By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

Negotiators for the Hays USD 489 Board of Education and the Hays National Education Association are set to continue talks at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Toepfer Board Room in the Rockwell Administration Center, 323 W. 12th.

Negotiations were forced to continue after the USD 489 bargaining unit overwhelmingly voted against the contract that was negotiated between the groups last August.

“I’m not surprised it failed,” Kim Schneweis, HNEA Bargaining Committee co-chairwoman, said in August after hearing negative feedback from the unit after three presentations were given to explain the negotiated contract.

“The general feeling was that there were a lot of takeaways and really nothing offered in return for that.”

The groups first met in December to discuss new proposals brought to the negotiators, centering mostly around the lack of vertical salary scale movement based on years of service.

The new proposal also included two extra years of retirement health benefits to be paid by higher premiums for retirees.

If the groups are unable to come to an agreement, negotiations will move to mediation.

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

In an effort to thank them for all they do, the four entities that make up the Hays Welcome Center teamed with McDonald’s Tuesday to provide breakfast for City of Hays first responders.

Hays Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tammy Wellbrock, Director of the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau Rick Rekoske, Aaron White of the Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development and Downtown Hays Development Corp. Executive Director Sara Bloom teamed with Deana Rupp from McDonald’s to provide breakfast from 5:30 to 7:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Welcome Center, 2700 Vine.

Wellbrock said the event was a good way to thank the first responders.

“We sometimes forget about what they are doing for us,” Wellbrock said. “This was our opportunity to say thanks.”

The group served around 65 meals to first responders and members of the city of Hays dispatch unit as they were headed to work or just getting off work. The breakfast included burritos, yogurt parfaits, granola bars and a beverage.

The breakfasts also came with a thank-you card featuring pictures and art created by the kids from Victory Christian Academy.

Wellbrock said the Bloom came up with the idea, and they were all happy to help with the event recognizing the first responders for all they do for the city of Hays.

FHSU University Relations and Marketing

For a fifth consecutive year, Fort Hays State University has placed programs in the top echelon of U.S. News and World Report’s annual rankings of online education.

That would be all five years that U.S. News and World Report has conducted a rating of online education programs. The news magazine has long published one of the most popular general rankings of traditional, on-campus college and university education.

The latest assessment of online programs was released Tuesday. In the latest assessment, Fort Hays State was tied for 24th in the nation — No. 1 in Kansas — for its online bachelor programs and was tied for 91st in the nation — No. 1 in Kansas — for its online Master of Business Administration programs.

The university’s graduate programs in education and nursing were each No. 2 in Kansas, coming in, respectively, tied for 48th and 95th nationally.

According to a recent report by the American Council on Education, the U.S. Department of Education counts approximately 4,200 colleges and universities.

“Our programs have been ranked among the top in the nation for all five years of the U.S. News and World Report’s online ratings,” said Dennis King, assistant vice president for student affairs and director of the Virtual College.

“Of the four categories in which we offer an education, we had the two top-ranked programs in Kansas, and in the other two we were second in the state, and we were the only Kansas university that was best in the state in two categories,” he said.

“It shows the quality, reputation and consistency in the education we’re offering students,” he continued. “The faculty and staff at Fort Hays State can be proud of this accomplishment.”

U.S. News has eight categories in its online educational rankings. The other four, not offered by the FHSU Virtual College, are graduate business, non-M.B.A.; graduate engineering; graduate criminal justice; and graduate computer information technology. An undergraduate computer science program will launch this summer.

“Online education is a growing strength at FHSU, and we expect to continue to advance in the rankings and in the number of programs that are ranked,” said Dr. Graham Glynn, FHSU provost and vice president of academic affairs.

These four programs are among the 27 bachelor’s degree programs and 14 graduate programs offered through the FHSU Virtual College, with many emphases available across the range of programs.

U.S. News based its bachelor’s degree ratings on student engagement, faculty credentials and training, student services and technology, and peer reputation. Student engagement was given the most weight, at 40 percent. The other criteria were each given 20 percent.

For the graduate education programs, student engagement again was given the most weight, 35 percent. In that category, student services and technology was given 20 percent, and admissions selectivity, faculty credentials and training, and peer reputation each received a 15-percent weighting.

For M.B.A. programs, student engagement was weighted at 28 percent, peer reputation was 25 percent, and 11 percent was given to faculty credentials and training and student services and technology.

Nursing programs were evaluated on the basis of student engagement, 20 percent; faculty credentials and training, 25 percent; peer reputation, 20 percent; student services and technology, 15 percent; and admissions selectivity, 10 percent.

King noted that, in addition to academic quality, affordability is also a key factor in making FHSU a destination of choice online as well as on-campus. Virtual College tuition rates are the same in state as out of state. For the bachelor’s programs, the per-credit-hour cost is $187; for the M.B.A., $400; for graduate education, $251; and for graduate nursing, $251.

