Sept. 13, 1999 
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| "The challenge to become a
top-20 university by 2020 is a mandate grounded in ambition,
and it is a worthy goal that can be and will be achieved. But
to achieve this success, we must fully dedicate ourselves to
attaining this goal," Wethington told nearly 200 people,
comprised of the board of trustees and executive committees representing
administrators, faculty, staff, students and alumni at an assembly
titled "UK United" on Aug. 19. Wethington evoked the conquest of Mount Everest in his message, noting that the accomplishment depended on the partnership between Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, a Nepalese guide. |
Tim Collins |
Forestry professor Matthew Pelkki has been to the foulest
place on Earth, and he liked it.
|
Submitted Matthew Pelkki, center, journeyed through the Russian wilderness with fellow professors to study environmental needs. |
Pelkki returned this month from
sabbatical in western Siberia, where he taught at Novosibirsk
State University and worked at the Novosibirsk Forest Branch
of the Siberian Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
During that time, he wrote grants proposals and engaged in various research projects with Russian scientists to reforest the polluted oil, gas and coal fields of western Siberia. Located in the center of the Russian Empire, the remote region is home to Samatlor, the world's single largest oil field, which Pelkki described as "the most polluted place on the planet." |
Matthew Pelkki
UK forestry professor Matthew Pelkki spent the summer evaluating
Samatlor, the world's single largest oil field, and working on
pollution prevention for the area, located in western Siberia.
The University of Kentucky's commitment to becoming a top-20
public institution is a formidable but attainable goal. This
commitment requires new ways of addressing opportunities and
business practices, and demands aggressive programming and communication
strategies that will position the University as a national leader
in higher education.
| To this end, President Charles T.
Wethington Jr. and the UK Board of Trustees are considering a
new marketing plan that gives life and a national focus to the
strategic plan. Recommendations are based on sound marketing
principles and represent a paradigm shift in planning for higher
education. "UK is on the front end of a marketing trend sweeping higher education. Colleges and universities are facing competition, shifts in student and donor populations, and other factors that demand new ways of doing business to succeed. While UK's enrollment and fund raising are setting records, we have embraced marketing as a way to be the best," said Michele Ripley, UK's national marketing director. |
Cornett Advertising |
Intriguing. Courageous. Unique. Motivating.
These are the hallmarks of a good company line.
Like United's "Rising." Nike's "Just Do It."
Or the University of Kentucky's new theme, "America's Next
Great University."
|
Selena Stevens |
"There is indeed something
great happening at UK. There's a groundswell of enthusiasm and
a shared sense of confidence that UK is on its way to becoming
a top-20 institution," said National Marketing Director
Michele Ripley. This confidence is perhaps most evident by glancing at UK's new set of benchmark institutions, including UCLA, the University of Michigan, the University of North Carolina and others to which UK now compares itself. |
Submitted
Ashland
Inc. announced July 29 the Ashland Inc. Foundation will give
the University of Kentucky $1 million over the next five years
in an effort to boost awareness and participation in the state's
Research Challenge Trust Fund. The foundation gave $2,505,000
in gifts to Kentucky's eight state universities and the new Kentucky
Community and Technical College System. At the check presentation
ceremony are, left to right, Paul W. Chellgren, Ashland Inc.
chairman, CEO and UK trustee; Gov. Paul Patton; UK President
Charles T. Wethington Jr. and Charles Whitehead, president of
the Ashland Inc. Foundation.
In an effort to start the University of Kentucky faculty,
staff and students talking about and more actively seeking diversity,
the dean of students office and the student group AWARE are planning
a new series of racial dialogues on campus this fall. The effort
follows three spring semester discussions.
"Faculty, staff and students were very receptive
to and ready to talk about issues of ethnicity on campus and
in our society," said Dean of Students David Stockham. "We
hope these dialogues will become an event that occurs each semester
- dialogues on ethnicity, gender and more."
Each of the spring groups, made up of eight people
including faculty, staff, students and Lexington community members,
met for two hours one day per week for four consecutive weeks
to discuss various aspects of race in America today. Trained
facilitators from the Lexington community led the groups in topics
ranging from the make-up of American society to building strong,
more diverse communities.
