Wichita State News: Urban and Public Affairs

Faculty/staff news update: March/April 2013

Wed, 8 May 2013 13:26:00 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.

William Proctor Artz, instructional technologist and designer, School of Community Affairs, presented a paper "Secure Testing in the Virtual Classroom: Is It Even Possible?" at the Innovative Technology to Recharge and Connect (ITRAC) instructional technology conference on March 8.

Dinorah Azpuru, associate professor of political science, was invited to present her research on U.S-Latin America relations at the Woodrow Wilson Center, in Washington, D.C., on March 27. In the framework of the seminar "China in Latin America: Public Impressions and Policy Implications" she compared public opinion in the Americas about the influence and role of China and the United States in the region. Watch the webcast here.

Michael Birzer

Michael Birzer, professor, School of Community Affairs, worked with the Wichita Police Department's Command Staff on organizational transformation and issues. He also recently received a $32,000 grant award from the Kansas Department of Transportation to continue his research on racial profiling across the state of Kansas.

Travis Bruce, assistant professor, history, has published a book about the trading community of Denia, a Muslim city state in al-Andalus in the Middle Ages, and the trade links and cultural ties between the Muslim and Christian worlds.

Amy Delamaide, director, community and organizational development, WSU Center for Community Support and Research, was recently named a BoardSource Certified Governance Trainer and is now certified to deliver BoardSource's signature nonprofit governance trainings in the Midwest and Great Plains area. BoardSource supports and promotes excellence in nonprofit board service by providing cutting-edge thinking and resources on board effectiveness and by engaging and developing the next generation of board leaders.

Amy DeVault, assistant professor, Elliott School of Communication, earned four awards in the Kansas Professional Communicators 2012 contest: First and second in magazine page design; first in PR magazine (editing/creative direction); and second in magazine feature story. First-place winners move on to compete at the national level.

Ed Flentje

Ed Flentje, professor, Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs, was recognized at the December 2012 legislative policy summit for outstanding service in fostering regional cooperation for south-central Kansas. At the invitation of the Center for Information and Resources for Development, he also traveled to Asuncion, Paraguay to participate in the Public Policy and Presidential Elections Project. This trip was the seventh of an eight-part series to educate and engage political activists on democracy, elections and public policy prior to upcoming elections in April 2013.

Mark Glaser, professor, Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs, and Misty Bruckner and Corinne Bannon, both from the Center for Urban Studies, collaborated with the City of Wichita and Sedgwick County as part of a four-step process to guide a comprehensive plan update and to develop and implement a multiphase citizen engagement effort. Glaser was also recently appointed to the publication committee of the American Society for Public Administration. This is a prestigious appointment to the committee that oversees publication of the Public Administration Review, the top rated journal in the field.

Sabrina Perez Glatt, director of field practicum, School of Social Work, is the 2013recipient of the Wayne Carlisle Distinguished Service Award. The award is presented to an unclassified professional who models the standard of extraordinary service.

Brandy Jackson, undergraduate program director, was approved to receive funding from the College of Health Professions' IPE Fund to support participation in the Team STEPPS training program at Tulane University in New Orleans.

Phyllis Jacobs, assistant professor, nursing, and her husband, Lou, are receiving the 2013 Joel A. Gingras, Jr. Award from the American Brain Tumor Association. The award recognizes individuals, organizations or groups who through philanthropy, advocacy, discovery or patient care and support, have had a transformative impact on the advancement of the mission of the American Brain Tumor Association. Phyllis and Lou have facilitated a brain tumor support group called Headstrong at Victory in the Valley in Wichita for the past 14 years. The Award will be given at the American Brain Tumor Association national conference in Chicago in July.

Kim Johnson, DNP Candidate, whose submission titled "Does primary care provider advance directive education influence attitudes and practice?," was accepted as a poster presentation at the Graduate Research and Scholarly Projects. She was also selected to participate by WSU in the Rising Stars of Scholarship and Research Poster Program at Sigma Theta Tau International's 42nd Biennial Convention.

Stuart Lasine, professor of religion, has been elected vice president of the Society of Biblical Literature's southwest region. In 2014 he'll become president-elect and then in 2015, president.

Jacquelyn McClendon, senior clinical educator, Kelly Anderson (Dental Hygiene) and Mary Koehn (CHP IPE coordinator) abstract, "Making IPE Discipline Relevant" was accepted for presentation at the Collaborating Across Borders IV Conference in Canada.

Cheryl Miller, assistant dean, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, earned several awards in the 2012 Kansas Professional Communicators contest: First in personality profile, first in editing; second in advertising; and third in editing. Miller also received honorable mentions in feature writing, personality profile, and specialty articles - travel. First-place winners move on to compete at the national level.

Pamela O'Neal, SON Academic Writing Specialist, and Michelle Dreiling, a graduate student at the Elliott School of Communication, were invited to Wiley College in Marshall TX to speak at the Ethical Student Leadership Conference about the WSU Hunger Awareness Initiative.

Susan Parsons, assistant professor; Carla A. Lee, Debbie Strickert and Margaret Trumpp are authors of an article entitled "Oral Care and Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia-An Integrated Review of the Literature" accepted for publication in the forthcoming May/June 2013 issue of Dimensions in Critical Care Nursing.

Elaine Steinke, professor, nursing, Adult Health & Illness Clinical nurse specialist program coordinator, Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program coordinator, had two book chapters published. Steinke, E. E. (2014). Ineffective sexuality patterns. In B. Ackley, G. Ladwig. Nursing Diagnosis Handbook,10th ed. St. Louis: Elsevier; pp. 724-730. And Steinke, E. E. (2014). Sexual dysfunction. In B.Ackley, G. Ladwig. Nursing Diagnosis Handbook, 10th ed. St. Louis: Elsevier; pp. 717-724.

