Insight Online
Feb. 23, 2007
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Spring? -- It may be just wishful thinking, but with temperatures in the 60s, it seems that spring has sprung on campus this week. Native Kansans know there may yet be a blast of winter in store, but with break just three weeks away, spring can't be far behind.

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Academic Affairs plans restructuring
As times and student needs change, the university structure continues to evolve. That evolution is continuing with a significant restructuring in the areas that now report to Lee Christensen, associate vice president for academic programs, who is retiring this year.

Steve Scott, vice president for academic affairs, said he has worked with the academic deans and other members of the Division of Academic Affairs to develop a structure that he hopes will “bring greater focus and direction to our recruitment and retention efforts.”

The plan begins with splitting the position of registrar and associate vice president for academic programs into two positions. Those positions would be registrar and dean of enrollment management and student success.

Scott said the title “dean” was chosen to align the position with the existing deans of the four academic colleges, the dean of learning resources and the dean of continuing and graduate studies.

“This will more accurately reflect the scope and level of the position’s responsibilities, as interacting with the other deans will be an important component of this new dean’s duties.”

The dean of enrollment management and student success will lead the university’s strategic enrollment management effort and will oversee admissions, transition programs for new students, academic advisement, student financial assistance, the Registrar’s Office, international programs, multicultural programs, undeclared majors, the Honors College and special academic programs.

“We have an obligation to support the students who we recruit to this campus,” Scott said, “and that’s what this new position will allow us to do in a more effective manner.”

An internal search has begun to fill the registrar’s position and David Hurford, Psychology and Counseling, will lead a national search to fill the dean’s position.

In order to fund the new dean’s position, Scott said, other changes include the discontinuation of the associate director of admission position and one of three assistant director positions in the Registrar’s Office. Scott said that the new dean will provide additional assistance to both offices as part of his or her responsibilities, allowing the offices to meet their responsibilities even with a smaller staff.

“We are fortunate to have very capable leaders overseeing the student support services that are housed in the Division of Academic Affairs,” Scott said. “This change will allow for enhanced cooperation and coordination of their activities.

Scott said he is anxious to get the dean’s position announced at the national level to see what kind of expertise the university can draw to the campus.

“There are a number of institutions currently seeking to fill the same kind of position,” Scott said. “It just shows that in a highly competitive higher education environment, the responsibility for recruiting and retaining students has become a central focus of institutions.”

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Apple Day is a little greener this year
Apple Day, Pittsburg State University’s oldest tradition, has a green theme this year in honor of the campuswide recycling plan and the opening of the University Recycling Center. (OK, if you haven’t heard the Apple Day story, you’re obviously new to campus. It’s a great story and a great tradition. To find out more go to http://www.pittstate.edu/spotlight/1stappleday.html)

In keeping with the theme, the keynote speaker for the convocation at 3 p.m. on Thursday, March 1, will be Ruth Stinson, a PSU alumnus who is the founder and CEO of the Stinson Environmental Group in Kansas City. The green theme continues on Friday with an open house in the new University Recycling Center in Whitesitt Hall.

Apple Day events begin on Monday, Feb. 26, with the annual Apple Dessert Contest. Judging will take place at 10:30 a.m. in the Gorilla Lounge of the Overman Student Center. That same day, the Student Activities Council will sponsor an apple hunt on campus.

Beginning on Monday and running through Friday, the theater in the U-Club of the Overman Student Center will show “An Inconvenient Truth,” Al Gore’s film about global warming. The film will be shown each day at noon, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

In addition to Stinson’s address, “Foundation for the Future, an Environmental Perspective,” Thursday’s convocation will include special music by the PSU Choirs under the direction of Susan Marchant, presentation of the Alumni Association Distinguished Service Awards (see below), presentation of the Outstanding Faculty Awards, presentation of the student Golden Gorilla Awards and the student scholarship drawing. As is tradition, the Faculty Association will distribute apples at the conclusion of the convocation.

