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WKHRMA annual seminar is Oct. 23

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Western Kansas Human Resource Management Association will hold its annual seminar on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019 at the Fort Hays State University Robbins Center (Eagle Communication Hall), One Tiger Place.

Registration is at 8:30 a.m. with the program being held from 9:00 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The program for the October seminar will be presented by Melody Rayl and Lauren Sobaski of Fisher & Phillips LLP.

Program topics include: Creating a Culture of Inclusiveness, The Real Problem with Workplace Retaliation Claims, Drugs in the Workplace & Changing Marijuana Laws, Preparing and Surviving when OSHA Calls, and Handling Audits.

RSVP at wkhrma.shrm.org by October 9.  The program is $75 for WKHRMA members and $90 for non-members. Lunch is included.

WKHRMA is an affiliate chapter of SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management), a local professional organization for persons engaged in personal or human resource management.

For more information on WKHRMA, visit wkhrma.shrm.org.

– SUBMITTED –

Drive-through flu shots available this month at HaysMed

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HaysMed’s annual drive-through flu shot clinic has been scheduled for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29. The event will offer free flu shots for all residents older than 6 months.

It will be the 20th year the hospital has offered the community service, and approximately 3,500 people are expected to be vaccinated during the free clinic.

Adults wanting to receive a free flu shot can get one without having to leave their vehicles. HaysMed volunteers will direct traffic during the event, and the maximum wait time is estimated at 15 minutes.
Children older than 6 months will be vaccinated inside the gym at the Center for Health Improvement (CHI). Adults attending with children also can receive their shots inside the waiting area of Hays Orthopedic Institute, located inside the CHI building.

More than 100 volunteers will be on hand to help with the event. HaysMed partners with Fort Hays State University and North Central Kansas Vo-Tech as both facilities provide students to help with the shots.

There will be no nasal flu vaccine at the drive-through flu shot clinic. There will be no egg free vaccines available at the drive-through flu shot clinic. People with a severe egg allergy will need to contact their local healthcare provider for their flu vaccine.

The event is sponsored by the Hays Medical Center Foundation. While there is no cost for flu shots, participants are asked to bring a canned food item to benefit the Community Assistance Center.

The vaccine also is available at HaysMed clinics for patients who are unable to attend the drive-through flu shot event. Charges will apply at regular clinic visits, though the vaccine is covered by most health insurance plans.

— HaysMed

FIRESTONE: Hays Symphony envisions an exciting season

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Buckstead

By RUTH FIRESTONE
Hays Music Lover

The orchestra is about to open the new season with a new name, new conductor and a new theme.

The Hays Symphony Orchestra is now the Hays Symphony, and the conductor will be Dr. Brian Buckstead.

Dr. Buckstead has a thriving career as a performing artist, conductor and educator; his knowledge of orchestral literature is impressive. He has performed as violin or viola soloist with ensembles throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia, and also has a number of recordings. He is well known as a conductor in the upper Midwest and Canada and comes to Fort Hays State University from the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

This season’s theme, “Symphonic Visions,” promises to be as delightful and exciting as in years past.

Rossini’s “William Tell Overture,” with its thunderstorm and chase, will formally open the season in FHSU’s Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21.

The Children’s Halloween Concert, at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27, in Beach/Schmidt, will envision what it might be like to have Beethoven as one’s upstairs neighbor.

As ever, the Basilica of St. Fidelis Catholic Church in Victoria will supply its own imagery for the annual Cathedral Concert at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8. The magical combination of the Basilica plus the glorious Christmas music of several ensembles never fails to enchant its audience.

Spring 2020 will bring three more events guaranteed to cast concertgoers young and old into a state of bliss – the annual Valentine’s concert, the Cottonwood Festival, and the Masterworks Symphony and Choir shared concert.

The Valentine’s Concert, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, in Beach/Schmidt, will feature both classical music and romantic themes from the movies.

The date is yet to be determined for the Cottonwood Festival, a three-day celebration of chamber music. Guest artists collaborate with Department of Music faculty and students in rehearsals, master classes and concerts.

