PSU Insight

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Womble) — Thu, 10 May 2007 13:36:00 +0000

Insight Online
May 11, 2007
Do you have news you would like included in Insight? Drop us a line (kwomble@pittstate.edu). Please put 'Insight' in the subject line of your e-mail. This is the final issue of Insight for the spring semester. The abbreviated summer schedule will begin on June 8.

A window in Yates Hall is the setting for a science experiment for visiting high school students during Science Day on May 3.

Carl Junction kindergarteners get a ride on a ‘monorail’ during Wonders in Transportation, an event staged at the children’s school by students in Technology Education.

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Five selected University Professors
Five members of the faculty have been chosen University Professors beginning with the fall 2007 semester. To be considered for the University Professor distinction, a faculty member must demonstrate excellence in two of the three areas of teaching; research, scholarship, and/or creative endeavors; and community and/or university service. Also, candidates for University Professor must have been at the professor rank for a period of no less than seven years. Selection to University Professor carries with it a salary adjustment of $4,500. University Professor status is for five years.

The new University Professors are: Judy Berry-Bravo, Modern Languages and Literatures; Michael Muoghalu, Economics, Finance and Banking; David Hurford, Psychology and Counseling; Richard Lipka, Special Services and Leadership Studies; and Russ Rosmait, Engineering Technology.

Congratulations to our new University Professors!

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Promotions announced
Promotions for 17 members of the PSU faculty were recently announced. The promotions are effective beginning with the fall semester. They are:
Rebecca Brannock, Psychology and Counseling, to professor
Tadeusz Dobrowolski, Mathematics, to professor
Timothy Flood, Mathematics, to professor
Robert Frisbee, Automotive Technology, to professor
Yaping Liu, Mathematics, to professor
Howard R. Smith, Curriculum and Instruction, to professor
Janet Smith, Psychology and Counseling, to professor
Randall Timi, Engineering Technology, to professor
Reena Berger, Music, to associate professor
Stephanie Bowman, Art, to associate professor
Joanne Britz, Music, to associate professor
Selim Giray, Music, to associate professor
David Gordon, Biology, to associate professor
Michael Gullett, Communication, to associate professor
James Oliver, Art, to associate professor
Rhona Shand, Art, to associate professor
Tatiana Sildus, Curriculum and Instruction to associate professor

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Tenure granted
Eight members of the faculty have recently earned tenure. They are:
Joanne Britz, Music
Troy Comeau, Communication
Selim Giray, Music
Julie Samuels, Curriculum and Instruction
Tatiana Sildus, Curriculum and Instruction
Ron Downing, Automotive Technology
Andy Klenke, Technology Studies

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Sabbatical leave
Eleven members of the faculty have been granted sabbatical leave. They are:
• Mark Arbuckle, Communication, to produce a book in the area of media regulations. (Fall 2007)
• Susan Carlson, English, to research and write a book on depression and Victorian writers. (Spring 2008)
• David Gordon, Biology, to finish collecting data from an ongoing research project and to write a manuscript for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. (Spring 2008)
• Todd Hastings, Music, to revise and improve his dissertation at the University of Texas – Austin and to also observe master teachers at their institutions and do one-on-one trumpet study. (Spring 2008)
• Ananda Jayawardhana, Mathematics, to do research and work with an economist he has published with in or to develop further collaborations. (Fall 2007)
• Virginia Rider, Biology, to update research efforts at PSU. (Fall 2007)
• James Harris, Computer Science Information Services, to increase knowledge and experience related to information assurance, computer security and information systems auditing. (Fall 2007)
• Susan Knell, Curriculum and Instruction, to study the use of native folktales in American and Russian Education, specifically elementary classrooms. (Fall 2007)
• Alice Sagehorn, Curriculum and Instruction, to do research in the area of second language acquisition and assessment in a bilingual school in Asuncion, Paraguay. (Fall 2007)
• David Lomshek, Engineering Technology, to attend training seminars and conferences covering the many facets of CATIA, the premier CAD, design and analysis software used worldwide in the aerospace industry. (Fall 2007)
• William Strenth, Engineering Technology, to develop curriculum for building information modeling (BIM), 4D and 5D.

In addition, Reena Berger, Music, has been granted leave without pay for the 2007-08 academic year to conduct a worldwide solo concert tour through prominent concert halls, universities and conservatories in Asia, South America and North America.

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Spring Commencement
The university will observe its 103rd spring commencement ceremony on Friday, May 18, and Saturday, May 19. Commencement activities begin on Thursday with the Nurse Pinning ceremony and conclude with commencement for the College of Education and the College of Technology.

As part of the commencement activities, the university will honor three alumni with the Meritorious Achievement Award. They are Bob L. Gaddy, Collis Ross Geren and Kenny Joe Kunstel. Read more about this year’s Meritorious Achievement Award winners.

Read the complete commencement schedule.

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Searches conclude
While a number of searches continue, a few have concluded since the last Insight. The results:

Printing and Postal Services - Jason Kermashek will be the new manager of Printing and Postal Services. Kermashek, a Girard native, has a degree from PSU in commercial graphics. He comes to the university from Print Excel in Girard and has 14 years of printing experience.

Public Relations – Ron Womble will be the new director of Public Relations. Womble has been assistant director in charge of news and media relations for 20 years.

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Recent headlines
See all of the recent stories from the PSU newsroom.

Women’s Studies Council honors faculty, students

PSU student singled out for leadership

Pittsburg State honors three for lifetime achievement

University honors educators for service

PSU team 1st in grueling Buddy Challenge

PSU students teach 'Wonders of Transportation' to Carl Junction youngsters

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Faculty news
Conferences/Meetings
Dan Ferguson, Health, Human Performance and Recreation - traveled to Daegu, Korea, where he helped coordinate the 5th Global International Internship Congress that was held at Keimyung University. He gave a presentation about internships in the Balkan Region. He also facilitated an international internship fair that attracted more than 1,000 Korean and international students from Keimyung and other Korean universities. He was interviewed by local television stations and newspapers as well.

---Pitt State---

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Womble) — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 20:39:00 +0000

Insight Online
April 27, 2007
Do you have news you would like included in Insight? Drop us a line (kwomble@pittstate.edu). Please put 'Insight' in the subject line of your e-mail. The next issue will be posted on Friday, May 11.

Dr. Ray Baird, second from left, is joined by Dr. James AuBuchon, Larry Nokes, Teresa Massa and Dr. Lee Christensen at the faculty-staff retirement dinner last week.

Retired administrator made a big impression
A subtle theme emerged at this year’s faculty-staff retirement dinner. One by one, several of those being honored in turn paid homage to the man who hired them, mentored them and called them ‘colleague.’ Dr. Ray Baird was there for their special day last week, just as he was on the day each of them arrived on campus.

Ray Baird has seen a lot of retirements since he came to PSU 60 years ago. His own was in 1987. In recent years, the retirees being honored are often persons that Baird hired and even those he didn’t hire, often count him as a mentor and friend.

“It just makes me satisfied,” Baird said as he thought about the successful careers of those he hired, “that I made the right decisions when I hired them. They all had the right experience and the right qualifications.”

Lee Christensen, associate vice president for academic programs, recalls Baird’s high expectations.

“He had high standards. Accuracy was very important,” Christensen said, “but he hired good people.”

EOAA Director Teresa Massa agreed that Baird’s standards were high and he expected a lot of employees, but she said he never had to bully his people to get them to work hard.

“He never raised his voice,” Massa said.

Baird was an effective administrator and leader, Christensen said, because his employees respected him.

