K-State in the news — September 2020
Some of the top stories mentioning Kansas State University are posted below.Download an Excel file (xls) with all of this month's news stories.
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020
National/International
University of Chicago takes home top honors, DePauw University the worst in free speech poll
9/29/20 Fox News
The top 5 best schools include Kansas State University, Texas A&M, University of California, Los Angeles and Arizona State University. The worst-performing schools include Syracuse University, Dartmouth College, Louisiana State University and the University of Texas. DePauw, LSU and UT had the unfortunate distinction of getting a "red light" rating as schools that "explicitly prioritize other values above free speech."
$14 million awarded for pandemic research
9/29/20 Farm Progress
Kansas State University received a $1 million grant to determine why the virus that causes COVID-19 is a problem in meat and poultry processing plants. The project goal is to reduce meat processing workers exposure to COVID-19 ensure consumers have an ample supply of meat and poultry products at the grocery store. The institution will also use a $350,000 grant to determine if white-tailed deer can become infected with and transmit COVID-19.
Regional/State
K-State team eyes facial recognition technology for cattle
9/29/20 The Salina Post
New technology being developed at Kansas State University is likely to debunk that thought, capitalizing on the power of artificial intelligence to build a database of facial recognition technology for the cattle industry.
Local
FROM THE PUBLISHER | Trim those hedges like a Powercat
9/29/20 The Manhattan Mercury
K-State will come out with its annual enrollment numbers soon, and they’ll be down again. That’s partly because of the coronavirus pandemic, and partly a continuation of a five-year trend that’s cut enrollment figures here by 10 percent.
Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020
National/International
Here are the Top 10 best and worst universities for free speech, according to students
9/25/20 The College Fix
The top 10, in order, are: University of Chicago, Kansas State University, Texas A&M, UCLA, Arizona State University, University of Virginia, Duke University, Virginia Tech, Brown University, and the University of Arizona.
Local
OUR NEIGHBORS | From poverty to K-State professor, author, activist pens book on Cesar Chavez
9/28/20 Manhattan Mercury
As an activist and author, Broyles-González, university distinguished professor and head of the American Ethnic Studies Department at K-State, is in the process of adding a new title to her list of published works.
TAKE A LOOK: COVID-19 in Riley County by the numbers on Sept. 28
9/28/20 The Collegian
Since Aug. 17 — the first day of classes at Kansas State — the county added more than 1,300 new cases of COVID-19.
Monday, Sept. 28, 2020
National/International
Brig. Gen. Matt Easley director, cybersecurity, Army chief information officer
9/25/20 U.S. Army
BG Easley received his commission upon graduation from the U.S. Military Academy, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and Engineering Physics. He also holds master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering from Kansas State University, Computer Science from the University of Colorado Boulder, and Strategic Studies from the Army War College, and a doctorate degree in Computer Science with a specialization in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Colorado Boulder.
State/Regional
ISU names new vice president of research
9/26/20 Business Record
Iowa State University announced Thursday that Peter K. Dorhout has been named vice president of research. Dorhout currently serves as the vice president of research at Kansas State University, where he also is a professor of chemistry.
*Kansas State University summer graduates
9/27/20 Salina Journal
Nearly 575 students completed degree requirements from Kansas State University in summer 2020. The graduates are from 48 Kansas counties, 36 states and 20 countries.
Local
*K-State president says visionary plan refresh is on hold because of pandemic
9/27/20 Manhattan Mercury
K-State President Richard Myers said during the State of the University address on Friday that the refresh to the university’s 2025 visionary plan is on hold.
K-State freshman experiences life during pandemic
9/27/20 Manhattan Mercury
Last year around this time, I was beginning to picture myself in college after being accepted into Kansas State University. All of my life, I dreamed of attending KSU after graduating from high school, and for most of my high school career, I had my mind made up on majoring in interior architecture.
Friday, Sept. 25, 2020
National/International
Pigs don’t pass COVID-19: Study
9/24/20 The Sarnia Observer/Sun Media Community Newspapers (Canada)
Pigs do not pass on COVID-19 according to research at Kansas State University designed to test similar results in Germany and China.
