Wichita State News:

Faculty/staff news update: summer 2011

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 11:10:00 CST

Academe welcomes news from WSU faculty and staff about research, teaching and service activities. This column recognizes grants, honors, awards, presentations and publications, new appointments, new faculty, sabbaticals, retirements and deaths of our current and former colleagues.

Les Anderson

Les Anderson, professor, Elliott School of Communication, was honored recently with an Alumni Achievement Award from Fort Hays State University. Anderson completed undergraduate work at Fort Hays State; he earned a Master of Arts in journalism from the University of Missouri, Columbia.

Deema de Silva, director, assistant professor, TRIO-Student Support Services, attended the Oxford Round Table on Aug. 7-12 by invitation from Oxford University in London, England. She had participated in a spring 2011 Oxford Round Table discussion as a delegate in a panel of 40 women from around the globe.

Amy DeVault, instructor, and Les Anderson, professor, Elliott School of Communication, presented "Blogs as learning tools in journalism education" at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication in St. Louis. The conference was attended by 2,200 faculty members, doctoral students and others with an interest in communication education.

Amy DeVault and Lisa Parcell, assistant professor, Elliott School, presented "Social networking in higher education" at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication in St. Louis. The conference was attended by 2,200 faculty members, doctoral students and others with an interest in communication education. Parcell had an additional presentation with former ESC faculty member Mike Boyle.

Sharon Iorio

Sharon Iorio, dean, College of Education, presented an invited paper with M.E. Yeager, a post doctoral fellow in the college. The paper, "School reform: Past, present and future," was the lead/first presentation in Harris Manchester College at an Oxford University Round Table on school reform in July.

Patricia McDonnell, director, Ulrich Museum of Art, served as a juror for Kansas City's 29th annual River Market Regional Exhibition, fueled by the Kansas City Artists Coalition. McDonnell chose 46 artists from Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas for the exhibition.

D. Paul Rillema, professor, chemistry, has been named a 2011 ACS Fellow of the American Chemical Society.

TENURE, PROMOTION AND PIR
The following faculty members, listed with their colleges, have earned tenure (T), promotion (P) or professor incentive review (PIR), effective at the start of the 2011-2012 academic year.

College of Education: Fuchang Liu, associate professor, curriculum and instruction (TP)

College of Engineering: Klaus Hoffmann, professor, aerospace (PIR); Babek Minaie, professor, mechanical engineering (TP); Lawrence Whitman, professor, industrial and manufacturing engineering (P)

College of Fine Arts: Ted Adler, associate professor, art and design (TP); Elaine Bernstorf, professor, music (PIR); Mark Foley, professor, music (P); Royce Smith, associate professor, art and design (TP)

College of Health Professions: Kelly Anderson, associate professor, dental hygiene (TP); Ngoyi Bukonda, associate professor, public health sciences (T); Diana Cochran-Black, associate professor, medical technology (P); LaDonna Hale, associate professor, physician assistant (P); Trisha Self, associate professor, communication sciences and disorders (TP); Betty Smith-Campbell, professor, nursing (P)

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: Dinorah Azpuru, associate professor, political science (TP); Michael Birzer, professor, community affairs (P); Chris Brooks, professor, English (P); George Dehner, associate professor, history (TP); Tom DeLillo, professor, math (PIR); Jean Griffith, associate professor, English (TP); Michael Hall, associate professor, political science (TP); Twyla Hill, professor, sociology (P); Kirk Lancaster, professor, math (PIR); Michael McGlynn, associate professor, political science (TP); Leland Russell, associate professor, biological sciences (TP); Lisa Thrane, associate professor, sociology (TP)

W. Frank Barton School of Business: William Miles, professor, economics (P); Tim Pett, professor, management (P)

IN MEMORIAM
Eugene E. Kaufman, 81, retired orthopedic surgeon, team physician (known as "ShockDoc") for the Shockers, died July 5. He was preceded in death by his sister, Betty Kleffel; and his wife of 44 years, Dorothy, and their first child, Kathryn. He is survived by his wife, Linda; three children, Eric E. Kaufman (Kathy), Debra S. Folkerts (Darwin) and Marc L. Kaufman (Eva); 11 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; and his brother, Kenneth L. Kaufman of Saratoga, Calif. Services have been held. Please make memorial donations to Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice, 313 S. Market, Wichita , KS 67202, or Lorraine Avenue Mennonite Church, 655 S. Lorraine St., Wichita, KS 67211-3093.