The Masterworks symphony will be at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 2, in Beach/Schmidt. The orchestral work will be “Symphonie Fantastique” by Berlioz. The choral work has not been announced.

All Hays Symphony performances are free. Tickets can be reserved online at www.hayssymphony.org. In addition, tickets may be picked up at the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Downtown Hays Development Corporation, 1200 Main, one week in advance of the concert or in the lobby 30 minutes before the concert starts.

Check the Hays Symphony Facebook page for additional concert details such as pre-concert talks and post-concert receptions.

Hays Symphony performances and post-concert receptions are made possible by generous support from Kay and Dick Werth (AutoWorld), Claire Matthews, Dr. Michael Meade, Sandra Gottschalk, the Downtown Hays Development Corporation, the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau, Werth Wealth Management, Insurance Planning, Chartwells, and music lovers like you. Thank you.

Ellis Co. restaurant and lodging inspections, 8/26 – 9/1

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Last week’s inspection results from the Kansas Department of Agriculture:

Burger King 1212 Vine, Hays – Aug 27

An inspection following a complaint found three violations

  • Walk-in cooler ambient temperature was 51.6 F. Items as follows had internal temperature from 50 F – 53 F. Five and one half cases of cut lettuce, eight fully cooked grilled chicken,  3/4 case of fully cooked pulled pork, two and one half cases of sliced cheeses, two cases of shredded cheese, one and one half case of fully cooked ham, 12 quarts of heavy cream, one a one half case of raw bacon, two and one half cases of cartons of eggs, eight cans of dairy whip topping, three and one half cases of dairy ice cream base.
  • The establishment has a walk-in cooler that is not working, a refrigerated line cooler and a small refrigerated prep table that is not working. Due to not having enough equipment for cooling or cold holding establishment choose to do a voluntary closure.
  • No paper towels or other hand drying provisions at the men’s restroom handwashing sink.

Burger King 1212 Vine, Hays – Aug 28

An inspection following reopening found no violations.

Chartwells – McMindes Hall FHSU McMindes Hall 600 Park, Hays – Aug 28

A routine inspection found 12 violations.

  • An employee was refilling containers for the buffet line. While filling she was using a spoon with her bare hands filling what containers with Nutella Spread. While she was trying to get the Nutella off the spoon into the white container she used her barehanded finger to removed it from the spoon.
  • In the True two-door refrigerator, on the noodle line, there was a uncovered metal container of raw shrimp that was being stored on a wire rack directly over a covered container of fully cooked rice. No evidence of leaking was observed.
  • In the grill area of the buffet line, there was a cook that was cooking raw hamburgers. During this time she had finished cooking a hamburger and placed it on the buffet line to be served. The temperature of the hamburger was 147 F.
  • In the cooked foods walk-in cooler there were three large plastic tubs that held fully cooked cavatappi pasta. These tubs had lids on each tub and were being stacked on top of each other. The center of the top tub of pasta was 48 F. The outer edges of the tub of pasta was 39 F. A  second tub’s center temperature was 53 F. Outer edge of the tub of pasta was 42 F. A third tub’s center temperature was 45 F. The outer edge of tub of pasta was 39 F. These 3 containers of pasta did not reach required temperature within 6 hours.
  • Upon walking into the main kitchen there were three very large tubs of fully cooked pasta cooling down. These containers of pasta had very little ice present in with the pasta. The temperature of the pasta was 96 F and the person in charge said that it had been cooling for about an hour prior to the inspector taking the temperature.
  • In the hot holding box in between the noodle line and Italian line there was fully cooked chicken at 123 F and fully cooked pork 114 F. On the Italian buffet line there was cooked pasta at 109 F, tomato sauce at 121 F, and meatballs at 115 F. On the home-cooked buffet line there was cooked carrots at the temperature of 102 F. All other hot holding temperatures are in compliance.
  • On the salad buffet there was yogurt that had a temperature of 45 F, cut watermelon at 48 F, cooked eggs at 44 F, cut salad at 46 F, and pasta salad at 44 F. Items were in ice storage containers and no ambient temperature is available. Items were not fully submerged into the ice and that very well could contribute to the temperatures being on the warmer side. On the pizza refrigerated prep table, there were containers of cooked chicken that had a temperature of 52 F and sliced ham 48 F. Ambient Temperature of the unit was 38 F. There were two containers being stacked inside one another with the top container having the ham and chicken present.
  • On a speed rack in the cooked walk-in cooler, there was fully cooked chicken on sheet pans that was cooked on 8/28/19. The speed rack had a label on it of 8/29/19 to 9/5/19.  In the cooked walk-in cooler there was a container of stew and two containers of fully cooked chicken with no labels of when it was cooked. In the cooked walk-in cooler there was a container of cooked bbq carrots with dates of 8/27/19 to 9/3/19. The products could have been held for over 7 days.
  • In the cooked walk-in cooler there was a container of roasted red bell peppers that had an opened date of 8/28/19 to 9/5/19. This product could be held for over 7 days.
  • In the cooked walk-in cooler there was a container of fully cooked pork sauce with garlic and oil that had a date of 9/11/19 and a container of cooked Greek eggs with a date of 9/21/19.
  • In the main kitchen on the knife storage area there were one of four knives that had dried food residue present along the blade. In the main kitchen, in the container storage area, there were one of three plastic food grade containers that were being stacked inside one another. One of the three containers had dried food residue present along the inside of the container.  In the main kitchen, in the container storage area, there were one of three plastic food grade containers that were being stacked inside one another. One of the three containers had dried sticker residue present.
  • Paper towels or other hand drying provisions were at the noodle line handwashing sink, but they were in a dispenser that was not working.

