The newsletter for the WKU community
May 28, 2020
President's Message: WKU announces
Big Red Restart plan, solicits feedback
Dear Faculty and Staff:
 
Since mid-April, dozens of individuals from across the university have engaged in planning efforts to restart WKU this fall in a manner that allows us to regain as much normalcy as possible while continuing to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. I appreciate the work of these committees to think differently about how we accomplish our mission with the realization that we will, for weeks, months or even longer, learn how to provide the WKU Experience during a worldwide pandemic.
 
Fall 2020 Big Red Restart
I am pleased to share today the first draft of the Big Red Restart plan with the broader WKU community in order to collect feedback from our many constituency groups. The strategies and processes outlined in the document ensure that we provide maximum protection to all members of our WKU Family, including students, faculty, staff, and the communities in which we live. We ask that you review the plan in its entirety and provide feedback by 8:00 am, Monday, June 1, using the Big Red Restart feedback form . Your feedback provides an important sounding board to the intentional and thoughtful work done by our four committees and ensures our path forward during this unusual time is supported by our most valuable stakeholders.
 
In addition to our plans to return to in-person operations this fall, the Restart WKU Committees also outlined contingency plans to be activated if the public health situation requires. You can view each of the full committee reports at wku.edu/restart .
Student volunteers with Meals on Wheels
For MJ Mayo, a senior from Henderson majoring in English and political science, the COVID-19 pandemic sparked a desire to give back. Mayo decided to volunteer her time delivering meals for her local Meals on Wheels program.

“I’ve wanted to focus my energy into giving back instead of dwelling on the limitations and uncertainty of COVID-19. And, with the total chaos of our former schedules, my life is so much better when I live it productively,” Mayo said.

Mayo’s mother is affiliated with the Green River Area Development District, which runs her district’s Meals on Wheels program. When the need arose for more volunteers, her mother asked if she would be interested in serving. “In the eight weeks I’ve been volunteering, my route has increased every week, and it will continue to increase,” Mayo said.
CLIMBING HIGHER
WKU is recognizing 42 spring 2020 graduates as Scholars of the College. The Scholar of the College is the baccalaureate degree student in each undergraduate college with the highest cumulative overall grade-point average and a minimum of 60 semester hours earned in residence. Learn More

During the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, WKU junior Brooke Mahanna of Radcliff has faced many changes and challenges in her role as a Nursing Assistant at Hardin Memorial Hospital. Learn More
Tuition to remain unchanged for 2020-21 academic year
Tuition at WKU will remain unchanged for the 2020-21 academic year. WKU Regents on Wednesday approved the tuition schedule, which must now be approved by the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education. The last time tuition was held flat was 1979-80. The Board of Regents also waived the distance learning surcharge fee—$150 per credit hour for full-time students engaged in an online course—for one year and lowered the cost of graduate courses for Kentucky teachers.
9 join Young Alumni Council
The WKU Young Alumni Council recently added nine new members to serve for three years in collaboration with the WKU Alumni Association Board of Directors, bringing the total membership of the group to 30.
Spotlight: Speech Contest
No one expected that the 11th Biannual John Lyne Speech Contest would be conducted completely online before the arrival of COVID-19. To recognize and reward student excellence in taking the basic course in Fundamentals of Public Speaking, the Department of Communication forged ahead with video submissions and virtual judges. Riley O’Loane, a Graphic Arts major from Louisville, won first place and the $200 prize in the contest.
Perry Cross Scholarship Fund announces 2020 recipients
Two new recipients have been announced for the Perry Cross Scholarship Fund for the upcoming academic year at WKU. This marks the 28th year this scholarship has been awarded to incoming freshman from Clinton County High School. The 2020 recipients are Macy Selee and Rachel Sawyers.
WKU to offer career, personal development courses online
A variety of self-paced online courses will be available at no cost this summer to support personal and career development throughout the region. Through a partnership with Ed2Go and MindEdge, WKU Career & Professional Development (CPD) will offer classes designed to provide real-world information that help participants stand out in the workforce or develop personally. More: Hilltoppers at Work expands resources
WKU's ASCE Student Chapter earns prestigious award
WKU’s student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) is getting worldwide recognition. 

WKU’s Amy Bingham has more on the Robert Ridgway Student Chapter Award in the View from the Hill.
WKU professor plays role in pilot expungement program
A WKU professor is playing a big role in a pilot program that helps former felons get through the expungement process and get on with their lives.

WKU’s Amy Bingham explains in the View from the Hill .
WKU COVID-19 Updates
Here are the latest updates on WKU's response to COVID-19. Check the website for updates , campus messages , resources , FAQs and more.

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