William Thomas Kirkwood Stevenson, 56, chemistry professor at Wichita State University, died July 21. Private family services have been held. Survivors are wife, Laura (Smyth) Stevenson; children, Laura Bateman (David) of New Orleans, La., and William Thomas Kirkwood Stevenson of Boston, Mass.; sister, Frances Stevenson of Scotland. Memorials have been established with M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, c/o University of Texas, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX, 77030 and the Kansas Humane Society, 3313 N. Hillside, Wichita, KS 67219.

Faculty/staff news update: summer 2011

Thu, 7 Jul 2011 16:32:00 CST

Les Anderson, professor, Elliott School of Communication, won second place in the National Federation of Press Women communications contest for "feature photo in a publication other than newspaper" (2010 Symphony in the Flint Hills magazine) and two third-place awards for general column and general nonfiction book ("Never Take a Snake for a Ride"). National winners advance from state contests held by such NFPW affiliates as Kansas Professional Communicators.

Amy DeVault, instructor, Elliott School of Communication, won a second-place award in the National Federation of Press Women communications contest for "page layout for publication" (2010 Symphony in the Flint Hills magazine). National winners advance from state contests held by such NFPW affiliates as Kansas Professional Communicators.

Mary Koehn, professor, director, School of Nursing, and nursing student Rachel Wilson, traveled with a team of medical professionals, educators and students to train on high-tech mannequins at the Johns Hopkins Medicine Simulation Center in Baltimore on June 23. Koehn is part of a citywide health care committee that has been working toward creating and building a simulation center in Wichita. For the June 26 Wichita Eagle story "Local health workers try out simulation training," go to http://www.wichita.edu/j/?1083.

Kim Kufahl, marketing manager for Wichita State's Cooperative Education and Work-Based Learning program, won a first-place award in the National Federation of Press Women communications contest for the program's annual report. National winners advance from state contests held by such NFPW affiliates as Kansas Professional Communicators.

On Sabbatical
Betty Smith Campbell, associate professor, School of Nursing, spring 2012, to expand professional experience in health policy and advocacy to maintain accreditation of graduate nursing programs (policy course updates) and journal article submissions

Doris Chang, associate professor, Center for Women's Studies, fall 2011, to conduct research on career and political ideas of Chairwoman Ing-wen; conference presentation; and journal article submissions

Dharam Chopra, professor, mathematics and statistics, academic year 2011-12, to work on research problems in statistical design experiments dealing specifically with fractional factorial designs and graph theory; paper presentations; journal article submissions

Darren DeFrain, associate professor, English, spring 2012, to complete research for and prepare final draft of novel followed by submission to agent for review

Anthony DiLollo, associate professor, communication sciences and disorders, fall 2011, for development and publication of a workbook designed to facilitate counseling with persons who have communication disorders

Thalia Jeffres, associate professor, mathematics and statistics, fall 2011, to continue research on the Yamabe problem and the zeta function; conference presentations; grant proposal submission

Hyuck M. Kwon, professor, electrical engineering and computer science, spring 2012, for joint research project to improve previously published model with application to realistic wireles/mobile/communications systems; joint journal article submission; course updates

Kirk Lancaster, professor, mathematics and statistics, academic year 2011-12, for collaborative research on solution of central fan question and expansion of results on capillarity; joint journal article submission and work on new book

Chinyere Okafor, professor, Center for Women's Studies, spring 2012, to rewrite three plays in light of new research for potential book publication and participate in creative forum at Nigerian journalism institute

Royce Smith, assistant professor, School of Art and Design, spring 2012, for completion and publication of manuscript, "Biennale: Representation, Crisis, and the Contemporary Mega-Exhibition"

Johnnie Thompson, associate professor, curriculum and instruction, spring 2012, for completion of research on the attainment of wisdom, its sources in specialized life knowledge and its relationship to cultural variables and age leading to scholarly publication

In Memoriam
Robert "Bob" C. Wherritt, 83, associate professor emeritus, mathematics, died June 7. He is survived by his wife, Mildred (Millie), and his daughter Judith (Judy); he was preceded in death by his daughter Susan Wherritt Sherman. A memorial service will be held at the First Unitarian Universalist Church, 7202 E. 21st St. N. in Wichita. A memorial fund has been established with the church.