Holy Family Elementary School 1800 Milner, Hays – Aug 27

A routine inspection found no violations.

Deli Express 1101 E 41st St., Hays – Aug. 26

A FDA Contract inspection found no violations.

 

HAWVER: Getting buy-in on criminal justice reform

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Martin Hawver

It’s gotta be nice, to be appointed to a state commission to study Kansas criminal justice reform. Everyone wants lawbreakers in prison, that’s the simple part. It’s making sure that they don’t wind up there again after victimizing the rest of us again that is the less-than-sexy part of the issue.

The Kansas Criminal Justice Reform Commission, which organized last week, is packed with Kansans who have deep background on just how the correctional system works and how to make it work better.

But the real key to that organizational meeting in which Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett was elected to lead the troop is that the commission wants to identify the buy-in to their task from legislative leaders and the Gov. Laura Kelly administration.

It’s easy to hand a commission a nice name, pay the members mileage, have staff hovering around it and claim that the Legislature is “deeply involved” in deterring crime, approving reasonable sentences for criminals and giving them the support and training, mental health care, drug use counseling to succeed after release…and even having some of those who have been convicted of crimes helping others to learn job skills so they don’t break the law.

All of that noble work—which, by the way protects the rest of us and protects the future of those prisoners—is going to cost money that the state is going to have to come up with.

Nope, it’s not as politically attractive as a new off-ramp or bridge, or maybe a tax cut for corporations with foreign revenues or upper-wage income tax filers, but it’s part of the duty of state government. Just not much of a bullet point on those palm cards that lawmakers are going to be handing out next year as they seek re-election.

The goal of the commission, to tell the Legislature just how the state can more effectively deal with prisoners, is important to all of us. Nope, don’t see a bullet point saying, “if your car wasn’t stolen, you can thank me,” or “helped prevent your high school kid from buying marijuana.”

There are important issues that the commission is looking at. Like specialized drug courts where prosecutors and judges have experience with drug crimes and know what works to reduce the chance of a criminal going back into the drug business. There is diversion from jail sentences which requires more active supervision of offenders, which means more probation officers, more social services for them.

