FHSU University Relations and Marketing
Fort Hays State University’s faculty Dr. Wally Guyot, professor of management, and Dr. Robert Meier, professor of informatics received the best paper award at the eighth annual business conference at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas.
The paper is titled “Impulse Control and Internet Addiction Disorder among Business Professionals.”
Dr. Reginald Bell of Prairie View A&M University also contributed to the research paper.
ELLIS–Several Fort Hays State University Leadership students spent their spring semester working on various projects for the city of Ellis. Mayor David McDaniel recognized their efforts and thanked the students during the May 2 Ellis city council meeting.
In other business, the council approved a motion for Sargent Drilling to install test wells on two sites permitted by the Kansas Division of Water Resources to explore as potential new water sources for Ellis.
The complete meeting minutes follow.
ELLIS CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES MAY 2, 2016
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor David McDaniel called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Present were Council members Bret Andries, Holly Aschenbrenner, Gary Luea, Jolene Niernberger, Bob Redger, and John Walz. Also present were Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman, City Clerk Amy Burton, Police Chief Taft Yates, and City Attorney Olavee Raub.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA
None
PUBLIC PRESENT
Buck Driggs, Cheryl Kinderknecht, Glen Keller, Nancy Patel, Kristine Tippin, Charlene Weber, Janeen Cox, Windy McClung, Charles Dick, Casey Thomlinson, Ty McCulloch, Amy Varner, and Taylor Swarts
CONSENT AGENDA
Council member John Walz moved to approve the consent agenda containing the Minutes from the Regular Meeting on April 18, 2016, Bills Ordinance #1996, and the December 2015 manual journal entries. Council member Holly Aschenbrenner seconded the motion. The Council approved the consent agenda 6-0.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
None
PRESENTATIONS OF AWARDS, PROCLAMATIONS, REQUESTS & PETITIONS (HEARINGS)
Personnel: Special Project
Mayor David McDaniel presented a Citizenship Award to Nancy Patel, Fort Hays State University student, for her senior project of performing a Human Resource Audit for the City. Her project focused on employee recruitment, on-boarding, and termination.
Mayor McDaniel also presented a Citizenship Award to Kristine Tippin, Fort Hays State University student, for her senior project of developing a Wellness Program for the City. Ms. Tippin explained the benefits of a Wellness Program and how to implement and evaluate such a program.
SPECIAL ORDER
Water: Special Project
The Fort Hays State University Leadership 310 Team consisting of Amy Varner, Charles Dick, Casey Thomlinson, and Ty McCulluch, presented their semester project on educating Ellis residents about the sales tax election. They also were tasked with developing a mission statement for the City Clerk’s office and Public Work’s Department. Mayor David McDaniel presented each of the team members with a Citizenship Award recognizing their efforts.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Water: Repair/Maintenance
Buck Driggs, Driggs Design Group, gave an update on the Waterline Improvement Project. The preconstruction meeting was held on April 18th and work should begin in early May. APAC has requested a no-cost change order on Cottonwood Street. The order would allow APAC to bore, rather than trench, the utility line which could disrupt the root system of the trees lining the high school track. Boring the utility line would also be less disruptive to residents. Council member Bob Redger moved and Council member Holly Aschenbrenner seconded a motion to approve the change order requested by APAC to bore the utility lines on Cottonwood Street at no additional cost to the City. The motion carried 6-0.
NEW BUSINESS
General Government: Licenses/Permits
Council member John Walz moved to approve the Fireworks Permit Application from the Ellis Baptist Youth Group and Ellis Soccer Group to sell fireworks at 812 Washington Street. Council member Jolene Niernberger seconded the motion. Upon a call for discussion, Council member Gary Luea noted that it didn’t make sense to allow the sale of fireworks when Council could decide later to prohibit the discharge of fireworks. Upon a call for the vote, the motion carried 5-1, with Mr. Luea voting opposed.
General Government: Financial
City Attorney Olavee Raub presented the proposed ordinance levying the one cent sales tax approved at the special election on April 5th. Council member John Walz moved and Council member Bob Redger seconded a motion to adopt Ordinance No. 1403 levying a one cent sales tax effective October 1, 2016. The motion carried 6-0.
