The newsletter for the WKU community |
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President's Message:
Recruitment and Retention
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Dear Colleagues,
Last weekend, we celebrated Parent and Family Weekend on the Hill, which remains one of my favorite times of the year. This event gives us an opportunity to show how we support our students. Our families are integral to our university’s retention efforts, and I appreciate our colleges and units across campus engaging them - from their first semester to their last. As demonstrated by the record-breaking attendance, families want to feel connected to their student’s university (especially those of first-year students). It is vital to student success that we cultivate and sustain these relationships.
This week also marks the end of the first five weeks of class, and our students should have their initial performance assessments back to judge how they are doing in their coursework. This is a crucial point in the semester, especially for those enrolled for the first time. The student success literature demonstrates that direct faculty engagement with struggling students increases the likelihood of them improving their performance in classes. For some, the thought of visiting a faculty member during office hours is frightening - and doubly so if they are underperforming in a class. Please ensure our students understand the importance of that time for their development and consider encouraging them to visit with you if they need the additional attention and support.
By December, we typically have admitted most of the students who will enroll at WKU next fall, which makes the next two months our prime recruitment season. This month, I spent considerable time meeting with high school counselors, principals, superintendents and other administrators throughout our region and beyond, including Nashville and middle Tennessee. I shared with them our commitment to increasing access to the WKU Experience through individualized financial aid packages and our mission to help every student succeed as evidenced by our increased focus on LLCs and other interventions. High school administrators play a crucial role in the college selection process. We must engage them and repeatedly highlight what differentiates WKU from other institutions in their students’ choice sets, including our hands-on, applied learning opportunities and our new scholarship model that makes a college degree at WKU more accessible and affordable.
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The WKU Forensics Team started the 2021-2022 season by hosting its annual virtual Fall Tournament the weekend of Sept. 24-26. WKU students won 20 event championships. Learn More
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WKU awarded $1.4 million Educational Opportunity Centers grant |
The U.S. Department of Education announced that WKU will receive a federal Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) grant of $1.4 million to help unemployed workers, low-wage workers, and returning high school and college students enter or continue a program of postsecondary education. WKU EOC has served students in the southcentral Kentucky region since 2002. The grant will provide five years of funding to help 1,000 adult learners each year find their path to higher education. |
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Spotlight: Dr. Chris Groves |
Dr. Chris Groves of WKU’s Department of Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences received the William Barfield Award for Outstanding Contributions in Water Resource Research earlier this month from the Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute (KWRRI) at the Institute’s Annual Symposium in Lexington. |
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Biology student reflects on summer research in Alaska |
Zoe Ward, a junior from Frankfort with a double major in Biology and Spanish, spent the summer researching two songbird species in the Arctic North Slope of Alaska. |
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Professor authors chapter in new book on principal preparation |
Dr. Janet Applin, professor in the School of Leadership and Professional Studies, penned a chapter of a new book aimed at principal preparation. School Improvement: Let The Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) Work for You was written by Educational Leadership faculty from across the state of Kentucky through our state's University Principal Partnership Initiative (UPPI). This group was created as part of the Wallace Grant that WKU has implemented over the past five years to improve principal preparation. Dr. Applin’s chapter is titled Equity and Cultural Responsiveness.
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WKU Sisterhood grant applications due by Friday |
Here’s a reminder that 2021 WKU Sisterhood grant applications must be submitted via email by Friday. This year, the WKU Sisterhood will award one or more Impact Grants for larger undertakings and up to four Small But Mighty Grants for more modest projects.
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2021 Annual Campus Security and Fire Report available |
The 2021 Annual Campus Security and Fire Report is now available on the WKU Police website. In addition to crime and fire statistics for 2020, this report also details policies about the police department and how to report fires and crimes to the police. This report also provides information from the Department of Environmental Health and Safety on campus fires and fire safety. |
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Nomination deadline Friday for 2021-2022 Faculty Awards |
Here's a reminder that nominations are due by Friday for the 2021-2022 College and University-wide Faculty Awards -- Full-time Faculty Award for Research/Creativity; Full-time Faculty Award for Service; Full-time Faculty Award for Student Advisement; Full-time Faculty Award for Teaching; and Part-time Faculty Award for Teaching.
The area of University Libraries may select two full-time awardees: one for research/creativity and one for service. The College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, College of Health and Human Services, Gordon Ford College of Business, Ogden College of Science and Engineering, and Potter College of Arts & Letters may select four full-time awardees: one for teaching, one for research/creativity, one for service, one for student advisement and one part-time faculty award. Full-time and part-time faculty members are eligible for these awards, and each nomination must be for a single individual (joint or team nominations will not be accepted). The College winners of each award will be considered for the University-wide awards, and one overall winner in each category will be chosen. To learn more about the awards, the process and past recipients, visit the WKU Faculty Awards page.
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Jonesville Academy is molding the next generation of scholars while also honoring a once thriving community. WKU’s Amy Bingham has more on this extended learning opportunity in this week’s View from the Hill.
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Theatre Production
The Department of Theatre & Dance production of FooLs by Neil Simon will open at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Ivan Wilson Fine Art Center’s Russell Miller Theatre. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Monday and Tuesday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Learn More
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Symphonic Band
The WKU Symphonic Band will present Fables, Tales and Legends at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Van Meter Hall. Learn More
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Documentary Screening
Hispanic Heritage Month activities will continue with a screening of The Unafraid at 6 p.m. Monday at Gary Ransdell Hall, room 1074. Learn More
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Creative Writing Series
The Fall 2021 Creative Writing Reading Series will feature a presentation by Jennifer Dunn at 7 p.m. Monday at Cherry Hall, room 125. Learn More
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Western Kentucky University
1906 College Heights Blvd.
Bowling Green, KY 42101
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