Or…the complicated process of assisting those who are being released from custody with just a few bucks and the clothes they wore when they went to prison. That re-entry into the general population is complicated, it requires counseling, it requires access to a job, social retraining and other skills. Not high-profile stuff, but important if we don’t want prisoners essentially “vacationing” among us until they commit another crime and are returned to prison.

Nothing cheap here, but then again there’s nothing cheap about just locking people up, building more prisons, or, at least this year, shipping prisoners off to a privately owned Arizona prison because we don’t have enough room for them and enough staffing to keep them safely in Kansas.

Last session’s bill that creates the Criminal Justice Reform Commission passed the Senate 39-0, the House 123-0, and was signed by the governor May 16.

Not surprisingly, that was the easy part, creating a panel to examine the correctional system in Kansas. The hard part? Diverting money from more politically popular programs to dealing with corrections.

Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver’s Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at www.hawvernews.com

Five-show theater festival in northwest Kansas shines spotlight on area talent

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By JESSICA HEFLIN
MSAC Intern

HOXIE – The Main Street Arts Council (MSAC) completed the last round of performances in the 2019 Main Street Summer Theater Festival on July 21. The festival, which featured five shows in five towns, began with rehearsals all throughout June and culminated in nine performances the first three weekends in July.

Approximately 160 area youth between the ages of 5 and 18 from all over northwestern rural Kansas participated in the festival, performing for family and friends throughout the region. Towns and shows in this year’s festival included Goodland: Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland JR”; Quinter: Roald Dahl’s “Willy Wonka KIDS”; Hoxie: DreamWorks’ “Madagascar – A Musical Adventure JR”; Colby: Disney’s “Cinderella KIDS” and Atwood: Disney’s “The Lion King JR.”

The 2019 shows were made possible in part thanks to the generosity of Dane G. Hansen Foundation Community Fund Grants received from the Sherman County Community Foundation, Thomas County Community Foundation, Gove County Community Foundation, Sheridan County Community Foundation, and the ACE Foundation/Rawlins County Community Foundation, respectively. All foundations are affiliates of the Greater Northwest Kansas Community Foundation, Bird City.

Grant support from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, directly, aided with staff fees for festival directors, choreographers and student director interns. A grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce’s Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission and National Endowment for the Arts also assisted with staff fees.

Participation in the festival was free to all cast members thanks to the generosity of these grant funders, members of the MSAC and from ticket sales. Without the help of the community, this would not have been possible for the youth to experience. Culture and creativity are important in a child’s life, and the MSAC sincerely thanks all who contributed to helping make the theater festival possible and a success.

Along with the summer theater festival, the arts council sponsors various programs for the community to participate in and learn about different aspects of culture and expressions of art and music. These include adult theater production(s), community choir, art classes, and the annual Main Street Art Walk in downtown Hoxie.

All MSAC programming is made possible through the financial support of paid members, donations, and grants. To support MSAC in its endeavor to promote the arts, encourage creativity, serve the Arts community, and act as an advocate for the Arts, consider paid membership. Varying levels are available for both individuals and businesses, each offering a multitude of benefits and advertising premiums in acknowledgment of support.

Visit www.mainstreetartscouncil.com/join-us to join today or contact Executive Director Karl Pratt at [email protected] for more information.

Roald Dahl’s “Willy Wonka KIDS” in Quinter (Photos by Amanda Richards, Bow Creek Photography)

 

Disney’s “Cinderella KIDS” in Colby

 

DreamWorks’ “Madagascar – A Musical Adventure JR performance in Hoxie

HaysMed CHI offers kids activities on school early release days

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The Center for Health Improvement at HaysMed, part of The University of Kansas Health System, is offering special kids activities for the school’s early release days.

The Center is partnering with USD 489 to assist parents with an alternative activity program on the days when school releases early. Those dates are September 11, October 9, November 13, February 12, March 11 and April 8. The classes are from 1:30 p.m. to 5:35 p.m. The program provides a variety of group activities and keeps kids moving and having fun.

Early Release Days are designed for children ages 6 – 11 and will be held at The Center for Health Improvement Gymnasium at 2500 Canterbury Drive in Hays. Transportation is provided by USD 489 from the child’s respective school to the The Center upon request.