State/Regional
K-State researchers study how to protect meatpacking plants from coronavirus
9/24/20 KSN
Researchers at Kansas State University were given a $1 million grant by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to find out how to protect workers at meatpacking plants from the coronavirus. Some plants in the U.S. closed earlier in the pandemic when employees got sick.
KLC offering Leadership Transformation Grants
9/24/20 Salina Journal
KLC’s Third Floor research partnership with Kansas State University found that leadership development at all levels of an organization leads to a more engaged workforce, with employees more committed, more hopeful for the future and more satisfied with their job.
Local
Jefferson Award Winner: C. Clyde Jones
9/24/20 KSNT
The race was named after Clyde when Kansas State University’s College of Business celebrated their 50th anniversary.
Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020
National/International
How we’re about money for future trips: Women who travel podcast
9/23/20 Conde Nast Traveler
I really like what one of our sources told us, Meghaan Lurtz, who's a professor of personal finance at Kansas State University. She says we're really good at short-term decisions, but not long-term decisions.
State/Regional
Kansas State University moves graduation date to late November
9/24/20 WIBW
Kansas State University is moving commencement ceremonies for 2020 spring, summer and fall graduates who attended classes at the Manhattan campus to the weekend of Nov. 20, according to KMAN Radio.
Local
*Petrescu to lead graduate education at Kansas State University
9/23/20 JCPost.com
Claudia A. Petrescu, a chief strategic planning officer and professor of public administration from Michigan, will become Kansas State University's first vice provost for graduate education and serve as dean of the university's Graduate School.
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020
National/International
Breaking Point: Child Malnutrition Imperils America's National Security
9/22/20 Associated Press
"We are again calling for Congress to invest in the health of our youth, by strengthening and modernizing school meal programs to meet current and future challenges," said General (Ret.) Richard Myers, Mission: Readiness member, President of Kansas State University and retired 15th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "Increasing children's access to these foods now can help America recover from present challenges, and bolster our national security in the future."
State/Regional
K-State Student Career Fair goes virtual
9/22/20 WIBW
Kansas State University’s 4-day Career Fair looks fairly different this year.
Local
*K-State Libraries dean to retire in May
9/22/20 Manhattan Mercury
K-State officials on Monday announced that longtime Dean of K-State Libraries Lori Goetsch will retire at the end of the academic year on May 28.
Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020
National/International
*Colleges Are Already Moving to Cancel Spring Break to ‘Mitigate the Possible Risks’ During Pandemic
9/21/20 People.com
Other universities also taking the precautionary measure are the University of Tennessee, the University of Florida, Baylor University, Texas Christian University, Kansas State University, the University of Kentucky, Iowa State University, the University of Northern Iowa and Carnegie Mellon University, according to ABC.
*Approaches to January
9/21/20 Inside Higher Ed
Many institutions have now canceled or altered the traditional vacation week. Those include Carnegie Mellon University, Ohio State University, the University of Tennessee, the University of Wisconsin at Madison, Iowa State University, the University of Northern Iowa, Baylor University, Kansas State University, Wichita State University, Purdue University, the University of Kentucky and Davidson College.
State/Regional
Exclusive look at NBAF: preventing pandemics, protecting our food supply, and agricultural economy
9/21/20 KSNT
Kansas won the job in 2009 to become the new home for the U.S. Department of Agriculture research building, sitting right in our backyard next to Kansas State University.
Local
State of the University address is set for Friday
9/21/20 Junction City Post
The Kansas State University Faculty Senate invites the public to the virtual 2020 State of the University address, via YouTube Live. President Richard Myers will present the address at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25.
Monday, Sept. 21, 2020
National/International
*Colleges scrapping spring break amid travel concerns during coronavirus pandemic
9/20/20 ABC News
Other schools that have taken a similar course include the University of Tennessee, the University of Florida, Baylor University, Texas Christian University, Kansas State University, the University of Kentucky, Iowa State University, the University of Northern Iowa and Carnegie Mellon University.
How COVID has altered the conversation about money
9/20/20 Chicago Tribune
“Financial planning is all about taking care of your dependents, and women feel like they have more dependents right now,” said Megan McCoy, a financial therapist and professor of financial planning at Kansas State University.
