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NEWS IN BRIEF

Chancellors Club nominations sought

Nominations are being sought for the 2008 Chancellors Club Career Teaching Award, which is made possible through funds provided to KU Endowment by members of the Chancellors Club. Organized in 1977, the Chancellors Club unites individuals who desire to provide a substantial amount of unrestricted resources on an annual sustaining basis.

The award is intended to recognize the teaching contributions made to the university by a member of the faculty over 20 years or more. To be eligible for consideration, the faculty member should be within five years of intended retirement from the university. Though it is understood that the contributions of the candidate are many-faceted, the award is intended to dramatize the contributions of the faculty member to the welfare and overall education of his or her students during an extended teaching career at KU. The award, which carries a stipend of $6,000, is presented annually to a member of the faculty who exemplifies best the commitment of the university to outstanding teaching. Nominations are requested by May 9; announcement of the award will be made at the Chancellors Club dinner in early November.

Nominations are invited from students, faculty, staff and alumni. Letters of nomination should be sent to the Office of the Provost, 250 Strong Hall, and must be accompanied by a curriculum vitae and departmental (if applicable) and school endorsements.

No announcement will be made concerning persons nominated, and all materials received in relation to the process will be treated as confidential information.

University Support Staff elects officers

At its April meeting, the University Support Staff Senate elected new officers for the coming year. The new officers will be: Dennis Constance, president; Chris Wallace, vice president; Kathy Stiers, secretary; and Sharon Lee Green, treasurer. The senate also elected chairs to its various committees. The Personnel Affairs Committee has two co-chairs: Diana Koslowsky and Maxine Younes. The Communications Committee also has two co-chairs, Charlotte Goodman and Delores Leonard. The Legislative Affairs Committee co-chairs are Jay Barnard and Joe Morgison. The Elections Committee chair is Chris Wallace, and the Information Access and Public Relations Committee's chair is Kathy Stiers. The University Support Staff Senate meets from 10:30 a.m. to noon the second Wednesday of every month at the Kansas Union.

Special Ed to wrap up 50th celebration

The Department of Special Education will hold the culminating event of its 50th anniversary celebration, "Day-By-Day: Making Research-Based Practice Make Sense Through Collaboration," from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 10 in the Kansas Union. The event is a professional development day for teachers and administrators.

For more information, visit soe.ku.edu/sped/news-events/50th.php#PDD.

Women in higher ed conference slated

"What's the plan, Ma'am? Where you've been, where you're going, and how you'll get there," the annual conference of the Kansas Office of Women in Higher Education, will be held April 27 and 28, 2008 at Kansas City Kansas Community College and the Edwards Campus. The first day will include a banquet with a speaker at KCKCC, and Monday will offer speakers and sessions at the KU Edwards campus.

Featured speakers include Donna Burns-Phillips, director, Office of Women in Higher Education April 27; and Kathleen Wong (Lau) and Linda Marchesani, Campus Women Lead program, Association of American Colleges and Universities April 28.

The conference will also offer a panel of women presidents from regional universities April 28, with an opportunity for smaller lunch discussions with these impressive leaders.

The conference is open to anyone working in higher education settings. The focus is on professional development for women in higher education settings. It is being sponsored by Kansas City Kansas Community College, Johnson County Community College, KU and KU Edwards Campus, with support from other regional colleges. The cost is $85, with a $20 student rate. For more information, visit www.kckcc.edu /owhe.

Promotion omission

Katherine Clark was inadvertently omitted from the list of faculty receiving promotion and tenure. Clark was promoted to associate professor of history with tenure.

RESEARCH MATTERS:

A KU professor's research has shown that a quality music program can boost a school's performance on standardized tests. Christopher Johnson, professor of music and dance, performed a study comparing results with similar demographics but with varying quality music programs. He found jumps of 22 percent in English test scores and 20 percent in math scores at elementary schools with good music programs. One theory holds that scores improved because music helps develop attentiveness. For more, or to listen to the original broadcast, visit www.researchmatters.ku.edu.