Andrea Johnson/MDN Ken Grosz, center, executive dean at the newly renamed Dakota College at Bottineau, is about to cut a ribbon celebrating the name change for the college during a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday at Minot State University. To his left is Gary Rabe, vice president for academic affairs at MSU. They are surrounded by members of the Minot Area Chamber of Commerce in red jackets.

A ribbon cutting was held at Minot State University Friday to celebrate the name change of Minot State University-Bottineau to Dakota College at Bottineau. Ken Grosz, exectuive dean at the two-year college in Bottineau, said the ribbon cutting was held in Minot because he wanted to emphasize that the college still maintains its connection to Minot State. The college has an office in the Administration Building at MSU and career and technical programming is offered on the Minot campus. The connection between the college and the university has existed since 1996, said Grosz. Gary Rabe, vice president for academic affairs at MSU, said Minot State University and Dakota College at Bottineau will continue to strengthen that connection by offering new degree programs and improving articulation agreements. Grosz said the name change was made to give the college more of its own identity and to fall in line with the college’s location, history and missio.