Week of April 26 - May 2, 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:
2004 - 2005 Tuition Will Not Increase
Spring Commencement Ceremonies Held May 15
McDowell, Roth Named Scholar Athletes
Employees Invited to Take the "Corporate Challenge"
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Guidelines for Tower Topics: Tower Topics submissions should state time, date, place, sponsor, title of event, name of speaker's and admission fees. Send complete information to the Public Relations and Marketing office (Leah Spratt Hall, Room 106).
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.
Student Editor:
Jenny Pawlowski
Staff Advisers:
Kristy Hill and Diane Holtz
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Western Employees Donate Books to Needy Children |
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Dr. James Scanlon, Western's president, along with college employees, delivered books at Webster Elementary for the St. Joseph School District. Pictured above left: Dr. Scanlon examines one of the many books with Webster student Desiree Holloway, while Webster library coordinator Kathleen Conner looks on. Above right: Students and teachers at Webster check out the approximately 400 books that were donated by Western faculty and staff to be distributed to needy students in St. Joseph. |
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2004 - 2005 Tuition Will Not Increase
Western will be one of the few colleges in Missouri and across the nation not to increase the per credit hour tuition rate for the next academic year. At the April meeting, the Board of Regents approved the recommendation to hold level the $146 per credit hour rate for in-state students and $267 for out-of-state students next year.
"At Western we are a student-centered institution," said President James Scanlon. "We believe that it was important not to increase our per credit hour rate. Our conservative approach to spending and the sacrifices our faculty and staff have made have allowed the college to do this."
Dr. Scanlon cited the college’s conservative approach to spending, the expectation of at least level state funding for the next year, and the recent release of state withholdings as factors that allowed the administration to recommend this proposal.
"Western’s tuition remains among the most affordable in the state. Western’s commitment to students and wise fiscal planning allowed the board to approve this plan," said Susan Colgan, president of Western’s Board of Regents.
Almost all of the colleges and universities in the state have announced their tuition and fee schedules for next year. Most of them are raising their tuition and fees, some substantially, reported Ron Olinger, Western’s vice president for financial planning and administration.
According to Dr. Scanlon another consideration was the ability of students to continue to pay the cost of increased tuition. This is a concern for Western as its students report a household income well below the average household income for colleges and universities in Missouri. In addition approximately 74% of Western students receive some form of financial aid. Students receive an average of $2,450 in grants and scholarships each year that help offset the cost of tuition.
The Board also approved the same rate of tuition ($146 for in state; $267 for out of state) for all credit hours. This will change the rate for the 13th, 14th and 15th credit hours.
"The levels of state funding remain uncertain from year to year, so it is impossible to predict how that may affect tuition in future years. Our students will continue to be the top priority in our budget and tuition planning process," concluded Dr. Scanlon.
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White House Chief Interpreter Shares Experiences with Western Community |
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White House Chief Interpreter Stephanie Van Reigersberg, pictured third from left, visited Western last week to share her experiences, focusing on the importance of language, including nonverbal cues, in different cultural settings throughout several presidencies. Pictured, from left, with Van Reigersberg is Dr. John Tapia, professor of speech, his wife Denise Bartles, associate professor of general business, and Dr. James Scanlon, Western's president. |
Spring Commencement Ceremonies Held May 15
Spring Commencement ceremonies for Western will be held at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. May 15 in the M.O. Looney Health, Physical Education and Recreation Building. The pinning ceremony for nurses will be at 9 a.m. at the Thompson E. Potter Fine Arts Theatre, and an ROTC commissioning ceremony is at 1 p.m. in the Leah Spratt Multipurpose Classroom Building Enright Room. There are approximately 360 graduates this semester.
Dr. Jamel Santa Cruze Bell will be the featured speaker at both commencement ceremonies. The 2000 graduate of Western is a lecturer in the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Kansas, Lawrence; and a student affairs communication specialist at Western.
Ceremony divisions are as follows:
- 11 a.m.: art; communication studies; criminal justice/legal studies; education; English, foreign languages and journalism; government, social work and sociology; health, physical education and recreation; history, philosophy and geography; music; nursing; bachelor of interdisciplinary studies; and bachelor of science in technology 2 + 2.
- 3 p.m.: biology; business; chemistry; computer science, mathematics and physics; economics; engineering technology; and psychology.
Doors open at 9:45 a.m. for the 11 a.m. ceremony and at 1:45 p.m. for the 3 p.m. ceremony.
Two celebration events will be held for graduates and their families. A reception will be from 6:30-8:30 p.m. May 14 in the Nelle Blum Student Union, Hoff Room, 218. There will be a short program at 7:30 p.m. A commencement breakfast will be at 8:30 a.m. in the Nelle Blum Student Union, Hoff Room, 218. Cost is free to graduates and $7 for guests. Reservations for the breakfast must be made by May 7 by calling 5646. Payment will be accepted at the door.
