Orton Appointed as Acting President of Dickinson State University

31 JulOrton Appointed as Acting President of Dickinson State University

BISMARCK, N.D. - The State Board of Higher Education (SBHE) has appointed Ty Orton as acting president of Dickinson State University (DSU) beginning Aug. 3, 2024, upon the departure of President Steve Easton.

A committee will begin the search for the DSU interim president Aug. 7 and the SBHE will appoint the interim president of DSU at its scheduled Sept. 16 meeting. Following the interim president appointment, a nationwide presidential search for the next president of DSU will begin. A timeline for the upcoming search can be found here in the July 31 SBHE agenda.

Chair Tim Mihalick said, "Our highest priority is focusing on the students at Dickinson State - to sustain DSU's commitment to academic excellence and thereby ensuring the future success of our students. President Easton has been a responsive leader, guiding the institution through the pandemic and budget deficits, while also strengthening the institution's dual mission. He has worked alongside institutional leaders to raise scholarship funding to benefit students, and ensured workforce needs remained an emphasis to meet the demands of western North Dakota. We thank him for his efforts serving the Dickinson community, and his deliberate work focused on the betterment of Dickinson State University and the students it serves."

Orton has served as the executive director for the DSU Heritage Foundation since 2015. He coordinates efforts to strengthen relationships and raise funds to support DSU, fulfilling its commitment to provide high-quality accessible programs; promote excellence in teaching and learning; support scholarly and creative activities; while serving the region.

Orton began his fundraising career in 2002 at McCook Community College where he was the head men's basketball coach. Moving to Dickinson in 2007, he continued to invest in relationships while coaching and fundraising for DSU athletics. Prior to his appointment at the DSU Heritage Foundation, he was the major gifts officer at Sanford Health. In this capacity, Orton serves on the president's cabinet and the president's advisory council. Orton earned a Bachelor of Education from Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana, in 1998 and a master's degree in exercise physiology from Adams State University in 2003.