DISTINGUISHED AND PHENOMENAL AWARDS
The Wichita State University Women's Association named its Distinguished Gentlemen Award winners in March. They are: Wilson Baldridge, chair, Modern & Classical Languages; Michael L. Birzer, professor, criminal justice/director SCA; William Bischoff, professor, geology; Buma Fridman, chair and professor, mathematics; Terre Johnson, vice president for major gifts, WSU Foundation; Chuck Koeber, associate dean, liberal arts, professor, sociology; Ron Matson, interim dean, liberal arts and sciences; Rodney Miller, dean, College of Fine Arts; Rick Muma, associate provost and professor, public health; Ravi Pendse, vice president, Information Technology, and chief information officer; Wade Robinson, vice president for Campus Life and University Relations; Mel Whiteside, director, engineering technology program;

The Office of Multicultural Affairs announced its Phenomenal Women of the Year at the fifth annual Phenomenal Women Award Recognition on March 14. Jean Patterson, from the Educational Leadership Department was awarded Faculty Phenomenal Woman of the Year. Frankie Brown, from Human Resources was awarded the Unclassified Professional Staff Phenomenal Woman of the Year. Juanita Reed from the Alumni Association was awarded the Classified Staff Phenomenal Woman of the Year. These women were recognized along with five other nominees.

IN MEMORIAM

Ronald Christy, 63, business instructor at Wichita State University, died Monday, April 22. He is survived by a son, Cody; Cody's mother, Linda Pool; extended family members, Jamie Doss, Mary Giordenella Belden and Wanda Aikin, and their children Jordan Doss, Kaylee Doss, Brooklyn Aikin, Madison Aikin, Makenna Belden and Cade Belden, who referred to Mr. Christy as Grandpa. Mr. Christy was a pioneer in entrepreneurial education and was instrumental in helping Fran Jabara found WSU's Center for Entrepreneurship in 1977. Mr. Christy taught the widely acclaimed "Your Future in Business" class to thousands of Kansans in the 1970s and 1980s. He co-authored four books on entrepreneurship, was the recipient of the prestigious Sargent Americanism Award, as well as the Outstanding Teaching Award from the W. Frank Barton School of Business. As a businessman, he founded several businesses and was a sought after consultant for over 35 years. The Ron Christy Entrepreneurship Memorial has been established through the WSU Foundation. Donations can be sent to support this memorial, in lieu of flowers, to 1845 Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260-0002. Services have been held.

Jeraldine Cobb, 77, retired, died April 15. Services have been held. Survivors: husband, James; sons, Terry (Diane) Evans, Larry Evans, Michael Cobb ; daughter, Jacqueline Cobb ; sister, Roberta (Lawrence) Crockett; brother, Claude (Linda) Dayton; 7 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; a host of other relatives, Strangers Rest family and friends.

Donald Leroy Foster, 77, retired Wichita State Physics professor, died Sunday, May 5. He taught at WSU for 39 years, where he served as department chair. He is preceded in death by parents, Raymond and Hilda Mae (McCrea) Foster. Mr. Foster is survived by his cherished wife, Deanna; sister, Susan A. Foster; children, Andrew (Amy) Foster, Matt (Lucinda) Foster, Brandie (Kevin Blount) French and Kelly French; 12 grandchildren, Josh, Nick, Jack, Ethan, Luke, Zach, Alex, Sebastian, Sofia, Evelyn, Levi and Lydia; and one great-grandchild. Recitation of the Rosary will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 9, followed by the funeral mass at 10:30 a.m., both at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. Memorials may be sent to National Parkinson Foundation, P.O. Box 51018, Hagerstown, Maryland 21741. Baker Funeral Home, Wichita.

Doris Kathleen "Kathy" Lewis, 73, former chair and associate professor, physical therapy, died March 11 in Peoria. Services have been held. She is survived by her daughter, Terri Lewis, and son-in-law, Daniel Angot, of Peoria; grandsons, Dustin and Jordan Angot; four brothers; two sisters; and many nieces and nephews. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society's Road to Recovery Program in Peoria.

Marguerite "Mickey" Miller, 92, professor emeritus and longtime former chair of keyboard, College of Fine Arts, died April 17. She was preceded in death by parents, Joe and Mary Smith; husband, Luther; and grandson, Brandon. Survivors include sons Joe of Wichita, Jay (Madeline) of Lake Forest, Ill., and Jon of Kechi; daughter, Jean Little (Kent) of Kechi; three grandchildren. In accordance with her wishes, services will be private.

Gilbert "Gil" Perez, 61, WSU Environmental Scientist, passed away Saturday, April 27, 2013. He is survived by his wife, Lisa Perez; children, Paul (Annie) Perez, Angela Perez, Isaac (Crystal) Perez, all of Wichita; grandchildren, LaTaylah, Zayda, Adrian, Evan, Aiden, Brittany (Kade), Cidnie, Daphne, Emilie and Remi; mother, Beatrice Perez of Kinsley; brothers, John (Olga) Perez of Dodge City, Larry Perez of Kinsley, Tom (Diane) Perez of Dodge City; sisters, Rose Perez of Kinsley, Gloria (Joe) Lock of Lewis and Mary (Alvaro) Bencomo of Dodge City; many other family and friends. Services have been held. Memorials to Riverlawn Christian Church, 4243 N. Meridian, Wichita, KS 67204. Baker Funeral Home, Valley Center.

Wichita State forum to discuss tax policies in Kansas

Wed, 3 Apr 2013 12:10:00 CST

The Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs at Wichita State University and Student Involvement are sponsoring a forum called Kansas Tax Forum.

The event is 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, at the Hughes Metropolitan Complex.

Legislators will present information supportive and critical of Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback's proposals for changes in income and sales taxes.

They will also report on legislative action to date. Participants will be invited to ask questions about the proposed policies and their implications for higher education and all aspects of state policy.

This is an important social issue, and all are invited to attend and be informed.

Representatives in attendance will be Secretary of Revenue Nick Jordan and Senator Tom Holland.

Hugo Wall School to host nonprofit policy summit

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 11:21:00 CST

Wichita State's Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs will host the annual Spring Nonprofit Policy Summit from 3-5 p.m. Wednesday, March 27, at the Hughes Metropolitan Complex.

The summit will examine the changing demographics of Kansas and the implications for nonprofit organizations. There is no charge to attend.

To register, contact Gayle Martin at 978-6541 or gayle.martin@wichita.edu.

Go to http://www.wichita.edu/j/?2075 to register online.

Jeremy Hill

Jeremy Hill, director of the Center for Economic Development and Business Research, will outline the demographic changes and additional panelists will discuss economic, social and cultural trends and effects on their nonprofit organizations.

Panelists are Charles Koeber, associate dean, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; Teresa Rupp, executive director, ChildStart; and Annette Graham, Sedgwick County Department on Aging director.