On Friday, March 2, University Committee on Energy and Resource Conservation (UCERC) will hold an open house for the new University Recycling Center in 206 Whitesitt Hall. Come by and learn how your office can begin recycling. Refreshments! (Enter through Quick Print.)

For more: http://www.pittstate.edu/erc/

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Pitt State honors 3 for distinguished service
The Pittsburg State University Alumni Association will honor three persons with its Ralf J. Thomas Distinguished Service Award on Thursday, March 1. This year’s recipients are C. Ray Baird, Richard L. Chitty and Mattye Shaw Foxx. The award will be presented at the annual Apple Day celebration at 3 p.m. in McCray Recital Hall. A reception for the award winners will be held at 2 p.m. that day at the Wilkinson Alumni Center.

Dr. Ray Baird is a retired PSU vice president. He joined the PSU faculty in 1947 and in 1953 became director of admissions. Baird was named executive vice president in 1968. He retired from the university in 1986 after 39 years of service to the university. Baird’s service to the university has continued since his retirement. He is a member of the PSU Foundation’s Heritage Society. Currently a senior trustee of the PSU Foundation, Baird served on the Foundation Board from 1997 until 2003. He supports many activities on campus, including the Music Department, and has established the Baird Music Scholarship. Baird lives in Pittsburg. His wife, Ann, died in 2006. They have one daughter, Catherine Anne Baird.

Richard “Dick” L. Chitty is a retired executive from Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., where he rose to become senior vice president before his retirement. Chitty, who earned a bachelor of science degree in industrial technology from PSU in 1967, has been a long-time supporter of PSU. He has served on the College of Technology Advisory Board and has been an advocate on behalf of PSU with Toyota, resulting in corporate support for the construction of the Kansas Technology Center. Because of Chitty’s involvement, the Toyota T-Ten program was developed in the auto service area. Chitty encouraged Toyota in the hiring of many PSU graduates who have also gone on to successful careers with the company. Chitty has served as a University Councilor to the President. He is a past president of the Southern California Chapter of the PSU Alumni Association and is currently a trustee of the PSU Foundation. Chitty is a recipient of the PSU Outstanding Alumni and Meritorious Achievement awards. Chitty and his wife, Janet, live in Ocala, Fla.

Since Mattye E. Foxx retired as a social worker, she has devoted much of her life to making the community of Pittsburg a better place. Foxx, who earned a bachelor of science degree from PSU in 1969, has been a volunteer for PSU, as well. She served as an Alumni Association board member from 1990 until 1996 and as secretary for the board from 1993 until 1996. Foxx has been a volunteer for numerous PSU Community Campaigns and Phonathons. She is a former member of the Business Advisory Board and the PSU Friends of Music. In Pittsburg, she has many years of service to Meals on Wheels, the YMCA and the Red Cross Bloodmobile. Foxx lives in Pittsburg. She has three sons: Marvin, Melvin and Robert.

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‘Partners in Progress’ kicks off March 6
The 2007 Community Campaign, ‘Partners in Progress’ will begin with a breakfast at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 6, in the Overman Student Center. The chairpersons of this year’s campaign are Steve and Becky Sloan.

The annual Community Campaign is designed to solicit gifts for student scholarships and academic needs on campus. It is part of an overall private fund-raising program that last year allowed the PSU Foundation to award nearly $2 million in student scholarship aid.

At the kickoff breakfast, the university will honor Judy Westhoff with the “Rex Crowley Outstanding Partner in Progress Award.” That award is presented to a member of the Pittsburg community who has been an outstanding partner with the university. The recipient selected is a civic leader who has rendered outstanding volunteer services. The award is named in honor of Rex Crowley, whose career as both a local banker and as a fund-raising volunteer for PSU is well known in the community.

Westhoff is a dedicated volunteer in the community. She is a recipient of the Spirit of Pittsburg Award, the YMCA Volunteer of the Year Award, and is a 2007 Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce Woman of Distinction.

During the Partners in Progress Campaign, university development officers make personal visits to businesses and professionals. Businesses that make gifts to the campaign are identified by campaign emblems in their windows. Donors also receive public recognition through campaign materials and the media.