Elliott School announces Outstanding Alumni Award recipients

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 11:07:00 CST

Two master storytellers, Carol McAdoo Rehme and Norman Rehme, have been selected as recipients of this year's Elliott School of Communication Outstanding Alumni Award.

They will be honored Wednesday, Oct. 19, at a reception and make presentations about their work during the Elliott School's annual Comm Week celebration, this year called ESC Connect.

They are the first married couple to be honored.

Carol McAdoo Rehme

Carol McAdoo Rehme is an award-winning author and speaker who has written or edited more than a dozen inspirational books and numerous short stories, including several titles in the popular "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series.

Norman Rehme is a nationally recognized, certified master photographer with 42 years of experience.

Carol Rehme began her career at The Wichita Sun, and Norman Rehme is a former photojournalist at KAKE Channel 10 in Wichita and KBTV in Denver.

Norman Rehme

Both graduated with journalism degrees from Wichita State in the 1970s.

Lou Heldman, interim director of the Elliott School, announced the selection.

The Rehmes, he said, are involved in promoting and advocating for the arts in their hometown of Loveland, Colo.

"The mission of the Elliott School is rooted in the fundamental communication arts – writing, speaking and visual communication," said Heldman. "The Rehmes' four decades of achievement in these areas makes them very worthwhile recipients of this honor."

The award has been presented annually since 2001. Previous winners are: Alan Schroeder, Quincalee Brown, Al Higdon, Cliff Tarpy, Cathy Henkel, Vaughn Sink, Orin Friesen, Ralph Vautravers, Sara Quinn and Gary Bender.

Social media campaign earns Elliott School team state award

Fri, 27 May 2011 15:45:00 CST

Faculty and staff from the Elliott School of Communication (ESC) at Wichita State University won a CLARUS Award from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Kansas Chapter for their 2010 Elliott Engage social media campaign.

The campaign helped promote and raise funds for the ESC's Communication Week last October.

The team consisted of ESC's director of technology, Kevin Keplar; ESC instructor Eric Wilson; ESC Director Susan Huxman; and Mike Rishell, director of development for the WSU Foundation.

They received the honor at PRSA's annual CLARUS Awards ceremony held on Tuesday, May 24, at the Wichita Boathouse.

Keplar was the principal contributor to the Elliott Engage campaign and the named recipient of the award.

Student documentary on Symphony in the Flint Hills to air on KPTS

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:10:00 CST

Four students from last summer's Symphony in the Flint Hills class offered by the Elliott School of Communication at Wichita State University produced a documentary that will air on KPTS Channel 8 at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 26. The half-hour show will repeat at 1 a.m. Friday, May 27.

The title of the documentary is "Prairie Music: Symphony in the Flint Hills." The documentary is based on the 2010 event, which was held eight miles west of Bazaar in Chase County.

Producers were Corin Brena, Mark Kenny, Steven Ludlow and Fletcher Powell. Executive producers were Amy DeVault and Les Anderson, who taught the summer class last June.

'Heighten appreciation'

Symphony in the Flint Hills is an annual event held in a different location in the Flint Hills. The Kansas City Symphony performs the evening concert each year.

Only 5,000 tickets are sold each year. This year, tickets were sold out in 30 minutes.

"The mission of Symphony in the Flint Hills is to heighten appreciation and knowledge of the tallgrass prairie, by providing opportunities to experience symphonic music and place-based education in the Kansas Flint Hills," said Emily Hunter, executive director of the organization.

This year's concert is June 11 in the Fix Pasture near Volland, adjacent to Mill Creek Scenic Drive in Wabaunsee County. The theme is "Freedom's Frontier: The Story." During the 150th anniversary of Kansas statehood and the start of the Civil War, the Symphony in the Flint Hills organization is partnering with Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area.

