Current Issue: Volume 20 - Number 20 - December 2, 2005
MSSU-UMKC officials ink agreements for graduate programs
 MSSU President Julio León ( pictured far left) and UMKC Interim Chancellor Stephen Lemkuhle sign the agreement establishing cooperative graduate programs in a ceremony at Billingsly Student Center. |
On Wednesday, Nov. 30 yet another step was taken to expand educational opportunities in the area served by MSSU.
Officials from Missouri Southern State University and University of Missouri-Kansas City signed two memorandums of understanding to provide cooperative Master's Degree programs in Nursing and Dental Hygiene.
Missouri Southern President, Dr. Julio León, signed both agreements on behalf of Missouri Southern. Also present were Dr. Richard McCallum, Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Dr. Tia Strait, Dean of the School of Technology.
Dr. Stephen Lehmkuhle, Interim Chancellor at UMKC, represented the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Also present were Dr. Bruce Bubacz, Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Dr. Lora Lacey-Haun, Dean of the School of Nursing.
State Senator Gary Nodler, who helped pass State Bill 55 which makes such cooperative agreements possible, was also on hand for the signing ceremony. Also present were Board of Governors President Elizabeth Deffenbaugh and Board members Dr. Douglas Brooks, Dwight Douglas and Charles McGinty and other officials from both universities.
The cooperative programs have now been submitted for approval to the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education.
Southern Theatre presents Excalibur! Dec. 3-4
The Missouri Southern State University Theatre Department will present the children's play Excalibur! The Story of Young King Arthur by Michele L. Vacca at 2:30 p.m., Dec. 3-4 in Taylor Performing Arts Center at MSSU.
Bryan Whyte, senior Secondary Education/Speech & Theatre major from Webb City, directs the season’s first offering for children (of all ages).
Excalibur! whisks us back to the days of yore for the story of Arthur, the adventurous boy who became Britain’s king.
Arthur, the most famous king in English history, is joined by Merlin, Morgan Le Fay, and a host of knights and ladies in this production. Excalibur! will provide a wonderful afternoon of magic and adventure for those who want to enjoy a trip back to the pomp and pageantry of ancient England.
Admission for the children's play is $1 for adults and $0.50 for children 12 and under. No free passes can be accepted. For reservations call (417) 625-3190. For theatre production information, call (417) 625-9393.
For a cast list, visit /www.mssu.edu/pages/news/playexcalibur05.htm.
Michael Runion, junior theater major, (left) plays Arthur and Zack Self, freshman theater major, plays Merlin in the upcoming Southern Theatre production Excalibur!
International Dance Fest: It's what the world is coming to.
Missouri Southern's International Club invites you to its third annual International Dance Fest at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 2 in the Connor Ballroom of BSC.
The evening will consist of dances from around the world taught by our very own internationals. Those on hand can take part in the Chinese Dragon Dance, Indian, Asian, African, South American, Caribbean and other cultural dances.
International restaurant gift certificates will be given away throughout the evening, according to Patricia Udell, International English Program. Tickets are $3 (in advance from club members or by calling 625-9871), $4 at the door.
Chemistry faculty facilitate Chemical Society meeting
The 40th Midwest Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society was held Oct. 26-28 at the Joplin Holiday Inn. MSSU Chemistry faculty were instrumental in bringing this meeting to Joplin.
Mel Mosher, General Chair, and Michael Garoutte, Program Chair, were the main organizers of the meeting, which attracted over 500 chemists, chemical educators, and students from the seven-state region. The three-day meeting featured over 20 half-day technical sessions and 7 poster sessions in all areas of chemistry and chemistry education.
Marsi Archer and John Summerfield each presided over a technical session. The MSSU Student Affiliate group (Chemistry Club) sponsored the undergraduate programming, and more than twenty students participated in the meeting as either presenters, presiders, or volunteers.
Memorial service planned for MSSU faculty member
A memorial service has been planned to honor Jeremy Kushner, a member of the faculty of the Music Department. Kushner, 35, passed away unexpectedly on Oct. 8. Burial took place in October in Gainesville, Fla.
The local memorial service for Dr. Kushner will be held at 2 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 4 at the United Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, 702 Sergeant in Joplin, Mo.
Please Note: Due to the service, Messiah rehearsals will be held from 4-6 p.m. (rather than 2-4 p.m.) in Room 222 of Phinney Hall. Bud Bud says the 4-6 p.m. time period supercedes any other announced time for the rescheduled practice.
For more information, contact the MSSU Music Department at (417) 625-9318.
Two appointed to National Task Force
Greg Dagnan and Wayne Thomason, Criminal Justice, were appointed to attend a formation meeting of the National Task Force on Community Preparedness and Response on Nov. 17. The purpose of this committee was to discuss the necessity for a comprehensive, coordinated and clear response from the private and public sector in the face of disaster. In 2005 alone, events such as Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma that ravaged the Gulf Coast states have underscored this need.
