Southern Symphony Orchestra to perform tonight

(From top): Kexi Liu, Langning Liu
& Zhou Long

The Southern Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Kexi Liu, Music, will perform the first concert of its season, "Sound of China," at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 9 at Taylor Performing Arts Center.

The concert is free and open to the public. It will be followed by a reception.

Presenting traditional and modern Chinese pieces, the program features the world premiere of West Rhapsody, a piece especially commissioned for Southern Symphony Orchestra from Grammy-winning composer Zhou Long.

The program also includes the popular Yellow River Piano Concerto, and prize-winning pianist Langning Liu will perform the concerto with the orchestra.

Zhou is a visiting professor of composition at the University of Missouri at Kansas City. His works have been recorded on BIS, EMI, CRI, Teldec, Cala, Delos, Avant, and China Record Corporation. Among his numerous honors are a Grammy award (1999) and the Academy Award in Music for lifetime achievement from the American Academy of Arts and Letters (2003).

A native of China and a resident of Toronto, Canada, Ms. Liu is a prize-winning artist who has performed with numerous symphony orchestras including the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Beijing Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Conservatory Orchestra, Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra, and Mississauga Youth Orchestra.

Anthony Tommasini of The New York Times remarked that her performances have “miraculous strength and confident breadth,” and “elegant pianism, warmth and artistic maturity.”

For further information, please contact Kexi Liu at (417) 625-9681, or e-mail liu-k@mssu.edu.

Zhou to speak today on musical cross-fertilization

Zhou Long, visiting professor of composition at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music, will present "Composing Music Between Countries" at 1 p.m., today, Friday, Nov. 9 in Webster Hall Auditorium. Admission is free and the presentation is open to the public.

Zhou explains the concept behind his lecture:

"Thinking about what we could do to share different cultures in our new society, I have been composing music seriously to achieve my goal of improving the understanding between peoples from various backgrounds."

A member of the first composition class at the reopened Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, Dr. Zhou came to the United States in 1985 on a fellowship at Columbia University, where he studied with Chou Wen-Chung, Mario Davidovsky, and George Edwards.

Today's Brown Bag

Betsy Griffin, Academic Affairs, reminds faculty/staff about the Brown Bag lunch for today, Friday, Nov. 9. Jay Moorman, Communication, will speak on "Sabbatical Adventures in Taiwan."

The Brown Bag will be held from 12:10 - 12:50 p.m. in the Keystone Room on the 3rd floor of the BSC. Lunch is provided courtesy of Academic Affairs and Sodexho.

Just pick up your lunch at the buffet and prepare for an interesting presentation. All faculty/staff are welcome to attend.

ODK Initiation Sunday afternoon

The campus community is cordially invited to attend the Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) Initiation Ceremony and Reception to be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11 in the Connor Ballroom of Billingsly Student Center.

ODK is the national leadership honor society and membership is based on outstanding leadership, scholarship and character. Elaine Freeman, Teacher Education, says 22 students will be initiated into membership.

For more information, contact Elaine at ext. 9759.

PEO Chocolate Festival tomorrow

The PEO's Chocolate Festival will take place at the First Presbyterian Church at 6th and Pearl in Joplin, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., this Saturday, Nov. 10.

PEO members will be offering all types of homemade chocolate items for sale including cakes, pies, cheesecakes, brownies, cookies, candy and more. Bring your children and grandchildren because fun things to to make and take will be available for a modest price. A cake walk will be held for adults and children.

A salad luncheon will be held in conjunction with the Chocolate Festival. Luncheon tickets are $5 each. The luncheon includes a special salad which has 17 different ingredients along with french bread, drink and dessert samples of sale items. Tickets may also be bought at the door. If one does not wish to eat lunch, one may come to the Festival to make a purchase without the $5 luncheon ticket. For more information call Charline Lewis, English, at ext 9377 or Doris Walters, English, at ext. 9644.

PEO is a philanthropic educational organization. The festival is one way of raising scholarship money for single and divorced women who are financially strapped but wish to pursue a college education. Money spent will go to a very good cause.

AAUW to hold Holiday Auction next weekend

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) invites the community to its Holiday Auction, scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 17 at the First Community Church, 15th & Murphy Blvd. in Joplin. Doors will open at 1:30 p.m. with the auction beginning at 2 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the group's scholarship fund for MSSU.

A wide variety of items will be sold including food items, reading material, themed baskets and miscellaneous items including a signed Dennis Weaver print and a Darral Dishman print. Christmas items, tickets to a Branson show/dinner, hors d'oeuvres and refreshments also will be available.

Mary Parker, Student Support Center, says new members are always welcome. The group meets the third Saturday of each month at Twin Hills Country Club in Joplin (except in November, which concentrates on the fund raiser). Dues are $68 for the year. For information, call Mary at ext. 9363.

