MANHATTAN — Phillips 66 has renewed its support for programs across Kansas State University with a $500,000 gift.

Photo courtesy ksu.edu.

The company is investing in student organizations, special initiatives and general department funding within the College of Business Administration and College of Engineering. This includes the newEngineering Leadership and Innovation  program, which will cross-train select engineering students with coursework from the College of Business Administration and Staley School of Leadership Studies.

Phillips 66 has also renewed its commitment to campuswide initiatives like career services, peer-led tutoring and the SHIELD Scholar Program. SHIELD, or Students Heightening Involvement in Education, Leadership and Development, provides 24 junior and senior students with $3,500 scholarships annually. Kansas State University is one of 10 universities selected by Phillips 66 to participate in the SHIELD Scholar Program.

“Phillips 66 has sought K-State graduates to join its global workforce for generations,” said Tim Taylor, president of Phillips 66 and a Kansas State University alumnus. “K-State and Phillips 66 share a commitment to excellence, leadership and service. We are happy to invest in professional development and student success at a university that produces many of the graduates we hire.”

“Phillips 66 offers inherent value to the Kansas State University educational experience,” said Greg Willems, president and CEO of the Kansas State University Foundation. “In the midst of our $1 billion Innovation and Inspiration Campaign to advance K-State’s 2025 vision, we depend on generous partners like Phillips 66 to reach our goals and promote student success.”

Release from K-State News and Communications Services

The annual teacher contract negotiation process opens today ( Thursday ) in Geary USD 475. A team of teachers, administrators and Board of Education members work to negotiate the contracts for teachers.

IBB SESSIONS @ Devin Center

Thursday, April 21^st                10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Friday, April 22^nd                   8:00 am to 2:00 pm

Tuesday, May10^th                 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Wednesday, May 11^th          8:00 am to 2:00 pm

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — An interactive video game has been developed to train Army command teams on how to respond to accusations of sexual harassment and sexual assault.

ELITE SHARP CTT was introduced for Army use earlier this month. Army members can download the game for free.

The Leavenworth Times reports the game was developed with help from the Games for Training Program at Fort Leavenworth. Maj. Greg Pavlichko, who heads the program, acknowledges some of the language in the interactive game is colorful, but says that makes the game more realistic.

Lt. Col. Jeff Bevington says officials involved with the ELITE game are now trying to get the word out.

Bevington says “we are trying to educate the Army on this tool.”

According to the National Weather Service of Topeka, scattered showers will continue south and east this morning through early afternoon, mainly impacting areas north of Interstate 70. Temps quickly warm on Friday into the 70s and 80s through the weekend and next week. Long term outlook is showing a series of storm systems tracking through the region, bringing several chances for thunderstorms beginning Saturday evening. A few severe storms are possible Sunday afternoon and once again Tuesday afternoon. Stay weather aware for the next few days as more details are laid out.

Early This Morning: Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of rain showers. West winds 5 to 10 mph.

Today: Mostly cloudy. A 40 percent chance of rain showers in the morning. Highs around 70. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph.

Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 40s. North winds 5 to 10 mph.

Friday: Sunny. Highs in the lower 70s. North winds 5 to 10 mph.

Friday Night: Clear. Lows in the upper 40s. Southeast winds up to 5 mph.

Saturday: Breezy…sunny. Highs around 80. South winds 5 to 15 mph increasing to 15 to 25 mph in the afternoon.

Saturday Night: Warmer. Partly cloudy. Lows around 60.

Sunday: Partly sunny with a 50 percent chance of rain showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 70s.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of rain showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 50s.

Monday: Sunny. Highs in the mid 70s.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows around 50.

Tuesday: Partly sunny with a 40 percent chance of rain showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 70s.

Tuesday Night: Rain showers and thunderstorms likely. Lows in the mid 50s. Chance of precipitation 60 percent.

Wednesday: Partly sunny. Highs in the lower 70s.

The Ground Breaking Ceremony for the 12^th Street Community Garden is Thursday, April 21^st at 2:00 p.m. 

The 12^th Street Community Garden is located at 1002 W. 12^th Street, Junction City.

Wednesday the Board of Regents appointed 20 individuals to assist and advise the Board in the selection of the next President of Kansas State University. The search committee includes representation from K-State students, faculty, staff, athletics, alumni, and the wider Manhattan community.

“I am so pleased with the quality of the Search Committee that the Board has selected,” stated Regent Dennis Mullin, chair of the Presidential Search Committee. “With this talented and dedicated group of individuals, I believe we are well on our way to finding excellent candidates for the Board’s review. I have total confidence that we will find the right person for Kansas State University, the community of Manhattan, and the State of Kansas.”

Over the next several months, the search committee will work closely with an executive search firm to identify and recruit candidates for the position of President. In addition to approving the committee’s membership, the Board also approved a formal charge which instructs the search committee to identify “three to five candidates who are the most qualified for Board selection as the next President of Kansas State University.”

Search committee members representing K-State alumni/foundation include: Carl Ice, President and CEO for BNSF Railway; Travis Lenkner, Chair of the K-State Alumni Association Board of Directors; Sylvia White Robinson, Ph.D., independent consultant with an emphasis on leadership development and executive coaching, and former Regent; and Mary Vanier, President of Grand Mere Development.