“You didn’t want to disappoint him,” Christensen said. “We looked up to the man and we wanted to meet his expectations.”

Larry Nokes, Physical Plant director, said one reason Baird earned such respect was that he clearly cared about his employees.

“He showed he cared about you and your family,” Nokes said. “He would often ask about my family and it was clear that his concern was genuine. I have treasured a couple of cross stitch pieces that Ann (Baird’s late wife) gave me.”

Massa recalled a snowy winter day when she experienced that caring attitude first-hand.

“I was one of the first employees to live out of town,” said Massa, who lives in Joplin. “One time we had a very bad snowstorm and the drive from Joplin to Pittsburg was very difficult. When I finally got to my office, Dr. Baird was there waiting for me with a hot cup of coffee. That’s how concerned he was about me.”

Baird came to Pittsburg State to be part of a fledgling counseling and psychology program. For many years he served as the university’s registrar and for the last 15 years as executive vice president. The executive team in those years included only President George Budd, Baird and Vice President Alvin Proctor.

Although he has been retired for two decades, Baird’s influence can still be felt on campus.

“Ray Baird made a big impression on me early in my career,” Nokes said. “I have tried to model the same compassion and caring attitude that he showed to us.”

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NCAA applauds PSU-community bond
Pittsburg State University President Tom Bryant often says that “What’s good for Pittsburg State is good for our community and what’s good for our community is good for Pittsburg State.” That university-community bond and how to promote it in other university towns is the subject of a new NCAA Web site.

The Web site http://www.diicommunity.org/ includes a video about the game day atmosphere in Pittsburg on days that the Gorilla football team plays at home. The video was shot last fall and documents the day-long activities that begin with breakfast at Bob’s Grill, and tailgating in Gorilla Village and ends with PSU football players tossing footballs on the field after the game.

The video is directed by Dr. Rich Luker, a nationally recognized sports and leisure researcher who offers insights on the film about ways other Division II universities can start community engagement programs of their own.

In the video, Luker, surrounded by area children, PSU football players, students and families, said the environment has a lasting impact.

“It’s not just a one-time experience. When it comes times for them to think about school, when they think about community, this is what they remember,” Luker said.

For more information, call Tommy Riggs, Ext. 4148.

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Samuels to direct Honors College
Julie Samuels, Curriculum and Instruction, has been selected as the new director of the Honors College. Samuels, who has been a member of the faculty since 1999, will begin her duties on June 18. She follows Becky Brannock, who had directed the Honors College since 2002.

Samuels holds a bachelor of arts degree in elementary education from Ottawa University, a master of science degree in curriculum and instruction from PSU and a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from Kansas State University.

Samuels taught elementary school in Osawatomie, Kan., and Mnsfield, Mo., and middle school in Westphalia, Kan., before joining the faculty at PSU. She currently teaches undergraduate reading courses as well as classroom management.

Her awards and honors include Kansas Outstanding Reading Educator, Osawatomie District Teacher of the Year and runner up for the Third Congressional District Kansas Teacher of the Year.

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Faculty News
Meetings/Conferences
Tim Flood and Cynthia Woodburn, Math - accompanied 12 students to the national convention of the Mathematics Honor Society, Kappa Mu Epsilon, April 12-14 in Springfield, Mo. Three PSU students (Christine Baker, Luke Henke, and Casey Kuhn) had papers accepted for presentation at the national convention. Also, at the convention, Woodburn was elected national treasurer of Kappa Mu Epsilon.

Ed Wirthwein and Edie McCracken, Student Center - presented at the National Association for Campus Activities national conference in Nashville, Tenn. They gave a presentation to students and staff on “We’re All In This Together: Lessons Learned from High School Musical.”

Honors/Awards
Bob Kehle, Mathematics – accepted the KNEA the Epperson-Peters Award on behalf of PSU/KNEA at the KNEA Representative Assembly on April 14. Also recognized were PSU/KNEA leaders Bob Backes, Physics; Khamis Siam, Chemistry; Dick Lipka, SSLS; and Harry Humphries, Social Sciences. The award recognized the PSU/KNEA for its efforts in the ongoing dispute with the Kansas Board of Regents over intellectual property rights. The Epperson-Peters Award honors persons whose collective or individual efforts best exemplify the ideals of teacher efficacy and have significant statewide impact on the education community in the areas of professional negotiations, teacher rights and defense of academic freedom. The award was named after Liberal teachers Oleta Peters and Lila Epperson who were fired for securing bargaining rights for the local association.

Ed Wirthwein, Student Center - was awarded the Seglie Fraternity Volunteer of the Year Award during Greek Week.

---Pitt State---

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Womble) — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 19:38:00 +0000

Insight Online
April 13, 2007
Do you have news you would like included in Insight? Drop us a line (kwomble@pittstate.edu). It helps to put 'Insight' in the subject line of your e-mail. The next issue is scheduled for April 27.

Clock's ticking
There’s just five weeks left in the spring semester, which means the coming days will be crammed full of events and activities in addition to the regular class work. It is all part of the ebb and flow of the academic year. Be sure to check the online calendar to keep up to date and if you have yet to post your event or notice something isn’t on the calendar that should be, let us or the designated person in your area know.

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Eager ROTC cadets qued up for a training session on an Army Air National Guard Blackhawk helicopter on the practice field east of the President's Residence on April 12. For many, this was their first helicopter ride.

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Deadline Monday, April 16, for Faculty-Unclassified retirement dinner
Persons interested in tickets for the Faculty/Unclassified Staff Retirement Dinner must purchase tickets by Monday, April 16. Tickets are available at the Ticket Office in Overman Student Center. The dinner will be held at 6 p.m. on April 20 in the Crimson and Gold Ballroom.

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Recent headlines
For all PSU news stories, go to the archives at http://pittnews.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_pittnews_archive.html

Grant to fund summer Spanish program in Paraguay – Alice Sagehorn, C&I, announced a Fulbright Hays Group Study Abroad grant that will fund a study trip to Paraguay this summer. The deadline for applications is May 1. For an online application, click here.

Visiting writers aren’t really visiting – The English Department’s Distinguished Visiting Writers Series will sponsor its first annual Faculty Reading at 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 19, in the Special Collections Room of Axe Library. PSU faculty Kathy DeGrave and Karen Stolz will read from their fiction.

Students do well – Student achievement was the theme of three recent news stories. Four students Tom Box’s (Management & Marketing) Business Policy class scored among the top 25 teams worldwide in an online business simulation test. About 2,500 teams around the world participated. Troy Comeau (Communication) reported that students from CAPS 13 brought home a record 17 awards from the Kansas Association of Broadcasters’ annual banquet. Over at the KTC, 41 seniors in the Construction Engineering Technology and Construction Management programs took the 8-hour associate constructor professional exam this spring. PSU was a host site for the exam, which is sponsored by the American Institute of Constructors. Jim Otter and Bill Strenth were test administrators.

Honoring a future Gorilla – Neosho (Mo.) High School senior Joel Preston won the PSU/KSN Gorilla’s Choice Award for community service. Joel has his eye on the College of Technology when he enrolls at PSU in the fall. He will receive a $2,000 scholarship.

Great students, Great employees – Nick Dellasega, Lyndsi Kjonegaard and Kimberly Shultz were chosen for the Student Employee of the Year Awards on April 4. It is a reminder of how much we depend on these fine young people to keep the university running.

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Got time for coffee?
The Faculty Association has scheduled its first “Coffee with Colleagues” session for 8:45-11 a.m. on Thursday, April 19, in 202 Axe. “Coffee with Colleagues” is meant to provide a time for faculty and staff to visit with colleagues from across campus in a relaxed and inviting atmosphere.