"Together, we will present the many stories relating to the Missouri/ Kansas border, a geography that witnessed unprecedented violence between Americans just prior to the Civil War," Hunter said. "These stories provide critical insight into our national value of individual freedom."

DeVault and Anderson are teaching the summer class based on the 2011 Symphony in the Flint Hills again in June.

In addition to the documentary being shown on KPTS, the 2010 summer class produced a 100-page, four-color magazine (available at magcloud.com), a 10-minute feature that aired on KMUW 89.1, and a photo slideshow and videos provided to Symphony in the Flint Hills for display in its office in Strong City. Students also wrote stories and provided photos for newspapers in Wichita, Lawrence, Ottawa, Gardner, Spring Hill, Marysville and the Turnpike Times.

WSU writers, editors shine in communications contest

Wed, 18 May 2011 16:45:00 CST

Wichita State University was well represented at the 70th annual conference of the Kansas Professional Communicators (KPC) in Topeka on April 30. KPC is an affiliate of the National Federation of Press Women (NFPW).

The 2011 Communicator of Achievement Award was presented to Wilma Moore-Black, the assistant director and curriculum coordinator for TRIO Communication Upward Bound, with offices in Elliott Hall. She will compete with other state affiliates of NFPW for the national Communicator of Achievement Award, whose winner will be announced at NFPW's fall convention.

Wilma Moore-Black

Moore-Black also won a first-place award in KPC's annual communications contest for her advising on the Communication Upward Bound newsletter. She won a second-place award for book editing.

Les Anderson, professor in the Elliott School of Communication and a previous state Communicator of Achievement himself, won four first-place awards (non-fiction book, columns, feature photos, photography/writing); two second-place awards (columns, magazine editing); one third place; and four honorable mentions.

Amy Devault, instructor in the Elliott School, won first place in page layout for publication; four second-place awards (magazine editing, page layout, feature photo, audiovisuals); and one third place.

Devault and Anderson share one of their second-place awards for their editing on the 2010 Symphony in the Flint Hills magazine, filled with stories and photographs by communication students.

Kim Kufahl, marketing manager for the WSU Cooperative Education and Work-Based Learning, won first place for that office's annual report.

Cheryl Miller, assistant dean of WSU's Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, won first place for newsletter editing.

State contest winners go on to compete nationally in the NFPW communications contest; those winners will also be announced at the NFPW fall conference.

National 9/11 Flag returns to Greensburg for Memorial Day weekend

Tue, 17 May 2011 16:00:00 CST

The National 9/11 Flag will return to Greensburg, Kan., Saturday, May 28, for public viewing and an official flag-stitching ceremony. The ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. in the Kiowa County High School gym.

Students from the Elliott School of Communication at Wichita State University are promoting the return of the National 9/11 Flag. Students are combining their expertise in design and writing to gain valuable work experience, while generating publicity for the flag and Greensburg.

About 95 percent of the town of Greensburg was leveled on May 4, 2007, after an EF5 tornado tore through the region.

The flag will be available for viewing from 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. American veterans, as well as the Patriot Guard, will be in attendance. During the ceremony, veterans Layton Warn, Pearl Harbor; W.R. Brenner, Bataan Death March; Lyle McVay, Utah Beach; and Gary Bartlett, Vietnam, will be among those to place stitches in the flag.

"The National 9/11 Flag is the ultimate modern-day symbol of the resilience and compassion of the American people," said Jeff Parness, founder and chairman of the New York Says Thank You Foundation.

Flag history

The National 9/11 Flag, so named after the World Trade Center attacks in New York City, was one of the largest flags to fly above Ground Zero. It traveled as part of The New York Says Thank You Foundation to several natural disaster sites over the past 10 years to provide relief to people. The flag measures about 20 feet high and 30 feet wide.

In 2008, the foundation visited Greensburg, bringing along the tattered remains of the flag rescued from Ground Zero. It was there that the National 9/11 Flag was stitched together by women in the Greensburg Carriage House Assisted Living Center.

The flag has toured the country since its restoration in Greensburg. It is considered a source of healing for victims of tragedies and natural disasters, and has been dubbed the "Star Spangled Banner" of its generation.

