K-Statement

 

NEW DEANS NAMED The interim deans of K-State's Graduate School and Division of Continuing Education have earned regular appointments to their respective positions from M. Duane Nellis, K-State senior vice president and provost. "Given the extraordinary financial times we are facing this coming year and the uncertainty of the financial situation beyond next year, I requested that we cancel the national searches for new deans and appoint Carol Shanklin as dean of the Graduate School and Sue C. Maes as dean of Continuing Education," Nellis said. "Both Drs. Shanklin and Maes, who were appointed as interim deans following internal searches at K-State, have been performing their duties in an exemplary fashion and have a true understanding of the difficult economic times ahead." Shanklin and Maes were each appointed to three-year terms. Shanklin, pictured at left, a veteran administrator and educator in food service and dietetics, was appointed acting dean of the Graduate School in August 2007 and interim dean in October 2007. Maes, pictured at right, an expert in new academic programs and fostering institutional collaboration, has served as interim dean of the Division of Continuing Education since July 2008.   NOTEWORTHY   Kate Stenske, clinical sciences, will present "Feline Upper Respiratory Infections: Sneezes, Sniffles, and Snots, Oh My!" Western Veterinary Conference, Feb. 16, Las Vegas, Nev. More Noteworthy   On Campus - Jan. - Feb.   Jan. 30-31 Film: 'W' Showings at 8 p.m., Jan. 30, and at 7 and 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 31. Forum Hall, K-State Student Union. (There will be an additional showing at 8 p.m. Feb. 1.) Jan. 31 Russian National Ballet Theatre: Ballet's Greatest Moments As part of the McCain Performance Series, stars of the Bolshoi and Kirov Ballets along with other leading dancers from across Russia will perform stunning scenes from The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Cinderella, Carmen, and more. 7:30 p.m., McCain Auditorium. Feb. 4 Classified senate meeting 12:45 p.m., K-State Student Union Staterooms 1 and 2. Feb. 5-7 and 11-14 Theater: 'Intimate Apparel' K-State Theatre joins with Ebony Theatre for a production of Lynn Nottage's critically acclaimed, Intimate Apparel. The story, set in Manhattan in 1905, revolves around Esther who sews intimate apparel for a variety of clients. She hopes to one day open a beauty parlor. When she searches for a love of her own, she finds it long distance with a stranger that compromises her dreams. 7:30 p.m., Nichols Theatre. Call 532-6428 for ticket information. Feb. 7 Child piano prodigy Conrad Tao will perform at 7:30 p.m., in McCain Auditorium as part of the McCain Performance Series. For ticket information call 532-6428. Feb. 9 'Connecting the Dots at K-State: Sustainability, Food Systems and Nonviolence. As part of the 2009 Season of Nonviolence, Rhonda Janke, professor of sustainable agriculture, will talk about how the local food system supports nonviolence every day. 7 p.m., Little Theatre, K-State Student Union. Feb. 10 'Favorite Food Books: Talk and Tasting' As part of the 2009 Season for Nonviolence, Carol Barta will lead a discussion about food systems authors such as Barbara Kingsolver and Michael Pollan. A local dessert will be served. 7-8:30 p.m., Manhattan Public Library auditorium. Feb. 11 eID deadline Today is the deadline for changing passwords on K-State eIDs for spring 2009. See the Password FAQs and change your password in your eProfile.

Creative solutions

Calling the current state budget crisis "unprecedented times," several K-State administrators have been meeting with faculty, staff and students across campus since summer to discuss the university's financial position. Read more

 

Making healthy decisions

What parents make available for their children to eat can contribute to an obesity-prone home food environment, according to researchers at K-State. Read more

 

UP CLOSE

Nurturing nature

When looking to take in a little nature, most would probably head for the nearest prairie or hiking trail. No need, according to K-State's Ted Cable. All you need to do is look out the window. Read more

 

 

PLAUDITS

 

WALTON HONORED IN WHITE HOUSE CEREMONY

Krista Walton, assistant professor of chemical engineering at K-State, recently received a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the nation's highest honor for professionals at the outset of their independent scientific research careers.

Walton and 14 other scholars, nominated by the U.S. Department of Defense, were recognized in White House ceremonies Dec. 19, receiving their awards from President George W. Bush. Each scholar receives $200,000 a year for five years to support their research.

The award was established in 1996 to honor the most promising researchers in the nation within their field.