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Faculty News
Conferences/Meetings
Karla Childs, Ananda Jayawardhana, David Newcomb, Bobby Winters and Cynthia Woodburn, Mathematics - attended the Kansas Section of the Mathematical Association of America annual conference on March 30 -31. Childs, Jayawardhana, Winters and Woodburn all gave presentations. Four PSU students also attended and three won top student presentation awards (Luke Henke, Rebecca Lomshek, and Angela Steele). Woodburn is a member of the executive committee of the Kansas Section, holding the office of information coordinator/webmaster.

Dan Ferguson, HHPR - traveled to Skopje, Macedonia, to be the keynote speaker for a conference sponsored by the Academic Training Association. The focus of the conference was on development of internships in the Balkan region. Following the conference he traveled on to Belgrade, Serbia, where he met with officials from the Association for Persons with Down Syndrome and also toured two state institutions for persons with disabilities. One had 500 residents and the other had 600 residents.

R. Scott Gorman, HHPR - Attended the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) national convention and exposition March 13-17 in Baltimore, Md. He serves as chairperson of the AAHPERD Student Services Committee. This group plans the on-going student programs and services available to student members across the US. The Student Services Committee also plans an annual undergraduate and graduate leadership development conference (LDC) attended by future professionals from each state, district and national association. The fall undergraduate LDC will be held this fall in Estes Park, Colo.

Don Ward, Psychology and Counseling - attended the annual convention of the American Counseling Association in Detroit, Mich., March 21-25. He presented a program entitled “Publishing in ACA Refereed Journals: Suggestions from the Council of Editors.” He also presented the Journal for Specialists in Group Work (JSGW) 2006 Outstanding Article Award at the ASGW awards luncheon; and chaired the JSGW editorial board meeting as journal editor.

Publications/Research/Performance
Jack R. Fay, Accounting - with Judson Stryker, of Stetson, have their manuscript, “So You Want to Start a Business Partnership - What Should You Include in the Partnership Agreement?" accepted for publication in the June issue of "Oil Gas & Energy Quarterly." The journal is published by LexisNexis Matthew Bender.

Service/Instruction
Susan Johns-Smith and Morgan McCune - Axe Library, facilitated training and setup to bring the Eureka Public Library live and online with the PSU Library Consortium on March 19. The Eureka Public Library is the first of 13 libraries targeted to join the PSU Library Consortium over the next 2 years.

Cynthia Woodburn, Math - facilitated a career discussion on being a mathematics professor and conducted a hands-on workshop called "Do U Sudoku?" at the Expanding Your Horizons conference for gifted middle school girls held at Emporia State University on March 10.

Honors/Achievements
Don Ward, Psychology and Counseling, was awarded the Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW) President’s Award at the annual convention of the American Counseling Association in Detroit, Mich.

---Pitt State---

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Womble) — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 16:04:00 +0000

Insight Online
March 30
Do you have news you would like included in Insight? Drop us a line (kwomble@pittstate.edu). It helps to put 'Insight' in the subject line of your e-mail. The next issue is scheduled for April 13.

The sprint to commencement that follows spring break has begun. Welcome back to all those who got away for a few days!

Ah, spring! -- The view from the hike-bike trail looking north toward University Lake.

To Your Health -- PSU employees walk for a purpose and enjoy the spring flowers at the same time.
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Lots of retirements
Sociologists have been speculating for some time about the effects of Boomer retirements. Worries about health care, economics and other issues aside, for us that means saying goodbye to good friends and valued colleagues. The list of retirees is still growing, but the Faculty Association is already planning on honoring at least 16 persons at the All Faculty & Unclassified Staff Dinner at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 20. If you haven’t purchased your ticket, you have until April 16 to do so. Tickets are $18 and may be purchased at the Ticket Office.

The retirees to date:
James AuBuchon, Ray Bachura, Tom Baldwin, Hugh Campbell, Clinton Carter, John Chen, Lee Christensen, John Connelly, Russ Hardin, Steve High, John Leland, Brenda LeTendre, Teresa Massa, Robert Pavlis, Randy Rosenbaum and James Snyder

Lots of appointments
Spring is always a time when the number of new appointments picks up, but the past couple of weeks have been particularly busy in that regard. A recap of recent appointments:

Kelce College of Business
Richard Dearth has been appointed interim dean of the Kelce College of Business. Dearth is currently chairman of the Department of Management and Marketing.

Also in the College of Business – Bienvenido Cortes has been named chairman of the Department of Economics, Finance and Banking; and Becky Casey has been selected as interim chairperson of the Department of Accounting.

College of Education
Andy Tompkins has been selected to serve as the next dean of the College of Education. Tompkins, the former Kansas Commissioner of Education and currently an associate professor at KU, was chairman of SSLS in ’94-’95 and interim dean in ’95-’96.

University Advancement
Scott Roberts has been named director of University Development. Roberts is moving up from his position as director of major gifts for the Colleges of Business and Technology.

Ellen Carter is moving from the Public Relations Office to become the director of major gifts for the Colleges of Education and Arts & Sciences.

Registrar
Debbie Greve has been named Registrar. The position reflects restructuring that splits the position of registrar and associate vice president for academic programs into two positions. Those positions are registrar and dean of enrollment management and student success.

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Meet me on the Oval -- The Oval is always a busy place, especially when the weather is as nice as it has been this past week.
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Forum with a congresswoman
If you have a question, comment or concern that you would like to share with our elected officials in D.C., your chance comes on Sunday when Congresswoman Nancy Boyda drops by for an open forum. The town hall style meeting will be held from 4:30-6 p.m. in S102 of the Kansas Technology Center. There will also be a reception in the rotunda. Boyda will also tour the campus on Monday before continuing her listening tour of southeast Kansas.

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Nursing Department uses human stand-ins
It’s a favorite character in sci-fi flicks – the human-like automaton whose true self is revealed only by peeling back a flap of skin. We’re not there yet, but the human simulators in the Department of Nursing are still a pretty amazing leap for technology and a great asset for teaching future nurses. (The story is this week’s feature on the PSU Home Page). Human simulators will be the topic for the Nursing Department’s spring conference on April 20 and the department plans a Human Simulation Center grand opening for later this spring.

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Pick me! -- Nearly 100 school districts came to interview graduating PSU teachers during Teacher Interview Day on March 29.
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Busy spring calendar
The next several weeks will be very busy on campus with lots of events and activities. Be sure to check the entire calendar on the PSU Web site often, as events are added frequently.

Tonight
Solo & Chamber Music Series, Western Wind, 7:30 p.m., McCray

March 31
Friends of Axe Library Children’s Book Festival, 11:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., Weede
18th Annual Young Authors Conference, 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Weede

April 4
Study Abroad Info Session, 3 p.m., Grubbs Hall
Student Employee of the Year Awards, 3 p.m., Student Center

April 5
PSU Wind Ensemble, 7:30 p.m., Memorial Audit.

April 7
SAC Easter Egg Hunt, 10 a.m., Oval

April 9-13
National Student Employee Week

April 10
PSU Math Relays, 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
PSU Chamber Orchestra, 7:30 p.m., McCray

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Faculty News
Please submit your faculty news by e-mail to kwomble@pittstate.edu. 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
Joni Barnard, Human Resource Development (Technology Management) presented the results of her dissertation study, “The Effects of a Near Versus Far Transfer of Training Approach on Trainees’ Confidence to Coach Related and Unrelated Tasks” at the annual conference of the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) on March 3 in Indianapolis, Ind. AHRD is committed to leading the human resource development profession through scholarly research.