Faculty/staff news update: January/February 2013

Mon, 4 Mar 2013 11:34:00 CST

Kathy Coufal, professor and chair, communication sciences and disorders, recently joined the board of directors of the Kansas Society for Children with Challenges.

George Dehner

George Dehner, associate professor, history, had two books published recently. "Influenza: A Century of Science and Public Health Response" is aimed at the academic market, and "Global Flu and You: A History of Influenza" is a more general book on the subject.

Suzy Finn, engineering coordinator/job developer, Office of Cooperative Education and Work-Based Learning, has been accepted into the Young Professionals of Wichita 2013 Leadership Academy.

Ed Flentje, professor and longtime REAP consultant, Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs, was recognized at the December 2012 legislative policy summit for outstanding service in fostering regional cooperation for south-central Kansas.

Ed Flentje fielded calls on Kansas politics about the 2012 November elections from national reporters with the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and Reuters, in addition to Kansas newspaper reporters. He also made presentations on Kansas politics and elections, including the Docking Symposium on Kansas Politics at Southwestern College in Winfield; the Downtown Lions Club, Wichita; the Post-election Roundtable, with professors Joe Aistrup (Kansas State), Bob Beatty (Washburn), Burdette Loomis (University of Kansas), and Michael Smith (Emporia State) at Washburn University in Topeka; and the Lions Club in Clay Center.

Eric Freeman, assistant professor, Jean Patterson, associate professor, and Pat Terry, senior fellow, served as faculty advisers to students in the College of Education's educational leadership program who presented research papers at the USA|Kansas Annual Convention in January. "Growth and Sustainability in a Rural Kansas Town: The Role of Public Schools" was presented by Michael Argabright, superintendent, Southern Lyon County USD 252; Andi Williams, principal, Haysville Elementary, USD 261; and Royce Powelson, superintendent, Jayhawk USD 346 (Freeman). "Successes and Challenges of Implementing 21st Century Skills" was presented by Mary Liebl, literacy coordinator, Wichita USD 259; Janice Smith, executive director, The Opportunity Project Early Learning Center; Alicia Thompson, assistant superintendent, Wichita USD 259; Tiffinie Irving, executive director, Wichita USD 259; and Brad Pepper, executive director, The Service Center at Clearwater (Patterson/Terry).

Philip Gaunt, professor, Elliott School of Communication, director and founder, Interdisciplinary Communication Research Institute, had a book signing hosted by Watermark Books in Wichita on Feb. 9 for his recently published novel, "The Blane Game."

Lou Heldman, Distinguished Senior Fellow and interim director of the Elliott School of Communication, presented "Communicating with Citizens on Their Terms" at the 2013 Kansas Association of City and County Managers Winter Seminar, hosted by the Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs, on Feb. 8.

Sharon Iorio

Sharon Iorio, dean and professor, College of Education, presented "Partnerships with School Districts," along with other Kansas Board of Regents' college of education deans at the USA|Kansas Annual Convention conference in January.

Ashlie Jack, assistant professor, curriculum and instruction, has been selected to serve on the Kansas Handwriting Standards Committee, which will design the new handwriting standards for schools in Kansas in response to the request of the Kansas State Board of Education.

Ashlie Jack and Mandy Lusk, assistant professors, special education, received funding for their study "Developing Word Consciousness of Academic Vocabulary in Adolescents with Challenging Behaviors through Co-Teaching" to be conducted during the spring 2013 semester.

Elizabeth King, president and CEO, WSU Foundation, was re-elected to a three-year term on the board of directors of the Kansas Society for Children with Challenges. The KSCC was established in 1925.

Kenneth Kriz, professor of Public Finance and Economics with the University of Nebraska-Omaha who will soon join the Hugo Wall School as Regents Professor of Public Finance, presented the keynote speech "Public Finance in the 2010s: an Environmental Scan" at the 2013 Midwest Regional Public Finance Conference on Feb. 14 and 15 in Wichita.

Sal Mazzullo, professor, geology, had a book signing hosted by Watermark Books in Wichita on Jan. 5 for his recently published novel, "Chac Balam."

Eunice Doman Myers, associate dean, Fairmount College, and associate professor, Spanish, had her book chapter "Resounding Silences: En las noches que desvisten otras noches" included in the Festschrift Nela Rio: Escritura en foco: La mirada profunda, edited by Qantati e-books (Ottawa, Canada).

Ravi Pendse

Ravi Pendse, chief information officer, presented "Creating Relevance through Innovation and Collaboration" at the 2013 Kansas Association of City and County Managers Winter Seminar, hosted by the Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs on Feb. 8.

Michael Rogers, chair and professor, human performance, presented "International trends of study concerning exercise programs and health promotion for older adults" at the 2012 International Forum on Muscle Fitness Exercise as Chokin for Elderly People held at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya, Japan, in December.

Donna Sayman, assistant professor, curriculum and instruction, recently had her article "Quinceaneras and Quadratics: Experiences of Latinas in state-supported residential schools of science and math" published in the Journal of Latinos and Education.

Aleksander Sternfeld-Dunn, assistant professor, music theory and composition, had two new compositions premiered at Carnegie Hall on Feb. 9 by an East Coast new music group, the Case Ensemble. While in New York, Sternfeld-Dunn gave guest presentations with undergraduate and graduate composers at The Hartt School of Music in Hartford, Conn., and Kutztown University in Kutztown, Pa.

Clay Stoldt, chair and professor, and Mark Vermillion, associate professor, both of sport management, presented "Member Churning Among Conferences: A Contributing Factor to Economic Inequality at the NCAA Scholarly Colloquium," along with Martin Perline, professor and Bloomfield Foundation Faculty Fellow, Barton School of Business.

Anh Tran, associate professor, and Jim Granada, assistant professor, both of curriculum and instruction, presented "Social, Cultural and Economic Capitals for College Success" at the 2013 USA|Kansas Annual Convention.