General Government: Contracts
Council member John Walz moved to approve the 2017 Budget Contract with Adams, Brown, Beran & Ball, Chtd. in the amount of $4,100. Council member Jolene Niernberger seconded the motion. The motion carried 6-0.
General Government: Contracts
City Clerk Amy Burton presented a proposed agreement with Standard & Poor’s for credit rating services for the 2016 Refunding Bonds. The service was estimated at $12,000 in the Preliminary Refinancing Analysis. Council member John Walz moved and Council member Bob Redger seconded a motion to approve the agreement with Standard & Poor’s for bond credit rating services in the amount of $10,750. The motion carried 6-0.
Sewer: Repair/Maintenance
Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman presented two bids for a sludge auger tube at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Council member John Walz moved and Council member Gary Luea seconded a motion to accept the low bid from Conveyor Engineering & Manufacturing for the sludge auger tube in the amount of $1,930, with funds to come from the Sewer Depreciation Fund. The motion carried 6-0.
Personnel: Benefits
City Clerk Amy Burton presented the renewal rates for the City’s dental insurance for employees. The dental rates have actually decreased approximately 5.4%. Council member Bob Redger moved and Council member Bret Andries seconded a motion to approve the Blue Cross Blue Shield dental insurance plan for employees for the 2016-2017 plan year. The motion carried 6-0.
Water Exploration: Special Project
Council discussed the progress on exploring for additional water sources for the City. The new site has been approved by the Division of Water Resources, and the City is ready to revisit the two permitted sites to install test wells. Council directed Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman to start soliciting engineering bids for the project. Council member John Walz moved and Council member Bob Redger seconded a motion to have Sargent Drilling install the 5” test wells on the two permitted sites with funds to come from the Capital Improvement – Water Exploration Fund. The motion carried 6-0.
REPORTS FROM CITY OFFICIALS
Public Works: Training
Mr. Scheuerman updated Council on recent training he attended regarding building inspections and flood plain management.
Police
Police Chief Taft Yates presented the Monthly Activity Report for April and the staff calendar for May. Officer Smith will begin the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center on June 20th and will graduate in September. Chief Yates noted the Honor Bell Foundation will stop in Ellis on May 7th. The Foundation hopes to place a 1,000 lb. brass bell in every national cemetery. Chief Yates hopes to return to full duty by June 1st.
City Clerk
City Clerk Amy Burton presented the December 2015 financial statements consisting of the Statement of Accounts, Treasurer’s Report, and the Security Deposit Worksheet.
Tourism: Special Project
The Tourism Task Force has requested donation items for the Ellis Get Away Basket as part of their promotional event All Aboard for Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. Council member Jolene Niernberger moved and Council member John Walz seconded a motion to donate a one-night stay at the Lakeside Campground and four daily swim passes for the Ellis Get Away Basket. The motion carried 6-0.
Attorney
Council member Gary Luea inquired on the progress on property salvage yards around town. City Attorney Olavee Raub will provide an update from Cassy Ziegler, City Prosecutor, for the next Council meeting.
Mayor Update and Announcements
Mayor David McDaniel reminded everyone of the June 1st filing deadline for City Council positions. Three Council member seats are up for election. Interested parties will need to file at the County Clerk’s office.
Mayor McDaniel and Council members Jolene Niernberger and John Walz provided an update from the Mayor’s Conference and Leadership Summit they recently attended in Junction City. One highlight of the conference was Mayor McDaniel’s nomination for Mayor of the Year. Mayor McDaniel was also elected as the Second Vice President for the Kansas Mayor’s Association.
Mayor McDaniel reported that the League of Kansas Municipalities will hold training on KOMA/KORA in Hays on August 5th.
Doug Shaw has been nominated Chairman of the Ellis PRIDE Committee.
ADJOURNMENT
Council member Bob Redger moved and Council member Bret Andries seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried 6-0. The meeting adjourned at 9:25 p.m.
FHSU University Relations and Marketing
Commencement ceremonies at Fort Hays State University this year will mark the graduation of 3,794 graduates from the summer and fall of 2015 and spring 2016, which is 224 more than last year’s spring Commencement total of 3,570.
A new tradition of two ceremonies, begun last year to accommodate increasing numbers of graduates and their families, continues this year. Both Commencement ceremonies will take place in Gross Memorial Coliseum, immediately adjacent to the U.S. 183 Bypass on the south side of the FHSU campus.
