August 27th, 2009

As part of its annual rankings, U.S. News & World Report has listed Keene State College as one of the top schools in the North. The College was listed 81st in the Masters University-North Tier 1 listing, and 25th in the Top Public Schools Masters University-North listing in the 2010 edition of America’s Best Colleges.

“This ranking serves as one among many external validations that the College is fulfilling its primary goal of enhancing the academic program and excellence throughout the campus,” said President Helen Giles-Gee.

This year the Masters Universities listing ranked 572 institutions that offer a full range of undergraduate degrees and some master’s degree programs but few, if any, doctoral degrees. The indicators used in the rankings include academic quality, peer assessment, student retention, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, and alumni giving rates. For more about the U.S. News & World Report rankings and methodologies, visit their website.

Filed under: Academics, Campus & Community | Comments Off

From Kimberly Harkness, Human Resources: Many folks on campus are preparing for a fall outbreak of the H1N1 flu anticipated to impact a significant portion of the community. At this time, for the majority of individuals, symptoms appear to be mild and recovery is usually uncomplicated. While a significant number of students, faculty, and staff may be affected, it is most likely that the institution will remain open and continue to operate through the flu season.

Help us track the flu at Keene State so that campus administrators can make informed decisions.

• Faculty members are requested to report flu-related absences to Sylvie Rice via e-mail (srice2@keene.edu) whenever 30% of the students in a class appear impacted by the flu. This report should include faculty name, the number of students absent, the total class enrollment, and the location of the course meetings.
• Supervisors are requested to report flu-related absences to Sylvie Rice via e-mail to srice2@keene.edu whenever 30% of the employees in a work area are out sick or impacted by flu. This report should include the department or sub-department unit, supervisor’s name, number of employees out, the total number of employees in the unit, and the building/space(s) associated with the work unit.
• Please note that we are not tracking or requesting individual names.

In addition, there are some salient points that I ask all employees to keep in mind:

• Employees who experience a sudden onset of flu-like symptoms should not be in the workplace and should remain out of work until fever-free (without benefit of medication) for 24 hours. While we love dedication to the College, we will benefit more from a sure recovery than from sick employees exposing co-workers to the flu and risking their own personal health.
• The College reserves the right to require employees to leave the workplace if it is determined that they may be “under the weather” with influenza-like illness and therefore not “fit for duty.” Supervisors should refer employees who are unwilling to “go home” to Human Resources.
• Because the College is making the request that sick employees NOT come to work, supervisors should review time-and-attendance policies for each department and insure that employees who stay home when sick are not penalized.
• Recent case law suggests that FMLA protections may be extended in cases involving a flu-like illness. As such, flexibility should be provided to employees who must serve as caregivers for sick children, spouses, or parents.

What can supervisors do now?

• Supervisors should review all areas of responsibility and identify critical areas of functionality that could be at risk if a significant portion of staff were unable to work and then make alternative preparations. For example, is there only one person in your area responsible for critical information feed? Is there adequate documentation or cross-training to insure that all essential functions continue?
• This would be a good time to review time-and-attendance policies to be sure that employees know what the expectations are for calling in when they are unable to come to work because of sickness or family responsibilities related to care giving.

The College will continue to communicate flu-related announcements by e-mail and on the web at http://www.keene.edu/alerts. Please check this website frequently for updates on the influenza outbreak. We encourage you to be mindful of how easily this virus can be spread, to consistently wash your hands with soap and water, and to use hand sanitizers and other preventative measures when possible.

Nurse Practitioner Deb Coltey and Health Educator Tiffany Matthews show off some of the 26 hand sanitizer dispensers delivered around campus on Monday, August 24, by Physical Plant employees Bob Dumond and Chris Lariviere. Faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to keep hands clean and cover coughs and sneezes as the fall semester begins and the H1N1 virus looms. (Photo by Deb Williams)

Filed under: Campus & Community, Health & Wellness | Comments Off

From Stuart Kaufman, Sports Information: Former Keene State women’s volleyball players will get together on Saturday, August 29, for a first-ever alumni match against the current Owl team.

Bob Weiner, KSC’s fifth-year coach is expecting 12 to 15 alums to play in the game scheduled for 2 p.m. at Spaulding Gym. “I want to salute the women who helped build the program,” he said. “I think this is a great way to get them connected with the present team, because it’s a program to be proud of.”