A recognized scientific contributor in adsorption science and technology, Walton holds a bachelor's degree in chemical and materials engineering from the University of Alabama-Huntsville and a Ph.D. in chemical engineering in 2005 from Vanderbilt University. She worked as an American Chemical Society Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Northwestern University, as well as a graduate research assistant and IBM Fellow at Vanderbilt University. As part of her NASA-sponsored graduate research, she designed a novel adsorption separation system for producing oxygen in the Mars in situ resource utilization project.

She joined the chemical engineering faculty at K-State in 2006 as the Tim and Sharon Taylor Assistant Professor.

PAZ RECEIVES COMMERCE PRESIDENTIAL AWARD FOR PROMOTING DIVERSITY AT K-STATE

Rebeca Paz, coordinator of the PILOTS Program, received the Commerce Bank Presidential Faculty/Staff Award for Distinguished Services to Historically Underrepresented Students Jan. 20. The award was established in 1978 to recognize outstanding individual contributions to the development of high-quality education for students of color at K-State. It includes a plaque and $2,500.

K-State accounting student Careem Gladney also received the Commerce Bank Presidential Award for Enhancing Multiculturalism.

PICTURE PERFECT Early morning majesty The moon hangs in the early morning sky behind Anderson Hall. Whether you need candid shots for departmental publications, or a professional head shot, contact university photographer David Mayes at 785-532-6304 or photo@k-state.edu

 

 

OH, BY THE WAY

 

FOOD AND HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS TO BE FOCUS OF 2009'S SEASON FOR NONVIOLENCE

Food, food systems and human relationships will be the focus of K-State's eighth annual Season for Nonviolence, Jan. 30-April 4.

The community-wide event is dedicated to promoting nonviolent relationships and takes place on the 64 days between the assassination anniversaries of two world-famous peacemakers: Mahatma Gandhi, who was killed Jan. 30, 1948, and Martin Luther King Jr., who was shot April 4, 1968. The observance was started in 1998 and has grown into an international event.

Some of the upcoming K-State Season for Nonviolence events are listed in the 'On Campus' portion of this newsletter. A full listing can be found at http://www.k-state.edu/nonviolence. All events are free and open to the public.

DANCE PROGRAM BRINGING GUEST ARTISTS

Traditional West African music and dance and modern dance will be the focus of two guest artists who will work with K-State's dance program in the spring 2009 semester.

The guest artists include Bernard Woma, artistic director of the Saakumu Dance Troupe and the founder and director of the Dagara Music and Arts Center in Accra, Ghana, and Chanon Judson, director of UB2, the performing apprentice ensemble of the critically acclaimed Urban Bush Women dance company.

Woma will be on campus Feb. 3-7, while Judson's residency will be Feb. 13-28.

Woma and a member of his dance troupe will teach master classes in traditional West African social music and dance. Woma also will present a lecture demonstration on African traditions and offer master classes for USD 383, the Manhattan-Ogden school district. More information about his schedule is available by contacting Neil Dunn at neildunn@k-state.edu.

While at K-State, Judson will be restaging a portion of Jawole Willa Jo Zollar's "Walking with Pearl...Southern Diaries" with K-State dance students. The work will be performed at K-State's SpringDance 2009, April 3-4. Along with the restaging project, Judson also will teach dance classes at K-State; conduct a seminar and present lectures for the American ethnic studies program; and teach movement classes at Manhattan's Douglass Community Center for at-risk children.

BEACH MUSEUM HOSTING LECTURE ON 'KANSASIANS'

To accompany its exhibition on Japanese-American artist Roger Shimomura, K-State's Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art will offer a lecture on the historical experiences of Asian-Americans in Kansas at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29.

William Tsutsui, associate dean of international studies and professor of history at the University of Kansas, will present "KansAsians: The Asian-American Experience in Kansas from Race Riots to Roger Shimomura." The lecture is free and open to the public.

Tsutsui's talk is in conjunction with the Beach Museum exhibition "The Return of the Yellow Peril: A Survey of the Work of Roger Shimomura, 1969-2007," a thematic review of 63 works by Shimomura, including paintings, prints, performance photographs and found art sculptures. The exhibition is on display in the Pelton Gallery through Feb. 1.

For more information, call the Beach Museum of Art at 532-7718 or drop by the museum on the southeast corner of the K-State campus at 14th Street and Anderson Avenue.

 

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.