Chuck Blatchley, Chemistry, presented a paper, “Functionally graded, nanocrystalline, multiphase, B- and C-based super hard coatings,” at the American Physical Society Meeting in Denver, March 3-9. Coauthors were F. Namavar (U. Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha), Eric Tobin, John Adams (Spire Corporation, Bedford, Mass.), and Michael Graham (Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill.).

---Pitt State---

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Womble) — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 17:21:00 +0000

Insight Online
March 9, 2007
Do you have news you would like included in Insight? Drop us a line (kwomble@pittstate.edu). It helps to put 'Insight' in the subject line of your e-mail. The next issue is scheduled for March 30.

New campus fitness program
about to begin
The initial response to the Gorilla Basic Training Fitness Program has been very good, according to Debbie Amershek, HRS. Around 40 attended an information session earlier this week and about 20 have signed up for each of the two groups, which are fitness classes and walking for wellness.

Amershek said the fitness classes will be limited to 25 participants because of the size of the room. Walking for Wellness has no size limit.

According to the Gorilla Basic Training Fitness Program Web site, the program is designed to fitness and nutrition information to employees over a six-week period. The rationale is that proper fitness and nutrition results in better overall health, lower health care costs and better employee morale.

The fitness classes, which will meet for 45 minutes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 6 a.m. beginning March 26, will meet in 163 Weede. There is a $20 registration fee for the fitness class. Fitness activities include low-impact aerobics, body toning, weight training, walking and introduction to exercise equipment. Other services include cholesterol screening, body composition assessment, and nutritional information

Walking for Wellness will meet at noon on the center of the Oval on Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning on March 27. The guided walking tour will take about 30 minutes. There is no fee for Walking for Wellness.

The Gorilla Basic Training Fitness Program is sponsored by the Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation; Human Resource Services; Prevention and Wellness Services; Sodexho Food Services; and Student Health Services.

For more information, go to the Gorilla Basic Training Fitness Program Web site, http://www.pittstate.edu/hrs/GorillaBasicTraining.htm

Around the Oval

Students in the PSU Preschool performed their own version of the classic tale "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" for proud parents and friends on Thursday, March 8.

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Howard Smith, President's Office, tells membersof the Crimson Club about the Kansas City Metro Center recently. The students made the trip to Kansas City to learn more about the university's outreach efforts in the region.

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Dickinson Poetry Festival features readings by contemporary poets
Three poets, Amy Fleury, Jeanne E. Clark, and Alice Fulton, will read from their works as part of the Emily Dickinson Poetry Festival, March 27-29. Sponsored by the Distinguished Visiting Writers Series, Women’s Studies, and the Student Fee Council, the series will feature lectures each day, and every night, one of the poets will read from her own work. On March 29, a panel discussion on Emily Dickinson will be presented from 2-3:30 p.m. in the Balkans Room.

Fleury will read from her work at 8 p.m. on March 27 in the Governor’s Room. A reception will follow in the Heritage Room. Fleury, a native of rural northeast Kansas, is an associate professor of English at Washburn University in Topeka. Her collection of poems, “Beautiful Trouble,” won the 2003 Crab Orchard First Book Award and was named a top-10 notable book of 2004 by the Kansas City Star. Her poetry and fiction have appeared in “Prairie Schooner,” “North American Review,” “Midwest Quarterly,” “21st,” and “Southeast Review,” among other journals. She has been a recipient of fellowships from the MacDowell Colony and the Kansas Arts Commission.

Clark will read from her work at 8 p.m. on March 28. A reception will follow in the Heritage Room. Clark is the author of “Ohio Blue Tips,” which won the 1997 Akron Poetry Prize. Clark was born and raised in Northwest Ohio. She teaches Creative Writing at California State University, Chico. She was the winner of the 1995 Loft Prize in Poetry.

Fulton will read her poetry at 8 p.m. on March 29 in the Governor’s Room. Fulton's most recent book of poems is “Cascade Experiment.” Her book, “Felt,” was awarded the 2002 Rebekah Johnson Bobbitt National Prize for Poetry from the Library of Congress. “Felt” also was selected by the Los Angeles Times as one of the Best Books of 2001 and as a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Award. Her honors include fellowships from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Ingram Merrill Foundation, The Guggenheim Foundation, The National Endowment for the Arts, and The Michigan Society of Fellows. Her work has been included in six editions of The Best American Poetry series and the Pushcart Prize series. She is currently the Ann S. Bowers Professor of English at Cornell University.

In addition to reading from their works, the visiting poets will also deliver a series of lectures to English classes during the week. Those lectures are also open to the public. Amy Fleury will speak in Paul McCallum’s “General Literature: Poetry” class at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 28, in 302 Grubbs Hall. Jeanne E. Clark will speak in Laura Lee Washburn’s “Poetry Writing” class at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, March 28, in 303 Grubbs Hall. Alice Fulton will speak in Lizanne Minerva’s “Introduction to Creative Writing” class at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 29 in 312 Grubbs Hall.

Conference on Higher Education Computing in Kansas
PSU will host the 2007 Conference on Higher Education Computing in Kansas May 23-24. The conference, sponsored by the Regents Information Technology Council, is an annual gathering of information technology professionals in post-secondary institutions in Kansas to present, discuss, and learn about new technologies and current issues in providing IT services to the higher education community.

Interested persons may submit proposals for presentations at the conference or learn more about CHECK at the CHECK Web site. The deadline for submissions is March 21. For answers to questions about CHECK, e-mail check@pittstate.edu.

Friends of Axe Library receives award
The Friends of Kansas Libraries have recognized the Friends of Axe Library as the outstanding friends group in a Kansas community of from 5,001 to 10,000 patrons. The award will be given at the group’s 2007 ‘Tri-Conference’ on April 11 in Topeka. The conference is held annually by the Kansas Library Association, the Kansas Association of School Librarians, and the Kansas Association for Educational Communications and Technology.

This is the second award given to the Friends of Axe Library by the FOKL. The first was a 2004 challenge grant designed to boost the Friends’ membership. The 2007 award is in recognition of the group’s achievements in 2006, which consisted of two grants for the enhancement of the library film collection, the development of two new fundraisers, the hosting of famed novelist Don Coldsmith for the 9th annual Gene DeGruson lecture and the revision of the new edition of the group’s campus history, “A Closer Look.”

On the day of the award ceremony, Jo Anne Beezley, government documents librarian and member of the Friends since 1988, will accept a certificate and a check for $100 on behalf of the Friends of Axe Library.

Campus calendar use grows
In a little more than a year since its inception, postings to the campuswide electronic calendar continue to grow. Today, more than 1,200 postings have been added to the calendar.

A few suggestions for using the campus calendar:
• The earlier you post your event to the calendar the better. Even if you don’t have all the details worked out, it is good to get your event posted so others can spot possible conflicts when they are planning their own events.

• Make sure you get changes or cancellations posted as soon as you know about them.

• Use the calendar to plan your event. While it is impossible to avoid all conflicts, it may be possible to avoid major conflicts that reduce the effectiveness for everyone.