The fee is $12 for each day a child attends and includes a healthy snack. The registration is due by Monday before each early release activity day. To register go to https://haysmed.clubautomation.com or call 623-5900. Registration is limited to 25 children.

LETTER: Walk to bring light to suicide prevention

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Kansans are dying by suicide at increasing rates. 477 people died by suicide in 2015. 512 in 2016. 544 in 2017. Suicide is now the eighth leading cause of death in Kansas, up from 10th, and is the second leading cause of death for individuals aged 15-24 and those aged 25-44.

Luckily, suicide is preventable. The cause of suicide is complex, but there are warning signs that can help you know that help is needed. Warning signs sound like talking about feeling stuck, being a burden on others, or having no purpose. Warning signs look like increased alcohol and drug use, isolation, giving away cherished items, and visiting others to say goodbye.

If you notice warning signs, have an honest conversation with them. Talk to them in private and listen to their story. Share your concern for them and ask directly if they have thought about suicide. A common misunderstanding is that talking about suicide will encourage someone who was not considering it.

In fact, many people have been saved because someone took the time to ask directly. Encourage them to seek treatment from a mental health provider or to talk with their doctor. Avoid debating with them or minimizing their problems. If they say that they are considering suicide, take them seriously and stay with them. Remove items that may cause harm and call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255). You can also get help by texting TALK to 741741 to reach a trained crisis counselor any time of day. The most important thing is letting them know that they are not alone.

If you are noticing the warning signs in yourself, reach out to a trusted person who can help you. Mental health needs are not a sign of weakness or an indication of your worth as a human being. Mental health needs are as important as other health needs, and sometimes we need others to support us when we may not be able to help ourselves.

We can prevent suicide by teaching about the resources available and by breaking the stigma that surrounds mental illness. The Hays Area Out of the Darkness Walk on Sept. 14 will do both. The Hays Area Walk will share information about warning signs and ways to support others, while also bringing the conversation into the light and letting people know that talking about suicide is the only way to reduce suicide.

Registration will start at 1 p.m. in Municipal Park and the walk will start at 2 p.m. If you are interested in walking, volunteering or donating, go to www.afsp.org/Hays.

I walk to shine a light on a topic that is often misunderstood. I walk to show others that mental health is health. I walk because of my own history of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. In adolescence, I battled depression accompanied by non-suicidal self-injury. As an adult, my battle has continued. Only when I was willing to seek help from a mental health professional was I able to regain control. I hope my efforts will help others get the help they need. Sign up today and join me to reduce the impact of suicide in our communities.

Kyle Carlin, Hays

FHSU earns 10 national top-10 rankings in July and August

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FHSU University Relations

Degree programs offered by Fort Hays State University through its FHSU Virtual College received 10 top-10 recognitions, including a No. 1 and six top-five ratings in July and August. They were recognized for being among the best and most affordable programs offered by U.S. colleges and universities.

The top-10 selections:

OnlineColleges.com
No. 1, Best Online Universities in Kansas for 2019-20
Fort Hays State claimed OnlineColleges.com’s, www.onlinecolleges.com, top spot for its study of the best online colleges in Kansas for 2019-20. The study covered affordability, financial aid resources, ratio of on-campus to online students, and number of online programs offered.

FHSU’s Virtual College prides itself in having tuition rates ranked among the lowest in the United States and the lowest rates of any four-year college in Kansas. The university awards and delivers more than $59 million in financial assistance. With nearly 200 online degree and certificate programs, Fort Hays State boasts a distance education participation of 81 percent, according to OnlineColleges.com.

To view this ranking, visit https://bit.ly/2AQbY8X.

College Consensus
No. 3, Best Online Bachelor’s in Accounting Degree Programs 2019
College Consensus, www.collegeconsensus.com, awarded FHSU’s W.R. and Yvonne Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship a top-five spot for its Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting. The degree, said College Consensus, will prepare students for a multitude of high-demand positions.

