CHANGES IN 2010-2011 ACADEMIC CALENDAR OUTLINED
Key changes to the academic calendar kick in this fall at K-State.
Some of the changes came at the request of students and faculty, according to April Mason, provost and senior vice president. The university's academic calendar committee is in charge of creating the yearly schedule. The calendar is developed with the support of K-State's faculty senate and Mason, with final approval from the Kansas Board of Regents.
Fall 2010 semester classes at K-State start Monday, Aug. 23. One of the biggest changes for students during the fall semester is that their one-day fall break is being replaced. Instead of getting the first Monday in October off, students will now get the week of the Thanksgiving Day holiday off. Prior to this year, the Thanksgiving break for students was three days. This year's Thanksgiving break for students will be Nov. 22-26.
The Thanksgiving break for all employees will be Nov. 25-26.
Another calendar change is for the spring semester. For the past few years spring classes started on the Thursday before the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Beginning in 2011 the semester will start on the Tuesday after the holiday. For the spring 2011 semester the start date is Jan. 18.
An academic year at each Kansas Board of Regents institution must have a minimum of two 16-week semesters that total at least 146 instructional days, plus five days for final exams. K-State offers 148 instructional days, with 74 instructional days in each semester.
CONTROLLER'S OFFICE RECEIVES NAME CHANGE
On Aug. 1, the Controller's Office was renamed to the Division of Financial Services.
The division is under Fran Willbrant, assistant vice president for Division and Financial Services.
In correspondence, please use the division's full title as well as note the specific section, if applicable.
The following sections are part of the Division of Financial Services:
Administration, 532-6210
Cashiers and Student Accounts, 532-3350
Accounts Payable, 532-6202
Fund Balancing, 532-7089
Purchasing, 532-6214
Systems, 532-1990
Financial Reporting,532-1853 and Asset Management, 532-6525
Sponsored Programs, 532-6207
KANSAS CITY SYMPOSIUM ON NATIONAL BIOSECURITY EFFORTS FEATURES SEVERAL K-STATE EXPERTS
A national biosecurity symposium Monday, Aug. 30, in Kansas City, Mo., will showcase biosecurity research and industry at Kansas State University and the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor.
"Biosecurity: Our Regional and National Response" will be 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Kansas City Convention Center. National and regional experts will discuss the challenges in protecting the nation's animal agriculture, food supply and public health against biological threats and diseases. The symposium, in conjunction with the Central Veterinary Conference Kansas City, is sponsored by the Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute, the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor and the veterinary programs at K-State and the University of Missouri.
Biosecurity and bioscience research are finding a home on the plains. According to Business Facilities magazine, Manhattan rates second in the nation for economic growth potential because the city and K-State will be the site of the National Bio- and Agro-defense Facility. Also known as NBAF, the facility will be the premier federal lab for tackling diseases threatening the nation's agricultural economy and food supply. In addition, the magazine also ranked the state of Kansas fifth in the nation in biotechnology strength, citing NBAF and the animal health research programs at K-State as among the reasons for the high ranking.
Keynote speakers at the symposium include K-State's Jerry and Nancy Jaax, who will present "Lessons From the Hot Zone" at 1:15 p.m. The Jaaxes are veterinarians who worked for more than 20 years in federal biosecurity labs at Frederick, Md. They were key participants in dealing with the 1989 Reston Ebola outbreak, which was detailed in Richard Preston's best-selling book, "The Hot Zone." Jerry Jaax is K-State associate vice president for research compliance and university veterinarian; Nancy Jaax is an adjunct professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology.
Biosecurity research safety, and zoonotic diseases and their effect on public health will be the topics of presentations by K-State's Scott Rusk and Juergen Richt.
Rusk, director of Pat Roberts Hall, the home of K-State's Biosecurity Institute, will present "Biosecurity Research Institute: Capabilities and its Role in the Plum Island Facility Transition Plan," from 9:45 to 10:15 a.m.
Richt's presentation, from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., will be "Walk the Talk: CEEZAD (Center of Excellence for Emerging Zoonotic Animals Diseases). Richt is a Regents Distinguished Professor in diagnostic medicine and pathobiology at K-State and director of CEEZAD. One Health is a national collaborative effort of multiple disciplines to attain optimal health for people, animals and the environment.
Additional speakers include Larry Barrett, director of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Plum Island Animal Disease Center, which NBAF will replace; and Barbara S. Drolet, a research microbiologist and acting research leader at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Arthropod-Borne Animal Disease Research Unit, which is moving to Manhattan. Drolet also is an adjunct professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology at K-State.
Registration and more information on the symposium are available at http://www.kclifesciences.org/.
LEARNING PROGRAM HELPS STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ENJOY MORE CAMPUS LIFE
K-State is offering a new program to help adults with developmental disabilities experience more campus life.
The Extending College Education for Lifelong Learning program, or EXCELL, is funded by the Kansas Health Policy Authority with fiscal management by the Wamego School District, USD 320. The program is part of an area consortium that includes K-State and other local entities serving adults with special needs.
EXCELL offers personal enrichment and life-enhancing classes to students 18 years and older who may not otherwise be able to participate in the college environment.
"The classes range from sign language to dancing, computer skills and different kinds of games," said Warren J. White, professor of special education, counseling and student affairs at K-State and EXCELL co-founder and volunteer. "The program emphasizes recreation and social development just as much as academics and pre-vocational skills, which excites these students as they spend their six weeks on the K-State campus."