To see the list of persons who have the ability to post to the calendar, go to http://www.pittstate.edu/ois/CampusCalendar/submit.htm

Recent Headlines:

Outstanding faculty
Because we work with them, we know how great they are. Congratulations Pitt State Outstanding Faculty 2007: Brenda LeTendre, Tysha Potter and Mark Peterson.
http://www.pittstate.edu/spotlight/

PSU/Fort Scott Agreement
Fort Scott Community College President James Miesner and PSU President Tom Bryant sign an agreement that formalizes details of the successful shared campus agreement.
http://pittnews.blogspot.com/2007/03/psu-fort-scott-community-college-sign.html

Women of the Kansas Balkans
The observance of Women’s History Month begins with a presentation on “Women of the Kansas Balkans” by Randy Roberts, Special Collections.
http://pittnews.blogspot.com/2007/03/women-of-kansas-balkans.html

Safe Spring Break
With spring break now just a week away, Gorillas in Your Midst, joins the chorus of folks urging students to ‘be safe’ while they’re having fun.
http://pittnews.blogspot.com/2007/03/groups-plan-safe-spring-break-message.html

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Faculty/Staff 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.

Service
James AuBuchon – special assistant to the president and recently retired vice president for University Advancement, has been appointed by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to a group that will develop the Kansas Long Range Transportation Plan. He will serve on a ‘topical working group’ that will consider funding and finance for the state’s transportation needs. That working group will begin meeting later this month.

“It is an honor to serve on the funding and finance group and assist in the development of the Kansas Long Range Transportation Plan,” AuBuchon said. “I am pleased that the governor and secretary of transportation have confidence in me to play a constructive role in this process.”

Alumni, faculty/staff, & students in the news
Jim Press, PSU alum who is now president of Toyota Motor North America, visited with National Public Radio this week about what makes his company tick.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7770265

Jack Overman, PSU alum & former student center director, talks about opening day of trout season at Roaring River State Park in a feature story in the Joplin Globe.
http://www.joplinglobe.com/homepage/local_story_057005942.html?keyword=leadpicturestory

Cindy Ford, Biology, uses the wildlife habitat that she and husband, Steve, to explore a pilot curriculum for environmental education.
http://www.morningsun.net/stories/022407/local_20070224003.shtml

---Pitt State---

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Womble) — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 14:56:00 +0000

Insight Online
Feb. 23, 2007
Do you have news you would like included in Insight? Drop us a line (kwomble@pittstate.edu). It helps to put 'Insight' in the subject line of your e-mail. The next issue is scheduled for March 9.

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/1sta ppleday.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.blogspo t.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---

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Womble) — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 20:21:00 +0000

Insight Online
Feb. 9, 2007
Family ties pull Hardin south
Never underestimate the power of family ties. It is that desire to be nearer to family that finally persuaded Russ Hardin to retire from his post as dean of the Kelce College of Business and accept a position as chairman of the Accounting Department at the University of South Alabama in Mobile.

“Our whole family lives in the South,” Hardin said in the soft accent that confirms his roots. “The drive to see parents will be five to six hours as opposed to 16.”

Hardin said leaving Pittsburg State will be bittersweet because he has been happy here. Hardin said he knew he would like it here from his first campus visit.

“Pittsburg State University is the best organization I’ve ever worked for,” Hardin said. “I had other offers, but I chose Pitt State because all of the faculty, staff and students I met during my interview were so friendly. It was evident that this university is people and student oriented.”

Hardin joined the PSU family as a professor in the Department of Accounting in 1997. He served as director of the MBA program from 1998 until 2001 and as chairman of the Department of Accounting from 2001 until 2002. He became dean of the college in 2002.

Hardin received both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Appalachian State University and a Ph.D. in accountancy from the University of Mississippi. Before coming to PSU, Hardin taught and had administrative responsibilities at Spartanburg (S.C.) Technical College, and Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, N.C. He and his wife, Judy, have two daughters: Melinda and Emili.

The past five years have been good years for the College of Business, Hardin said.

“We have been able to hire some very good faculty,” Hardin said. “I was very happy to be able to establish the first Faculty of Distinction position (a program administered by the Board of Regents that encourages gifts by private donors to enhance the ability of universities to attract and retain excellent faculty). Right now we have another one in a planned gift and I’m working on two more.”

Hardin said he has devoted a significant amount of time – he estimates about 20 percent -- to fundraising and building relationships with alumni, donors and friends of the college. It is both a necessity and a labor of love for Hardin, who clearly enjoys the interaction with a Pittsburg State community that is increasingly far flung.

With all of these responsibilities, Hardin said, he is proud that he has been able to maintain an active schedule of research, publishing and presenting papers.

“I love to write,” Hardin said, adding that as an accountant, “I’m pretty good at time management.”

Time will go quickly as spring semesters always do, so Hardin is already thinking about the transition from Pittsburg to Mobile. Because he is teaching a class in July, Hardin will not leave his post until the end of July.

Steve Scott, vice president for academic affairs, said that while it is difficult to loose a talented administrator such Hardin, the dean is leaving the college healthy and poised for good things to happen in both the near-term and long-term future.

Vice President Scott said he expects an interim appointment to be made until a search can be conducted at a later time.

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Rec center work continues

If Old Abe seems to be grimacing a bit, it may be because the university has been pinching pennies pretty hard in order to get everything it can into the student recreation center/ANG readiness center now under construction on the east side of campus. Paul Stewart, Facilities Planning, said this week that he is pleased some options in the project that once seemed in peril are now included. One of those is a walking track.

“It just seemed like a very important thing to include in this kind of facility,” Stewart said. “I was very happy we were able to include it.”

Making room for the track was just one facet of an unusually complex project, Stewart said.

“It was a complex bid because it involved two agencies,” Stewart said.

Those agencies are the university and the Kansas Army National Guard. The National Guard will occupy 41,368 square feet of the 98,959-square-foot building. PSU will have the remaining 57,591 square feet. Each agency, Stewart said, had different requirements that affected both the bid and the bidding process. In the end, Crossland Construction won with a bid of $14,671,450.

Work on the new building began in the fall and is expected to be completed in the spring of 2008. Stewart said most of the below-ground work was done before recent extreme cold set in, making it possible for construction to continue.

Stewart thinks the campus and community will be pleased with the finished structure, which will house the Departments of Health, Human Performance and Recreation and Military Science as well as the student fitness center. The university’s portion of the building will include three gymnasiums for intramural sports. A fourth gym will be for National Guard use, but will be available for university use at other times.

The fitness center will include a large area for aerobic equipment and free weights as well as the walking track. Large, west-facing windows will brighten the fitness center.

The facility includes offices and classrooms for the academic departments and dedicated space for the three HHPR labs. For the Guard, a library/museum area has been included. The Guard will also share some of the classroom space.

Stewart said the building was designed with its purpose of shared space and function in mind. The entrance, which will face northwest, will lead into a rotunda. From there, traffic can be directed to the fitness center, the academic areas or the National Guard portion of the building.

The building’s modern design will complement the portion of the campus that includes the Kansas Technology Center and the Veterans Memorial, Stewart said. He added that the materials chosen for the building were selected with both long-term maintenance and visual appeal in mind. Pre-finished concrete, painted steel panels and glass will make up the exterior.

While the work on the building continues, efforts are underway to identify private funding to furnish the fitness center, according to John Patterson, vice president for Campus Life and Administration. Patterson said this time will also be use to create specific use policies and hours of operation.

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Friends of Axe to hold Children’s Book Festival March 31

The Friends of the Leonard H. Axe Library will hold its second annual Children’s Book Festival from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 31 in the east lobby of the Weede Physical Education Building. Proceeds from the event are used to support a wide variety of projects for library improvement.

The Children’s Book Festival is held in conjunction with the annual Young Authors’ Conference. Authors from the United States, Australia and England have donated samples of their work for the festival. Most of them are signed and many are decorated with a small drawing or a note.

For example, Jeff Weigel, the author of the “Atomic Ace” comic book series not only gave two of his books for the festival, but also two very precisely drawn samples of his art work on the lining papers.

