Week of  Jan. 22-27, 2008

Welcome to the Tower Topics E-newsletter for faculty, staff and students at Western. 

Missouri Western State University, 4525 Downs Drive, St. Joseph, MO 64507, 816-271- 4200

Click any link for these stories:

Vice President Accepts New Position

Athletic Director Search Renewed

Police Chief Appointed to State Panel

Tower Sports

News Briefs

Calendar

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The deadline for all entries is 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, for the next week's issue. Tower Topics will be online weekly during the fall and spring semester.  For more information call 271-5651.

Vice President Accepts New Position

Ronald J. Olinger, vice president for financial planning and administration at Western, has resigned his position effective March 1.

“Ron came out of industry nearly six years ago to serve Western,” said Western President Dr. James Scanlon. “He has done an excellent job, serving the students, staff and faculty very well.” Olinger is resigning to become chief financial officer of Benedictine College in Atchison, Kan. “We wish him well as he moves on in pursuit of his personal and professional goals,” Dr. Scanlon said.

Olinger has been at Western since July 2002. In that time, Dr. Scanlon said, he provided excellent financial leadership during tough budget times. He also oversaw a number of building projects, including the construction of the Living Learning Center and renovations to other residence halls, the Fulkerson Center, the Christopher S. “Kit” Bond Science and Technology Incubator, and preliminary plans for the renovation of Agenstein Hall and the construction of Remington Hall. Olinger also initiated the transition to a new comprehensive information system for the university that integrated business and student functions.  This $3.5 million project came in without any major problems, as scheduled, within budget.

Olinger also represents the Western ethic of strong community involvement, Dr. Scanlon said, volunteering with local organizations like the St. Joseph Area Chamber of Commerce and the Allied Arts Council, and acting as Western’s representative on the board of the Institute for Industrial and Applied Life Sciences.

Dr. Scanlon plans to announce an interim vice president of financial planning and administration soon, and will consult with incoming Western president Dr. Robert Vartabedian about the search for a permanent replacement.

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Athletic Director Search Renewed

Western has received 58 applications in the second round of its search for a new director of athletics.

The university’s human resources department reviewed the applications and determined that 27 meet the minimum requirements. Those will be forwarded to a screening committee that will assess the candidates’ credentials, check listed and off-list references, evaluate NCAA compliance and interview the candidates.

“I’m very pleased with the qualifications of the applicants that the committee will consider,” said Dan Nicoson, Western’s vice president for university advancement and screening committee chair. “The pool includes several current athletic directors as well as associate or assistant athletic directors.”

The committee will meet Jan. 18 to renew the search process. The committee will apply a number of criteria, Nicoson said, including collegiate athletics administrative experience, management style and philosophy, NCAA compliance, character, community involvement, demonstrable fundraising success and a record of developing competitive athletic programs with strong academic achievement for student-athletes. It will likely be three to four weeks before finalists are identified and invited to campus for interviews, Nicoson said.

The first round of the search ended last fall when the committee decided they hadn’t found the right fit for Western, Nicoson said. The university has received a total of 81 applications in both rounds, with 43 of them forwarded to the screening committee.

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Police Chief Appointed to State Panel

Western Police Chief Jonathan Kelley has been appointed to the new higher education subcommittee of the Missouri Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC).

“Campus safety is an important topic, and I’m happy to represent Western as these issues are discussed,” Kelley said.

The appointment was made by Mark James, Missouri Department of Public Safety director and HSAC chair. The subcommittee will be chaired by Dr. Robert B. Stein, commissioner of higher education in Missouri and a member of HSAC. The creation of the subcommittee was recommended by the Missouri Campus Security Task Force appointed by Gov. Matt Blunt last year. The task force suggested the subcommittee as a way to keep colleges and universities informed about recent homeland security developments. Ron Olinger, Western vice president for financial planning and administration, served on the task force.

James has asked the subcommittee to consider a number of challenges associated with higher education that are of interest to HSAC. Among those are a needs analysis and fiscal impact study of campus security enhancements, the identification of funding sources to support those enhancements, and the determination of legislation needed to improve campus security. Dr. Stein will be scheduling the subcommittee’s first meeting soon.

Kelley began working for Western in 1990 as assistant director of security. He became director of security in 1992 and led the department when it became a commissioned law enforcement agency in 2002.

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Tower Sports

Women's Basketball

• Win vs. Central Missouri. 89-63, Jan. 16

• Win vs. Fort Hays State, 88-66, Jan. 19

• Jan. 23 vs. Pittsburgh State at 5:30 p.m.

• Jan. 27 at Emporia State in Emporia, Kan., at 1:30 p.m.

Men's Basketball

• Win vs. Rockhurst, 78-51, Jan. 14

• Win vs. Central Missouri, 61-53, Jan. 16

• Loss vs. Fort Hays State, 76-58, Jan. 19

• Jan. 23 vs. Pittsburgh State at 7:30 p.m.

• Jan. 27 at Emporia State in Emporia, Kan., at 3:30 p.m.

Alpha Sigma Alpha Recruitment It's time for informal recruitment for Alpha Sigma Alpha. Dates for coming events are as follows:

• Jan. 22 - Information Night at 7 p.m. in Blum Union

• Jan. 23 - Basketball Game at 7:30 p.m. in Looney Complex

• Jan. 24 - Game Night at 7 p.m. in Blum Union

• Jan. 25 - Ice Skating at 6 p.m. at Bode Ice Arena

If you have any questions contact Nicole Shiflett at shiflett25@hotmail.com or 816-294-3787.

Alpha Kappa Psi Rush Week Alpha Kappa Psi, the business fraternity, is recruiting. Dates for Events are as follows:

• Jan. 28 - Information night at 6 p.m. in Spratt 214

• Jan. 29 - Community Service at 3 p.m. at Living Community (Carpool leaves Blum Union at 2:30 p.m.)

• Jan. 30 - Game Night at 7 p.m. in Vaselakos basement

• Jan. 31 - Finding the Perfect Job from Carol Roever, business department chair, at 7 p.m. in Spratt 214.

• Feb. 1  - Pizza Party at 5 p.m. in Spratt 214

Attendance at three events is required to pledge. For more information, contact Melanie Douglas at mjd0569@missouriwestern.edu.

Weight Loss Seminar As part of the Western Wellness Committee's Brown Bag Lunch Seminars, Sheri Caldwell, RD, LD, Wellness Connections, Heartland Regional Medical Center, will present, "Healthy Lifestyles for a Healthier You," from noon to 1 p.m. Jan. 30 in Blum 218. In addition to her presentation, Caldwell will answer questions on the area of weight loss and management.

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Tuesday, January 22

• Residence Council meeting at 7 p.m. in Commons Building

• SNCTE Meeting at 5 p.m. in Eder 211

• ASA Informal Recruitment - Information Night at 7 p.m. in Blum Union

Wednesday, January 23

• WAC meeting at 4 p.m. in Junior College Room

• ASA Informal Recruitment - Basketball Game at 7:30 p.m. in Looney Complex

• Pride Alliance meeting at 4 p.m. in Spratt 103

Thursday, January 24

• ASA Informal Recruitment - Game Night at 7p.m. in Blum Union

Friday, January 25

• ASA Informal Recruitment - Ice Skating at 6 p.m. at Bode Ice Arena

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