CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION FOR K-STATE'S JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM SEPT. 2-4
The A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Kansas State University is having its centennial celebration Sept. 2-4.
The celebration kicks off with the 11th annual Huck Boyd Lecture in Community Media at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 2, in Forum Hall in the K-State Student Union. Gail Pennybacker, an award-winning journalist at ABC7/WJLA-TV in Arlington, Va., and a 1981 K-State journalism and mass communications graduate, will present "Local News: Why It Will Always Be Critical Coverage." The lecture is open to the public.
Since joining WJLA-TV in 1986, Pennybacker has covered many of the top news stories of the day, including the Sept. 11 terror attacks, the Beltway sniper shootings and the Marv Albert assault charges. She also reported from the Persian Gulf during the war with Iraq.
The lecture is sponsored by the Huck Boyd National Center for Community Media.
"This lecture is important for the field of community journalism because it highlights the tremendous influence that community media have on the health of their communities," said Gloria Freeland, director of the Huck Boyd National Center for Community Media and centennial coordinator for the school of journalism and mass communications.
As part of the centennial celebration, a memorabilia room will be open to the public from 1:30-4 p.m. Sept. 3 in the Union's Cottonwood Room. The event showcases materials relating to each of the program's 10 decades. Materials include letters from alumni, event programs, old newspapers, Royal Purple yearbooks, photos and other items.
A panel of photojournalists, all former K-Staters and many former K-State Collegian and Royal Purple photographers, will present their work at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 2 in the Union's Forum Hall. The panel discussion is open to the public.
Other events include alumni workshops with current students, a banquet and silent auction, a night in Aggieville, campus tours and a tailgate party before the K-State-UCLA football game.
SCHEDULE OF HOLIDAYS, REDUCED UNIVERSITY ACTIVITY DURING HOLIDAY BREAK
Following is the schedule of state-designated holidays for calendar years 2010-2011 and information about reduced university activity during the December 2010-January 2011 holiday break.
Calendar Year 2010
Labor Day: Monday, Sept. 6
Veterans Day (not a University holiday): Thursday, Nov. 11
Thanksgiving Day: Thursday, Nov. 25, and Friday, Nov. 26
Christmas: Friday, Dec. 24
Discretionary Day. This may be used through Thursday, Dec. 23.
The university will remain open on Veterans Day, Thursday, Nov. 11, because it conflicts with scheduled classes. Only those employees required to conduct necessary business should be requested to work. Classified employees and unclassified non-exempt employees who do work shall be compensated at one and one-half times of either compensatory time or pay. Unclassified, nonteaching, exempt staff who work will be afforded equivalent time off at a later date. All other holidays listed apply to both faculty and staff, and all University buildings and offices are scheduled to be closed.
The university will reduce activity from the close of business on Thursday, Dec. 23, through Friday, Dec. 31, and will reopen for normal operation on Monday, Jan. 3, 2011. Since Friday, Dec. 24, and Friday, Dec. 31, are state holidays, the only normal workdays affected will be Dec. 27, 28, 29 and 30. The university will close during this period.
Additional information about the period of reduced activity -- including guidelines for leave utilization and plans for mail delivery -- will be distributed in early November.
Calendar Year 2011
New Year's Day: Friday, Dec. 31
Martin Luther King Day: Monday, Jan. 17
Memorial Day: Monday, May 30
Independence Day: Monday, July 4
Labor Day: Monday, Sept. 5
Veterans Day (not a University holiday): Friday, Nov. 11
Thanksgiving Day: Thursday, Nov. 24, and Friday, Nov. 25
Christmas: Monday, Dec. 26
Discretionary Day. This may be used starting Dec. 26, 2010, through Dec. 23, 2011.
To be eligible for a discretionary day, an employee must be in a benefit-eligible position and have been employed by the State of Kansas for at least six months. The discretionary day must be taken with prior approval of the employee's supervisor or department head.
The University Police Department will keep a normal schedule during these holidays. Other areas such as Hale Library, division of continuing education, division of facilities, computing and telecommunication services, the office of research and sponsored programs and the K-State Student Union will provide basic services required to support the university's teaching, research and service missions.
The above information is also available in memo form at http://www.k-state.edu/vpaf/holidaymemo.pdf.
This information will not be sent in printed form via campus mail as in past years.