NEW TO CAMPUS
Leah DiPietr, coordinator for College of Engineering, Office of Cooperative Education and Work-Based Learning

Kenneth Kriz, Regents Distinguished Professor of Public Finance, Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs

Kelley Mattivi, coordinator for College of Business and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Office of Cooperative Education and Work-Based Learning

Arwiphawee Srithongrung, associate professor, Hugo Wall School

Matthew Cecil, director, Elliott School of Communication

Bob Workman, director, Ulrich Museum of Art

ON SABBATICAL
Dharma DeSilva, professor, management, fall 2013, five related projects including teaching, research and advisory service in Sri Lanka, as well as completion of international business and marketing resource textbooks

Jeffrey Hershfield, associate professor, philosophy, fall 2013, research on linguistic norms regarding truth/falsity and their underlying principles; development of a taxonomy and publication

Xiaomi Hu, associate professor, mathematics, fall 2013, conduct research to identify multivariate order relations and focus on models with their parameter vectors under multivariate order restrictions including testing and implementation

C. Nicholas Johnson, professor, dance, spring 2014, research on mime/physical theatre; further development of the SPA core curriculum mime course and a new Fine Arts exchange opportunity in Mexico

Xiufen Lu, associate professor, philosophy, spring 2014, research on Li Dazhao's adaption of Marxism to Chinese Confucianisnism; publication of two articles

Chungsheng Ma, professor, mathematics, academic year 2013-14, research on spatio-temporal stastics and vecor random fields in space and time leading to book and journal publications

Daowei Ma, professor, mathematics, spring 2014, research on complex analysis and linear transforms in applied mathematics leading to publication of several research papers

Robert Owens, associate professor, history, spring 2014, research and manuscript writing on early American frontier "Indian-hating" and attempts to settle Indian-white disputes

Atul Rai, associate professor, accountancy, spring 2014, study effects of the international financial reporting system and quality of earnings; preparation of papers for publication

Nick Solomey, professor, mathematics (physics), academic year 2013-14, participate in cosmic ray research to expand scientific expertise and enhance the ability of Kansas to qualify for joint hosting of the next large cosmic ray experiment in western Kansas and eastern Colorado

James E. Steck, professor, engineering (aerospace), fall 2013, (1) continue research on advanced aircraft flight control methods at NASA and (2) expand quantum computing research leading to publication in both areas

Craig Torbenson, associate professor, history, spring 2014, continue work on a manuscript examining Norwegian emigration and patterns of westward migration and settlement in the United States

Janet Twomey, professor, engineering/manufacturing, spring 2014, (1) investigate worker education in the emerging field of engineering-public policy and (2) develop a proposal to support a network of researchers in climate change, health care and energy

Chu-Ping Vijverberg, associate professor, economics, academic year 2013-14, compare current models for examining structural change or business cycles with an exploratory time deformation model to provide improved forecast ability and further model development

Robert Zettle, professor, psychology, spring 2014, complete writing and co-editing Handbook of Contextual Behavioral Science

IN EMERITUS
Roger D. Lowe, vice president emeritus, administration and finance

Salvatore J. Mazzullo, professor emeritus, geology

IN MEMORIAM
Peggy J. Anderson, 67, retired associate professor emeritus, College of Education, died Feb. 24 in Wichita. Services have been held. She is survived by her brothers, Denis (Bobbi) Anderson of Springfield, Mo., and Russell (Debra Dikeman) Vornold of Pilot Mountain, N.C. Memorials may be made to St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 7404 Killarney, Wichita, KS 67206.

Lois Mae Bergerhouse, 94, former WSU cafeteria employee, died Jan. 28 in Andover. Services have been held. She was preceded in death by her parents, Archie and Winifred (Ferris) Troyer; her husband, Wayne; and sisters Delores Krueger and Naomi Daharsh. Survivors include children Cynthia Gillett and Phillip Bergerhouse ; grandchildren, Dwayne Wilson, Michael Wilson, Stephanie Murphy, Joshua Bergerhouse , Ian Bergerhouse and Cody Bergerhouse. Memorials may be made to Life Care Center of Andover, 621 W. 21st St., Andover, Kan.

Donald Morse Douglas, 88, associate professor emeritus, history, died Jan. 15 in Wichita. Services have been held. He is survived by his wife, Ada Glynn ("Lynn"); daughters, Sharon Lynn Douglas and Donna Christine Douglas; granddaughters Michelle Leigh Nielsen, Erika Lynn Douglas and Meredith Lynn Coughenour; great-grandchildren, Zak, Luke and Kate Nielsen; and brother Guy Barry Douglas and his wife, Pat. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, the American Heart Association, Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice or Holocaust Commemoratives, in care of Congregation Emanu-El.

Cecilia Sanchez Epperson, 83, retired assistant librarian, died Feb. 11, 2013. Services have been held. She was preceded in death by her parents, Gregorio and Maria Sanchez. She is survived by her husband, Gene; children Rene Epperson, Mark Epperson and Diane Cole all of Wichita, and Alan Epperson of Ft. Worth, Texas; sisters Trini Sanchez of Wellington and Alejandra De La Torre of Los Angeles; grandchildren Jennifer, Laura, Justin, Kyle and Janel; great-grandson Taylor. Memorials may be sent to Hardin Hospice, 2622 W. Central, Wichita, KS 67203.

John C. Gries, 72, professor, geology, died Jan. 18 following a short illness. A celebration of life has been held. He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Virginia Gries, and his brother Don. He is survived by his wife, Toni Willis-Jackman; his daughter, Lynn Gries of Tucson; his first wife and friend, Robbie Gries; sister-in-law, Neella Gries; and two nephews, Nathan and Mark. Memorials have been established at the Great Plains Transportation Museum, 700 E. Douglas Ave., Wichita, KS 67202, and the Wichita State University Foundation, 1845 Fairmount St., Wichita, KS 67260.

Harry Miller, 86, former Shocker basketball coach, died Feb. 13 in Nacogdoches, Texas. Services have been held. He is survived by his wife, Lanora (Tillie), and sons Bob and Tom of Nacogdoches, and Gary of Tyler. He is also survived by his son's wives, Ardan, Patty and Dorota; granddaughters, Claire Miller, Isabella and Sophie Miller; step-grandchildren Ember Ashby, Will Ashby and his wife, Anna; and three great-grandchildren, Bryana and Nolan Ashby, and Emerson Carden.

James M. Murphy, 90, professor emeritis, economics, banking and finance, died Feb. 10. Survivors include his children Michael J. (Arlyn) Murphy of Lubbock, Texas, Dennis J. (Beth) Murphy of Tulsa, Okla., Susan E. (Steve) Pattison of Broken Arrow, Okla., John M. (Noreen) Murphy of Beaverton, Ore., and David K. Murphy of Austin, Texas. Private services will be held in Oklahoma at a later date. Donations may be made to the Dr. James M. Murphy Endowed Fellowship, c/o WSU Foundation, 1845 N. Fairmount, Box 2, Wichita, KS 67260-0002.