The UFM Community Learning Center in Manhattan is the campus facilitator for the program. EXCELL provides supportive, academically sound, pre-vocational classroom experiences to help students develop basic life, social and leisure skills. It's also an opportunity for students to form lifelong friendships.
"Watching the EXCELL students participate in this program has been a joy," said Linda Teener, executive director of the UFM Community Learning Center. "They're proud to be taking classes at K-State, eager to participate and clearly benefit from both the academic and social opportunities the program provides."
The next EXCELL session begins Sept. 11 on the K-State campus in Manhattan. For more information about the program, contact White at 785-532-6349 or wwhite@k-state.edu. Learn more about the UFM Community Learning Center at http://www.tryufm.org.
WEBMAIL PHISHING ON THE RISE, SECURITY MEASURES PUT IN PLACE
According to Harvard Townsend, chief information security officer for information technology services, cyber criminals seem to be working overtime in their efforts to steal K-State eID passwords.
Since July 18, 77 K-Staters have been tricked into giving away their eID passwords via phishing scam e-mails, Townsend said. The count since Jan. 1 is 255 K-Staters.
Phishing is the process of attempting to acquire sensitive information from a computer user, such as usernames, passwords and credit card details, by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. Recent phishing e-mails have asked Webmail users to submit their eID by warning recipients their account needs to be verified or that they are running out of storage space. Examples of these e-mails can be found at http://threats.itsecurity.k-state.edu/?cat=16
When stolen, e-mail accounts are used to send massive amounts of spam to recipients all over the world, Townsend said. This becomes an issue because other e-mail service providers view K-State as a source of spam and start blocking all e-mail from K-State putting the university on its spam block-list.
"It's particularly problematic when popular free e-mail services like hotmail.com do this, preventing faculty, staff, and administrators from sending e-mail to current or prospective students who have Hotmail accounts," Townsend said. "This has happened at least twice in the last two weeks. Comcast.net likewise blocked K-State e-mail recently."
Townsend said the vast majority of the scam victims are students and, especially this summer, newly admitted students who have not yet arrived on campus.
"We will also encourage all students, faculty and staff to take the new online IT security training course coming this fall; which warns of the danger of submitting your eID to one of these e-mail queries and the methods used to lure victims," Townsend said.
"Never give your password to anyone in response to an e-mail request," Townsend said. "In fact, K-State policy prohibits sharing your eID password with anyone under any circumstances. Abide by this simple rule, and you'll be safe from these types of scams and others like it."
In the meantime, Townsend said IT Security is combating these phishing scams in multiple ways to protect both the victims and potential targets. For information about what the department is doing, visit http://itnews.itac.k-state.edu/2010/08/phishing-scams-stolen-passwords-problems-for-everyone/
For information on how to avoid e-mail scams, visit http://www.k-state.edu/its/security/netsafety/email/
Webmail currently allots each user seven gigabytes of free e-mail storage.
K-STATE'S MCCAIN AUDITORIUM CELEBRATES 40TH ANNIVERSARY WITH DYNAMIC 2010-2011 PERFORMANCE SERIES
From Broadway musicals to student performances, K-State's McCain Auditorium has hosted hundreds of events since its first in 1970. The tradition continues this year with the 40th anniversary of the McCain Performance Series.
"Experiencing the live performing arts is vital to the vibrancy of a growing and engaged community," said Todd Holmberg, executive director of McCain Auditorium. "McCain has been at the heart of this vibrancy for 40 years. I'm excited to honor this important milestone in the history of K-State by presenting a series of world-class artists and attractions that will engage audiences of all ages, interests and backgrounds."
Season tickets for the 2010-2011 performance series are on sale now, and single tickets go on sale Monday, Aug. 16.
A variety of discounts are available for K-State students, faculty and staff; military members; and youth 18 and under. Discounts also are available for those who subscribe to seven or more series events. For more information, call the McCain box office at 785-532-6428 or visit http://www.k-state.edu/mccain.
In celebration of its anniversary season, McCain will host a 40th anniversary gala at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 17, at the K-State Student Union. "The Big Four-O, Big Band, Big Party, Big Fun" event includes cocktails, dinner and dancing to the World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra. Call McCain for ticket information.
For a complete list of performances and dates, visit http://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/aug10/mccainseries80210.html
K-STATE OLATHE TAKING SHAPE
The first building on K-State Olathe campus is well under way; and construction can be watched online.
A webcam at http://olathe.k-state.edu provides a live, bird's-eye view of the progress of the International Animal Health and Food Safety Institute. The $28-million facility will house educational and laboratory spaces for research, education and technology commercialization in animal health and food safety.
K-State Olathe is part of the Johnson County Education and Research Triangle initiative. The 108,000-square-foot building is financed by a portion of the one-eighth cent sales tax approved by Johnson County voters in November 2008. Designer of the project is 360 Architecture, and it is being built by the Weitz Company.
The building should be enclosed by the end of July and is on track for completion in February 2011, according to Dan Richardson, CEO of K-State Olathe.
The webcam and technical support are being supplied by Schlagel and Associates, the city of Olathe and the Olathe Unified School District.
K-State Olathe is the academic research presence in the Kansas Bioscience Park. The campus provides a direct link to K-State's many resources and also as the university greater visibility and access to the heart of the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor. The campus is on a 38-acre site near Kansas Highway 7 and College Boulevard.