State/Regional
*Incentive, support programs may help better retain teachers
9/19/20 WIBW
Research at Kansas State University has found that incentive and support programs are the most effective tools for retaining teachers.
*K-State Poly joins FAA’s collegiate unmanned aircraft systems training initiative
9/19/20 Salina Journal
The unmanned aircraft systems flight and operations program at Kansas State University Polytechnic has been selected for the Federal Aviation Administration’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems-Collegiate Training Initiative.
Local
*Information delay: Some students’ isolations ended before professors received emails from Student Life
9/18/20 Kansas State Collegian
Kansas State has two methods in place for students to receive absence verification for reasons related to COVID-19, Andy Thompson, senior associate dean and director of student life, said. One is through the Student Life website. The second is through direct communication with Lafene, which Basile used.
Friday, Sept. 18, 2020
National/International
Grain Craft to Open New Lab in Manhattan, Kansas
9/17/20 Pizza Magazine
The Kansas Wheat Innovation Center, located in Manhattan, Kansas, on the Kansas State University campus, is a farmer-owned, wheat research facility that opened in 2012. It is the result of the Kansas Wheat Commission’s vision for advancing technology in new wheat variety development. The $15 million Center includes 15,000 square feet of research laboratories, 22,750 square feet of greenhouses and 10,000 square feet of office space. The Grain Craft Lab will feature analytical, milling, rheological and application capabilities, along with access to other facilities in the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center, including a complete test kitchen.
State/Regional
Subsidies Encourage Kansas Ranchers to Make Room for the Lesser Prairie Chicken
9/18/20 Kansas Public Radio/Kansas News Service
Kansas State University researcher David Haukos is all for anything that helps the grasslands. But Haukos, who has studied the lesser prairie chicken since the 1980s, is worried about what might happen if the focus shifts specifically from the bird.
Local
* COVID-19 Q&A: Dr. Lee Norman addresses pandemic-related concerns over Instagram Live
9/17/20 The Collegian
Kansas State announced the interview Wednesday, asking people to submit questions by email beforehand.
Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020
National/International
Coughing Dummies Help Boeing and United Track Viruses on Planes
9/16/20 Bloomberg
Aerosol particles will behave differently under different cabin scenarios, said Byron Jones, an engineering professor at Kansas State University who studies airline cabin air and was not involved in the project. Gas and particles in a cabin become “a witches’ cauldron,” he said, based on air flows, particulate sizes and other factors. “It just swirls and churns and twists. It’s very chaotic,” he said. But that churning isn’t necessarily a bad thing: “That’s what you want to see in a general ventilation (system).”
How Covid Has Altered the Conversation About Money
9/16/20 DNYUZ
“Financial planning is all about taking care of your dependents, and women feel like they have more dependents right now,” said Megan McCoy, a financial therapist and professor of financial planning at Kansas State University.
State/Regional
Subsidies Encourage Kansas Ranchers To Make Room For The Lesser Prairie Chicken
9/16/20 KCUR
Kansas State University researcher David Haukos is all for anything that helps the grasslands. But Haukos, who has studied the lesser prairie chicken since the 1980s, is worried about what might happen if the focus shifts specifically from the bird.
*Want to keep teachers from leaving education? Offer better administrative support, study finds
9/16/20
If schools want to retain more of their teaching staff, the biggest factor isn’t necessarily salary, but rather administrative support, a Kansas State University study found.
Local
City approves KDOT grant for North Campus Corridor improvements
9/16/20 The Mercury
“Tonight’s request will help move us forward in the next step of the infrastructure that brings us one more step closer to the potential of realizing this North Campus Corridor master plan,” said Linda Cook, chief of staff and director of community relations at K-State.
Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020
International/National
The Finance 202: Voters may not let Trump change the subject from the coronavirus pandemic to economy
9/15/20 The Washington Post
- Midwestern universities are canceling spring break: “At Kansas State University, the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa, the start of the spring semester will be delayed until late January, with no major breaks taking place until classes conclude in May. The University of Nebraska is weighing plans to follow suit,” Antonia Farzan reports.