The study was conducted based on affordability, convenience, and reputation, with each weighted at 33 percent. Fort Hays State was chosen as the No. 3 program out of almost 300 programs.

To see this this ranking, visit https://bit.ly/2TFig39.

Top Education Degrees
No. 3, Top 20 Online Nursing Education Master’s Degrees 2019
Fort Hays State’s Master of Science in nursing education degree ranked No. 3 on Top Education Degrees’ list. Top Education Degrees, www.topeducationdegrees.org, based its rankings on four criteria: ranking from US News Online Nursing Ed Master’s, student-to-faculty ratio, cost per credit hour, and accreditation.

FHSU’s program is completely online and is geared toward working RNs who want a career in nursing education. The department offers rolling classes each semester, meaning students can take courses at their leisure. The program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

To see this ranking, visit https://bit.ly/2NCO1ZI.

SuccessfulStudent.org
No. 3, Best Online Master’s Degrees in Human Performance
The Master of Science in health and human performance at FHSU ranked as the No. 3 program on Successful Student’s list. The program is accredited by the North Central Association for Colleges and Schools and offers a wide array of core classes to prepare students for a comprehensive exam prior to graduation.

Successful Student’s, successfulstudent.org, guidelines covered quality of the program, types of courses available, quality of faculty involved, awards, reputation, and the online education process.

To view this ranking, visit https://bit.ly/2KIxXnt.

TheBestSchools.org
No. 5, The Best Online Bachelor’s in Network Administration Programs
The Best Schools ranked two FHSU programs, the Bachelor of Art and the Bachelor of Science in information networking and telecommunications with a concentration in computer networking and telecommunications at No. 5 in their latest rankings. The program gives students the opportunity to earn their degrees while also earning credit towards industry specific certifications needed for the workforce. With small class sizes and laboratory equipment supported by leading companies like Cisco and Oracle, students are able to advance their skills in a great environment.

The Best Schools, thebestschools.org, chose programs based on the quality of the program, the variety of courses offered, faculty, ranking, awards, and reputation. FHSU’s accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission, a Commission of the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges was also mentioned in the ranking.

To view this ranking, visit https://bit.ly/2HWvoOV.

Affordable Schools
No. 5, 35 Top Value Affordable Accounting Degree Online Programs (Bachelor’s) 2019
The same accounting program recognized by College Consensus also landed FHSU a top-five spot on the first of many lists from Affordable Schools, affordableschools.net. Average cost of attendance and student to faculty ratio were major factors in this study.

Fort Hays State’s program consists of a 124-hour program giving students the skills necessary for entry-level accountants upon graduation, The FHSU website says that students will be able to “clearly communicate accounting problems and solutions, and be exposed to computer applications as they relate to the accounting functions.”

To view this ranking, visit https://bit.ly/32h1OKj.

No. 5, 20 Best Affordable Colleges for RN-BSN Online 2019
FHSU’s online RN to BSN program is came in at No. 5 on another list by Affordable Schools. The criteria were average cost of attendance, student-to-faculty ratio, ranking from U.S. News & World Report: Best Online Bachelor’s Program, and graduation rate.

Fort Hays State’s RN to BSN program can be completed in just three semesters. Incoming students have the option to enter the program at any semester: fall, spring, or summer. FHSU’s small class sizes help students interact with their professors easier, allowing for quicker learning and understanding of the concepts being taught.

To see this ranking, visit https://bit.ly/30pbUHc.

No. 6, 35 Top Value Marketing Online Degree Programs (Bachelor’s) 2019
The Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing at FHSU came in at No. 6 on another Affordable Schools list. According to Affordable Schools, the ranking began with a search for marketing programs through the National Center for Education Statistics, finding 120 colleges and universities. After individual reviews of each program, the top 35 programs were selected.

Fort Hays State’s program can be completed completely on-campus, online, or in a hybrid format (on-campus and online). Students can choose one of two concentrations, business development and sales or digital marketing, as well as the general marketing option.

To see this ranking, visit https://bit.ly/323DfiY.