William M. Perel, 85, retired former chair, mathematics, died Jan. 20 in Stillwater, Okla. Services have been held. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister Ada Gaskill; and daughter Cathy Perel. He is survived by his wife, Tula Perel of Stillwater; daughters Elizabeth (Dwayne) Deckard and Shirley (Tod) King, all of Wichita; stepchildren Teresa (John) Petersen of Pawnee, Okla., Lenora (Larry) Rawdon of Wellston, Okla., Dan (Pam) Ripley of Pawnee, Okla., and Susan (Paul) Hartle of Plano, Texas; four grandchildren; nine step-grandchildren; and 14 step-great grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to the Parkinson's Foundation of Oklahoma, 720 W. Wilshire, Suite 101H, Oklahoma City, OK 73116 or the First Baptist Church, 720 6th St., Pawnee, OK 74058.

William H. "Bill" Smith, 73, retired 30-year administrator, Rhatigan Student Center, died Feb. 20 in Wichita. Services have been held. He was preceded in death by his parents, William A. and Mary Olive Smith; and brother Garel Smith. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Smith; sons Michael (Stephanie) of Maple Grove, Minn., Stephen (Michelle) of Derby and Jeffrey (Melissa) Smith of Derby; 11 grandchildren; sister Betty Jo McWhorter of Atlanta, Ga.; several nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made to Shocker Bowling Fund in care of the WSU Foundation, 1845 N. Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260-0002.

Regis Lenora Welch, 82, former instructor, English/linguistics, died Jan. 13 in Sherman, Texas. Services have been held. She was preceded in death by her parents, Thomas Francis and Cecilia Ellen Flynn Downey; her husband, John William; brother Paul; and sister Margaret Ernestine Archer. She is survived by son Matthew Welch of San Francisco, Calif.; brother-in-law Charles T. Welch of Huntsville, Ala.; nieces Sheila Archer Carter and Laura Welch Gilley; nephew Thomas Welch; and great friends and caretakers Kyle and Mary Payne. Donations can be made to St. Elizabeth Scholarship Fund, St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, 916 Maple St., Bonham, TX 75418.

Milan Zivanovic, 99, instructor, broadcasting and film, died Jan. 23, at home in Kansas City. He was preceded in death by his brother Dragan; mother, Olga, and father, Dusan. He is survived by his wife, Judith; brothers-in-law Tom (Vicki) Goergen and Lee Goergen; sister-in-law Pam Stucke; five nephews; and several grand-nieces and nephews.

Newton official credits WSU internship experience with success

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 15:18:00 CST

Lunda Asmani

Lunda Asmani has traveled a long way to get to his job as assistant city manager and chief financial officer for the city of Newton.

Asmani, who earned a master's in public administration from Wichita State University in 2002, is originally from Tanzania, East Africa. He grew up in a diplomatic family and was able to travel all over the world as a child.

Despite those advantages, Asmani credits his on-the-job training as a WSU student with his ability to land a successful job.

While at WSU's Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs, Asmani connected with the university's Cooperative Education and Work-Based Learning program. That connection helped him score two valuable internships: first for the city of Maize and then for the Sedgwick County manager's office.

He was employed full-time as soon as he graduated.

"I truly believe that my WSU co-op experience bolstered my resume and gave me a leg up on the competition," Asmani said.

Workplace study

Asmani took the long route to Kansas. From Tanzania, he came to New York City for first grade. Then he moved to Brussels, Belgium, for most of middle school and high school. He went back to Tanzania, where he completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Dar Es Salaam.

Hoping for a career in environmental studies, Asmani moved to Wichita in the summer of 1998 and began his Master of Public Administration at WSU in spring 1999.

When he first arrived at Wichita State, Asmani contacted Daisy Kabagarama in the School of Community Affairs. She referred him to Sam Yeager at the Hugo Wall School, and, after a brief discussion, Asmani decided public administration was his future.

"As I went through the Master of Public Administration program, my passion for local government grew," he said. "Although I had lived in the United States for a number of years, I continued to be intrigued about the democratic process and the role of local governments in everyday lives. I realized that to gain a better understanding of the profession and process I needed some sort of workplace study."

That desire led to his internships for the city of Maize, where Asmani worked on the city's comprehensive plan for 30 hours a week for six months.

"This was my first real exposure to local government, and the best part is I was also getting paid," Asmani said.

In the summer of 2001, he began a management internship in the Sedgwick County manager's office. Asmani said the county internship is one of the most respected public management internships in the region, and it set him up for his first real job after he graduated, working there for nine years in finance and enterprise planning.

In 2010, Asmani took his current job in Newton, where his responsibilities include investments, budgeting, risk management, accounting and oversight of the human resource functions.

Along with his work in Newton, Asmani has served on several area boards, is involved with the Kansas City/County Managers Association and serves as vice president of the Kansas Government Finance Officers Association.

He has been recognized with the De Vore Foundation's 2010 Excellence in Public Service Award and was named a 2011 Wichita Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree.

City internship kick-started WSU grad's career

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 14:08:00 CST

One of the things Angela Buzard enjoys most about her job is the opportunity to provide direct assistance to communities.

Buzard is director of the Environmental Finance Center – housed in Wichita State University's Hugo Wall School for Urban and Public Affairs. The Center provides environmental finance training and assistance to communities in Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri and Kansas.

She graduated from WSU in 2006 with a master's in public administration, having earned her undergraduate degree in environmental studies from the University of Kansas. In the summer after she graduated, Buzard took an internship with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Wanting to someday continue down a career path in public administration, Buzard came to Wichita – specifically to attend WSU's graduate school.

Through her graduate studies, she found a desire to work with local governments and decided to apply for an internship with the City of Wichita.

Real-world experience

Buzard was hired as an intern for one year in the city of Wichita manager's office. Her job included handling special projects for the city manager, assistant city managers and various city department heads.

Shortly before graduating, Buzard was offered a job with McPherson County, and relocated to become the county's planning and zoning administrator. The move allowed her to live closer to her fiance and also provided an opportunity to work with a small local government.

She was there for 18 months before deciding to return to Wichita State. Buzard became executive officer of the REAP Water Resources Committee, a position she held for two years.

She then took her current position at the Environmental Finance Center in 2009.