Regional/State
*USDA funds K-State research on COVID-19 in meat processing plants
9/15/20 WIBW
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is supporting research at Kansas State University looking at COVID-19 in meat and poultry processing facilities.
Local
More Kansans than ever believe in global warming, Yale survey says
9/15/20 Manhattan Mercury
Amber Campbell, an assistant professor of anthropology at Kansas State University, said ranchers and farmers in Kansas and Oklahoma mirror the Yale study.
Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020
International/National
USDA Boss’s Home State Got Most Trade Aid Per Farmer, GAO Finds
9/14/20 Yahoo! Finance
A study by Kansas State University economists published in May found cotton farmers were dramatically overpaid under the trade bailout, with a 2019 payout that was 33 times the estimated financial impact of tariff disputes with China and other nations. Georgia is the nation’s second largest producer of cotton after Texas, a large state where a variety of crops are grown.
Regional/State
Here’s how Kansas colleges fared in the US News ranking of best schools in the US
9/14/20 Kansas City Star
Kansas State University in Manhattan ranked 170th overall and 83rd among public universities, the report said. It also ranked 90th for the best undergraduate engineering programs, tied with University of Kansas and 10 other schools.
*K-State investigates COVID-19 in meat processing facilities
9/14/20 Topeka Capital-Journal
The USDA granted $1 million to Kansas State University researchers to study how to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in the nation’s meat and poultry processing facilities.
Local
K-State livestock economist: CARES Act stimulus had direct effect on beef demand
9/14/20 1350 KMAN
Kansas State University livestock economist Glynn Tosnor monitors consumer demand on a month-to-month basis and says the June report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed some interesting trends.
Monday, Sept. 14, 2020
International/National
*As Covid-19 lingers on, universities are adjusting their spring semester plans, often eliminating spring break
9/13/20 Forbes
Kansas State University has also decided to adjust its spring, 2021 calendar. The spring semester will begin one week later (Jan. 25) than originally planned and end with commencement on May 14-15, as previously scheduled. The new spring schedule eliminates spring break.
Fraternities blamed for campus coronavirus outbreaks as universities struggle to keep students in class
9/11/20 CNBC
Those universities follow reports from Kansas State University in late August, which halted its Greek life events after four sororities reported outbreaks, resulting in more than 20 cases, according to the Riley County Health Department. As of Tuesday, the agency reported 12 active outbreaks among fraternities and sororities.
Regional/State
*K-State looks at safety of hemp as cattle feed
9/12/20 WIBW
Kansas State University is among the first to research and analyze the safety of industrial hemp being used as cattle feed.
Kansas foster families are still adjusting to the pandemic’s technological demands
9/11/20 KSN
While access to devices has improved, children with special needs and mental health conditions — including many foster children — still might have trouble getting the help they need, said Jessica Lane, an assistant professor of special education, counseling and student affairs at Kansas State University.
Local
*K-State cancels spring break, announces other date changes
9/12/20 Manhattan Mercury
K-State on Friday announced the cancellation of spring break and other changes to the calendar as part of its efforts to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.
*Stormont Vail to open new medical complex, simulation lab with K-State
9/12/20 Manhattan Mercury
Stormont-Vail Health is partnering with K-State to build a 55,000-square-foot medical office building and simulation lab that will be used in part to train students in the school’s planned physician assistant program.
*Campus COVID-19 plan doesn’t include data thresholds because it’s more ‘holistic,’ officials say
9/13/20 Kansas State Collegian
As life resumes amid the ongoing pandemic, many institutions, organizations and schools, like USD 383, have rolled out metrics and thresholds that determine the viability of in-person operations called gating criteria. Kansas State is taking a different approach.
Friday, Sept. 11, 2020
International/National
Kansas State Theatre's Kansas Theatre Works Podcast Presents ONE DEAD, ONE DYING
9/10/20 Broadway World
K-State Theatre's Kansas Theatre Works Podcast will present One Dead, One Dying by Laura Camien.