K-STATE LICENSE PLATE HELPS STUDENTS AND SHOW PURPLE PRIDE
This fall the K-State Alumni Association will award 75 legacy scholarships worth $1,000 each. Students receiving the scholarships are incoming freshman and current students and are both in-state and out-of-state students. The scholarship is funded through K-State License Plate, a K-State Alumni Association program.
The state-issued license plates with a purple Powercat logo can be seen on the back of more than 3,000 cars, light trucks and farm vehicles in the state of Kansas.
"K-State has a thousand more plates on Kansas vehicles compared to the sales of the second-leading university license plate," said Kelly Law, director of membership and marketing for the K-State Alumni Association. "Established by the Kansas legislature in 1994, the K-State program commenced in 1997, and the tax-deductible royalties paid on K-State license plates has raised nearly $1.5 million for student
The Alumni Association administers the program for the university.
"Very simply, we market the program, do the necessary documentation for the county treasurers' offices and collect the $50 annual tax-deductible donations," Law said.
People who have the K-State plate on their vehicles say it's a good way to display their pride in the university and an easy way to support scholarships.
The first-year cost is $100.50, which includes a $50 scholarship donation paid to the Alumni Association and $50.50 paid to the county treasurer's office for the custom plate fee. In subsequent years, the only cost is the annual $50 scholarship donation.
The Association mails registrants a proof-of-donation voucher to present to their county treasurer's office when they either pick up the plate for the first time or at their renewal time, said Dee Tebbutt, the Alumni Association staff member directly responsible for the clerical execution of the license plate program.
Individuals who wish to obtain the K-State license plate are referred to Tebbutt. Registrants may call, write, e-mail or visit the K-State Alumni Center to see her.
The Association has made the K-State License Plate program a priority.
"We would like to get 5,000 K-State license plates on the road," said Amy Button Renz, president and CEO of the Association. "Alumni across Kansas and the nation have encouraged the university and the Association to address tuition issues for legacy students, and this program will greatly assist us in those efforts."
One longtime legacy advocate, Shad Shadwick, Greeley, Colo., a 1954 K-State graduate and former Association board member, put it this way.
"Many alumni would like their children and grandchildren to have the same affordable education and similar experiences they received when they were K-State students," he said.
To purchase a K-State license plate, visit http://www.k-state.com/drive and follow the instructions below.
1. Complete the online application, and make the $50 tax-deductible contribution required by the Kansas department of motor vehicles. A voucher will be mailed within five business days.
2. Take the K-State license plate voucher, along with a license plate renewal form from the Kansas department of revenue, proof of insurance and payment -- which includes vehicle taxes and a one-time production charge of $50.50 -- for a K-State license plate, to the County Treasurer/DMV office.
3. The County Treasurer/DMV office will give you a K-State License Plate. Attach the plate to your vehicle, and drive with pride.
For any questions, please call 800-600-2586 or 785-5362-6260.
STARKEY APPOINTED TO ASSISTANT DEAN OF ACADEMICS AT K-STATE SALINA
Alysia Starkey has been appointed assistant dean of academics at K-State Salina. She also will retain her current responsibilities as director of libraries.
In her new position Starkey assumes supervisory responsibilities for the departments of continuing education, media services and instructional technology.
"The combination of these two positions will provide enhanced opportunities for the full utilization of Dr. Starkey's expertise," said Dennis Kuhlman, dean of K-State Salina.
Starkey has a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from K-State, a master of library science from the University of North Texas, a bachelor's in psychology from Fort Hays State University, and an associate's in psychology from Colby Community College.
She was a co-recipient of an Institute of Museum and Library Science Connecting to Collections Grant and a Big 12 Fellowship. She also was named a Wakonse Fellow.
Starkey joined K-State at Salina in 2002 as the technical services/automation coordinator and assistant professor. She was promoted to library director in 2007. She co-chairs the college's retention committee and serves on faculty senate and the College Advising and Planning Council.
UNION COMPUTER STORE MOVES DOWNSTAIRS
On Thursday, Aug. 19, the Union Computer Store in the K-State Student Union relocated to inside the Union Bookstore.
"We are extending our operating hours to match those of the Union Bookstore and will be able to service the campus more efficiently," said Chris Loehr, Union Computer Store manager.
Loehr said the new location also increases visibility.