Wind Ensemble and Percussion Ensemble to perform

The MSSU Wind Ensemble and Percussion Ensemble will share the stage on Tuesday, Nov. 13 in Taylor Auditorium. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

Rusty Raymond, Director of Bands, says the Wind Ensemble will feature works from the core repertoire by Grainger, Hindemith, Prokofiev, and Chance.

The Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of Brian Fronzaglia, Music, will perform a variety of works including Trio Per Uno by Nebojsa Zivkovic, Music for Pieces of Wood by Steve Reich, Spanish Waltz by George Hamilton Green, Log Cabin Blues by George Hamilton Green, and a traditional piece entitled Excel.

For information, call Rusty at ext. 9634.

A.G. Edwards Chief Economist to speak

Gary Thayer, Vice President and Chief Economist at A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. will be speaking at a community luncheon in BSC-Connor Ballroom to begin promptly at noon today, Friday, Nov. 9.

Mr. Thayer joined A.G. Edwards in 1986 as a foreign currency, energy and interest rate futures analyst. As chief economist he uses quantitative analysis to forecast economic growth, interest rates, exchange rates and stock market activity. He offers analysis and economic direction to the firm’s retail and institutional financial consultants as well as its corporate and public finance personnel. A.G. Edwards and Wachovia Securities have reached an agreement to merge.. The new firm will be the 2nd largest investment firm in the country.

Please call 624-0600 to RSVP for the luncheon. There is no charge to attend.

KGCS Program focuses on Cross Country

Missouri Southern's Men's and Women's Cross Country teams are the focus of a special "Sports Spotlight" program airing next week on KGCS-TV. The program features Coach Patty Vavra and Kimi Shank from the Women's team, and Coach Tom Rutledge and Dustin Miller from the Men's team.

They reflect on their successful year, which included conference and regional championships. They also look ahead to the NCAA National Cross Country Championships, to be held at Southern November 17. "Sports Spotlight" is hosted by Megan Morrison, Sports Editor for The Chart, hosts the half-hour interview program.

The program may be seen the following days and times on KGCS:

• 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11,
• 9 p.m. Monday, Nov. 12,
• 6:30 p.m. Tuesday Nov. 13 and
• 6 p.m. Wednesday. Nov. 14.

KGCS programming airs over-the-air on UHF channel 57, on Cable One Channel 7 and Mediacom cable channel 77. The station is operated as a service of the Department of Communication at Missouri Southern State University.

Deadline: Tuition and Fees due December 17

Missouri Southern has implemented a fee-collection policy change for the spring 2008 semester. 

The University will implement the policy that 100% of tuition, fees and books will be due prior to the beginning of classes for spring 2008. 

Pre-enrolled students’ payment must be received by the Business Office by Dec. 17 of 2007.   Students’ options for payment remain open for this fee collection policy change. 

Financial aid that is completed and ready to process to the student’s account with full payment will preserve the student’s class schedule.  

Please note that deadlines for filing FAFSA for the fall 2008 semester have been moved up to ensure that students’ financial aid is packaged  in time to coincide with fee collection policy changes.
 
Students are encouraged to view and pay their accounts online via LioNet using the Quick Pay channel. LioNet offers secure access to payment online by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover) and check. 

Using this option for payment will help the student avoid the long lines associated each semester with fee due dates.

TuitionPay, a monthly payment plan company used for years by MSSU, will be available for students still wishing to make payments for any current balance on their account. 

Signing up before Dec. 1 enables students to enroll for a 5 month payment plan. However, students must be signed up for this option prior to the fee due date.

Going Green:  MSSU implements electronic bill policy Paper bills for student accounts will no longer be mailed beginning in spring 2008.  Students will now be responsible for viewing their student account details for the desired term online via LioNet.  To accommodate students, a Quick Pay channel has been added to LioNet.  This channel gives students one-click access to a real-time view of their student account and one-click access to pay their account via credit card or check.  Students may view their account immediately following enrollment and the current balance on their student account will reflect the charges incurred upon enrollment.  Book charges do not show on students' accounts until the books have been picked up from the Bookstore and, due to a software interface, those charges lag slightly in posting to accounts.

Voice Majors ONSTAGE

The MSSU Music Department will present ONSTAGE, the annual Voice Majors Recital, at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 15 in Webster Hall Auditorium. 

Under the direction of Susan K. Smith, Marvin Murphree, and Larry Stotsbery, this entertaining event will showcase the talents of 35 singers in staged scenes from Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado, and Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti, among others. 