Dr. Santa Cruze Bell earned master’s and doctorate degrees in communication studies from the University of Kansas in 2002 and 2004, respectively. She has published three articles in journals and has made academic presentations throughout the country and in Seoul, Korea. She was co-director of a Ford Foundation Grant for $300,000 to study how the interaction between African American and Native Americans have influenced their attitudes toward race/ethnicity and identity development. Dr. Santa Cruze Bell has accepted a position as an assistant professor in communication studies at Boston College that will begin in the spring 2005 semester.
For more information, contact the academic and student affairs office at 4234.
McDowell, Roth Named Scholar Athletes
A two-time All-American and the
defending female scholar athlete were named Western’s 2003 - 2004
scholar athletes at the athletic banquet last week. Senior football
player Eric McDowell and senior golfer Taira Roth, both former walk-ons,
were honored for their outstanding collegiate athletic careers, as well
as their community service and academic ability.
Forty-eight other student athletes were also recognized for
having grade point averages of 3.5 or higher at the banquet held at the
St. Joseph Riverfront Historic District Hotel. Former tennis player Kim Redmond earned the Dr. James
J. McMillen Scholar Award, while the Silver Anniversary Award was given
to NFL official George Hayward and pharmaceutical representative Scott
Graham,who are both former Western football players
The keynote speaker for the event was former Kansas City Royals player Jeff Montgomery who offered advice to the athletes, their families and coaches.
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Clock Tower Party Raises Money for St. Jude's Hospital |
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| Several student organizations at Western hosted the first annual "Party at the Clock Tower" to benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. Attractions included inflatable sumo wrestling, bungee run, fast pitch radar, cork gun booths, a rock climbing wall, mega slide and "catch the wave" surfboard ride. Above left, Western students Lucas Gorham, left, and Mike Rogers pose with residence hall director Sarah Lloyd at their information booth. Above right: Students André Burns and Chanel Hansen prepare for a face-off at the bungee run. | |
Employees Invited to Take the "Corporate Challenge"
Western
will host teams for the annual Corporate Challenge, an annual coed sporting event,
beginning in May and running through August. Heartland Health sponsors
the event to promote wellness, morale, pride and teamwork among local
businesses. All Western employees, including student employees, are
invited to participate.
The
events for this year are as follows:
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Fishing Tournament: May 8 at Mozingo Lake in Maryville with 2-person teams
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Basketball: May 21 and 22 at Bode Sports Complex with 12-player teams. There will be a free throw and 3-point contest in addition to the tournament.
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Soccer: June 11 and 12 at the soccer fields on Riverside Road with 20-player teams.
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Volleyball: June 26 at Volley’s with 14-player teams.
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Track and Field: July 16 and 17. Events at Western include racquetball tournament, July 16; 5K run, prediction walk, individual swim and swim relay. Afternoon events at Noyes Field include horseshoes, softball throw and tug-of-war. This will be a family-oriented event.
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Flag Football: July 24 at soccer fields on Riverside Road with 16-player teams.
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Bowling: Morning of Aug. 7 at Belt Bowl with 16-player teams.
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Pool and Darts: Afternoon of Aug. 7 at Shooters with teams consisting of one man and one woman.
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Golf: Aug. 21 at Fairview Golf Course with 4-person teams consisting of two men and two women.
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Softball: Aug. 27 and 28 at Heritage Park consisting of 22-player teams.
If
you wish to participate in any of the events, contact Darcy Groce, administrative
assistant for the dean of professional studies, at 4207 or groce@missouriwestern.edu.
The number of participants is limited so those interested are encouraged
to sign-up early.
Golf ball cannons, awards and a scavenger hunt are some of the activities planned for this year’s Chemathon at Western May 4, where high school students from the region will take written exams and participate in team competitions and activities. Last year’s event drew approximately 600 students from 30 high schools in over a 100-mile radius.
"We want to promote science at Missouri Western and chemistry in particular," said Dr. Shauna Hiley, associate professor of chemistry and one of the Chemathon coordinators. "Since we have new activities this year, I expect that high school students will get to see parts of the campus that they’re usually not exposed to, and will find out that chemistry is more fun than they thought."
The team competitions begin at 10 a.m. in the Nelle Blum Student Union, Hoff Room, 218; and in the Leah Spratt Multipurpose Classroom Building, Enright Room, 214. The winners of the competitions will be announced at an awards ceremony at 2 p.m. in the Western Fieldhouse.