The Union Computer Store, which is an Authorized Apple Campus Reseller, carries a full inventory featuring MacBooks, iPads, iPods and accessories, as well as a select line of Dell laptops--all of which will still be available to those with valid K-State IDs. The store continues to offer education discounts on Student Select Microsoft and Adobe products. Back-to-school offers, however, end Sept. 7.
A grand re-opening is planned for the near future.
For more information about the Union Computer Store, visit the new location on the ground floor of the Union, check out the website at http://www.k-state.edu/computerstore/ or call 785-532-7319.
eID password change
Wednesday, Sept. 8, is the deadline for changing passwords on K-State eIDs for the fall semester.
This mandatory password change each fall and spring semester applies to both individual eIDs and group eIDs. It prevents long-term use of the same password, which is known to be a risk factor. Passwords also can't be reused in a two-year period.
For information on how to change your eID password, visit https://blogs.k-state.edu/IT-Tuesday/2010/08/changed-your-eid-password-deadline-is-sept-8/#more-13361
Security reminder
K-State officials will never issue an e-mail asking for a user's eID password. Any e-mail requesting an eID password or warning that the mailbox limit has been exceeded is a scam. For more information on these phishing scams, and for examples, visit http://bit.ly/avbhFx
BCC for cleaner, safer e-mails
When sending e-mail to multiple recipients, consider using "blind carbon copy" -- seen as the blue words "Show BCC" to the right of new messages.
Posting individual e-mail addresses in the Bcc area eliminates the long list of e-mail addresses that the viewer wades through to get to the body of the e-mail and makes for a more professional looking e-mail.
Other benefits include:
The next time an e-mail needs to be sent to multiple people, consider using Bcc to address the message. Your recipients will thank you.
K-STATE TO STUDY ATHLETICS PROGRAM FOR NCAA CERTIFICATION
President Kirk Schulz recently announced that K-State is beginning a yearlong, campuswide effort to study its athletics program as part of the regularly scheduled NCAA Division I athletics certification process.
"Specific areas the study will cover are governance and commitment to rules compliance, academic integrity, gender/diversity, and student-athlete well-being," Schulz said.
While academic accreditation is common at colleges and universities, this program focuses solely on certification of athletics programs. The NCAA certification process was approved by Division I members in 1993. Standards have been adopted for each area evaluated in the process, so each institution is evaluated using the same standards. The self-study helps ensure integrity in an institution's athletics operations.
This will be the third time K-State has conducted the NCAA certification self-study. The first time was in 1995-1996, and the second in 2001-2002. Starting in 1997 the certification process has been required every 10 years.
"The program opens up athletics to the rest of the university community and to the public," Schulz said. "K-State will benefit by increasing campuswide awareness and knowledge of our athletics program, confirming its strengths and developing plans to improve areas of concern."
Members of the self-study committee include Schulz; Ruth Dyer, senior vice provost and chair of the steering committee; John Currie, athletic director; Jill Shields, associate athletic director; university faculty, administrators and students; and athletic department personnel. Student-athletes also are members of the steering and subcommittees. They help represent the K-State athletic programs, which serve around 430 student-athletes each year.
"This self-study is an integral part of the athletic certification process," Currie said. "Every decision that we make as a department should be centered around the student-athlete experience, and this examination is a continuing step in our department's efforts to become a model program. Our commitment to integrity, transparency, equality and academics is essential not only to our student-athletes and coaches, but also to all K-Staters who support us each year."
A member of the NCAA academic and membership affairs staff conducted a one-day orientation videoconference with the committee and its subcommittees Aug. 16. The committees will prepare the comprehensive self-study report during the 2010-2011 academic year.
When the study is completed an external team of reviewers will conduct a three- or four-day evaluation visit on campus. The reviewers will be peers from other colleges, universities or conference offices. The peer-review team will report its findings to the NCAA Division I Committee on Athletics Certification, which will then determine K-State's certification status and announce it publicly.
The NCAA is a membership organization of colleges and universities that participate in intercollegiate athletics. Its primary purpose is to maintain intercollegiate athletics as an integral part of the educational program and the athlete as an integral part of the student body. Activities of the NCAA membership include formulating rules of play for NCAA sports, conducting national championships, adopting and enforcing standards of eligibility, and studying all phases of intercollegiate athletics.