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New staff fellows to work to improve university

Eleven individuals have been selected to explore higher education administration as part of KU's first Staff Fellows Program.

The program is coordinated by the provost's office and is modeled after the Faculty Senior Administrative Fellows program, now in its 15th year. The fellows will work approximately four hours per month exploring various aspects of administration at KU. The majority of time will be spent working on small group or individual projects that will benefit the staff member's unit.

The primary goal of the program is professional development.

Staff fellows, their positions and projects are below.

  • Claudia Bode, education, outreach and diversity programs coordinator, Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis; developing a workshop to train faculty on how to informally communicate scientific knowledge to the public and media.
  • Linda Dixon, associate program director, Academic Achievement and Access Center; teach a Learning Communities program designed to broaden students' perspectives about world issues.
  • Robin Gingerich, project coordinator, Center for Research on Learning; providing leadership and supervision through exercises and discussion during Division of Adult Studies administrative staff meetings.
  • Curtis Marsh, program director, KU Info; identify individuals at KU who provide general information to broad audiences and provide them with the training KU Info staff receives.
  • Susan Mercer, assistant director of the Institute for Policy and Social Research; research alternative models for employing professional staff in upper level administration.
  • Kathy Moore, director, LAN support services, Information Technology; evaluate the support level for IT services and develop a "face and voice" of IT for the campus community.
  • Kim O'Bryon, administrative professional senior, registrar's office; identify classes that are offered but have no enrolled students to maximize use and efficiency of classroom space.
  • Joe Potts, director, International Student and Scholar Services; identify needs in areas related to international students and hiring of non-U.S. employees and identify the best comprehensive computing solutions for them.
  • Mary Ryan, associate dean of academic affairs, Edwards Campus; help units at the Edwards Campus integrate their academic or student service programming and to build cross-campus communication and planning.
  • Cindy Sexton, administrative associate senior, Department of Psychology; create a departmental newsletter, including a calendar, announcements, funding and grant news and general departmental information.
  • Patti Wakolee, senior academic adviser, University Advising Center; expand the Haskell Mentor Program, which assists students who are undergraduates and transfers from Haskell Indian Nations University.

    • TOPONYMS

    In September 1939, Deane W. Malott became the first native Kansan and KU alumnus to be named chancellor. In November 1954, the new physics and chemistry building was named for this dynamic and personable leader. The Malott Gateway at 15th and Iowa streets was given in memory of Malott and his wife, Eleanor, who was instrumental in creating the plantings that distinguish the campus. A courtyard near Malott Hall is named in her honor. Both are buried in Pioneer Cemetery.