"After seeing the flag, you'll feel so proud when you leave," said Matt Deighton, volunteer coordinator, Greensburg. "You don't know how it touches people."

The flag also will be available for viewing from noon to 4 p.m. Friday, May 27. At this time, repairs will be made to the flag. Members of the public can organize group photos with the flag prior to the event by contacting Deighton, (620) 388-1860.

For more information on the New York Says Thank You Foundation or the National 9/11 Flag, visit http://newyorksaysthankyou.org/ or http://national911flag.org/. You can also find the flag on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/dP7Y41.

Journalism teacher named DART Academic Fellow

Thu, 12 May 2011 11:04:00 CST

Dan Close

Dan Close, a veteran teacher and journalist in Wichita State University's Elliott School of Communication, has been named a summer Dart Academic Fellow, following a highly competitive process.

Close, an associate professor, will join 13 other journalism educators from North America, Australia and Great Britain at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism in New York from June 15-18 for intensive training on teaching accurate, ethical and sensitive coverage of tragedy.

This prestigious journalism program is sponsored by the Dart Center, with support from the University of Washington Center for Global Studies.

Close said his students will ultimately benefit from the opportunity he has to learn, study and share experiences with the other fellows.

"Many of those I will be training with have traveled the country and the world reporting on natural disasters, devastating illnesses and deadly military actions," he said. "I have also reported on violence and its victims, and I will be able to share what I have learned with a group with impressive professional and academic credentials."

The fellowship promises a diverse and intense experience.

"Like our 2010 inaugural class, this year's group has an impressive variety of local, national and international professional and personal experience," said Meg Spratt, director of Dart West, Dart's academic office, located at the University of Washington Department of Communication.

Close came to Wichita State in 1990 as an adjunct, and was tenured and promoted to associate professor in 1993. He earned a bachelor's in journalism and a master's in communication from WSU.

Former reporter

He was a reporter and editor at The Wichita Eagle and other newspapers for 14 years. Close was the editorial consultant for "Bind, Torture, Kill: The Inside Story of the Serial Killer Next Door" (HarperCollins, 2007).

"In the immediate post-Watergate era in which I trained as a journalist, getting the story quickly, accurately and efficiently was the mantra. The more tragic the circumstances, the more driven I was to barter emotions from victims," Close said.

Part of being a journalist is getting deeply involved with covering tragedy, Close said.

"I have been shot at, beaten and doused with teargas from a hovering helicopter, while covering a race riot that resembled a war zone," he said. "I have covered devastating F5 tornadoes that killed people and wiped out the communities of Greensburg and Hesston.

Close is the adviser to the WSU student newspaper, "The Sunflower."

"Over the years, the student paper has had to cover death and tragedy on campus, and my assistance was part their understanding of what it takes to cover such stories with professional and dignified compassion," Close said.

Design quick course set for May 7 at WSU

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 15:13:00 CST

The Society for News Design is hosting a Back to Basics Quick Course from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, May 7, in Wichita State University's Elliott Hall.

Registration is free for SND members; $35 for non-members.
To register, go to http://www.wichita.edu/designcourse.

Get the basic design rules – tips for the best use of typography, color, grid, selection of images and possibilities for creating interactivity, all while learning the latest trends in readership and news, metro and sports design. Learn about teamwork, how to art direct without an art director and how to bring new life to your projects.

Hear what goes into redesigning a major metro newspaper, what works and what doesn't work, and what you can take back to your paper right now to freshen up your design without going through a revolutionary redesign process.