Search committee members representing K-State faculty/administration and staff include: Ethan Erickson, Assistant Vice President for Budget Planning at Kansas State University; John Floros, Dean of the College of Agriculture and Director of K-State Research and Extension; Dr. David Griffin, Assistant Dean/Director of the Center for Student and Professional Services in the Kansas State University College of Education; Fred Guzek, K-State Faculty Senate President and professor at Kansas State Polytechnic; Mike Tokach, professor of animal sciences and industry and researcher for K-State Research and Extension; Dr. Mary Hale Tolar, Director of the Staley School of Leadership Studies at Kansas State University; Kerry Jennings, Master Electrician and past president of the K-State University Support Staff Senate; and John Currie, Director of Athletics.

Search committee members representing K-State students include: Olivia Baalman, sophomore at Kansas State University from Wichita, KS, studying Computer Science; Jessica Van Ranken, incoming Student Body President of Kansas State University; and Nicholas G. Wiggins, graduate student in the College of Education and program coordinator for Call Me Mister, an African-American teacher education program housed in the College of Education at Kansas State University.

Search committee members representing the wider Manhattan community include: Kent Glasscock, president of K-State’s Institute for Commercialization (KSU-IC), and James Gordon, Chairman-Elect of the Greater Manhattan Chamber of Commerce.

The Board of Regents is represented by: Regent Dennis A. Mullin, Chairman and CEO of Steel and Pipe Supply; Jarold W. Boettcher, former Regent and President of Boettcher Enterprises, Inc., Boettcher Supply, Inc., and Boettcher Aerial, Inc., who will serve as vice-chair of the Presidential Search Committee; and Blake Flanders, President and CEO of the Kansas Board of Regents.

FORT RILEY, Kan. – Two Soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division’s 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team placed fifth in the grueling Best Ranger Competition April 15-17 at Fort Benning, Georgia, the best-ever finish for a Fort Riley
team.

Capt. Mark Gaudet, 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, and 1st Lt. Tim Nelson, 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, were one of two teams to represent the “Big Red One” and Fort Riley in the competition and took first
place in two events, the Foot March and the Buddy Run. The two received the
Russell B. Rippetoe trophy for their top Foot March time.

Of the 51 teams registered for the 33rd annual event, 22 completed the
intense competition.

Gaudet and Nelson will be honored by Maj. Gen. Wayne W. Grigsby Jr., 1st
Inf. Div. and Fort Riley commanding general, at 9:30 a.m. April 21 shortly
before a change of command ceremony in which Gaudet will take command of
Company B, 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st ABCT, at the
battalion’s headquarters on Fort Riley.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) – Two female students have sued Kansas State University, alleging it has refused to investigate their rapes at off-campus fraternity houses.

The two civil rights lawsuits filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Kansas contend the university’s practice endangers students and violates federal law by creating a hostile learning environment for victims.

Kansas State declined to comment.

The suits say Kansas State is under a federal Title IX investigation.

The students’ attorney, Cari Simon, says the U.S. Department of Education has said schools have an obligation to respond to such complaints, even if they occur off campus. She says Kansas State’s position is an outlier.

The lawsuits cite police reports that indicate at least 11 rapes were alleged to have happened at Kansas State fraternities since 2012.

Medical Command officials from Fort Sam Houston, Texas paid a recent visit to the GCH SANE/SART (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner / Sexual Assault Response Team).

The group toured both Geary Community Hospital and Irwin Army Community Hospital at Fort Riley to examine their SANE/SART programs and ensure all victims, including active duty soldiers and dependents, are cared for according to military guidelines and national standards.

GCH officials walked the visiting group through the SANE/SART process when a victim presents. “It was a pleasure to have the MEDCOM officials visit us and learn about how the GCH SANE/SART Program effectively takes care of our victims,” said Tiffany Naccarato, SANE/SART Medical Director. “Also, April is Sexual Assault Awareness month so the visit was great timing.”

The Interim President at Kansas State University Richard Myers said ongoing construction projects on campus will be helpful. He noted this year alone more than $200 million have been invested in campus projects.

He cited the construction under way in the K-State Union and the Berney Family Welcome Center. “He noted the new welcome center will help with recruiting, and bringing industry partners to campus to do their recuriting.

Myers noted KSU remains the number one choice for Kansas high school seniors.  He called Manhattan the best college town in the country, noting the relationship between the town and campus community is like none other. “It’s something we’re going to have to continue to nourish as we move into the future.”

On the subject of fundraising Myers noted private support would be important to accomplish the University’s mission. And we’re well on our way to reaching our largest fundraising goal ever of one billion dollars.  Myers added that this fundraising effort will end in 2018, and he thinks K-State will end at more than one billion dollars.

Myers informed an audience in the Forum Hall at the Student Union he wasn’t planning to make many changes  during his leadership at K-State. He succeeds outgoing KSU President Dr. Kirk Schulz, who is departing the next president of Washington State University. Myers will serve in the interim capacity while the Board of Regents begins a search for a permanent replacement for Schulz.