A few schools have a lower in-state tuition than FHSU’s Virtual College rate in a particular category, but none have a lower rate overall.

DCC

RUSSELL–The next show opens at the Deines Cultural Center, Friday, Jan, 15 from 5 to 8 p.m.

“Drawn to Illusion” features the imaginative art of Robert Joy of Ellinwood and Mike  of Great Bend.

“Robert Joy’s work is a myriad of ornate mixed media drawings and Mike Whelan creates large-scale abstract drawings he calls ‘Doodleisms'”, said DCC Director Shannon Trevethan in a news release. “Together, their work is an adventure in color and line.”

“Drawn to Illusion” will be on exhibition in the south and upstairs galleries from January 15 through February 20. The Galleries are open Tuesday through Friday 12 to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 1 to 5 p.m.

Admission is free and all are welcome. Call (785) 483-3742 for inquiries or email us at [email protected] . Follow us on Facebook for updates on events and art exhibitions.

SHPTV

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) will appear on Smoky Hills Public Television’s “Conversation with Senator Jerry Moran” on Thursday, January 14. The 60-minute, live question-and-answer forum will be moderated by Dr. Chapman Rackaway, Fort Hays State University professor of political science.

The program will be broadcast live from 7 to 8 p.m. on Smoky Hills Public Television including KOOD/Hays, Channel 16; KSWK/Lakin, Channel 8; KDCK/Dodge City, Channel 21; KWKS/Colby, Channel 19; and DirecTV & Dish Network, Channel 9. The program will also be live-streamed on the Smoky Hills Public Television website, shptv.org. Kansans interested in calling in to ask questions or share feedback should dial 1-800-337-4788.

KCC

TOPEKA–A new partnership between the Kansas Corporation Commission, through a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, and Kansas State University’s Engineering Extension will offer no cost energy audits, renewable energy site assessments and related services to small businesses and agricultural producers in the Kansas’ Rural Opportunity Zone counties.

“We are pleased to be working with Kansas State University to provide these important energy efficiency services to help the state’s small businesses and agricultural producers lower their energy costs and increase profitability,” Shari Feist Albrecht, KCC Chair said in a news release.

Participants will receive a written report of the energy audit results, recommendations for cost effective energy efficiency improvements, and an estimate of energy savings that could be realized through implementation of the recommendations. They will also receive help in applying for U.S. Department of Agriculture assistance through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) and identifying other sources of services to implement the recommendations.

The REAP provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to purchase or install renewable energy systems or make energy efficiency improvements. The next grant application deadline is April 30, 2016.

An informational webinar for business owners interested in participating in the REAP program will be held at 11:00 AM (Central Time) on Friday, January 15, 2016. To register online, go to https://ksu.zoom.us/webinar/register/c2345253400ebc0e4ac87b605f06faf5. Registrants will receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the webinar. The webinar will also be recorded for later viewing.

For additional information about the energy efficiency services available or the webinar, contact David Carter at [email protected] or (785) 532-4998.

KDA

MANHATTAN–Five of Kansas’ 105 conservation districts received service recognition awards during the Kansas Association of Conservation District’s (KACD) annual convention in November.

The five districts which received the Governor’s Conservation District Recognition were recognized for their excellence in helping local farmers and ranchers implement conservation practices and encouraging conservation in their areas. Conservation districts work with landowners to construct livestock waste systems, terraces, windbreaks, water wells, grass plantings and other conservation projects, as well as to provide education on methods of conserving natural resources.

The Governor’s Conservation District Recognition winners were:

· Area I: Rawlins County
· Area II: Hodgeman County
· Area III: McPherson County
· Area IV: Jefferson County
· Area V: Crawford County

Activities of the recognized districts were highlighted during the State Conservation Commission luncheon at the KACD Convention held November 23, 2015, in Wichita. Recipients were presented a plaque signed by Governor Sam Brownback, recognizing the district’s commitment to conservation. Awards were presented by Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Jackie McClaskey.

“Kansas farmers and ranchers work hand-in-hand with their conservation districts to implement soil and water conservation efforts, and we are proud to recognize their achievements,” said McClaskey. “In agriculture, we know that quality soil and water are precious resources which require care in order to raise healthy animals and grow crops today, and to pass these resources on to future generations.”

The conservation district is the primary local unit of government responsible for the conservation of soil, water and related natural resources within each county. KACD is a voluntary, nongovernmental, nonprofit organization established in 1944 for the purpose of establishing and supporting programs designed to advance the conservation and orderly development of Kansas land, water and related resources. The Kansas Department of Agriculture Division of Conservation works closely with local conservation districts and the KACD.

For more information about conservation in Kansas, contact the Kansas Department of Agriculture Division of Conservation at (785) 564-6620.