Other works in the festival include a number of picture books that appeal to youngsters such as “The Old Woman Who Lived in a Vinegar Bottle,” about a greedy old lady who gets a very nice wish from a fairy, but exasperates her benefactor by continually “trading up.” “A Sea of Words” is an ABC book about the deep blue sea with beautiful illustrations of clownfish, anglerfish, barracudas and other colorful denizens of the ocean.

There are also many wonderful books for middle school and high school readers, such as “Lorenzo and the Turncoat,” involving exciting adventure in colonial New Orleans at the time of the American Revolution, or “Bridging Beyond,” in which a troubled teenager dreams of a near-death experience. Comedies in the festival include works such as “Amelia Bedelia’s Family Album,” in which the world’s most literal maid introduces a gaggle of equally literal relatives. “Time Bomb,” tells the story of four misfit youngsters in 1949 London who find an unexploded bomb and keep it a secret, with disastrous results. Among the non fiction books is “Colonial America,” part of the “Making a New Nation” series, has beautiful period illustrations.

Since the organization’s creation in 1988, the Friends of Axe Library has planned and supported many projects for library improvement, including purchases of furniture, films and books, organization of numerous lectures and an art exhibition and publication of a guidebook about the history of the campus, which is now in its second edition.

Organizers of the Children’s Book Festival say that as an added incentive, the books for sale are not only signed, but discounted 25 percent.

For information about 2007 projects of the Friends of Axe Library, check the latest edition of their newsletter, “A Chat Between Friends,” at http://library/friends/newsletter/2007_spr_chat.pdf.

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News Briefs:

Making blankets for kids
In the iconic Charlie Brown cartoon series, Linus derives great comfort from his ever-present blanket. The PSU Civil Service Club hopes to share some of that feeling of security by participating in “Project Linus,” an effort to make and share blankets with children who are ill or otherwise in need of a little extra TLC. The group is sponsoring a Valentine’s Day party and blanket-making time from 1:30-2:30 p.m. on Feb. 14 in 101 Whitesitt Hall.

Jeannice Parker, Career Services, said that while this is a Civil Service Club project, everyone on campus is invited to attend and help out. Parker said the club has purchased enough materials to make two blankets and the Pittsburg Wal-Mart has donated additional materials.

Project Linus is a national volunteer movement. It was begun in 1996 for the purpose of providing “love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans.”

Parker said she hopes this event leads to the establishment of a local chapter of Project Linus that can work with local law enforcement and social services agencies as well as Mt. Carmel Medical Center to provide blankets for children.

In addition to refreshments, door prizes will also be given at the Pitt State blanket-making meeting. For information, contact Jeannice Parker at Ext. 4144, jparker@pittstate.edu.

For information about Project Linus, visit their Web site:
www.projectlinus.org

Gibson sponsors room makeover
It may be only a few square feet, but Campus Dining Services knows that even a typical residence hall room could use a little expert help or even a complete makeover. Students will get daily tips and advice on ways to make their personal spaces more attractive and more functional during the “Your Room on a Dime” promotion Feb. 19-23. In addition, students will be invited to vote with their spare change in the “My Room is a Disaster” contest. The winners of that dubious honor will receive a little help transforming their rooms with a gift card from Home Depot.

Michael Wonderly, Sodexho resident dining manager, said the contest is designed to be both fun and educational for the residence hall students who eat in Gibson Dining Hall regularly. Wonderly said that Dining Services plans promotions both as a way of making the dining experience new and interesting for the regular diners and also to introduce others on campus to what the dining hall has to offer.

For more information about “Your Room on a Dime” or other campus dining events, contact Michael Wonderly at Ext. 4996, wonderly@pittstate.edu.

Kansas RAs gather at PSU
About 100 residence hall assistants, the unsung heroes of student housing, will gather on the Pittsburg State University campus Feb. 23-24. The RAs represent all of the state universities and Washburn and will be at PSU for the Kansas Association of Residence Assistants (KARA) meeting.

Justin Frederick, University Housing, said the RAs will participate in a variety of learning sessions on Feb. 24. They will share ideas about programming, diversity and ways to build a sense of community among students who live on campus.

All of the sessions will be in Russ Hall, Frederick said. The meeting will conclude with a banquet and awards ceremony in the Crimson and Gold Ballroom and a dance in Dellinger Underground.

Gordon trained to present global warming documentary
David Gordon, Biology, was recently trained by former Vice President Al Gore and his team of scientists and educators to present his version of “An Inconvenient Truth,” Gore’s recent documentary and book on the global warming crisis.

Gordon was one of 800 people chosen out of more than 2,000 applicants. He attended the fifth and last training session of 200 people, which took place Jan. 8-10 in Nashville, Tenn.

After “An Inconvenient Truth” was released, Gore formed the Climate Project, a grass roots organization to recruit and train a team of responsible and motivated individuals to present a modified version of his presentation about global warming, chronicled in the film. Gore’s goal is to deploy these messengers throughout the U.S. – and eventually in other countries – to actively promote presentations to educate and energize the public to take action on global warming solutions. Their short-term goal is to educate 1 million people in the next 12 months with the global warming message.

“When I saw the movie last summer,” Gordon said, “I noticed that most people in the audience were not aware of the extent of the problem and I was surprised because I teach the same things in my ecology course. Gore’s presentation articulates the evidence very well and the visual aids are very impressive. I feel very fortunate to have been chosen to participate in The Climate Project and look forward making the presentation throughout the Four State Region.”

Gordon will be ready to begin making these presentations by the end of February. Presentations generally take about an hour, but can be tailored to time frames from 30 minutes to two hours. He is interested in speaking to parents, high schools and students, religious institutions, community associations, town officials, PTAs and other organizations. To schedule a presentation, call Ext. 4735 or e-mail him at dgordon@pittstate.edu (be sure to put climate project or global warming talk in the subject heading). More information is available at Gordon’s Web site http://mail.pittstate.edu/~dgordon/, which can be accessed through the Biology Department home page at Pittsburg State University.

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In Other News:
Spring Career Day draws a record number of companies
http://pittnews.blogspot.com/2007/02/space-premium-at-spring-career-day.html

Allegro Trio to perform for Solo & Chamber Series
http://pittnews.blogspot.com/2007/02/trio-next-on-chamber-music-series.html

Play targets violence against women
http://pittnews.blogspot.com/2007/02/play-targets-violence-against-women.html

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Faculty news
Conferences/Meetings:
Wayne Busby (Social Sciences) will present two papers in March at the Image of Violence conference in Colorado Springs, Colo. The papers are entitled: "Insecurity and Violence" and "Insecurity: An Analysis."

Kathryn Richard and Tammie Hawkins (KSBDC/BTI) participated in the Kansas Small Business Development Center's Legislative Day on January 24 in Topeka, where they met with many of the area legislators.

Cynthia Woodburn (Math) attended the national joint mathematics meetings Jan 5 - 8 in New Orleans. Woodburn gave a presentation, "Proofs, Equivalence Classes and Groups Sudoku-Style," during a special session on “Mathematics of Sudoku and Other Puzzles.”

David Miles and Lindy Thomsen (Wood Technology) staffed a PSU information booth at the Kansas City Woodworking Show in Overland Park February 2-4. The primary purpose was to recruit new students from the Kansas City area into the Wood Technology Program and the College of Technology at Pittsburg State. Mike Cline (graduate assistant) assisted. Miles and Thomsen reported that the crowd for this year’s show was much larger than last year’s and they shared information with large numbers of high school students, teachers, counselors and administrators. Many PSU alumni stopped by the booth, as well.