No. 7, 35 Top Value Psychology Degree Online (Bachelor’s) 2019
Affordable Schools gave two bachelor psychology degree programs a No. 7 ranking. The ranking chose both the online Bachelor of Arts and the online Bachelor of Science in psychology as top-10 programs.

According to Affordable Schools, the programs listed are considered “top value” programs because of their flexibility for both first time students and transfer students. The ranking considered each program’s cost of attendance and student-to-faculty ratio when selecting the top programs.

To view this ranking, visit https://bit.ly/2ZuxdKM.

No. 7, 35 Top Value Communication and PR Online Degree Programs (Bachelor’s) 2019
The Bachelor of Science in business education with a concentration in corporate communication at FHSU ranked No. 7 by Affordable Schools. The criteria for the ranking was based on cost of attendance and student-to-faculty ratio.

Affordable Schools mentions the low cost of the degree intended for working adults who need flexibility in order to complete their education. The program is offered completely online and does not require certain residency for participation.

To view this ranking, visit https://bit.ly/345Wryo.

Affordable Schools also ranked Fort Hays State among the best in the nation in two other categories:

No. 14, 35 Top Value Business Administration Online Degree Programs 2019
The Bachelor of Business Administration in management at Fort Hays State was ranked No. 16 by Affordable Schools. The program made FHSU the lone college in Kansas to make the list.

Affordable Schools’ ranking process began with an initial list of over 500 programs that was carefully reviewed and narrowed down to the top-35. Student-to-faculty ratio and tuition were the greatest factors when choosing the top programs, Affordable Schools states.

To see this ranking, visit https://bit.ly/2XVwVMa.

No. 15, 35 Top Value Criminal Justice Studies Online Degree Programs (Bachelor’s) 2019
Affordable Schools’ final list ranked two programs at Fort Hays State at No. 15: the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science in criminal justice.

The program offers four concentrations to choose from: law enforcement, corrections, law and the courts, or an individualized plan. Students can also pursue additional options including a minor in criminal justice or a choice from five certificates, all of which are offered completely online. The FHSU criminal justice webpage notes that it accepts prior credit, and the Department of Criminal Justice assists students in job placement after graduation.

To view this ranking, visit https://bit.ly/2LcN6MQ.

OnlineColleges.com
No. 16, 20 Best Online Colleges for Adults Going Back to School in 2019-20
OnlineColleges.com says that according to the National Center for Education Statistics, 7.6 million of the 19.9 million college students enrolled in 2018 were aged 25 or older. Many adults go back to school to either begin or complete an unfinished degree. OnlineColleges.com ranked Fort Hays State as the No. 16 college in the nation for adults going back to school this year.

According to OnlineColleges.com, www.onlinecolleges.com, FHSU is a good place for adult students because of its 95-percent job placement rate, and its 100-percent pass rate on specific licensure exams for nursing and education. Online students can follow the standard 16-week semester schedule while squeezing in eight-week courses for quicker completion.

To see this ranking, visit https://bit.ly/2Qvb5ZC.

About the FHSU Virtual College
Education at distance from Fort Hays State began in 1911 when faculty voted to offer courses free by mail so that one-room school teachers across western Kansas could afford to gain the continuing education required to teach. The distance education department created then evolved continuously with changing technology and culture until, in 1997, the Department of Continuing Education and Instructional Technology became the FHSU Virtual College.

Full-scale emergency exercise will be Wednesday at Hays airport

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A full-scale emergency exercise will be conducted at the Hays Regional Airport on Wednesday from approximately 9 to 11 a.m.

The intent of the exercise is to provide an assessment of the emergency response to an aircraft accident at the Hays Regional Airport.

Many entities within the community will participate in the exercise including the City of Hays Public Works, Fire, and Police Departments, the Ellis County EMS, Fire and Emergency Management, and Sheriff Departments, Kansas Highway Patrol, Hays Aircraft, SkyWest Airlines, TSA, Hays Medical Center, EagleMed, and NCK Tech College.

— City of Hays

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