Bring your portfolios and work samples for individual critiques.
Featured speakers include:

Melissa Angle, a designer at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where she works on Sunday A1, special projects and visual planning. She also helped launch the AJC's redesign in May 2009. Angle is a graduate of WSU's Elliott School of Communication (ESC).
Bill Bootz, lead sports designer at The Oklahoman, where he became part of the redesign team in 2008. The Oklahoman's redesign was recognized by SND with an Award of Excellence in 2009.
Tim Parks, deputy news and presentation editor at the Omaha World-Herald, where he has also served as assistant sports editor/presentation and lead sports designer. A 1992 graduate of Fort Hays State University, he was the 2009 SportsDesigner.com Sports Designer of the Year. He won five SND awards in 2009 and two in 2008, including a silver medal. He also has worked at the Tulsa World and The Oklahoman in Oklahoma City.
Sara Quinn, teacher of visual journalism, leadership, social media and multimedia at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies. Before joining the faculty in 2003, Sara spent nearly 20 years working in newspaper newsrooms, including the Sarasota Herald-Tribune in Florida and her hometown newspaper, The Wichita Eagle. She is a WSU graduate. Sara directed Poynter's EyeTrack study of newspaper and online reading habits in four U.S. cities.

For more information, contact Amy DeVault, ESC instructor, (316) 978-6052 or amy.devault@wichita.edu.

Sunflower seizes honors at state journalism conference

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 16:49:00 CST

The Sunflower student newspaper at Wichita State took home a bronze medal for four-year public universities at the annual Kansas Associated Collegiate Press conference April 17-18 in Hutchinson.

Sunflower students also earned 23 individual awards in the statewide competition. Last year, the newspaper won 13 individual awards and a silver medal.

Faculty adviser Dan Close made two presentations at the conference and was elected KACP 1st vice president.

Ten students made the trip to Hutchinson. This year's winning staff members are:

First Place (4)
• Feature Writing, Megan Pauly
• News Photography, Sreedhar Vasomsetti
• Special Section, Sunflower Staff
• Headline Writing, Sunflower Staff

Second Place (6)
• Sports Feature Writing, Austin Colbert
• Sports News Writing, Taylor Eldridge
• Editorial Writing, Ram Hull
• Feature Photo, Julian Ortiz
• Sports Column Writing, Chris Smythe
• Sports Photography, Sreedhar Vasometti

Third Place (6)
• Sports Column Writing, Scott Elpers
• Cartoons, Ram Hull
• Illustration, Lindsi Mendoza
• Special Section, Sunflower Staff
• Front Page Design, Sunflower Staff
• Interior Page Design, Sunflower Staff

Honorable Mention (7)
• Sports News Writing, Austin Colbert
• Sports Feature Writing, Taylor Eldridge
• Infographics, Lindsi Mendoza
• Feature Writing, Megan Pauly
• Infographics, Candice Tullis
• Interior Page Design, Candice Tullis
• Sports Photography, Sreedhar Vasometti

Elliott School of Communication interim director named

Wed, 6 Apr 2011 12:00:00 CST

Lou Heldman will serve as interim director while a national search is conducted for a new director of the Elliott School of Communication in the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Wichita State University.

The appointment, which is expected to last about one year, was announced Tuesday by William Bischoff, dean of liberal arts and sciences. Bischoff said Heldman would assume the post in mid-June, when director Susan Huxman leaves to become president of Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

Heldman joined Wichita State in 2007, after retiring as president and publisher of The Wichita Eagle and Kansas.com.

"We are fortunate to have Lou Heldman in place to work with Dr. Huxman on the transition and to continue the momentum she has built in seven years as director," Bischoff said. "Lou has the support of the school's faculty and can draw on extensive communications industry knowledge and community contacts to strengthen the school in this interim period."

Heldman will continue as Distinguished Senior Fellow in Media Management and Journalism. In that role, he teaches courses on the impact of the Internet on media and society. He also created and serves as executive producer of the monthly television series "Wichita State & The World," concluding its third season.

"Lou provides continuity and connection with students and communication professionals," said Deanna Harms, chair of the Elliott School Advisory Board. "His proven management capabilities, outstanding reputation and industry contacts deliver just what we need during this transition."

Les Anderson

Professor Les Anderson, a senior member of the Elliott School faculty, said Heldman is extremely capable of leading the Elliott School during this time of transition.

"Not only is he familiar with the Elliott School and university workings, his background in management at major newspapers and his connections to the Wichita business community will be invaluable," said Anderson.

The Elliott School is the only comprehensive integrated school of communication in Kansas. Its mission is to develop well-rounded media and communication professionals with essential skills — including an ability to think critically, plan strategically and communicate effectively in multiple communication platforms.

