Week of March 8 - 14, 2004 

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

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

Click any link for these stories:

A Brand New Approach

Western Regents Accept Fulkerson Center Bid

Networking Social Planned for Alums

Biology Hosts Conservation Seminars

Event for Prospective Students Helps "Avoid the Rush"

News Briefs

Calendar

Ads

Archives

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

Student Editor:
Jenny Pawlowski

Staff Advisers:
Kristy Hill and Diane Holtz

A Brand New Approach

Discover Gold is the theme of Western’s new communication campaign to improve its image in the region. The public relations and marketing office is formally launching the new brand with Discover Gold activities for faculty, staff, students and alumni.

The Griffon Gold Fest, an event of fun, food and information is three days this week:

• March 8, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Nelle Blum Student Union lounge
• March 9, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Janet Gorman Murphy Building, second floor
• March 10, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Nelle Blum Student Union, room 218

Faculty, staff and students are invited to stop by and check out the promotional displays, sign up for prizes and learn more about Discover Gold. Dr. James Scanlon, Western president, will speak at noon March 10.

Another activity is the Gold Standard Contest, where Western alumni, faculty, staff and students can share how they have discovered gold at Western, and what makes Western unique. All participants will be entered in a drawing for a chance to win $100. For more information and to enter the contest visit http://www.missouriwestern.edu/discovergold. There is no limit on the number of entries per person, but each entry must be a different story. The Gold Standard Contest ends at 4:30 p.m., April 1.

Also included in the week’s activities is the opportunity to win a Discover Gold t-shirt by entering the online Golden Trivia contest. The first 25 entries with the correct answers will win a t-shirt.

The Golden Trivia contest ends March 12 and can be accessed at http://www.missouriwestern.edu/discovergold .

Watch for the Gold Patrol around campus.  They will be visiting campus offices with goodies and all the details about contests and our new brand!  For more information, visit http://www.missouriwestern.edu/discovergold or contact Kristy Hill, director of public relations and marketing, at hillk@missouriwestern.edu or 5649.

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Western Regents Accept Fulkerson Center Bid

At their February board meeting, the Western Board of Regents accepted a bid of $1,687,246 from E.L. Crawford Construction to build the Fulkerson Center adjacent to the Leah Spratt Multipurpose Classroom Building. The 12,000 square-foot building was designed by Ellison-Auxier Architects and is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Named in honor of Marie Fulkerson and her late husband, Lyman Fulkerson, the center will include a large room that will seat up to 500 individuals or may be divided into smaller conference rooms. A special room will honor Western alumni. A groundbreaking ceremony will be scheduled soon.

The east wing of the Leah Spratt building will include breakout rooms, a training and assessment center, alumni services offices and institutional advancement offices. Some renovations will be required.

"Mrs. Fulkerson is a generous supporter of the college, and we are grateful for her gift. This center will greatly enhance the opportunities for workforce development and training in the region and will provide space to showcase the successes of college alumni," according to Dr. James Roever, vice president for Institutional Advancement.

In addition to a generous gift from Mrs. Fulkerson, 43 other donors contributed to the project, which was part of the "Our Promise" capital campaign. Special recognition will be attached to five rooms: the Logan Family Educational Resource and Assessment Lab, supported by the directors of the John Sublett Logan Foundation; the Kemper Room from the William T. Kemper Foundation; the Mead Products Room; and a room in memory of Richard Austin Rochambeau, Sr. with a gift from the Leah Spratt Trust. A gift from Dr. Joe Friedman established the Alumni Room in honor of Dr. and Mrs. Joseph (Joe) and Gladys Friedman and in honor of Joseph J. Droher.

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Networking Social Planned for Alums

Western alumni are invited to a networking event from 5-7 p.m. March 9 at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, 2818 Frederick Ave. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres will be served with a cash bar available. The event is sponsored by Alumni Services at Western.

Julie Lawrence, director of alumni services, said this is the first time the college has hosted such an event. Faculty members from several departments and alumni office staff will be on hand, also.

"It’s a great opportunity for alumni to reconnect with each other and explore networking opportunities in their field," said Lawrence.

Reservations are appreciated, and can be made by calling 5646.

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Biology Hosts Conservation Seminars

The biology department at Western is hosting six natural resource conservation and management seminars in March. All presentations are co-sponsored by the student chapter of the Wildlife Society. The speakers and topics are as follows:

• Tim Rippenger, Missouri Department of Conservation supervisor for the northwest region, will offer a presentation on Missouri wildlife law enforcement at 7 p.m. March 16 in the Warren E. Hearnes Learning Resources Center, room 102. The presentation is co-sponsored by the Midland Empire Audubon Society.
• An official from the Mark Twain National Forest, will present "The Role of Conservation in the U.S. National Forest Service" at 4 p.m. March 24 in the conference room of the Missouri Department of Conservation Building, 701 NE College Drive.

• Thomas Nagel, regional biologist for the northwest district of the Missouri Department of Conservation, will present "Fire Ecology and its Use in Habitat Restoration and Management," at 4 p.m. March 26 in the conference room of the Missouri Department of Conservation Building

• Dr. John Schulz, research biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation, will offer a presentation on dove management in Missouri at 7 p.m. March 30 in the Evan R. Agenstein Science and Math Building, room 205.