Bob Dole, war hero, former U.S. congressman and senator and the Republican Party nominee for the presidency in 1996, will be the keynote speaker at both ceremonies and will be awarded the first-ever honorary doctorate presented by Fort Hays State.
Graduates from the College of Business and Entrepreneurship, the College of Education, and the College of Science, Technology and Mathematics will gather for Commencement at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 13. Coliseum doors open at 4 p.m.
Graduates from the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences will gather for Commencement at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 14. Doors open at 7 a.m.
The 9 a.m. starting time for the Saturday ceremony is a change from years past.
Both Commencement ceremonies are free and open to families of graduates and to all friends of the university. No tickets are required.
They will also be streamed live in two places on the FHSU website. One will be accessed through a Watch Live link on the home page banner. FHSU’s student-run news operation, Tiger Media Network, will also stream a live feed of Commencement through the TMN+ link on its homepage at tmn.fhsu.edu.
“This is a big day for each and every one of our graduates, and we want it to be special for them, their family and friends,” said Craig Karlin, registrar.
The projected numbers of degrees — associate, bachelor’s and graduate – from the Office of the Registrar are 402 from the summer 2015 term, 807 from the fall 2015 semester and 2,585 from this spring. The overall numbers, which will change slightly when the degree checking process concludes, are 93 total associate degrees, 2,961 bachelor degrees and 740 graduate degrees (Ed.S., MFA and master’s) across the five academic colleges at FHSU.
Graduates should park on the main campus and gather in the hallways of adjacent Cunningham Hall by 5:15 p.m. on Friday and by 8:15 a.m. on Saturday; all others are asked to enter Gross Coliseum through Gates 1, 2, 3 or 4. Traffic in the Gross Coliseum area is extremely heavy for Commencement. Parking lots adjacent to Gross Coliseum typically fill up quickly, but ample parking is available on the main campus. In the event of rain, unpaved lots near Gross Coliseum will be closed, making it necessary to park on the main campus.
Shuttle bus service will be provided both Friday and Saturday between the campus and Gross Coliseum. The shuttle buses will stop in parking lots and wherever drivers see people walking to or from Gross Coliseum.
Graduates and faculty will be seated on the main floor of Gross Coliseum. Relatives and friends of the graduates will be seated in the bleachers and the balcony. Seating for the disabled will be available in the bleacher areas on either side in front of the stage. One person may accompany an individual requiring seating in these areas.
Drivers will find Gates 2 and 3, at the northwest and southwest corners, most convenient for dropping off passengers with disabilities. Rebecca Luedders will interpret for the hearing-impaired in Gross Coliseum.
FHSU officials ask those who attend to show decorum appropriate to the occasion. Air horns and other noisemakers are not allowed in Gross Coliseum. Please do not applaud individual graduates because loud demonstrations are discourteous, drowning out the names of the graduates who follow. An appropriate time for applause will be announced. The audience is also asked to refrain from moving around, and graduates should remain for the entire ceremony.
Another change in Commencement this year is that a video feed in the Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center in Sheridan Hall will not be offered. Attendance in Beach/Schmidt had declined to less than a dozen.
Up-to-date information about Commencement 2016 is available on the FHSU website at
www.fhsu.edu/commencement. This page also will have a link to the live feed.
By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
Sunday evening rainfall amounts in Hays were varied across town, as were the reports of the size and amounts of hail.
Hays Post received several reports from Hays residents who measured about two inches of rain; the Eagle Media Center, 2300 Hall Street had 2.07 in the gauge.
Officially, though, the Mother’s Day rain was much less.
(Just 0.73 rain in southeast Hays with smaller than pea-sized hail for about five minutes)
Joe Becker, official weather guy at the K-State Agriculture Research Center just south of Main Street and Old Highway 40, reported 0.71 of rainfall Sunday with pea-sized hail about 8:30 p.m. lasting about 10 minutes. No damage was reported from that hailstorm.
Becker also reported 0.05 inches of rain on Saturday, May 7.
By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
ELLIS–The Honor Bell Foundation, based in Denver, is creating a community of veterans to foster public appreciation of military service and honor their fellow veterans with a proper, final tribute.