Amy Jordan, a molecular biology graduate student,
said society needs dialogue groups to become more sensitive.
"I have seen racial insults written on desk
tops in classrooms. Hanging out around the city with African-American
friends, we've been attacked and insulted on various occasions,"
she said. "If we, as a university, do not address ethnic
and cultural harmony, who will?"
Jason McDonald, a UK student and staff member
in the Chandler Medical Center Facts Center, attended last semester's
dialogues and said the sessions allowed many different opinions
to be heard and helped him see ethnic issues from other points
of view.
"As a white male, it's easy to not think
or be concerned about ethnic problems," he said. "The
dialogues were a conscious effort by me to keep ethnicity in
my consciousness."
McDonald, also a member of AWARE, said it is
important for students and University administrators to be aware
of ethnic issues and seek diversity on campus.
"Dialogues are great ways to promote thought
and discussion on racism, which has been one of our country's
biggest problems," he said. "People bring open minds
to dialogues, and any views are welcome."
For faculty, a dialogue experience can help add
to the educational process, said Lee Edgerton, a dialogue participant
and professor in animal sciences. Understanding the broad range
of perspectives students and colleagues bring to the classroom
allows teachers to tap student interests, needs and experiences.
"In a university setting, we expose ourselves
to a variety of value systems different from those we came to
the university with. That gives us a greater understanding of
the world," Edgerton said. "It makes us better citizens
also because we begin to understand and respect the basis for
other people's decisions."
McDonald said the dialogues also helped him see
something entirely non-racial - that people have different issues
based on their lifestyles, where they live, where they come from,
their education levels and more.
John Lindsay, a UK student and AWARE member who
is helping coordinate the ethnic dialogues, said response from
the spring dialogue surveys shows UK students are ready to talk.
"Surprisingly, according to the evaluation
sheets, the No. 1 complaint was 'not enough sessions.' Some students
even wanted more long-term sessions," he said. "The
biggest problem with holding a dialogue was finding a time slot
that allowed the greatest number of participants to be present
a difficult thing to do on a busy college campus."
The spring ethnic dialogues also were supported
by the Inclusive Learning Community, the Student Government Association
and the UK Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs.
The fall dialogues, held weekly, are tentatively
scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 12-Nov. 10 in the UK Student Center.
People interested in participating, supporting or wanting more
information on the dialogues can contact David Stockham at 257-3754
or dstock@pop.uky.edu,
or John Lindsay at 252-7781 or jclind1@sac.uky.edu.
Selena
Stevens
Kathy McKinley traveled to the nation's capital in July to
help make a video and ended up in front of the camera.
McKinley, 38, a UK student loan counselor, essentially
portrays herself. She poses as a student loan counselor responding
to questions she answers almost daily in her job in the Funkhouser
Building.
|
Dan Adkins |
"I talked about debt management,
interest rates, repayment plans, loan consolidation, record keeping
and consequences of defaulting on a loan," McKinley said after returning from Washington, D.C., where she helped the U.S. Department of Education in the taping. "They had a couple of professional actors and actresses and several summer interns for the project. It was a question-and-answer scene," she said. McKinley and a business officer from another university had gone to Washington to help the filmmakers understand the kinds of questions asked most frequently by students and former students about William D. Ford Federal Direct Student loans. |
Partnerships key to success
Jacqueline E. Woods, U.S. Department of Education liaison
for community colleges, was the guest speaker during Lexington
Community College's Faculty and Staff Development Day Aug. 20.
|
LCC |
Woods is a major policy advisor to the secretary of education and the administration on national public policy issues affecting the nation's 1,200 community colleges. Under her leadership and guidance, the Community College Liaison Office has developed an outreach agenda that includes providing structures for two-year colleges to use in strengthening interactions and recognition within the department and with other federal agencies. The office has placed specific emphasis on increasing the visibility of community colleges in the school reform movement, in the distance education and information technology arenas and in building public and private partnerships, domestically and globally, around work force and economic development opportunities. |
Perhaps it sounds too good to be true. Maybe you've seen the flyers, read the media notices about the upcoming UKadvance Leadership Development Institute 2000, but still don't understand it, don't believe it or figure it's a long shot. By the time you've finished reading this, you'll have a clearer perspective of the institute and will be able to make a better-informed decision about UKadvance and you.