The Chemathon began in 1977 after a suggestion by an area high school teacher to provide a fun environment for high school students to learn and interact with college students. This is the third year the Chemathon has been led by Dr. Michael Ducey, assistant professor of chemistry, and Dr. Hiley.
"We hope that they have an enjoyable experience in science," Dr. Ducey said. "We also want to give them opportunities to win some prizes and demonstrate scientific knowledge." Prizes this year include a TI86 calculator, Galileo thermometer, t-shirts and backpacks.
The Chemathon is sponsored by the Western department of chemistry and the Chemistry Education Association. For more information, please contact Dr. Ducey at 4391 or ducey@missouriwestern.edu .
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"Programming in the Real World," computer science, mathematics and physics department colloquium is noon - 12:50 p.m. April 30 in the Evan R. Agenstein Science and Math Building, room 109. Health Connections, LLC employees including Devon Kerns, director of information technology, Kent Mills, applications analyst, and Brian Bettis, database analyst are the featured speakers. Everyone is invited to attend and refreshments will be served.
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Senior theatre student Ryan Gerster will deliver a presentation on the life of Julie Taymor, award-winning director of Broadway's "The Lion King" and the films "Titus" and "Frida" at 1 p.m. April 28 in the Thomas E. Potter Fine Arts Building theater. Gerster will examine Taymor's career as a director, designer and artist.
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Maj. Steve Smith will visit campus at 7 p.m. April 29 in the Warren E Hearnes Learning Resource Center to discuss nation building in Bosnia. Maj. Smith, a member of the Army National Guard based in Leavenworth, Kan., recently served from July to November 2003. He is also an environmental engineer for the Environmental Protection Agency. The presentation is sponsored by the co-curricular events committee. For more information, call Dan Cox at 4344.
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Western is teaming up with the St. Joseph Museum for the second year to host an arts open house at 6 p.m. April 30 at the Wyeth-Tootle Mansion, 11th and Charles Streets. The event is free and open to the community. The arts night offers the community an opportunity to meet Western students and faculty who will display their original works of art and video productions, perform music and recite poetry in the setting of the mansion, built in 1879. For more information, contact Kathy Reno at the St. Joseph Museum, (816) 232-8472.
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Omicron Delta Epsilon, the International Honors Society in economics at Western, is hosting a free dinner and presentation by Ashley Hodgson on April 30. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. in the Leah Spratt Multipurpose Classroom Building, Enright Room, 214, with the presentation to follow at 7 p.m. The community is invited to attend. Hodgson, a research associate at the Federal Reserve Bank in Kansas City, Mo., will speak on “The Economist’s Look into the Crystal Ball of the Future.” Reservations must be made for the dinner. Please make reservations by calling 5870. Dinner is sponsored by Western’s Student Government Association.
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The 31st annual Children’s Lifetime Sports Academy for children ages 8 -12 is 1:30-5:15 p.m. June 7-11 on campus. Children have the opportunity to experience activities such as canoeing, rappelling, scurry hockey, fishing, archery, obstacle course, mini track, pickle ball, racquetball, badminton, snorkeling, recreational games, fly tying, water sports, target practice and frisbee golf. The cost of registration is $65 for one child and $50 for any additional children. Registration is limited to 200. Registration forms and information online can be found at http://www.missouriwestern.edu/hper/clsa.asp For more information, contact Mary Beth Alpers in the health, physical education and recreation department at 4491.
Tuesday, April 27
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Flute Choir Concert, 7:30 p.m., FA Theater
Wednesday, April 28
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Baseball at Central Arkansas, 2 p.m.
Thursday, April 29
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Coffee and conversation, 9 a.m. - noon, SS/C 202
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Maj. Steve Smith discussion on Bosnia, 7 p.m., LRC
Friday, April 30
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Computer science, math and physics colloquium, noon, SM 109
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Arts open house, 6 p.m., Wyeth-Tootle Mansion, 11th and Charles Streets
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Omicron Delta Epsilon dinner and presentation by Ashley Hodgson, 6 p.m., Leah Spratt Hall, Enright Room
Saturday, May 1
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Symphonic Winds Concert, 7:30 p.m., Missouri Theater, 717 Edmond.
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Baseball at Missouri-Rolla, 1 p.m.
Sunday, May 2
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Western Choral Concert, 3 p.m., FA Theater
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Baseball at Missouri-Rolla, noon
For Sale: Bone/off-white double bowl enamel sink with fixtures. It is 8.5 inches deep, cast iron and in good condition. $20. Contact Dr. Todd Mick, assistant professor of marketing, at 4319.
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You
are welcome to submit ads to the Western ADvantage each week.
To be fair to everyone, please follow these guidelines for submission. Only
ads from campus constituents are accepted.
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