The first-ever Honor Bell is being made from metal artifacts, including military medals and pins, donated by families of deceased Colorado veterans.
The “Birth of the Bell” tour will stop in Ellis Saturday afternoon with the artifacts on its way to Cincinnati, Ohio, where the bell will be forged.
Ellis Police Chief and retired Army Ranger Taft Yates, said the public is invited to visit with Honor Bell Foundation founder and CEO, Lou Olivera–who is also a Vietnam vet–in the Fischer Liquor Store parking lot from 1:45 to 2:15 p.m. .
“These artifacts get melted into the material which becomes the bell,” Yates explained.
“The goal of the foundation–and it may take a very long time–is to have one of these 1,000 pound Honor Bells in every national cemetery in the U.S. They can be used at various ceremonies–Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Wreaths Across America–and military funerals.”
The “Birth of the Bell Tour” riders include Patriot Guard Riders, Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, VFW Warriors, American Legion Riders and others who ride along as far as they like.
The group is scheduled to arrive in Cincinnati Sunday, May 8, with foundry casting to begin Monday, May 9. The mold is expected to be broken Thu., May 12, to reveal the Honor Bell and prepare it for tuning, polishing and mounting.
Saturday, May 21–Armed Forces Day–the “Forged With Honor Tour” will begin the journey with the Honor Bell from Ohio home to Ft. Logan National Cemetery in Denver.
For more information or to make a donation to the Honor Bell Foundation, go online at www.honorbell.org or Facebook.
Submitted
NCK Tech and Northwest Kansas Housing Inc. (NWK Housing) in Norton have established a multi-year relationship to provide housing in rural Kansas communities.
NWK Housing Inc. will be purchasing houses from both the Hays and Beloit campuses of NCK Tech over the next five years.
Each home boasts over 1,900 square feet, is well-insulated with highly energy efficient lighting, is accessible and set up for geothermal energy. NCK Tech houses are designed, built and finished by NCK Tech students in the Carpentry, Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning, and Electrical Technology programs while under the supervision of licensed faculty.
These houses are still for sale and available for the general public but will not be at live auction.
Interested parties may contact the NWK Housing office at (785) 421-2151 for more information. Special Financing and other programs may be available upon qualification.
NCK Tech President Eric Burks said, “We are proud and excited to partner with Northwest Kansas Housing, Inc. We are both dedicated to strengthening economic systems for the region and feel providing new quality housing will help attract and retain people in our area. The board and I were adamant that NCK Tech continue to serve as a source for housing for our region.
“We really feel as though it ended up as a win-win-win. The college wins because we stabilized what we generate from the housing projects, which is especially important in light of the state’s finances. NWK Housing wins because we can consistently provide them with houses to continue their initiative. The purchaser also wins because anyone can still purchase the house at a fair price and they may even qualify for additional financing options available through NWK Housing,” said Burks.
Randall Hrabe, executive director of the Northwest Kansas Planning and Development Commission and NWK Housing, said, “I am extremely happy with the new partnership we have with NCK Tech College to construct the houses for us over the next five years. It is vital for us in the rural areas to work together regionally to meet our needs or what I refer to as our ‘rural resilience.’
“It is not only the new housing being created for northwest Kansas, but we also encourage the students to become entrepreneurial and possibly start their own construction business after they are out of school. Through our Certified Development Company, we can also provide that funding and expertise,” Hrabe added.
The house auctions for both Hays and Beloit are cancelled. Contact Hrabe at NWK Housing at (785) 421-2151 for purchase information.
By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
“This year may not be the right time for a project of this scale but that does not mean it has no future.”
That’s the premise of a collaborative project proposed by the Downtown Hays Development Corporation (DHDC) and presented to the Hays city commission Thursday night by students in the Fort Hays State University Construction Management program.
DHDC has been working with FHSU to develop a plan for building a downtown open-air metal roof pavilion in the east end of Union Pacific Park, 10th and Main.
The project would also include a public restroom. Total cost is estimated at $190,676. Executive Director Sara Bloom told commissioners DHDC “would be gifting almost $50,000 for a bathroom” to be constructed.
The pavilion–with three entrances and concrete bench seating–site design, lighting and landscape design would all be executed by FHSU students, with some input from local professionals.