Julia Spresser (HHPR) presented "Zumba: High-Low Latin Aerobics - Fire Up Your Workouts” at the AAHPERD SW and NW District conference held in Reno, Nev., on Friday, January 26.

David Gordon (Biology) presented a poster at the Entomological Society of America's annual meeting Dec. 10-13 in Indianapolis, Ind. The poster presentation was entitled “Overwintering Mortality of Brood of Megachile wheeleri Mitchell (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) a Ground-Nesting Leafcutter Bee in Coastal Dunes of Northern California.”

Publications/Performances:
Kenny McDougle (Curriculum and Instruction) had "The History of Student Teaching from 1800-1950" published in the spring 2007 issue of “The Advocate.”

Stephen Meats (English) was the featured poet on the Oct. 10, 2006, broadcast of “Shoptalk,” a monthly series featuring Kansas poets that is broadcast from Kansas State University to Telenet sites around the state. “Shoptalk” is a discussion about poetry writing with Kansas Poet Laureate Jonathan Holden.

Frank Miller (Curriculum & Instruction) recently had an article, "Kindergartners and Worksheets - Not a Good Match," published in “Hand-In-Hand,” a publication of the Kansas Association for the Education of Young Children.

Rebekah Heath (Accounting) had an article, "A Re-examination of the Effect of Job-Relevant Information on the Budgetary Participation - Job Performance Relation During An Age of Employee Empowerment," published in the 1st Quarter 2007 issue of the “Journal of Applied Business Research.” In addition, she had an article, "Are Certified Accountants Working in Industry More Ethical than Other Managers: An Evaluation of Moral Intention During the Annual Budgeting Process," published in the Fall/Winter 2006 issue of the “Journal of Business and Economic Perspectives.”

Robert Kehle (Music) performed as principal trombone with the Springfield Symphony on Feb. 10.

Suzanne Arruda (Biology) has had her second mystery novel published by NAL. “Stalking Ivory” is a sequel to the mystery, “Mark Of The Lion,” which has been nominated for best historical mystery, by Romantic Times Magazine. Both are set in East Africa just after WWI. For excerpts and information, visit www.suzannearruda.com.

Service/Teaching:
Charles Heath (Mid-America Certified Development Company, a division of BTI) and Rebekah Heath (Accounting) are acting as co-directors of the College of Business' Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program for the current tax filing season. Students volunteer their time to prepare tax returns for fellow students as well as low-income individuals from the community.

Stephen Meats (English) served on an academic program review team for the English Department at Texas State University, October 26-27.

Mark Johnson and Robert Schwindt (Technology Management) presented a supervisor and team development workshop to city administrators for the City of Parsons on Jan. 18. On Jan. 26, Johnson presented a workshop for the Lansing High School business education classes on parliamentary procedure and team event preparation. On Feb. 20, he will present a team development workshop for the Labette County High School Chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America at the Parsons Recreation Center. On Feb. 21, he will present a session entitled "Incorporating the Skills Employers Want into Classroom Instruction" at the Connecting Education and Employment Conferences sponsored by the Kansas Board of Regents at the Wichita Airport Hilton.

Julia Spresser (HHPR) and a student, Mike Province, are teaching physical activities at George Nettles Elementary School’s after-school program in February and March.

Susan Johns-Smith (Axe Library) made the following presentations: "Three Peas in a Pod: Policy, Process, Product : Evaluating the 8.0 Horizon Product," presented to the SCODI (Southwest Customers of Dynix, Inc.), February 2, Dallas, Texas; and "Waiting for Godot: How to while away the time between now and your migration go-live," at the 17th annual CODI conference, Oct. 4-6 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Womble) — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 22:22:00 +0000

Insight Online
Welcome to a new semester and to a revamped edition of Insight, the newsletter for Pittsburg State University faculty and staff.

This issue of Insight is the latest iteration of a publication that has gone through a number of changes over the years. For most of its life, Insight has been a print publication, requiring considerable investments in both time and paper. In recent years, we adapted the print publication to the Web, but it remained essentially a print publication that was available for download online -- still more paper, but it was your paper, should you choose to print it out, and not ours. With the beginning of the spring semester, Insight becomes truly an online newsletter. We hope you find the online Insight more timely and more interesting and that any trade offs between print and online are more than made up for in timeliness and newsworthiness.

The new Insight will be simpler and it will be more frequent. Every other Friday during the academic year you will get an e-mail to notify you that the new Insight has been posted. If there is breaking news between publications, we'll let you know about that, too.

Some of the content, such as faculty news about presentations, meetings and conferences, research, publications, performances, achievements and awards, will remain the same. We hope to add some new things, as well, such as faculty, students and alumni in the news.

We understand that the transition from one technology to a new one can be difficult, especially when it involves something as fundamental as how we get information. Although we hope and believe you will like Insight online, our office will monitor the campus response to determine whether a printed publication of some kind is still needed.

We welcome your suggestions, your contributions and your story ideas. Please send them to kwomble@pittstate.edu and be sure to put the word "Insight" in the subject line. The next issue of Insight is scheduled for Feb. 9.

Ron Womble

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Inside:

Lee Christensen retirement
Junior Jungle Day rescheduled
Toward a greener future
Pool Hours
Richards, Polston are calendar girls
Class Act
Campus Shots
Faculty, staff news
Faculty, staff & students in the news
Alumni in the news

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Christensen ‘blessed’ by PSU experience

When Lee Christensen thinks about his 39 years at PSU, the word “blessed” comes to mind. Christensen has announced his intention to retire at the end of the fiscal year and he believes he is very fortunate to have spent nearly his entire academic career at Pittsburg State.

“I feel blessed to have had the privilege of working with young people and with such good and talented staff,” Christensen said.

Christensen, a native Iowan, earned a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree and a Ph.D. from Iowa State University. Before coming to Pittsburg as the director of admissions in 1968, Christensen taught ninth grade biology for a year and was assistant to the dean of students at ISU for a year.

“I was offered the position the day I interviewed on campus,” Christensen recalled, noting that the search process was very different in those times.

In 1971, Christensen became registrar and was succeeded as director of admission by Jim Parker. In 2004, he was named associate vice president for academic programs.

Over the years, Christensen said, he has had the pleasure of knowing many memorable people at PSU. Most notable on that list is Christensen’s wife, Sandra Greer.

“Sandra came here in ’71,” Christensen said. “She came that fall and we were married a year and a half later. She came out of Georgia and I came out of Iowa and we made a life in Kansas.”

Among the others on Christensen’s long list of memorable colleagues are people like long-time administrator Ray Baird.

“Dr. Baird became a good friend and mentor,” Christensen said. “He is the epitome of a good registrar and a good, solid academic person.”

Much at the university has changed over Christensen’s 39 years, including its name. It was Kansas State College of Pittsburg when he arrived.

“The physical campus has changed dramatically,” Christensen said. “Several new buildings have been built in the time I have been here. Some have gone away, as well, and several have been renovated. The campus is a much more beautiful place today.”

Christensen said he believes the university is stronger academically and has a better reputation among its peers and in the state and region.

The biggest change that Christensen has seen involves the use of technology to serve students. Christensen recalled that during enrollment, lines of students would snake from the second floor of Porter Library, down the stairs, out the front door and all the way back to the front door of the student center.

“We had rapid growth and the old systems that had worked for so long just weren’t working anymore,” Christensen said.

He noted that Pittsburg State University has been a leader in the state in adopting technology to serve the students. He pointed to online enrollment, student advisement, automated transcripts and automated degree auditing as areas in which Pittsburg State has been a leader in the state.

While he has seen a great deal of change, Christensen said some core things remain constant.