"I like this job most because it's a great opportunity for me to blend my education in environmental science and public administration," Buzard said.

An opportunity made easier by the chance to get real-world experience while she was still a student. Buzard credits the Hugo Wall School with preparing her for the internship and the city and county for providing the opportunities.

"The internships are a great way to provide local government experience in a large organization, and it really gives you the ability to apply classwork," Buzard said. "It gives you the experience to get the full-time career opportunity."

Faculty/staff news update: October 2012

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 11:17:00 CST

Dinorah Azpuru, associate professor, political science, was invited to form part of the Academic Council of the Latin American Association of Political Science. Based in Latin America and headquartered in Brazil, ALACIP gathers scholars linked to the world of political science in Latin America.

Deborah Ballard-Reisch

Deborah Ballard-Reisch, Kansas Health Foundation Distinguished Chair in Strategic Communication and professor, Elliott School of Communication, received the Organization for the Study of Communication, Language and Gender's 2012 Teacher/ Mentor Award.

Seth Bate, community and organizational specialist, Center for Community Support and Research, recently published "Paul Mesner Puppets: Marking 25 Years in Kansas City." It is the cover story for the summer 2012 issue of The Puppetry Journal.

Fred Besthorn, associate professor, social work, was a featured keynote speaker at the recent Social Work and Social Development Conference held in Stockholm, Sweden. He is widely regarded as an expert in the field of environmental social work and has many published works addressing the interconnection of environmental awareness to the practice of social work.

Barb Chaparro, associate professor, psychology, has been named a 2012-2013 Coleman Faculty Entrepreneurship Fellow, a program sponsored by the Coleman Foundation to increase and build support for entrepreneurship education across the Wichita State University campus.

Sherry Chapman, instructor, social work, has established with Carolyn Shaw, associate professor, political science, the chartering of Pi Gamma Mu, an honorary society for social sciences at WSU. Chapman is also the secretary of the Kansas Association for Play Therapy.

Dan Close, associate professor, Elliott School of Communication, has been elected to the Kansas Sunshine Coalition's board of directors. The organization monitors and acts on complaints of open meetings/open records violations by governmental bodies and officials.

Nancy Deyoe, assistant dean for Technical Services, and Ginger Williams, associate professor, University Libraries, presented "Reaching Youth Through Diverse Collections and Teen/Community-Driven Programming" at the second National Joint Conference of Librarians of Color.

Steve Farmer, Barton Distinguished Chair in Business, has been invited to serve as associate editor of Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes by the editor Xiao-Ping Chen, chair and professor, Department of Management and Organization, Michael G. Foster School of Business, University of Washington. OBHDP is published by Elsevier.

Ed Flentje

Ed Flentje, professor, Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs, presented at the Docking Symposium on Kansas Politics at Southwestern College.

Philip Gaunt, professor, Elliott School of Communication, director, Interdisciplinary Communication Research Institute, has published a science fiction novel, "The Blane Game." Gaunt's book will be available in local bookstores soon. For an advance copy, contact Gaunt at 978-6072.

Aimee Geist, curator of education at the Ulrich Museum of Art, was honored with the Outstanding Museum Art Educator from the Kansas Art Education Association at the group's annual fall conference Oct. 27 in Wichita.

Debbie Gordon, associate professor, women's studies, participated in the Ninth Annual Beirut Program in Beirut, Lebanon, a two-track exchange program of lectures and colloquia with leading professors and public intellectuals on Lebanon and the Arab world. The program also included meetings with social, political and economic leaders from across Lebanon's political spectrum.

Ruth Hitchcock, associate professor, Counseling, Educational Leadership, Educational and School Psychology, graduated from the Leadership Academy sponsored by the Association for Play Therapy at its Oct. 9-14 conference in Cleveland, Ohio. The academy's six-month curriculum especially explores leadership concepts and the Policy Governance Model that defines organizational roles and responsibilities.

William Hendry, professor, biological sciences, procured a grant in the amount of $48,750 for "Translational Studies of Gynecological Cancer with a Unique in vivo System" from the Kansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence.

Mary Liz Jameson, associate professor, biological sciences, Natural Science Collections Alliance member, testified before Congress about the need for digitizing science collection data.

Kyoung Lee, assistant professor, social work, became a commissioner on the Commission for Diversity and Social and Economic Justice at the Council on Social Work Education.

Melissa Mallon, assistant professor and coordinator, library instruction, had an article, "The New Distance Learners: Providing Customized Online Research Assistance to Urban Students on the Go," published in Urban Library Journal.

Jeffrey May, biological sciences, procured a grant in the amount of $37,500 for "Diagnostic Relevance of Human Urinary FSH Glycoform Assessment to Ovarian Aging" from the Kansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence.

Eunice Doman Myers, associate professor, Spanish, and associate dean, Liberal Arts and Sciences, gave a paper, "The Plight and Plots of African Immigrants in Angela Reyes' Los trenes de marzo (11-M)" at the Mid-America Conference on Hispanic Literature at the University of Nebraska on Oct. 12.

Michael Palmiotto, professor, criminal justice, published the textbook "Criminal Investigations, Fourth Edition" CRC-Press, 2013, and the refereed article (co-authors D. Vejnovic and V. Lalic) "Policing Football Violence and Ethnic Hatred in Bosnia and Herzegovina": in Journal of Defendology, Volume XL, No. 32, 2012.

Michael Palmiotto was appointed editor of the Journal of Defendology in September. The journal is published in Banja Luka, Bosnia-Herzegovina, in Serbian and English.

Sabrina Perez-Glatt, field practicum coordinator, School of Social Work, has been appointed to the Sedgwick County Council on Aging.

Eric Wilson, instructor, Elliott School of Communication, was an invited presenter at the annual Bombardier Safety Standdown symposium. He partnered with two Bombardier staff members to present "Beyond the Scene of the Accident," a half-day workshop on aviation media relations and crisis communication.

Li Yao, biological sciences, procured an Institutional Core Facility Support grant in the amount of $40,000 for "Inverted Microscope, Nikon Fluorescence System, Digital Imaging System, Motorized Stage" from the Kansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence.

IN MEMORIAM

John David Boyd, 73, professor emeritus of art and design, died Oct. 25 in Wichita. Services have been held. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Lorraine; son Aaron (Jenny) of Wichita; daughters Sarah Blythe (Kurt) of Chapel Hill, N.C., and Alice Villegas (Diego) of Cincinnati, OH; three grandchildren, and countless students.