For more information, contact Holly Kent, director of Annual Giving, Ext. 6096, hkent@pittstate.edu.

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Annual Jazz Festival draws students from 3 states
More than 1,500 middle school, high school and community college musicians from more than 70 schools in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma will be on campus on Friday, March 2, for the 33rd annual PSU Jazz Festival.

From 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., the students will perform and be rated by a panel of expert judges. The festival has outgrown the campus and now takes place in McCray Hall, the Overman Student Center and at Memorial Auditorium downtown.

The PSU One O’clock Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Bob Kehle, will perform a free concert at noon in Memorial Auditorium before the afternoon judging begins.

Following the day of performance and judging, the festival will conclude with a 7:30 p.m. concert featuring the PSU One O’clock Jazz Ensemble and then Jon Faddis and the Chicago Jazz Ensemble. For more on the evening concert:
http://pittnews.blogspot.com/2007/02/jon-faddischicago-jazz-ensemble-to.html

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Exhibit highlights Porter Hall history
Each day on this campus we’re surrounded by reminders of the university’s long and rich history. One of those reminders is the word ‘Library’ carved over the north and south entrances of Porter Hall.

In honor of Porter’s rich history, the Art Department will host “Porter Hall: A History” March 5-April 10 in the Harry Krug Gallery. The exhibit, curated by Alan Ross, president of the Crawford County Historical Museum, will include artifacts from the time when Porter Hall was the campus library. Ross has selected items that are kept at the museum and from other settings in the community.

A reception for the exhibit is set for 5-7 p.m. on Monday, March 12. Ross will be available at that time to answer questions about some of the unusual items on display.

March 5-April 5, the University Gallery will host an exhibit of photography by San Francisco artist Liz Hickock. The exhibit is entitled “San Francisco in Jell-O.” Hickock will deliver a lecture about her photography at 3 p.m. on March 6 in 214 Hughes Hall. A reception will follow in Porter Hall.

For more: http://www.pittstate.edu/art/gallery.html

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Spring enrollment up
One of the numbers in the spring enrollment report that stands out is on-campus students. While the big three (KU, KSU & WSU) showed declines, Pittsburg State recorded an increase in on-campus enrollment of 155 students over the previous year. That was part of a spring report that showed a headcount increase of 1.4 percent to 6,422 (a record).

For more on PSU's spring enrollment: http://pittnews.blogspot.com/2007/02/psu-sets-spring-enrollment-record.html
To see the report for all of the Kansas Regents' universities:
http://www.kansasregents.org/

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PSU Theatre: Provocative drama set in Bosnian refugee camp
http://pittnews.blogspot.com/2007/02/refugee-camp-setting-for-dramatic-play.html

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Faculty News
Send us your news. Categories are Conferences & Meetings; Research, Publications & Performance; Service & Instruction; Honors & Achievements. E-mail news to . Make sure you put 'Insight' in the subject line.

Conferences/Meetings
Greg Belcher, Technology Studies, gave two research presentations at the International Conference on Education Jan. 6-9 in Hawaii. One was "A National Assessment of Perceived Instructional Needs for Professional Development of Part-time Technical and Occupational Education Faculty in the Community Colleges in the U.S." Co-authors and presenters were Brian Sandford, Oklahoma State University; and Robert Frisbee, PSU Automotive Technology. The second presentation was "Assessment of Initial Awareness Knowledge and Sources of Influence Leading to Enrollment Decisions for Students Entering Four-year Automotive Programs." Co-authors and presenters were Brian Sandford, Oklahoma State University; and Robert Frisbee, PSU Automotive Technology.

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Around the Oval

Ian Kay, Hot Metal Technology, reviews thermal expansion of different types of non-ferrous alloys Wednesday at the KTC. Kay, a Cast Metals Institute faculty member, was one of the persons teaching seminar attendees from around the country during the institute this week.




A student attending the Spring Career Day introduces herself to a representative of Pulte Homes during Spring Career Day on Feb. 15. More than 90 companies and institutions participated in the event.

---Pitt State---