K-Statement

 

RHODES SCHOLAR ALUM TO LEAD GREEN INITIATIVES Rhodes scholar alum to lead green initiatives K-State adminstrators are encouraging the campus to go green. To provide university-wide leadership of these initiatives, Ben Champion, a 2002 K-State graduate and Rhodes scholar, is returning to campus. He will fill the new position of director of sustainability. "Ben will provide leadership for sustainability efforts and be the spokesperson for K-State's initiatives in this area," said Tom Rawson, vice president for administration and finance. Champion will oversee existing programs such as campus recycling and construction of green buildings on campus. But he also will identify opportunities for new initiatives, help develop curriculum, facilitate interdisciplinary research, work with students and engage the broader community in areas where K-State can be a leader in sustainability. Champion earned bachelor's degrees in chemistry, natural resources and environmental sciences with minors in Spanish and political science in 2002. He is a 2003 Rhodes scholar who in January of this year completed a doctorate in geography at Oxford University, where his topic was sustainable food systems. Champion was a Udall Scholarship winner in 2000. He also was a finalist in the 2002 Truman scholarship competition. He was an environmental director on his residence hall floor and president of Students for Environmental Action at K-State. For information on green activities, visit http://www.k-state.edu/media/webzine/ green/index.html   NOTEWORTHY   Fred Fairchild presented "Feed Industry Training Then, Now, and What's Next," Stock Feed Manufacturers Council of Australia, April 14, Sydney. More Noteworthy   On Campus May - June   May 22 Last day for exhibit Stan Thornton, master's student in fine arts. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Kemper Art Gallery, K-State Student Union. Traffic training TASK-Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities/Traffic Calming, Salina. Contact the Division of Continuing Education Conference Registration Office, 785-532-5569. May 26 Memorial Day University holiday May 28 Beef meet BCI Beef Cattle Welfare Symposium, through May 30. Contact the Division of Continuing Education Conference Registration Office, 785-532-5569. Web page training "Working with CSS in Dreamweaver." 1:30-3 p.m., 202 Fair-child Hall. Free, but registration is required. Go to http://www.k-state.edu/infotech/training/ registration.html June 1 Veterinary conference The 70th Annual Conference for Veterinarians, K-State Student Union, through June 4. Contact the Division of Continuing Education Conference Registration Office, 785-532-5569. June 2 Employee orientation 8:30-10:30 a.m. for classified staff and 9:30-11:30 a.m. for unclassified staff and faculty, 103 Edwards Hall. June 4 Classified Senate Meeting takes place at 12:45 p.m., Union Staterooms 1 and 2.

Call for better cattle care

Treating cattle humanely is not only right, it's also good for producers' bottom line. Dan Thomson leads the Beef Cattle Institute, which is attracting worldwide attention for its International Beef Symposium on Beef Cattle Welfare May 28-30 at K-State. A pre-symposium session will be offered May 28 on cattle welfare through proper handling. Read more

 

Persuasion by the numbers

Would you rather support research for a disease that affects 30,000 Americans a year or one that affects just .01 percent of the population? The numbers represent about the same number of people, but how you answered explains how you understand numerical information, according to Gary Brase. Read more

 

UP CLOSE

Anatomy and the artist

Whether she's creating detailed drawings of an animal's bone structure or helping a researcher design a poster, Mal Hoover has learned patience. Read more

 

PLAUDITS

 

FACULTY MEMBERS EARN PROMOTION, TENURE

Twenty-eight faculty members have been promoted to the rank of full professor and 43 faculty members to the rank of associate professor with tenure. In addition, four faculty have been granted tenure. The promotions in rank and the granting of tenure have been approved by Jon Wefald, K-State president. They go into effect July 1.

Promoted to full professor: Joseph Aistrup, political science; Kevin Blake, geography; William Blankenau, economics; Raju Dandu, engineering technology; Karen DeBres, geography; Torry Dickinson, women's studies; Steven Dritz, diagnostic medicine and pathobiology; Clive Fullagar, psychology; John Grable, family studies and human services; Linda Hoag, family studies and human services; David Hodgson, clinical sciences; Larry Hollis, animal sciences and industry; Rodney Jones, agricultural economics; Emizet Kisangani, political science; Stacy Kovar, accounting; Kyle Mankin, biological and agricultural engineering; Douglas McGregor, mechanical and nuclear engineering; Charles Moore, mathematics; Philip Nel, English; Jerome Nietfeld, diagnostic medicine and pathobiology; Wendy Ornelas, associate dean, College of Architecture, Planning and Design; Robert Peterman, civil engineering; Candice Shoemaker, horticulture, forestry and recreation resources; Paul Smith, chemistry; Greg Spaulding, engineering technology; Scott Staggenborg, agronomy; Diane Swanson, management; and Richard Zajac, arts, sciences and business.