One of the largest units in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Elliott School has more than 400 undergraduate majors, 50 graduate students and teaches 2,000 students a semester in general education courses in communication.

PODCAST: Dissidents use social media to spread unrest

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:05:00 CST

This WSU Newsline Podcast is available at http://www.wichita.edu/newslinepodcast. See the transcript below:

You're listening to the podcast edition of the Wichita State University audio newsline. Learn more about WSU — the home of Thinkers, Doers, Movers and Shockers — on the Web at wichita.edu.

It's always been a challenge for governments to suppress political dissidents, but it's even more difficult now in an age of Twitter, Facebook, texting and cell phones. If you doubt the impact of social media on governments, consider recent political uprisings in Egypt, Tunisia and Iran. Lou Heldman, a social media strategist at Wichita State University and former publisher of The Wichita Eagle and Kansas.com, says it's difficult for a government to limit the reach of social media.

Heldman: "The problem for governments trying to limit communication is that it's a 24-hour, 365-day-a-year job that can never stop. As new communication technologies are coming online, it becomes harder and harder to keep it suppressed."

According to Heldman, the reality is that governments have to deal with the explosion of social media.

Heldman: "Media is becoming more global, social, mobile and visual. Governments are having to deal with the impact of more communication tools in the hands of citizens."

Heldman says today's communication tools are threatening to repressive governments.

Heldman: "Repressive governments are threatened by communication tools in the hands of dissidents. Going back to the Soviet Union, there were always examples of governments trying to shut down communication and dissidents finding their own way to get the message around."

While it's clear that political dissidents are using social media to spread their message, Heldman says, the communication tools aren't causing the political uprisings.

Heldman: "Social media isn't the match that begins these uprisings. They stem from longstanding grievances. But it is an accelerant. It provides a megaphone to those who oppose the government."

Of course, the same social media tools used by political dissidents also can be used by governments against dissidents, according to Heldman. In Iran, police eagerly followed the electronic trails left by activists, which helped them make thousands of arrests in the crackdown that followed.

Heldman: "This is a two-way street. Governments can easily follow the path through social media created by dissidents. In Iran, where there was an uprising last year, partially based on use of Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, the government was able to trace back the people who sent the messages, and a number of those are now in prison."

Heldman says democracies also face challenges in dealing with social media.

Heldman: "Democracies themselves are having a difficult time dealing with the realities of new technologies. Wikileaks is a perfect example of how rapidly secret documents can spread."

Widney Brown, a senior director of international law and policy at Amnesty International, said the popular networking services, like most technologies, are politically neutral. She said, "There's nothing deterministic about these tools — Gutenberg's press, or fax machines or Facebook. They can be used to promote human rights or to undermine human rights."

Thanks for listening. Until next time, this is Joe Kleinsasser for Wichita State University.

Huxman named president of Conrad Grebel University College

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 14:10:00 CST

Susan Huxman

Susan Schultz Huxman, director of the Elliott School of Communication at Wichita State University, has been named president of Conrad Grebel University College, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

She will become president of the Mennonite Church-related college July 1, after 20 years of teaching and administrative responsibility at Wichita State, including seven as director of the Elliott School.

William Bischoff, WSU dean of the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said he would appoint an interim director of the Elliott School while the search is conducted for a permanent director.

"We recognize the value of the Elliott School's teaching and scholarship. Its graduates are sought after by communication companies in Kansas and beyond," Bischoff said. "We expect to have a new permanent director named in 2012."

'Top-notch scholar'

During her tenure as director of the Elliott School of Communication, the school has increased enrollment and leveraged its distinctiveness and location in the largest media market in the state to recruit and retain an excellent faculty.

Under Huxman, the school secured $4.6 million in gifts and grants for an endowed chair, faculty fellowships, student scholarships and enhanced facilities and community outreach initiatives, including the Communication Upward Bound program and the Sunshine Coalition for Open Government.

"It has been wonderfully satisfying to lead the first integrated school of communication in Kansas," Huxman said. "I will miss Elliott School colleagues, but I will leave in June knowing the school is well-positioned to continue to prepare students for the future of communication."

