Colvin Gets Federal Appointment
Deltha Q. Colvin ’72, assistant vice president for Campus Life and University Relations and director of TRIO programs at WSU, has been appointed to a federal education committee. Colvin will serve on the negotiated rulemaking committee, which has been charged with gaining consensus on new requirements in the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008. The committee will develop proposed discretionary grant program regulations.
Colvin will be a primary nonfederal negotiator for Title IV Discretionary Grant programs authorized by Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. These programs include the trio programs and Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP). Wichita State hosts nine TRIO programs and the statewide GEAR UP program.
“I am excited,” Colvin comments, “because the negotiated rulemaking committee will impact the regulations required of the discretionary grants programs for the next 10 years.”
KMUW Earns Clean Air Award
KMUW 89FM is among the first recipients of a new community clean air awards program announced by the city of Wichita and the city’s Wichita Air Quality Improvement Task Force. KMUW was recognized for significantly contributing to improving and preserving air quality and reducing air emissions in the four-county metro area (Butler, Harvey, Sedgwick and Sumner counties), and was honored in the Government Award Category for the building and installation of an energy efficient and environmentally sustainable transmission station.
Spring Credit Hours, Enrollment Rise
This spring, enrollment at Wichita State University is 14,235 students, an increase of 143 students, or 1 percent, compared to spring 2008, according to the official enrollment report given to the Kansas Board of Regents after the 20th day of classes. Spring-semester students also enrolled for more credit hours at WSU. Students are taking 147,579 credit hours in spring 2009 compared to 142,182 in spring 2007, an increase of 3.8 percent. This spring’s total is the second highest number of credit hours for a spring semester in wsu history. The only time students took more credit hours in spring was in 1983 when they enrolled in 148,978 credit hours. “We are especially pleased to see our students taking more credit hours,” says Ron Kopita, vice president for Campus Life and University Relations. “Our goals of providing appropriate financial support and necessary courses appear to be working, thus allowing our students to move more quickly toward completion of their degrees.”
Model UN Students Nab Top Honors
Wichita State’s Model United Nations program is continuing an impressive tradition of bringing home awards.This year’s team, in fact, won a record eight awards at the Midwest Model un competition in St. Louis: Ceci Crosa (Honorable Mention in Third Committee for Kenya); Tatiana Sibaai and Logan Harrison (Honorable Mention in Fourth Committee for Iceland); Chris Hicks (Honorable Mention in the ilo for the Czech Republic); Stacy Goss (Outstanding Delegate in Ecosoc and Ecosoc Plenary for Iceland); Drew Steadman, Lily Wakim, Sarah Cooper, Tatiana Sibaai and Logan Harrison (Outstanding Delegation in General Assembly Plenary for Iceland); Katherine Paige (Honorable Mention in Ecosoc Plenary for Kenya); Chevis Rebstock, Axel Chacon and Chris Hicks (Honorable Mention in Ecosoc Plenary for the Czech Republic). Two team members were selected to serve on the conference staff: Matt Agnew and Lisa Decow. Other WSU delegates are Sarah Stanton, Eva Kurban, Alex Truong and Michael Maina.
First WSU Professorship in English
The WSU Foundation has received a $421,188 estate gift from Melba Hughes ’44, putting into motion the M.V. Hughes Professorship in English in the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. It is the first professorship in the English department and will provide an annual salary stipend, in addition to possible research and professional travel support.
Hugo Wall School Merits Ranking
U.S. News & World Report ranked WSU’s Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs number 72 out of 261 public affairs programs in the country. For half a century and counting, the Hugo Wall School has produced leaders who have made their mark in numerous public and civic endeavors.
Overcash: Industrial Pollution Prevention Pioneer
Michael Overcash has joined WSU’s engineering faculty as Sam Bloomfield Distinguished Chair in Engineering in the area of sustainability. A scholar in sustainability and life cycle inventory, Overcash has published 14 books and more than 330 articles for journals, symposia and reports. He has also served on seven National Academy of Science committees and on scientific advisory committees for the U.S. Air Force, state of North Carolina, National Science Foundation, and held several positions in epa, corporate research and planning groups. He is a pioneer in the research field of industrial pollution prevention. His role as director of the EPA's office of Exploratory Research Center for Waste Minimization allowed the development of critical research and new technology projects that now define research in this field. Overcash graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from North Carolina State University and a master’s degree in the same field while on a Fulbright Scholarship at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. His doctoral degree is from the University of Minnesota. With this hiring, Wichita State and its engineering college are well positioned to continue the work toward the establishment of an interdisciplinary Center of Excellence in Sustainability.
Learjet Tags NIAR with Largest Ever WSU Research Contract
The National Institute for Aviation Research at Wichita State has been awarded the largest research contract in university history. NIAR will be involved in FAA certification of the planned Learjet 85 mid-sized business jet. The contract is expected to total between $10 million and $20 million, says John Tomblin, NIAR executive director. David Coleal, Bombardier Learjet’s vice president and general manager, explains, “This will be the largest, fastest Learjet ever built. We’re fortunate to have one of the nation’s leading composite centers here at Wichita State to work with us on the innovative project.”
35 Years, and Writing
Wichita State’s creative writing program is celebrating its 35th year. Recently returned from the 2009 Association of Writers and Writing Programs annual conference in Chicago, WSU director of creative writing Margaret Rabb reports that five faculty members and 17 students attended, many of whom participated “in four panels, a celebratory reception for the program’s 35th anniversary and other great events.” Rabb, who has won many literary awards and fellowships for her poetry, is the author of “Granite Dives,” published by New Issues Press, and three chapbooks. She joined WSU’s English faculty last fall.
Honoring Our Heroines
For three years now, members of Wichita State’s women’s studies community council have been vital in organizing a unique celebration of local women for Women’s History Month. They select a group of women who are honored in wsu’s Plaza of Heroines for special recognition, which includes video tributes that are broadcast beginning in the month of March on local media. This year’s honorees are Joan Beren ’83, a key university and community supporter; Jean Garvey fs ’47, who, along with her husband, helped found Wichita Collegiate School; Carol Konek ’68, a noted writer and educator; Sarah Parks, Linda Weir-Enegren ’76, founder of Rainbows United Inc., and the president and general manager of ls Industries, a company she founded in 1978 with her husband; and Gladys Wiedemann, community supporter and trained musician who commissioned the Marcussen concert organ in Wiedemann Recital Hall at WSU. The goals of the program, explain organizers, are increasing public awareness of the women’s studies program at Wichita State and raising fund for scholarships, research and community activities.
Portal onto Painting
WSU’s School of Art and Design has launched a painting and drawing program website for current and prospective students who are interested in the Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Arts and Master of Fine Arts degrees with a studio emphasis in painting.
New features on the site include interactive photo galleries of work by WSU students and faculty plus links to WSU ShiftSpace, the student gallery in Old Town — and to The Shocker’s 2000 feature story, “Tincture of Place,” about the school’s connection to the International School of Painting, Drawing and Sculpture in Umbria, Italy.