What is UKadvance?
UKadvance offers hope, encouragement, skill building and a broader
insight into self and surroundings primarily for women and minorities,
although it doesn't exclude men and non-minorities in its goal
to affect lives and advancement of employees. It is the commitment
of President Charles T. Wethington Jr. and a dedicated staff
in Human Resource Development to create an organized effort to
focus on promotional opportunities for individuals working at
UK.
"Especially did I feel for office personnel
and others who may have been hourly employees that those individuals
didn't see a way to get prepared to move themselves up the ladder
into mid-management positions at UK," Wethington said. "So
my idea was simply to put in place a mechanism to identify individuals
who were interested in being promoted at UK and better utilize
those excellent employees."
Lexington Campus Chancellor Elisabeth Zinser
said this type of program is beneficial and necessary because
of the strong dedication and capability of UK staff and the sheer
volume and impact of staff within the human resource profile
of UK. The majority of UK employees are staff, including many
women and minorities.
"This type of program recognizes that staff
members are important and vital to the organization and that
the University cannot advance and achieve its high aspirations
without helping staff members to advance in their jobs and careers
at UK," Zinser said.
Chandler Medical Center Chancellor James Holsinger
said UKadvance is not just a program to encourage staff members
to consider their opportunities for advancing their UK careers.
"It also gives us an opportunity to help
people understand we want to see them progress and move forward
to meet their career goals here at the University, without them
feeling they have to leave and go someplace else in order to
advance," he said.
Funding was allocated for the UKadvance Leadership
Development Institute based on recommendations of the ad hoc
committees on minorities and the status of women, released in
the early 1990s. The first program in June 1992 challenged 40
individuals from different departments and levels across the
University with two weeks of leadership and team building exercises,
back-to-back presentations from high-level administrators and
outside speakers and tours of many departments and programs at
UK.
"Anybody who goes to any part of this program
and takes a hard look at the curriculum knows it is not fluff,"
Zinser said. "Rather, it is a program of great substance.
Presenters are talented, knowledgeable and interesting people
who give a big picture view of higher education and its relationship
to society, along with an in-depth view of the University of
Kentucky and why it is a university on the move."
When it is?
Every two years a new group of 40 highly motivated UK employees
takes advantage of the UKadvance opportunity. Four groups have
graduated thus far, and many graduates are involved in ensuring
the success of the 2000 Leadership Development Institute, which
begins March 13, 2000. A special UKadvance kickoff will be held
Sept. 15, with staff available to answer questions and provide
applications, posters and fliers. Applications also may be picked
up in 123 Scovell Hall and are available on the UKadvance Web
site at www.uky.edu/ FiscalAffairs/Human Resources/ UKadvance.The
deadline for application submission is Jan. 14, 2000.
Why you should try
Not every person who applies and graduates from the UKadvance
program wants to leave their current position, nor are they expected
to do so.
"If that employee is satisfied with that
position, does an excellent job, then he/she ought not feel they've
got to take on additional responsibilities and move on up the
ladder," Wethington said, "but I would like to see
that everybody coming through this program has a better appreciation
for the University - the size, the scope, the complexity of it
and understands better how his/her job fits in with the
big picture and how important it is to the University. Supervisors
should encourage employees to apply and should be on the lookout
for individuals they believe would benefit from such an experience."
Holsinger said UKadvance often serves as a source
of refreshment for new and seasoned employees alike.
"Staff members who have had a chance to
go to UKadvance come back with a renewed sense of the importance
of what they do within the overall scheme of what the University
is about ... with morale high and feeling like they've been a
apart of something that's of use to them in the development of
their career and useful for their unit."
Zinser said supervisors should not let concerns
about staff coverage prevent individuals from taking part in
the two-week program.