Annie Pearl Johnson, 75, retired custodian, Physical Plant, died Oct. 26. Services have been held. She is survived by daughters Sharon (Anthony) Trotter, Cosandra (Derrick) Carr and Lisa Johnson; sons, Willie Lee (Sherelle) Johnson, Robert Earl Johnson and Anthonio (Tuyet) Johnson; sister, Dorothy Jean Johnson; brother, Augusta Johnson; 18 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.

James McKenney, 77, professor emeritus and former chair, political science, former director, Honors Program and Taft Institute, died Oct. 25 in Wichita. Services have been held. He was preceded in death by his father, James D., mother, Thelma, and step mother, Mary E. Survivors include his wife, Mary K.; sister Sharon and her husband (Roland) Simantel of Wasco, Ore.; brother Richard and his wife (Vona) McKenney of Eugene; sister Kathy and her husband Bela Kirchberger of Salem, Ore; and sister Jane and her husband John Hyder of Salem, Ore. Children and their families include James R. of Grants Pass, Ore.; Alison (Mitch, Maeley, Mariah) McKenney Brown of Valley Center; Sean P. (Kristie, Christopher, Bailey, Kaleigh) of Honolulu , Hawaii; and Colin (Brenda, Megan, Braeden) of Valley Center. Memorials may be sent to the Valley Center Public Library Building Fund c/o the Friends of the Library, 321 W. First, Valley Center, KS 67147.

Nonprofit policy summit to examine human services funding

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 15:07:00 CST

The future of human services delivery and funding in Kansas will be the subject of an Oct. 30 Nonprofit Policy Summit sponsored by Wichita State's Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs.

The summit is from 3-5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 30, at the WSU Metropolitan Complex, 29th and Oliver.

Panelists are Bill Buchanan, county manager, Sedgwick County; Beth Oaks, vice president, United Way of the Great Plains; and Lea Stueve, legislative/policy director, Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services.

They will discuss short- and long-term delivery and funding predictions from local, state and United Way perspectives.

Funding challenges and opportunities will be presented, and participants will have time to ask questions.

There is no charge to attend. Register online at www.wichita.edu/hws.

For more information, contact Gayle Martin at the Hugo Wall School, (316) 978-6541, gayle.martin@wichita.edu.

Hugo Wall Day to feature WSU president

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 14:00:00 CST

John Bardo

Wichita State University President John Bardo and Patricia Stevens, executive director, Office of Public Private Partnerships in Fairfax County, Va. will be the featured speakers at the 2012 Hugo Wall Day from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, at the Wichita State Hughes Metropolitan Complex on 29th Street North and Oliver.

This year's theme is "Preparing for Public Service of Tomorrow."
Stevens will speak at 1 p.m.; Bardo will speak at 4 p.m.
A $15 meal will be served during the school update luncheon.

The day concludes with a reception at 5 p.m. To register, go to http://www.wichita.edu/j/?1839.

At 1 p.m., Stevens will share her experience leading a nationally recognized innovative program and explore how to create a culture of partnership building. Her presentation is titled "Excellence in Private Public Partnerships."

At 4 p.m., Bardo will present "Universities as Stewards of Place: Changing Expectations for Engagement."

From 10 a.m.-noon, a workshop on "Keeping Yourself and Your Organization Energized" will be led by Maureen Dasey-Morales, director, WSU Counseling and Testing Center.

At 2:30 p.m., breakout sessions on "Consolidating Services: Lessons Learned" and "Policy Innovation: The Nebraska Project" are scheduled.

Speakers for the service consolidation session are Donte Martin, city of Wichita; Walter Thiessen, Wichita Child Guidance Center; Barbara Andres, Episcopal Social Services. The policy innovation presenters are Angela Buzard, WSU Environmental Finance Center, and Steve Batt, center consultant.

Hugo Wall Day is sponsored annually by Wichita State University's Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs in honor of the school's founder and to celebrate public service.

Former mayor Bob Knight receives WSU Hugo Award

Tue, 8 May 2012 16:00:00 CST

A former Wichita mayor and a state association executive was honored at Wichita State University's Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs' Celebration of Excellence Thursday, May 10, at City Arts.

Bob Knight, former Wichita mayor and City Council member, received the Hugo Award.

The Hugo Wall Award, named after the school founder Hugo Wall, recognizes an individual for outstanding service and dedication to the school.

The award was created to honor public servants who continuously give back to others through professional development and commitment to the next generation of public administrators.

Brad Mears, director of operations, Kansas Municipal Utilities, McPherson, received the school's Alumni Award for Outstanding Public Service.

Hugo Wall School 2012-2013 fellowship recipients also were announced and 2012 Master of Public Administration graduates honored.

WSU Hugo Wall School to host April 12 policy summit on Medicaid

Fri, 6 Apr 2012 08:08:00 CST

The State of Kansas is considering major changes to its Medicaid program that provides medical services for poor, disabled and elderly citizens. Managing a Medicaid budget of nearly $3 billion is a central policy concern for the state.

The dilemma of controlling Medicaid costs and delivering quality services will be the topic of discussion at a Thursday, April 12, policy summit sponsored by the Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs at Wichita State University.

The summit is from 2-5 p.m. in WSU's Rhatigan Student Center, third floor ballroom. There is no charge. To register, contact Gayle Martin, (316) 978-6541 or gayle.martin@wichita.edu, prior to Wednesday, April 11.

The policy summit will begin with a brief history of Medicaid in Kansas and a discussion of reforms in other states. State officials will discuss current and future changes to the Medicaid program followed by a panel of service providers who will comment on the impact of the changes on clients and patients. A question and answer session will follow.

Speakers are Kari Bruffett, director, Kansas Department of Health and Environment Division of Health Care Financing; Scott Brunner, senior analyst, Kansas Health Institute; Mark Dugan, chief of staff, Kansas Lieutenant Governor's office; and Duane Goossen, vice president for fiscal and health policy, Kansas Health Institute.

Panelists are Tim Kaufman, deputy director of human services, Sedgwick County; Ron Pasmore, CEO, KETCH; and Dave Sanford, CEO, GraceMed Health Clinic.