Regional/State
Why Kansas Colleges Are Still Holding Film Nights And Relay Races Amid A Pandemic
9/10/20 KMUW/Kansas News Service
Yet colleges haven’t canceled all of campus life. Kansas State University has film screenings. Wichita State’s held relay races.
Local
DINNER TIME: Partnership provides free dinner for K-State students
9/10/20 The Manhattan Mercury
The Food and Farm Council and St. Isidore’s Catholic Student Center provided “free and nutritious meals” for K-State students and their families every Wednesday night.
Volunteers at the first Konza Table handed out 260 meals to students who showed up on foot, by car and on bicycles.
Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020
National/International
*Feds Want To Know: Will Milk Drinkers Get High If Cows Eat Hemp?
9/9/20 AcraMax
“Although hemp can be legally cultivated under license in Kansas, feeding hemp products to livestock remains prohibited because the potential for cannabinoid drug residues to accumulate in meat and milk has not been studied,” K-State’s Hans Coetzee, who is head of the anatomy and physiology department in the College of Veterinary Medicine, said in a statement.
Local
K-State installing dry hydrogen peroxide machines to mitigate virus
9/9/20 The Mercury
“They use them in surgical centers, ICU units, laboratory spaces; it produces an airborne sanitizer that sanitizes the living microorganisms in the air as well as on surfaces,” said Derek Jackson, associate vice president for student life. “We wanted to add another layer of protection for our students who are sharing spaces.”
Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020
National/International
3 Things COVID-19 Teaches Us About Agroterrorism
9/8/20 Forbes
The $1.25B National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) being constructed on the Kansas State University campus in Manhattan, Kansas is perhaps one of the biggest such efforts and a strong step in the right direction in terms of biodefense research.
State/Regional
K-State Proposes To Recruit More Students From Missouri With Steep Tuition Discounts
9/8/20 Kansas Reflector
Kansas State University plans to ask Thursday for permission to offer residents of Missouri the opportunity to enroll in undergraduate degree programs at the in-state tuition rate typically reserved for people who call Kansas home.
Local
*K-State College of Engineering names Hallmark as 2020 Company of the Year
9/8/20 WIBW
The Carl R. Ice College of Engineering at Kansas State University has named Hallmark as its 2020 Company of the Year.
Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020
National/International
*K-State Research Among First to Analyze Safety of Industrial Hemp as Cattle Feed
9/7/20 Farms.org
A pair of studies at Kansas State University is bringing new insight to farmers and producers seeking to incorporate industrial hemp in cattle feed.
*Not enough is known about how rainfall affects tropical animals
9/5/20 Earth.com
Study lead author Alice Boyle is an associate professor in the Division of Biology at Kansas State University.
State/Regional
*K-State begins Menard Family Scholars program
9/6/20 Topeka Capital Journal
To help provide a premiere business leadership experience for high-achieving incoming freshmen, the Kansas State University College of Business Administration has launched the Menard Family Scholars Program.
Troy, N.Y., thanks farmer in Troy, Kan., who sent N95 mask to Gov. Cuomo
9/7/20 Lawrence Journal World
Dennis said he was “very proud” of his degree from Kansas State University, which was conferred during a special ceremony at the Kansas Statehouse on May 5.
Local
*Distinguished graduate faculty award winners show excellence in research, graduate teaching
9/6/20 Manhattan Mercury
Internationally recognized researchers in integrated pest management and biofuels are being recognized as the 2020-2021 Commerce Bank and W.T. Kemper Foundation Distinguished Graduate Faculty Award recipients at Kansas State University.
Friday, Sept. 4, 2020
National/International
*Researchers analyze safety of industrial hemp as cattle feed
9/3/20 Phys.org
A pair of studies at Kansas State University is bringing new insight to farmers and producers seeking to incorporate industrial hemp in cattle feed.
Virus turns up the virtual volume in AEC sector education
9/3/20 Engineeering News Record
Kansas State University is using a mix of online and hybrid in-person classes this fall, with many students taking advantage of online flexibility, says Katie Loughmiller, assistant professor in its architectural engineering and construction science department. “After the spring, it became clear they prefer to watch a video of a live session and have a Q&A session later.”