Board president Sandy Jacobs first made it clear to commissioners “DHDC does not plan to ask the city commission to take any action.”
“We think it’s a really viable project. We believe it will have its time, whether that time is today or that time is six months from now,” she said.
Jacobs also acknowledged the slowed local economy and tight budgets.
“We understand challenges in all of our community, not just at the city level, but the county level. We understand sales tax issues. So, we’re going to put it in your hands and let you tell us what you want done, if anything, at any point in time.”
DHDC Executive Director Sara Bloom reminded commissioners the pavilion project was included in the city’s Comprehensive Plan.
“It could also be the dawn of the ‘Downtown To Campus Corridor’,” she said. “DHDC has always envisioned that corridor (to FHSU) being down 10th Street.”
Commissioners thanked and praised the 20 FHSU students and their instructor, Kris Munsch, following their detailed explanation of the project construction and costs.
The collaboration between FHSU, DHDC and the city of Hays was seen as a positive, but commissioners had some big concerns, starting with whether there would be any guarantee of completion.
“I don’t think my department chair intends to fire me anytime soon, do you, Kim?,” Munsch joked as he looked back at FHSU Department of Applied Technology Chairman Kim Stewart in the crowd, who was taking pictures as the students talked.
“DHDC is very committed to this project,” Bloom told commissioners. “We’re going to do everything we can to see this project go.”
“We do want to reiterate that we are making a commitment tonight that whenever this project takes place–whether it’s in the very near future or down the road–we are fully committed to raising those funds. We will not break ground until we have all $200,000 in our bank,” Bloom promised.
Although the initial cost for the 40 foot by 80 foot pavilion would not be paid by the city, the estimated annual expenses of a property lease with Union Pacific Railroad, electricity, upkeep and supplies, is estimated at $5,224. Commissioners cited that as another concern about the proposal.
The adjacent abandoned grain elevators also worry the city.
“Hays artist Dennis Schiel is in the process of raising several thousand dollars to have those redone, to have the roof fixed, and to have the structural soundness brought back up to code so that he can paint a mural on them,” Bloom said.
“However, we do know from Aaron White (Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development Executive Director) who has contacts with Union Pacific that they are taking bids right now to have those things taken down,” Bloom advised, “so one of those two things is likely to happen in the very near future.”
Mayor Eber Phelps reminded the audience, which included downtown Hays business owners, that Thursday’s meeting was a work session only and no action could be taken.
Commissioner James Meier asked for the pavilion project to be put on the June 16 work session agenda for further discussion
“If it’s something we find that’s not workable because of ‘X, Y and Z’ then and so be it.” Meier said.
“That way the discussion has been had and it’s over and DHDC can move forward with whatever other projects they want to move forward with.
“I just don’t see a point in dragging this out,” he added.
Commissioner Henry Schwaller was absent.
By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
An Ellis County man was arrested Thursday morning in connection with a 911 call about an aggravated assault in rural Ellis County.
According to a news release from the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office, Thursday morning, May 5, at 10:10 a.m. there was an aggravated assault in the 2000 bock of E. 8th in rural Ellis County.
The victim, who had fled the scene, was later located by sheriff’s officers.
Jeorge Edward Walst Walston, Jr., 53, was arrested on-scene in connection with the aggravated assault.
Detective Brad Ricke said the investigation is continuing and additional charges are expected.
By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
ELLIS–The Honor Bell Foundation, based in Denver, is creating a community of veterans to foster public appreciation of military service and honor their fellow veterans with a proper, final tribute.
The first-ever Honor Bell is being made from metal artifacts, including military medals and pins, donated by families of deceased Colorado veterans.
The “Birth of the Bell” tour will stop in Ellis Saturday afternoon with the artifacts on its way to Cincinnati, Ohio, where the bell will be forged.
Ellis Police Chief and retired Army Ranger Taft Yates, said the public is invited to visit with Honor Bell Foundation founder and CEO, Lou Olivera–who is also a Vietnam vet–in the Fischer Liquor Store parking lot from 1:45 to 2:15 p.m. .
“These artifacts get melted into the material which becomes the bell,” Yates explained.
“The goal of the foundation–and it may take a very long time–is to have one of these 1,000 pound Honor Bells in every national cemetery in the U.S. They can be used at various ceremonies–Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Wreaths Across America–and military funerals.”