Promoted to associate professor with tenure: Sajid Alavi, grain science and industry; David Allen, elementary education; Torben Amtoft, computing and information sciences; Barbara Anderson, apparel, textiles and interior design; Lance Bachmeier, economics; Tara Baillargeon, library; Larry Bowne, architecture; LeAnn Brazeal, speech communication, theater and dance; Bonnie Bressers, journalism and mass communications; Liang-Wu Cai, mechanical and nuclear engineering; Mary Cain, psychology; Bongsug Chae, management; Delores Chambers, human nutrition; Michael Chilton, management; Kristan Corwin, physics; Elizabeth Davis, clinical sciences and anatomy and physiology; Erick DeWolf, plant pathology; Sunanda Dissanayake, civil engineering; Suzanne Dubnicka, statistics; Asad Esmaeily, civil engineering; Philip Gayle, economics; Jason Griffin, horticulture, forestry and recreation resources; Fred Guzek, arts, sciences and business; Derek Hillard, modern languages; Joann Kouba, animal sciences and industry; Kimberly Kramer, architectural engineering and construction science; Meena Kumari, anatomy and physiology; Brent Maner, history; John Paul Michaud, entomology; Nancy Morrow, art; Balasubramaniam Natarajan, electrical and computer engineering. David Ollington, speech communication, theater and dance; Yoonseong Park, entomology; Lorena Passarelli, biology; Mohan Ramaswamy, K-State Libraries; Thomas Schermerhorn, clinical sciences; Sheri Smith, landscape architecture and regional and community planning; Kimberly Staples, elementary education; Alysia Starkey, K-State Libraries-Salina; Jaebeom Suh, marketing; Daniel Thomson, clinical sciences; Craig Weston, music; and Ludek Zurek, entomology.

Granted tenure: Chairat Chuwonganant, finance; Margaret Kaus, K-State Libraries; Teresa Miller, educational leadership; and Michelle Turvey-Welch, K-State Libraries.

 

 

POINTS OF PRIDE BRI is first designated training facility The Biosecurity Research Institute has become the National Biosafety and Biocontainment Training Program's first designated training facility in the nation. A plaque illustrating the BRI's new designation was unveiled May 1. Besides representatives from K-State, the National Institutes of Health and the Frontline Healthcare Workers Safety Foundation Ltd., also represented were the city of Manhattan, the Kansas Bioscience Authority and U.S. Sens. Pat Roberts and Sam Brownback. "When the BRI was designed, we knew it wouldn't be enough to build a facility focused exclusively on research needs," said Ron Trewyn, vice president for research. "Those charged with performing the research and working in the facility must also be adequately prepared to conduct their tasks in a safe manner."

 

 

OH, BY THE WAY

 

SALINA AIDS UNMANNED AIRCRAFT PROGRAM

The city of Salina has approved a $100,000 Salina Economic Development Incentives Council grant for K-State at Salina to establish an unmanned aircraft systems program office.

As part of K-State's Applied Aviation Research Center, the unmanned aircraft systems program office will work with local, state and federal officials, along with private contractors, to establish protocols, policies and procedures for safe unmanned aircraft operations in the state of Kansas.

"This will help secure K-State at Salina's place as a national leader in unmanned aircraft systems development," said Dennis Kuhlman, dean.

The office will train pilots, perform flight planning for unmanned operations and evaluate civilian operators on behalf of the Kansas National Guard's Smoky Hill Weapons Range.

K-State at Salina collaborated with the Salina Airport Authority and the National Guard's Great Plains Joint Regional Training Center on the economic development initiative.

A.Q. MILLER JOURNALISM SCHOOL RE-ACCREDITED

The A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications has been re-accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications. The Council met May 2 in Arlington, Va., and voted unanimously in favor of re-accreditation.

"Our goal is to make this school one of the best in the nation, and re-accreditation brings us that much closer to our goal," said Angela Powers, director of the school. "The faculty, students and staff of the school have accomplished a great deal, and I'm pleased that the accrediting council agrees we meet all national standards."

The Council reported that the school passed all nine of the council's standards, including curriculum, diversity, research and student services.

The council accredits 110 schools of journalism across the country. Eighteen programs were evaluated this year, and only five of those programs, including the Miller School, were found in complete compliance.

 

OPPORTUNITIES CLASSIFIED • A recording of classified job opportunities is available 24 hours a day on the Employment Information Line, 785-532-6271. • A list of employment opportunities is posted at www.k-state.edu/hr/ • For additional information, call 785-532-6277 or come to the Division of Human Resources in 103 Edwards Hall. Applications are accepted 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. weekdays. UNCLASSIFIED • A complete listing of vacancies can be seen at www.k-state.edu/affact/ • For additional information, call the office of affirmative action at 785-532-6220 or come by 214 Anderson Hall.