The newsletter for the WKU community
June 18, 2021
President's Message: Juneteenth Holiday
Dear Faculty and Staff:

Yesterday, President Joe Biden signed legislation establishing Juneteenth as a US federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. The significance of this act should be celebrated by all members of our WKU family as we reflect on the importance of ensuring that the promise of freedom means freedom for all. To that end, WKU will add Juneteenth as an official university holiday to our academic calendar each year.

This year, I am asking our campus to close on Monday, June 21, in observance of Juneteenth. There will be no classes or meetings, and I encourage all of you to separate from your daily routine and reflect on the significance of this day. 

I realize that there will be some members of our WKU family who will need to be on campus Monday, especially given the short notice of this announcement. Supervisors, please work with these individuals to schedule another day off in the coming weeks.
Regents approve $375.6 million budget
WKU’s Board of Regents today approved a $375.6 million budget for fiscal year 2022 that includes about $2 million for employee raises. The total budget is down $12 million, 3.2 percent, from FY 2020. “The 2021 fiscal year was so unusual with the pandemic that it is better to compare 2022 with 2020,” said Susan Howarth, Executive Vice President for Strategy, Operations and Finance.
WKU WILL CLOSE MONDAY FOR JUNETEENTH
WKU will close Monday in observance of Juneteenth, the newest federal holiday.
CLIMBING HIGHER
Meet Autumn Reinert and Kate Nash, marketing students at WKU and promotions interns with the Bowling Green Hot Rods this summer. Learn More
WKU to use federal grant to strengthen counseling workforce
WKU will use a $1.92 million federal grant to improve the health of underserved and vulnerable populations by strengthening the counseling workforce. The grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration is among $22 million in awards to 56 recipients as part of the Behavioral Health Workforce and Education Training (BHWET) Program for Professionals. WKU will receive $480,000 a year for four years beginning July 1.
Spotlight: Aliza Norman
For a project in the spring 2021 Survey of British Literature I course, Aliza Norman wrote and performed a song rendition of Marie de France’s “Lanval.” In the course, one assignment option is to make a creative adaptation of a text and reflect on the process. Being a musician, Norman decided to create a song.
School of Media finishes 3rd overall in Hearst program
WKU’s School of Media recorded its 12th straight top five national ranking with a third-place finish in the Hearst Journalism Awards Program’s 2020-2021 Overall Intercollegiate Competition.
View from the Hill
Around 120 employees are retiring at the end of this month after taking the Voluntary Separation Incentive Program offered by WKU. Among them – the university spokesman. WKU's Amy Bingham talks to Bob Skipper about his career in this week’s View from the Hill.
Athletics
June
18
Friday
Gifted Studies Summer Programs

SCATS (The Summer Camp for Academically Talented Middle School Students), hosted by The Center for Gifted Studies, will conclude today. VAMPY (The Summer Program for Verbally and Mathematically Precocious Youth) will begin Sunday; Advanced Placement Summer Institute will begin Monday. Learn More
June
20
Sunday
Planetarium Show

Ancient Earth will be presented at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Hardin Planetarium. Show times are 7 p.m. Tuesday, 7 p.m. Thursday and 2 p.m. Sunday through July 29. Admission is free. Learn More
June
23
Wednesday
Kentucky Museum Summer Hours

The Kentucky Museum's summer hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. Whitework: Women Stitching Identity is on display at the museum through Nov. 20. Learn More
More events: Check WKU Events calendar or follow @wkuevents on Instagram
Western Kentucky University 
1906 College Heights Blvd. 
Bowling Green, KY 42101