The “Birth of the Bell Tour” riders include Patriot Guard Riders, Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, VFW Warriors, American Legion Riders and others who ride along as far as they like.
The group is scheduled to arrive in Cincinnati Sunday, May 8, with foundry casting to begin Monday, May 9. The mold is expected to be broken Thu., May 12, to reveal the Honor Bell and prepare it for tuning, polishing and mounting.
Saturday, May 21–Armed Forces Day–the “Forged With Honor Tour” will begin the journey with the Honor Bell from Ohio home to Ft. Logan National Cemetery in Denver.
For more information or to make a donation to the Honor Bell Foundation, go online at www.honorbell.org or Facebook.
May is Older Americans Month, and the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) want older Kansans to be fire safe
Nationally, May is recognized as Older Americans Month, a time to acknowledge the contributions of past and current older persons in our country.
This month is also an opportunity to recognize that older Kansans are significantly more at risk than other members of the population to be victims of house fires. Our office and KDADS joined together to offer fire safety tips to help prevent older adults from starting fires or being injured or killed by one.
In 2013, according to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), older adults (ages 65 and older) represented 14 percent of the United States population but suffered 36 percent of all fire deaths. In Kansas, of the 37 total fire-related deaths in 2015, 16 victims were over the age of 65 – representing 43% of the total fire deaths.
The USFA research also shows that older adults are 2.5 times more likely to die in a fire than the general population. The risk worsens as we age, with people ages 85 and older 3.6 times more likely to die in a fire.
These tips will help keep seniors safe from the dangers of fire:
Home Heating
* When space heaters are on, keep them at least three feet away from anything that can burn, such as curtains or furniture.
* If you’re exiting the room, or if you’re going to bed, make sure that your turn off and unplug the space heater.
Have a Fire Safe Home
* Have smoke detectors installed outside each sleeping area and replace the battery two times a year-every time that you change your clocks for Daylight Savings Time.
* If you must smoke, never smoke in bed. Never smoke in a home where medical oxygen is used.
* Walk through your home and identify any possible exits in case of a fire. Make a fire escape plan and practice it.
Cooking Safety
* Never wear loose clothes or clothes with long sleeves when cooking. Remember to use oven mitts when handling hot pans. And NEVER leave the kitchen while you’re cooking.
* Check the kitchen after you finish cooking to make sure the oven burners and other appliances are turned off.
Finally, if there’s fire or smoke. Get out and stay out. Call 911 from outside the home and wait for firefighters to arrive.
For more fire safety tips and a video about fire safety for seniors, visit www.firemarshal.ks.gov<https://www.firemarshal.ks.gov>.
Doug Jorgensen is the State Fire Marshal of Kansas.
FHSU University Relations and Marketing
Spring winners of Fort Hays State University’s faculty awards for service, scholarly activity and research, and teaching have been announced.
Dr. Stephen Donnelly, assistant professor of chemistry, won the Outstanding Teacher Award. Dr. Leo Herrman, associate professor of psychology, was honored with the Outstanding Scholarly Activity and Research Award, and Dr. Elodie Jones, assistant professor of teacher education, received the Outstanding Service Award.
Their awards were announced when the winners received surprise visits in their classrooms.
All three recipients received a $500 check for their accomplishments. Three other faculty members were recognized for teaching, scholarly activity and service in the fall 2015 semester.
Together with this semester’s winners, these six faculty members will constitute the pool from which the Faculty Member of the Year will be chosen. That winner will be announced at the Fall Convocation in August. The Faculty Member of the Year Award carries a $1,000 cash prize.
Each of the five colleges of the university nominates outstanding faculty members to receive the awards. Recipients are selected by a committee appointed by the respective college deans.
Donnelly was recognized for his “tireless commitment to student learning and success, serving as a mentor to the best and brightest students and engaging “them in learning outside of the classroom” as well as inside. He was particularly cited for his work with students in the Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science. “The teaching environment that he creates is one that challenges, supports, and inspires students,” said one nomination letter.