• Dr. Schulz will also offer a presentation on wildlife diseases at 8 a.m. March 31 in the Janet Gorman Murphy Building, room 205.

• Ripperger will also present "The Role of Law Enforcement in Resource Conservation and Management," at 4 p.m. March 31 in the conference room of the Missouri Department of Conservation Building.

For more information, contact the Western biology department at 4379.

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Event for Prospective Students Helps "Avoid the Rush" 

Many high school seniors are busy this month making decisions about where to attend college next fall. Western invites students to attend an open house to talk with faculty and staff and apply for admission and financial aid on March 18 at 7 p.m. in the Leah Spratt Multipurpose Classroom Building.

"The earlier students apply for admissions and financial aid the easier it is for them to make decisions," said Howard McCauley, director of admissions. "We are offering a variety of activities that will be very helpful for anyone considering college, and we have the individuals there to help you take that next step, whether its applying for admission or financial aid or enrolling in courses."

According to McCauley, the event is targeted for all types of students considering college – from high school seniors to those who may be returning to college to working adults. A general information session will begin at 7 p.m. in the Kemper Recital Hall, of the Leah Spratt building followed by an opportunity for individual advisement from 8-9 p.m.

During that time, participants will have the opportunity to speak with campus personnel, apply for admission or apply for financial aid. Individuals may complete the Free Application for Federal and State Aid (FAFSA) which is due by April 1. The FAFSA determines students’ eligibility for a wide variety of grants, scholarships and loans. Participants will also have the opportunity to register for all types of classes – daytime, evening, weekend, distance education or online courses. Personnel from admissions, financial aid, nontraditional student center, student services and the registrar’s office will be on hand, and there will drawings for prizes and refreshments.

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• The French Conversation Table will be held in the Fred Eder Student Services and Classroom Building, room 211, from noon - 12:45 p.m., on the following Thursdays: March 25, April. 22.  All are welcome to bring their lunch and come for conversation en francais. Contact Dr. Susie Hennessy at 5813 or hennessy@missouriwestern.edu for more information.

• Applications for financial aid are now available. Students may visit www.missouriwestern.edu/finaid or contact the Financial Aid Office at 4361for more information. The priority deadline for the 2004-2005 FAFSA is April 1. Students may apply online at www.fafsa.ed.gov

• Applications and nominations for the Jesse Lee Myers Excellence in Teaching Awards and the Dr. James V. Mehl Outstanding Faculty Scholarship Award for 2004 are now being accepted.  The criteria are as follows:

  --- Jesse Lee Myers Award - All full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty are eligible.  Faculty members may nominate themselves for the award or may be nominated by one of their peers.  The nominating report should contain no more than five pages of narrative explaining the individual's qualifications for the award, a current resume and three letters of recommendation.  Applications and nominations should be based on information for 2003 only.  Consistent teaching performance during a faculty member's career at Western will also be taken into consideration.  Applications and nominations must be sent to the appropriate school dean by April 1.

  --- Dr. James V. Mehl Award - All full-time faculty members are eligible. The awards are not limited to those on tenure tracks.  Awards will be made to faculty scholars.  Previous recipients continue to be eligible in successive years.  Awards must be given only to the highest achieving faculty members.  To be eligible to receive an award, the candidate must have evidence of unusually significant and meritorious achievement in professional scholarship.  The nominating report should contain no more than five pages of narrative explaining the individual's qualifications for the award, a current resume and three letters of recommendation, at least one of which is from an off-campus professional peer.  Applications and nominations should be based on 2003 information only, and they be sent to the appropriate school dean by April 1.

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Monday, March 8

• Griffon Gold Fest, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., SU lounge

• Opening Art Exhibit Reception, 2 p.m., FA Mixed Media Gallery and lobby

• "Lewis and Clark" planetarium show, 7:30 p.m., SM 105

Tuesday, March 9

• Griffon Gold Fest, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., JGM second floor

• Academic Profile, 5 p.m., LRC 102

• Alumni networking event, 5 - 7 p.m., Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, 2818 Frederick Ave.

Wednesday, March 10

• Griffon Gold Fest, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., SU 218

• Dr. Scanlon speaks at Griffon Gold Rush, noon, SU 218

• Federal Reserve Bank interviews

• Baseball vs. Benedictine, 3 p.m.

• Alpha Psi Omega honorary fraternity auditions for "Valparaiso," 7 p.m., FA Black Box Theater

• "Lewis and Clark" planetarium show, 7:30 p.m., SM 105

Thursday, March 11

• CBase Workshop: Content Preparation, 3 - 4 p.m., LRC 213

• Concert Band and Chamber Ensemble Concert, 7:30 p.m., FA Theater

• Softball at Texas Tournament

• Tennis at Northwest Missouri State, 3 p.m.

Friday, March 12

• Mid-America Regional Science and Engineering Fair

• Softball at Texas Tournament

Saturday, March 13

• Library closed

• Baseball vs. Augustana, noon

• Softball at Texas Tournament

• Tennis vs. Emporia State, noon

Sunday, March 14

• Spring break begins

• Library closed

• Center for Academic Support closed

• Baseball vs. Augustana, noon

• Softball at Texas Tournament

• Tennis at Missouri Southern, noon

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For Sale: Recently appraised antique cloth, probably wall hanging, from 1876, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and of Washington being elected President. $225. Contact Pat Lollar, office of continuing education, at 4106.

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