Faculty/staff news update: January/February 2012

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:34:00 CST

Ed Baker, assistant professor and technical theatre director, School of Performing Arts, received a Certificate of Merit for sound design in "The 39 Steps" at the Region V Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. Baker also served as regional respondent for Load-In/Load-out for Invited Productions for the festival.

Ed Baker; Danette Baker, adjunct faculty, theater; Bret Jones, director of theater; and Betty Monroe, professor, all of the School of Performing Arts, presented workshops at the Region V Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. Monroe also supervised WSU's participation in the KCACTF Costume Parade that featured costumes from "Assassins."

Ed Flentje

Ed Flentje, professor, Hugo Wall School of Public and Urban Affairs, has returned to normalcy in his teaching and service responsibilities in the Hugo Wall School after a six-month assignment as interim president of Emporia State University. He returns to phased retirement and plans to continue in that status at half-time through 2014.

Mark Glaser, professor, Hugo Wall School of Public and Urban Affairs, will serve as a paper discussant for the H. George Frederickson Festschrift and Symposium on April 13 at the University of Kansas.

Suzanne R. Hawley, chair and professor of public health sciences, is the recipient of the 2011 Samuel J. Crumbine Medal, the highest award given by the Kansas Public Health Association. Hawley, new to WSU in fall 2011, was recognized for her dedication to improving the public health of Kansans through workforce and leadership development.

Alicia Huckstadt, professor and director of graduate programs, School of Nursing, has a published chapter on health promotion in I.M. Lubkin & P.D. Larsen (Eds.), Chronic illness impact and intervention (8th ed., pp. 429-455). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Alicia Huckstadt also has a published chapter, "Achieving excellence in teaching," in L. Zhan & L. P. Finch (Eds.) Accelerated education in nursing: Challenges, strategies, and future directions (pp. 61-79). New York: Springer.

Elizabeth King

Elizabeth King, president and CEO, WSU Foundation, and Linda Brantner, president and CEO, Delta Dental of Kansas and member of the WSU Foundation National Advisory Council, were recently named in "50 Kansans You Should Know" in the January 2012 issue of Ingram's, Kansas City's business magazine.

Mark Laycock, Ann Walenta Faculty of Distinction Endowed Professorship, director of orchestras, School of Music, was a guest professor at Florida's Lake Gibson High School where he worked with the school's orchestra students.

Wilma Moore-Black, assistant director and curriculum coordinator, TRIO Communication Upward Bound, delivered the 12th annual Huck Boyd Lecture in Community Media at Kansas State University, her alma mater. The lecture is sponsored by the Huck Boyd National Center for Community Media.

Elaine Steinke, professor, School of Nursing, was co-chair and co-author of a scientific statement for the American Heart Association on Sexual Activity and Cardiovascular Disease, published in the journal Circulation.

IN MEMORIAM

Willie Johnson Jr., 68, former adjunct professor and director of Upward Bound, died Jan. 29 in Tyler, Minn. Services have been held. He was preceded in death by his parents, Willie Sr. and Ardalia (Chadwick) Johnson, and brother, Stanley. He is survived by his wife, Lorraine; son, Brandon Grant Johnson of Plymouth and Minneapolis, Minn; grandson, Maximillian; sister, Sandra Johnson, Tyler; brothers, Lee (Sandra), Oklahoma City; Carl (Brenda), Houston; Lawrence (Letticia), San Antonio; Greg, Fort Worth; and a host of nieces and nephews.

Robert Lawless, professor, anthropology, died Feb. 2 in Wichita. A private family service has been held. He is survived by his wife Anita; daughters Ilona and Sharmini; sons Andy, Kylen and Tavrick; granddaughters Mackenzie and Kerrigan; brothers Jerry of Broken Arrow, Okla., and Lyndon of Alpharetta, Ga. A memorial is being established with details to come.

Edith E. Stamm, 94, retired secretary, died Feb. 10 in Wichita. Services have been held. She was preceded in death by husband, Sanford; stepson, John Stamm; brothers, David Britton, John Frank and Don Steele. Survivors include sons, Mike (Delfina) Brooks and Mark (Carol) Stamm; daughters, Susan Kies and Shelley (Tate) Duncan; 18 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren. A memorial has been established with Youthville, 4505 E. 47th St. S., Wichita, KS 67210.

REAP partnership awarded $1.5 million HUD grant

Fri, 2 Dec 2011 09:15:00 CST

The Regional Economic Area Partnership of South Central Kansas, in partnership with 10 local governments and 20 other partners, has been awarded a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to create a regional plan for sustainable growth.

With this grant, REAP will establish a planning and citizen engagement process to develop long-term vision and goals that reflect its unique regional values and identity.

The REAP-led consortium includes Wichita State University's Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs and the Center for Community Support and Research.

Read the full story.

Summit examines public service delivery by nonprofit agencies

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:23:00 CST

Area nonprofit and local government leaders will convene from 2-5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25, for a policy summit sponsored by Wichita State University's Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs. The summit will be held in the Sudermann Room, Hughes Metropolitan Complex, 5015 E. 29th Street N.

Admission is free.

The summit will take a retrospective look at the school's report "Enhancing the Delivery of Public Services by Nonprofit Agencies," which was published in 2000. The report made several recommendations on building capacity in nonprofit organizations and on developing productive partnerships between Sedgwick County and nonprofit organizations that deliver public services.

Hugo Wall School Director Nancy McCarthy Snyder said summit participants will assess changes in nonprofit governance, administration and financial management, and look forward to future challenges and opportunities for effective service delivery.

The summit will include an update of the 2000 report, a panel of experts who will discuss changes that have take n place over the past decade, and roundtable discussions to consider future directions for public-private partnerships in the delivery of human services.

The summit will attract a diverse audience of service providers, board members and funders who were involved in the original study along with individuals in new leadership and provider positions.

To register, contact Gayle Martin at the Hugo Wall School, gayle.martin@wichita.edu or (316) 978-6541.

Hugo Wall Day focuses on challenges in public service

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 10:35:00 CST

Don Borut, executive director of the National League of Cities, will be the featured speaker at Hugo Wall Day, Friday, Sept. 30, at the Eugene M. Hughes Metropolitan Complex, 5015 E. 29th St. N.

Borut will discuss the changes and challenges in public service.

His presentation begins at 1 p.m. The event is open to Hugo Wall School alumni, students and area government and nonprofit professionals.

The event is sponsored by Wichita State University's Hugo Wall School Advisory Board.

Get more information and the full schedule here.