Leaders from around the country gathered in Washington D.C. for this important event. These leaders included Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas, Philadelphia Mayor John Street, Baton Rouge Mayor-President Melvin "Kip" Holden and representatives from the US Northern Command, the National Counter Terrorism Center and the US military. The committee was chaired by former Virginia Governor and former chair of the Republican National Committee, James Gilmore.
Roll over Beethoven!
Jeff Skibbe, 88.7KXMS, says an all-day Beethoven Birthday Bash is planned for Friday, Dec. 16. Detailed listings are available at http://www.mssu.edu/pages/kxms/december.htm#16
On the morning of Saturday, Dec. 17, Christmas/Hannakah/Kwanzaa season programming starts at 8 a.m. Information on this programming is available at http://www.mssu.edu/pages/kxms/december.htm#17
On Saturday afternoon of the same day, the Metropolitan Opera begins with Verdi's "Rigoletto" 12:30 p.m. Learn more at
http://www.mssu.edu/pages/kxms/opera.htm.
Eighteen inducted to Political Science honors fraternity
The Alpha Alpha Kappa Chapter of Phi Sigma Alpha (ΠΣΑ), the national Political Science honors fraternity, will welcome a record 18 inductees to membership at 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 7 at MSSU.
Phi Sigma Alpha is a national organization that honors those political science majors and minors who have achieved recognition for their academic excellence.
The organization’s mission is to honor members' academic achievements and serve political science majors and minors and the University community at large through various programs designed to share information regarding political science.
Topics of interest to Phi Sigma Alpha include panels on internships and careers in political science, general programs on topical issues such as ethics in government, the race for the presidency, local politics and other activities. For the names of those inducted Dec. 7, visit www.mssu.edu/pages/news/polyscihonorsfrat05.htm.
For further information, contact Tom Simpson, Social Sciences, at (417) 625-3112.
KGCS to feature Norahua Folkloric Dancers
KGCS-TV will feature a tape of the November presentation by the Norahua Mexican Folkloric Dancers, at 8 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 7. The program features not only a look at the colorful dancing, but interesting insight into the Mexican culture. The presentation was part of the Mexico Semester activities at Missouri Southern State University. KGCS programming may be seen on UHF channel 57, Cable One channel 7 and Mediacom Channel 77.
Honors Thesis presentations continue
As part of the Honors requirements, each senior in the Honors Program undertakes a research project in their major discipline and present the results to the college community in a Senior Honors Thesis. "You are invited to attend any or all of this month’s presentations listed below," says Pat Kluthe, Honors. "These theses may be the essence of good teaching and learning, as they constitute original research within the students’ programs of study."
- “Where are the African-American Accountants?” by Iashia Castle, senior Accounting major from Kansas City, Mo., 2:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 8, Cornell Auditorium, Matthews Hall.
- “Fading Cultural Barriers in an Increasingly Global Business World” by Jennifer Rogers, senior International Business major from Peculiar, 2:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 9, Cornell Auditorium, Matthews Hall.
- “I’ve Spotted you, Evil One!: Superhero play in the Early Childhood Classroom” by Amber Blankenship, senior Elementary Education/Early Childhood major from Joplin, 4 p.m., Dec. 9, Room 113, Taylor Hall.
For more information, visit www.mssu.edu/pages/news/honorsthesisnovember05.htm.
Twenty-eight initiated into ODK
Twenty six student members and two faculty members were initiated into Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK), the national leadership honor society, on Sunday, Nov. 20 at Missouri Southern State University.
The society recognizes and encourages superior scholarship, leadership and exemplary character. Membership in ODK is considered to be a mark of highest distinction and honor.
Glenn Coltharp, Associate Dean of Teacher Education and Warren Turner, Head Baseball Coach were the faculty honorees.
Stephanie Harter is the student president. Michael Garoutte, Chemistry, and Elaine Freeman, Teacher Education, are the faculty sponsors of the MSSU circle of ODK.
For more information about Omicron Delta Kappa on the Missouri Southern Campus, contact Elaine Freeman at 625-9759. For a list of students inducted, visit http://www.mssu.edu/pages/news/odk05.htm .
Child Abuse Coalition to hold silent auction
The Child Abuse Coalition will hold a silent auction beginning Monday, Dec. 5 and continuing through the end of the day on Thursday, Dec. 8.
JJ Spurlin, Criminal Justice, says the auction will be held in the Criminal Justice building in the hallway near Mills Anderson Auditorium.
"There are lots of gifts for Christmas, including a George Jones signed guitar, gift certificates, signed art print, Boyd bears and much more," JJ says. He says items will all remain on display for the duration of the event.
Need a good idea for a holiday present?
MSSU faculty/staff cookbooks make great Christmas gifts! They are available in the Alumni Association, Bookstore, Human Resources, Switchboard, Learning Center, and the Spiva Library.