Les Anderson

Professor Les Anderson, Huxman's longtime colleague, said: "Susan is a top-notch scholar, teacher and administrator. She has successfully guided the Elliott School through a difficult time of change in the communication industry."

Provost Gary L. Miller said: "The position at Conrad Grebel is an exceptional opportunity for Susan and a natural step for someone of her most impressive leadership abilities. She will make a great college president."

Conrad Grebel is associated with the University of Waterloo and provides classes in music and the humanities for all the university's students. In addition, Grebel is expanding with a graduate program in theological studies and a master's program in peace and conflict studies.

Fighting government secrecy is the focus of town hall show

Mon, 7 Mar 2011 14:54:00 CST

Open government is essential to a democracy. But it's often hard to find that vital government transparency — and to get public access to public records, even when the law is on your side.

"What is your government hiding?" is the focus of a town hall panel set from 4-5 p.m. Saturday, March 12, at the First United Methodist Church, 330 N. Broadway, in downtown Wichita.

The event will be taped and shown on KAKE-TV and affiliated stations around the state at 10 a.m. Sunday, March 13, as part of the national celebration of Sunshine Week (March 13-19).

"The Mike and Mike Show" will headline the meeting. Media attorney Mike Merriam of Topeka will join University of Kansas law professor Mike Kautsch in an interactive presentation on media law, as well as how citizens can use the Kansas Open Records Act and the Kansas Open Meetings Act.

The show also will feature a panel on the importance of open government led by the League of Women Voters of Wichita. The audience is invited to ask questions.

Refreshments will be available at a reception afterward.

KPTS-TV, Channel 8 in Wichita, will rebroadcast the show at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 24. Those interested in being in the audience are asked to arrive in time to be seated by 3:45 p.m.

The event is sponsored by the Kansas Sunshine Coalition, the League of Women Voters and the Elliott School of Communication at Wichita State University.

WSU Foundation announces largest debate scholarship

Fri, 7 Jan 2011 10:38:00 CST

At a news conference today (Friday, Jan. 7), Gov. Mark Parkinson announced that he and his wife, Stacy, have established a scholarship for the Wichita State University debate program — the largest scholarship dedicated to debate in the WSU Elliott School of Communication.

"Participating in the debate program at Wichita State was one of the highlights of my college career, and it taught me the necessary skills to be successful later in life," said Parkinson '80.

"With this scholarship, Stacy and I are honored to encourage future Shockers to get involved with debate."

'Beneficial experiences'

The Mark and Stacy Parkinson Scholarship in Debate will fund an annual scholarship to cover full tuition and fees for a Kansas resident enrolled full time at WSU in the Elliott School Debate Program.

The recipient will have participated in Kansas high school debate for at least one year, must have and maintain a minimum 'B' average and remain active on and serious about the WSU debate team.

"It is an honor and an inspiration to accept this gift from the governor and first lady for the debate program," said Elizabeth King, WSU Foundation president and CEO. "The beneficial experiences that Mark encountered at WSU influenced both of them to provide this opportunity to others.

"The spark in Mark's voice as he described the camaraderie among his team members and the mentoring by his coach, John Schunk, was heartwarming," King said.

Schunk attended the announcement today.

"'Giving back' or 'paying it forward,' it doesn't matter what term you use, the Parkinsons are all about improving their communities and making futures better for today's youth," said WSU President Donald Beggs.

"Participation in debate is time consuming, both in terms of the research demands and weekend travel," said Jeff Jarman, WSU director of debate. "No other school in the state has a scholarship of this magnitude for its debate team. It will bring the top debaters in Kansas to WSU and provide them the means to succeed on the team and in the classroom."

Distinguished alumni

Twelve students have competed on the WSU debate team this year. The season runs from September through March.

Parkinson graduated summa cum laude from Wichita State University in 1980 with a Bachelor of Arts in Education, majoring in secondary education-political science. He represented WSU at the National Debate Tournament in 1977 and 1979.

He also was a member of the WSU debate team in 1978. In January 2010, Parkinson was a Distinguished Alumni Speaker.

He will be awarded the 2010 Alumni Achievement Award at the 55th Annual Alumni Awards Banquet on Feb. 3, 2011. He and his wife are WSU Alumni Association Life Members.