State/Regional
*Colleges keep going strong during coronavirus pandemic
9/3/20 KSN
“We think we’ve learned how to be safe in this pandemic and learned how to do some things that we didn’t feel comfortable doing last March, said Kansas State University President Richard Myers.
Local
*K-State triples its COVID-19 numbers on campus
9/3/20 Manhattan Mercury
K-State on Wednesday confirmed 222 new positive COVID-19 cases on campus in the past week, more than triple the previous week.
SGA discusses $2.5 million deficit, possible allocation callbacks in privilege fee budget
9/4/20 Kansas State Collegian
The K-State Student Senate acknowledged an expected budget shortfall in the privilege fee budget in their weekly meeting on Thursday. According to minute documents from the Privilege Fee Committee meeting on Monday, the deficit could be as high as $2.5 million.
Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020
National/International
Airlines stumble ahead COVID
9/3/20 Virgin Island Daily News
“There is an abundance of expert opinions and there is a scarcity of good data,” said Byron Jones, an engineering professor at Kansas State University, one of the small coterie of researchers specializing in cabin air safety.
State/Regional
*K-State research team first to analyze safety of industrial hemp as cattle feed
9/2/20 KSN
Two Kansas researchers look at industrial hemp as an option for cattle farmers and producers to feed their herds.
Local
K-State installing 'dry hydrogen peroxide' devices to fight coronavirus in dorms
9/3/20 KSNT
Kansas State University is installing devices in dorm rooms to help fight coronavirus. The university has purchased 1,600 “spheres” that produces dry hydrogen peroxide, a molecule that fights bacteria, viruses and mold. The device is made by Synexis, a biotechnology company based in Lenexa.*
*Stormont Vail and K-State team up to bring more healthcare, students to Manhattan area
9/2/20 KSNT
After a school year that has been anything but normal, physician assistant (P.A.) students at Kansas State University are in for a treat come spring of 2021.
Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020
National/International
SARS-CoV-2 is more resistant on surfaces in spring and autumn than in summer
9/1/20 The Medical News
This is why Dr. Taeyong Kwon, Dr. Natasha N. Gaudreault, and Dr. Juergen A. Richt from the Kansas State University in the United States went a step further in their aim to evaluate the behavior and exact biological half-life of SARS-CoV-2 in an indoor setting, summer and spring/fall conditions.
State/Regional
Kansas Foster Families Are Still Adjusting To The Pandemic’s Technological Demands
9/1/20 KMUW
While access to devices has improved, children with special needs and mental health conditions — including many foster children — still might have trouble getting the help they need, said Jessica Lane, an assistant professor of special education, counseling and student affairs at Kansas State University.
Local
*K-State says student behavior off campus will likely determine whether in-person learning can continue
9/1/20 1350 KMAN
Kansas State University leadership says two key indicators are being monitored as it weighs the possibility of transitioning to all remote learning.
LINK Scooters bring thousands in revenue to Manhattan in just a few weeks
9/1/20 KSNT
The scooters are accessed though a phone app, and so far, they have raised about $4,500 for K-State and the city.
*Kansas State requiring campus access checkpoints through new symptom checker
9/1/20 KSNT
Kansas State University rolled out its new coronavirus symptom-checking app Tuesday to help monitor the potential spread of the virus on campus, according to a news release.
Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020
National/International
COVID-19 Roundup: Colleges Struggle to Control Outbreaks
8/31/20 Inside Higher Ed
Four sororities at Kansas State University have coronavirus outbreaks, CNN reported. Health officials in surrounding Riley County said two of the sororities each had six identified cases while the other two had five each.
State/Regional
COVID-19 spread in Kansas, Missouri college counties outpaced state rates in August
8/31/20 Kansas City Star
Both Douglas and Riley counties in Kansas, home to the University of Kansas and Kansas State University, saw their number of coronavirus cases increase by nearly 88% and 72% respectively over the past month.
Local
Kansas seeing historically low number of tornadoes in 2020
8/31/20 Manhattan Mercury
Mary Knapp, state climatologist at Kansas State University, said atmospheric scientists are watching the development of a La Nina pattern in the Pacific Ocean.