“When I meet alumni,” Christensen said, “I am struck by the strong affection they have for this university. There are many loyal and strong alumni across the country who have done very well in no small part because of the education they received at Pittsburg State University. The children of southeast Kansas have benefited greatly because of this university.”

Although he will be leaving the university after June 15, Christensen said he and Sandra plan to continue to live in the Pittsburg home where they raised their children, Henrik and Greer. Christensen said he is keeping his options open as to his plans following retirement, but he knows that travel will be on the list.

“Sandra (who retired as chairperson of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction four years ago) and I both love to travel and I am looking forward to having the freedom to do so,” Christensen said. “It will be nice not having to schedule our trips around the university calendar.”

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Planning for a greener future

A campuswide group is helping point the university toward a greener future. The University Committee on Energy and Resource Conservation (UCERC) has begun working on a plan to help Pittsburg State reduce energy usage, conserve resources, maintain a safe and healthy campus environment and establish the practice of energy and resource conservation in individuals as a personal way of life.

That’s a pretty tall order, acknowledges Steve Erwin, Campus Life and Auxiliary Services. Erwin, along with Jim Triplett, Biology, chairs the committee.

“We recently had a half-day retreat to begin looking at the issues and planning how we might begin addressing them,” Erwin said.

Erwin said the list of issues is very broad. The committee recognized immediately, he said, that one thing that could be implemented rapidly would be a campuswide recycling effort. The group is working on that plan now and expects to be able to launch it later this spring.

While recycling may seem like a relatively straightforward plan, the committee quickly determined that the ‘devil is in the details.’ For example, What materials could and should be recycled? How should recyclable materials be collected on campus and who should be responsible? Why kind of space will need to be allocated for recycling and what equipment will need to be acquired?

Recycling is just the beginning, Erwin said. There are a host of other, even more complicated issues that the committee will be examining in the future. A Web site has been created to keep the campus updated. Click on http://www.pittstate.edu/erc/ for the latest.

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Junior Jungle Day rescheduled
The average high temperature for March 10 in Pittsburg is 56 degrees. That may be one reason the Office of Admission has rescheduled Junior Jungle Day for March 10. Massive amounts of ice, sleet and snow caused the office to cancel the event on Jan. 15, which several hundred high school juniors and their families had plannedd to attend.

Heather Eckstein, Admission, said a hardy family from Olathe and another from Ohio actually made it to campus. The Ohioans arrived on Sunday, Eckstein said, and were able to tag along with some of the international orientation groups. They were impressed with the extra effort that people on campus made to accommodate them, particularly in the KTC where their son is thinking of a major.

The schedule for Junior Jungle Day on March 10 will be the same as was planned for Jan. 15. For the Junior Jungle Day schedule, go to http://www.pittstate.edu/admit/JuniorJungleDay.html on the Admission Office Web site.

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Help with your New Year’s resolution
For all of us still clinging to the hope of keeping our New Year’s resolution, Aquatics Director Jenny Layden reminds us that the swimming pool in the Weede PE Building is available to the campus community.

Hours are:

Monday - Fridays
6:30 - 7:30 a.m.
12:00 noon to 1:00 pm
3:30 - 5:30 pm

Mondays & Thursdays
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.

Saturdays & Sundays
1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

The pool is closed for all home volleyball, football, & basketball games. The pool is also closed during severe weather. If you have any questions about the hours or the swimming pool in general, please contact Jenny Layden at Ext. 4987.

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Richard, Polston are calendar girls
Kathryn Richard, SBDC; and Diana Polston, Intercollegiate Athletics, are “calendar girls.” Richard and Polston are featured in the Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce’s “Women of Distinction” 2007 calendar, which is now available at the Chamber of Commerce office, 117 W. Fourth.

The calendar honors women for both their professional and community accomplishments. In addition to photos and biographies of the 12 women selected, the calendar includes events scheduled throughout the year.

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Class Act
In the fall, a new newsletter for classified employes was launched. Class Act will be published quarterly and a new issue will be coming out soon. These are available online at:
http://www.pittstate.edu/csen/ClassActnews.pdf

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Campus shots
Pictures this week from PSU Photographic Services (These shots are by GA Carla Wehmeyer)

Despite the ice and snow, there seemed to be plenty of smiles as students moved back into the residence halls and another spring semester got underway.

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Faculty, staff news:
Faculty and staff news has always been an important part of Insight. Send us your news for this section.

Conferences/Meetings

Publications/Research & Performance

Honors & Achievements

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Faculty, staff and students in the news:
Faculty, staff and students who have made recent headlines:

Student work makes magazine cover
The work of some PSU Wood Technology students made the cover of an important trade magazine recently. A unique wooden bench the students designed was featured on the cover of "Second Wave," a magazine published by the Composite Panel Association for architects, interior designers, builders, specifiers and fabricators of panel-based products.

A feature story in the magazine described the students' unique solution to a challenging design problem in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s (HHMI) Janelia Farm Research Campus in historic Loudon County, Va.

To see a pdf version of the magazine, click on the link below.

http://www.pbmdf.com/CPA30/files/ccLibraryFiles/Filename/000000000615/2W19.pdf

Second Wave

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Alumni in the news
Wondering what your former students are up to these days? These PSU alumni recently rated headlines:

James Spigarelli
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City-based Alternative Energy Sources, Inc., has named James Spigarelli to its board of directors. Spigarelli, who is president and CEO Midwest Research Institute in Kansas City, has both bachelor's and master's degrees in chemistry from PSU. He has a doctorate in chemistry from Kansas State.

Spigarelli leads a staff of 1,800 scientists and other professionals at MRI who conduct research in nearly 50 disciplines of science and technology. He oversees renewable fuels energy research at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo., part of the U.S. Department of Energy. MRI has managed and operated the lab since its inception in 1977.

Alternative Energy Sources is in the process of raising $660 million to build three Midwestern ethanol plants.

Kansas City Business Journal

Jane Crane
SPOKANE, Wash.- Potlatch Corporation (NYSE:PCH) has announced the appointment of Jane Crane as vice president, human resources. Crane holds a bachelor of science degree in business administration from PSU and an MBA from the University of South Dakota. Crane most recently served as the human resources vice president and general manager for UNOCAL's North American operations, and has held senior human resource positions at Sierra Pacific Resources and ARCO.

The Business Wire

Frank Elliott
OSAWATOMIE, Kan. – Frank Elliott, a retired counselor at Osawatomie High School, was named a Distinguished Kansan in the field of education for 2006 by the Topeka Capital-Journal. Elliott spent almost his entire career at Osawatomie High School and is credited with helping the school’s endowed scholarship fund grow to more than $1 million. Elliott received a bachelor’s degree in business education from Pitt State and master’s and education specialist degrees in counseling from Emporia State.

Topeka Capital-Journal

Doug Bleam

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Doug Bleam has joined COMDOC’s senior management team as chief financial officer (CFO) and vice president for finance and administration. Bleam has more than 24 years’ experience in accounting, auditing, operations, and management. A CPA, Bleam earned a bachelor of science degree in accounting from Pittsburg State.

Headquartered in Savannah, COMDOC is one of the nation’s largest privately owned and managed document imaging and network services companies.

COMDOC

Lynn Stalnaker
LARAMIE, Wyo. - Lynn Stalnaker is the new dean at Laramie County Community College in Laramie, Wyo. Stalnaker received bachelor’s and master's degrees in education from Pittsburg State and a PhD from Kansas State. The LCCC satellite campus in Laramie opened at its present location in January 2006. LCCC has grown at a rate of about 10 to 12 percent per semester in recent years.

Laramie Boomerang