A portion of the profits go to the Mansion renovation project. Pick up one or two--or more-- today!
Debbie Cash, Human Resources, will appear on "Live at 5" show with Carol Parker at KSN on Thursday, Dec. 8 to talk about the cookbook sale.
For more information, call the Alumni Association at ext. 9355.
Fran Bartholet and J.S. Duggal, CADD, sponsored a group of MSSU students and local business people on a recent visit to the recently inaugurated Elk River Wind Farm owned by PPM Energy, Inc. of Portland, Ore. The 100 1.5 MW wind turbines are located several miles South of Beaumont, Kan. Last December, Empire District Electric announced it had contracted with PPM Energy, Inc. to buy 150 MW of electricity from the Elk River Wind Farm.
Debbie Cash, Human Resources, and Linda Eis, Business Office attended the 10th Annual International Tax Compliance Workshop in De Pere, Wisconsin, Nov. 15-17. Attendees included representatives from Colleges and Universities throughout the U.S. as well as agents from the IRS. Due to MSSU's increasing International student and faculty population, and the complexities of tax regulations regarding non-resident aliens, the workshop provided in-depth training on how to properly pay these individuals
Christie Cathey, Psychology, participated in a symposium called, "Engaging Psychology Undergraduates in Scholarly Inquiry." The symposium was held at the Psychological and Educational Research in Kansas (PERK) Conference Nov. 4-5 at Emporia State University in Emporia, Kan.
Earlene Fort, Public Information, says a local Christian Fellowship Monday Night Mixed Bowling League is looking for bowlers. Have openings for one bowler up to three teams. Teams consist of 4 members, (men or women), $10 a week, smoke-free environment, Christian fellowship encouraged. Games played at Bowl East, Mondays, 6:15 p.m. warm-ups & 6:30 p.m. games begin. More information contact Earlene at ext. 9399 or 673-5254 evenings.
Michael Garoutte, Chemistry, was the host for a workshop on Process-Oriented Guided-Inquiry Learning (POGIL) on Saturday Oct. 29 at MSSU. Science faculty from regional colleges, high schools, and middle schools attended the meeting, facilitated by Renee Cole from Central Missouri State University and Rich Armstrong from Madison, Wisc. Area Technical College. Participants experienced the POGIL approach from a student's perspective and were introduced to various instructional techniques that support a "student-centered" learning environment. Please visit www.pogil.org for more information about POGIL.
Deb Gipson, Alumni, says the Student Alumni Association (SAA) Halloween Trick or Treat for can goods and stuffed animals was an unqualified success. Approximately 200 cans and/or boxed foods, as well approximately 50 stuffed animals were collected.The can goods went to Crosslines and the stuffed animals went to Kapstone House to assist young hurricane victims in their grieving process.
Gwendolyn Murdock, Psychology, accompanied six students to the Psychological and Educational Research in Kansas (PERK) Conference Nov. 4-5 at Emporia State University in Emporia, Kan. Her student, Stephanie Cobb, won the award for the best undergraduate empirical manuscript for "Is Shallow Gratitude an Etic Phenomenon? A Look at Two Cultures" in the paper competition.
Art Saltzman, English, has been recognized in Best American Essays 2005 for "In So Many Words," which has been listed as one of the Notable Essays of 2004. (The essay appeared in the journal Bayou.) His essay "In Praise of Pointlessness," which appears in the current issue of Lilies and Cannonballs Review, was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. And he has also placed two more essays: "Captivities" will appear in the next issue of Gulf Coast, and "Driving Concerns," which will appear in the December issue of Summerset Review.
JJ Spurlin, Criminal Justice, gave two 10 minute presentations at the Homeland Security Federal Law Enforcement Training Center's School in Las Vegas, Nev., Nov 14-18. He was one of 35 invitation-only members to assist in redeveloping the "Domestic Violence Instructors Pilot Program" (DV) curriculum. The course provided him with a certificate in order to redeliver this material to Missouri agencies as a FLETC adjunct professor. Individuals who now complete this program from him will receive a certificate of completion from FLETC Department of Homeland Security.
CLASSIFIED
For Sale: Two female black lab puppies, 9 weeks old, for sale. Call (417) 625-9315 or (417) 825-6847.
For Sale: 1998 14 x 70 mobile home with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, shed, appliances, in great condition. Only a 5 minute drive to campus. $18,500 Telephone (417) 529-8916.
For Sale: Leather Kansas City Chiefs Jacket by Mirage-Classic Team Collection. Men's size medium. Like new! $85. Contact (417) 625-9544.
For Sale: Like new Pro Player NFL Experience All-Weather Reversible Jacket with detachable hood. Chiefs logo on left chest and back of jacket. Men's size medium $75. Contact (417) 625-9544.