Herrman, after a career as a clinical psychologist, returned to FHSU to direct the clinical psychology graduate program. The nomination letter for Herrman cited his work with this year’s cohort of clinical students in the area of research design and statistics. That work resulted in “remarkable performance” on standardized capstone test scores for these students. “He sets a high benchmark toward which colleagues and students fervently strive,” said one nominating letter.
Jones was nominated for the Service Award for the knowledge she brings to her field and for her work in taking service education global through, among other things, coordinating service-learning work in Belize, where she took a group of students to work in a small community school on Ambergris Cave Island. “She collaborates with her scholars while making outstanding contributions to FHSU, the community, state, and nation,” said one nominator.
By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
It’s a great opportunity to “get some exercise and celebrate breast cancer survivors” with hundreds of your closest friends.
The fourth annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure is Saturday morning in Hays Municipal Park.
According to Kansas Executive Director Kirsten Bruce, Wichita, the race in Wichita was the fourth in the country to organize, back in 1990. “We do cover the entire state of Kansas. This gives us the opportunity to raise funds that we grant back out to the community,” Bruce said.
The registration tent for the Hays race, sponsored locally by HaysMed, opens at 7 a.m. Saturday.
“We have a one-mile family fun walk and you can also walk the 5-K if you want to. You can run the 5-K timed or untimed, or you can walk it.
“The 50-yard dash that the kids do at the end of the day is super fun.” Bruce added with a smile.
Special events for breast cancer survivors include a drop-in continental breakfast, and a parade and celebration. To register or 
make a donation, go to komen kansas dot.org.
“There are now over three million breast cancer survivors in the U.S.,” Bruce said, “and we love to celebrate them at our Race for the Cure. It is really fantastic–a community-based event.”
FHSU University Relations and Marketing
Eighteen poster presentations were selected from more than a hundred that were submitted for judging and exhibited at Fort Hays State University’s John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activities Day on Wed., April 27.
For the first time this year, two People’s Choice awards were also given, the winners selected by vote of the more than 600 students, faculty and community members who attended as presenters or visitors.
This event, which recognizes the scholarly and creative activities of students and faculty, recognizes research, scholarly and creative work conducted by varied disciplines within the university. Departments across campus sponsored special activities, including seminars and research presentations.
The main event was a poster and art exhibition in the FHSU Memorial Union Ballroom featuring student and faculty work from College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, the College of Business and Entrepreneurship, the College of Education, the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences and the College of Science, Technology and Mathematics.
Posters were divided into two categories, one for empirical research and one for non-empirical research. Each category was divided into three divisions: undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty.
The winning posters are arranged by place (first, second and third) by category and division.
Empirical research, undergraduate student:
Empirical research, faculty:
Non-empirical research, graduate student:
Non-empirical research, undergraduate student:
Non-empirical research, faculty:
The People’s Choice Award winners were Amber Forbes, Nassau, Bahamas, sophomore majoring in communication studies for her scholarly research poster “Blood-Water Campaign: A Service Learning Project in Business and Professional Speaking,” and Chantel Bollinger, Westminster, Colo., senior, won for her creative poster “Pangolin.”
“This is the 11th year for this prestigious event,” said Leslie Paige, coordinator of the Office of Scholarship and Sponsored Projects. “It not only showcases the significant work being conducted by faculty and staff, but also exemplifies the opportunities that FHSU students have to conduct research, engage in scholarship and to produce creative works with guidance from their faculty mentors.”
Scholarly and creative activity encourages critical thinking, innovation, collaboration and leadership. Participation provides the opportunity to clarify academic and professional goals while promoting advancement in a particular field of study. Fort Hays State supports developing new areas of excellence in all disciplines as part of its mission to advance knowledge and further the economic growth of the state.
Named after the late Dr. John Heinrichs, who championed research at FHSU, Scholarly and Creative Activities Day is sponsored by the FHSU Scholarship Environment Committee with support from the Office of the Provost, the deans, the Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science, the Graduate School, the Department of Criminal Justice and the Office of Scholarship and Sponsored Projects.
Door prizes were donated by Commerce Bank, Bank of Hays, Body & Soul Day Spa and Beauty Lounge, Gella’s, Great Clips, Eagle Communications, Nex-Tech Wireless, Sunflower Bank, Wal-Mart of Hays, FHSU Book Store, FHSU University Relations and Marketing, and the FHSU Foundation.
