a team, and develop communication skills for future employment prospects. If you know of any students who may be interested, or you would feel confident in referring to this position, email me for more information. We hope to continue growing in numbers and reaching all students on campus in order to provide a good environment for friendship, memories, and fun. For more information about the positions available, the VU After Dark program, and this semester’s upcoming events, visit our Web page.

Technology Tidbits

by Sarah Bearbower, IIT

Did you know? 

VHS playback devices are getting hard to find for purchase. As our current VHS devices continue to age or stop functioning, it might not be possible to replace them. If you have a number of VHS tapes, now may be a good opportunity to consider transitioning away from VHS to DVD, BluRay or streaming media. Viterbo’s media services can digitize your VHS collection to our streaming server. Contact Deb Siebenaler at ext. 3162 to learn more about your digitizing options.

Viterbo Named to President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll

Viterbo University has been named to the 2013 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The Honor Roll recognizes higher education institutions that reflect the values of exemplary community service and achieve meaningful outcomes in their communities. The designation from the highest levels of the federal government recognizes Viterbo’s commitment to service and civic engagement.