"There is always time and a way to help
a staff member advance in knowledge and skills whereby the department
benefits by the investment," she said.
Deneese Jones, associate dean of the Graduate
School, is a supervisor who supports staff involvement in UKadvance.
"If we think about the strategic goals of
the University, and if we are going to function as a unit in
a collaborative fashion, then every individual needs an opportunity
to develop at every level they choose," Jones said. "We
need to see this as a very collaborative, interdependent type
of environment. The long run of that is this is how you become
a top-20 university, by recognizing and valuing what each person
brings to the table."
For President Wethington, programs like UKadvance
are sound business practices in the University's quest for advancement.
"Unless an entity, whether it be a business
or university, spends a considerable amount of time and money
on staff development, then that entity will not be as competitive
as others in the same field," he said. "As the recruitment
of well-qualified employees gets tougher and tougher, it's even
more critical that we look for ways to promote and enhance our
own work force."
You have the power
Perhaps Laura Hall from Distance Learning Library Services sums
up the UKadvance opportunity best.
"It's a wonderful experience, and I think
everyone would find it enjoyable and beneficial. However, being
accepted into that program is not the equivalent of someone waving
a magic wand and propelling you to new heights within the University,"
she said. "To paraphrase what Glenda the Good Witch said
to Dorothy, 'You don't need any magic. You had the power in yourself
all along.'"
To find out more about UKadvance, visit information
booths across campus Sept. 15 or contact Jeanie Caldwell, UKadvance
program coordinator, at 257-9555, ext. 185 or jeanie@e-mail.uky.edu.
Faculty and staff of the University of Kentucky can help fight
breast cancer in September.
In conjunction with the Susan G. Komen Breast
Cancer Foundation, UK Health Care is co-sponsoring the "Race
for the Cure" in Lexington Sept. 25. Nancy Brinker of Houston
founded the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in 1982 in
memory of her sister who died at an early age of breast cancer.
The foundation's mission is to eradicate breast cancer and life-threatening
diseases through the advancement of research, education, screening
and treatment. The "Race for the Cure" has become a
national event with 75 percent of all monies raised from the
local event staying in Central Kentucky to support the advancement
of breast cancer research.
A UK team will assemble under the UK Women's
Forum banner at Phoenix Park in downtown Lexington at 7:45 a.m.
Saturday, Sept. 25, to take part in the race. All members of
the UK community are invited to join.
An entry fee of $12 must be postmarked no later than Sept. 15.
To register or for more information, contact Angela Back of the
Women's Forum at 257-1708 or aback@pop.uky.edu.
UK Chandler Medical Center Public Relations
'50 Years' play debuts
The University of Kentucky's 1999/2000 theater season will open
with a world premiere by Lexington-based playwright Herman Ferrell
III.
"Desegregation" was commissioned as
part of the commemoration of "50 Years of the African-American
Legacy" at UK. It will run Oct. 5-9 and Oct. 12-17 in the
Briggs Theater.
For tickets and information, call 257-3297.
Sexual politics discussed
The University of Kentucky Women's Studies Program will host
the Women's Studies Colloquium Series on the third Monday of
each month at 4:30 p.m. in Room 230 of the UK Student Center.
The first presentation will be "The Sexual
Politics of American Agriculture: The Animal Science Profession
as a Case Study" by Keith Schillo, animal science, Sept.
20.
For more information, call 257-4375 or visit
www.uky.edu/Arts
Sciences/WomenStudies.
UK Women's Club invites eligible members
Women who are part of instructional, administrative, Extension
and research staffs of the University, as well as wives of members
of these groups, are invited to join the UK Women's Club.
Women who have lost their affiliation with the
University due to retirement or the death of a husband are still
eligible for active membership. Women who have severed ties for
other reasons may retain membership by paying dues of $12.
For information, call 277-2981.
Chemical hazard guide available on Internet
The "NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards" now is
available online. The guide provides quick reference to nearly
700 chemicals. It gives physical properties, exposure limits,
incompatibilities and reactivities, personal protective equipment,
exposure routes, symptoms and more.
The guide can be found at www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/pgdstart.html.