Musical theatre scenes will feature “Bernstein on Broadway” with songs such as “Something’s Coming,” “America,” and “Somewhere” from West Side Story, plus songs from On The Town and Wonderful Town. 

The event is free and open to the public.

Student Health Fair!

The MSSU Wellness Program will sponsor a Student Health Fair from 8 - 11 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 15 in the Connor Ballroom of the Billingsly Student Center. Free health screenings will include:

• Lipid Panel/Blood Cholesterol
• Glucose
• Prostate Cancer Screening
• Body Fat Composition
• Nutritional Counseling
• Osteoporosis Screening
• Blood Pressure/Pulse
• Vision Screening

For best results, food and drink, except water, should be avoided for 8 hours prior to testing. For glucose testing only, avoid food and drink, except water, 4 hours prior to the screening. Drink plenty of water and take routine medications.

For more information, call Darren Fullerton, Wellness/Recreation, at (417) 625-9392.

Great American Smokeout

The Great American Smokeout will be held from 8 - 11 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 15 in the Connor Ballroom of Billingsly Student Center. Darren Fullerton, Wellness/Recreation, says the Smokeout is being provided for MSSU students, faculty and staff.

He invites smokers to take advantage of an educational look at the “Effects of Second-Hand Smoke.” The Smokeout is designed to educate smokers about the benefits of quitting cigarettes for at least 24 hours.

Activities include community resource information, health education information, health screenings, prize drawings, refreshments and lots of fun. This event is being held in conjunction with the MSSU Student Health Fair.

The event is ponsored by the MSSU Campus Recreation & Wellness Program, Peers Against Second-Hand Smoke, Student Support Center and Respiratory Therapy. For more information, call MSSU Campus Recreation & Wellness at (417) 625-9392.

FACULTY/STAFF

Michael Garoutte and Linda Hand, the new directors of the Honors Program, attended the National Collegiate Honors Council Conference, "Creative Tensions, Challenging Environments". The conference was held Oct. 31 - Nov. 4 in Denver, Colo. They attended sessions for "Beginning in Honors" and other presentations, and met with Honors faculty from around the United States as well as from the Great Plains Section of the NCHC.

Kim Gray, Robert W. Plaster School of Business Administration, says SOBA thanks the campus community for its support of the business and academic conference: "The Dragon Awake: China and its Emergence as a Global Business Leader." The conference committee would like to extend special thanks to Chad Stebbins, Rod Surber, Michael Hailey, Earlene Fort, Val Christensen, Joan Kearney, Christie Cathey, Jack Coose, Gerald Lee, Addie Atkinson and the Physical Plant staff, Teresa Welters, Mariya Gavrilova, Tyler Lipscomb, and Sheila Immesote and the staff at Sodexo for their hard work in making this event a success.

CLASSIFIED

POPCORN! -- It's Pack 9 Cub Scout Popcorn Sale Time! Lots of selections are available. Package of 15 microwaveable packets for $13. A 2 ½ lb. bag of popcorn kernels is only $9. Tins of caramel corn or cheesy corn are also available. Or, show your patriotism by sending popcorn to America's men and women in uniform for only $25. To buy popcorn or see the complete list of selections, call ext. 9506 or e-mail smith-se@mssu.edu. Your purchase will be truly appreciated.

For Sale: Four tickets to Branson shows. The tickets are good for either Celebrate America, which usually costs $36 per ticket, or for The Promise, which normally runs around $33. Take four people to one show, or two people to both shows. Buy all four tickets for $60. Must be used by Dec. 7! Call ext. 9887.

For Sale: Bridal Keepsafe storage box, 27 ½" x 31 ½" x 8", with acid free tissue. Designed for bridal gown storage but could be used for heirloom linens, clothing, quilts, etc., $35. Call Anita at ext. 3725.

Needs Home: Abandoned male orange cat, neutered, amazingly sweet and cute, would get along well with other cats. Currently answers to "Chicken." Will most likely need shots and a warm home soon. Please contact Melissa at ext. 9362 or at home at (417) 206-0089.

For Sale: Camaro 2000 Convertible, loaded, 87,000 miles. For details, call ext. 9764.

For Sale: 2006 Equinox LT, black with gray interior, with a mere 12, 500 miles on it. Virtually new! 6 cylinders, great gas mileage, still under factory warranty! Moon roof, CD player and more. Garaged. Only $16,400 or best offer. Call ext. 5425 (office) (417) 540-3423 (cell) or (417) 782-9643 home. Great car, priced to meet your budget. Check Kelly Blue Book for price comparison.

For Sale: White GE Washing Machine 8-cycle 2-speed heavy duty Super Capacity. Very Good Condition $75. Call ext. 9738.

Want to Buy: Looking for a reasonably priced bunk bed. Please call Sue at ext. 4128-1.