Weiner said the alumni game came about because the NCAA allows teams to have a scrimmage, and Keene State needed someone to play. “I thought, ‘What better than to organize an alumni game?’” he said. “I’ve been here long enough to have worked with some top-level alumni players.”

Weiner enlisted Kristen Mullins ‘03, a former four-year player and assistant coach, and Shelly Ellis ‘07, a standout outside hitter, to help recruit alums for the game. Mullins reports that several alums are still playing or coaching: Marla Malinauskas ‘02, Sandy Bernard, Stacy Parr ‘05, Abbe Robichaud Bryant ‘03, Lauren Graham ‘07, and Kelly Yankowski ‘08, are all coaching various high schools, junior high, or junior Olympic teams. Many participate in winter or summer leagues, or play in area tournaments.

Filed under: Athletics | Comments Off

Keene State’s Campus Ecology and President’s Council for a Sustainable Future will support the second annual Feast on This film festival (September 14-20) with two events on campus this fall. Sponsored by the Cheshire County Conservation District’s Monadnock Farm & Community Connection (MFCC), the festival hopes to raise food, farming, and nutrition awareness. Events will be held in various locations throughout the Monadnock region. The two campus events are:

· Saturday , September 19:

7 p.m. The Garden (Parker Hall - Drennan Auditorium):

From the ashes of the LA riots, a lush, 14-acre community garden grows - the largest of its kind in the U.S. Bulldozers are poised to destroy this spot where South Central LA farmers grow their own food, feed their families, and create community.

· Monday, September 14:

7 p.m. America’s Heartland (Mabel Brown Room, Student Center)

This PBS show celebrates our nation’s agriculture; it includes clips filmed in New England with the producer’s commentary on the making of the show.

The Monadnock Farm and Community Connection is a program designed to increase public knowledge about the value of local agriculture, while supporting the region’s farmers. For more information, contact the Cheshire County Conservation District at 603-756-2988, ext. 116, or Amanda.costello@nh.nacdnet.net. Suggested donation for the films is $5, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. All proceeds will benefit the Keene Community Kitchen.

Filed under: Sustainability | Comments Off

From Skye Stephenson, Global Education Office (GEO): We are pleased to announce that what was formerly known as the National and International Exchange Office (NIEC) has been renamed the Global Education Office (GEO). This new name better reflects our role as the campus hub for academic study away experiences and international student support.

You are cordially invited to join us to officially welcome and acknowledge our new name at our upcoming Study Away Fair on Thursday, September 17. We will be having cake and other activities as part of the celebration. And, of course, you can always stop by and visit us on the 3rd floor of the Elliot Center.

Filed under: International Education | Comments Off

From Ellen Edge, CDC: The Child Development Center (CDC) at Keene State has full and part-time openings available for the coming year in our preschool classrooms. Our high-quality program is accredited by NAEYC. Please call the CDC office at 8-2233, ext. 2, for an application and information.

Filed under: Campus & Community | Comments Off

From Recreational Sports: Opening week hours for the Recreation Center will be:

Thursday and Friday (8/27-8/28): 6 a.m.-5 p.m. (no pool hours)

Saturday (8/29): 1-6 p.m. (no pool hours)

Sunday (8/30): 1-11 p.m. (pool hours 5-8 p.m.)

Student IDs & membership cards are required to access the Recreation Center.
Regular facility and pool hours begin on Monday, August 31. Check the Recreational Sports webpage for facility hours and other information about the program.

Filed under: Recreational Sports | Comments Off

From Karyn Kaminski, Human Resources: Please congratulate the following newly hired/transferred staff members at KSC: Micki Harrington, Library Services supervisor, circulation, Mason Library (former complementary staff), and Cecil Maxfield, Library Services assistant, Mason Library.

Filed under: New Faces New Places | Comments Off

Construction on the new Alumni Center at Keene State is on schedule, in spite of the extended rains and recent heat this summer. You can follow the progress - and check out the metal beam signed by more than 700 alumni, staff, and faculty at the Centennial Grand Reunion - buy visiting our photo journal.

Patty Farmer, director of Alumni and Parent Relations, reports that she anticipates moving in to the building early next May, with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony at Reunion 2010, June 4, 5, and 6. More about the Alumni Center and the programs it will support is at this site.

Filed under: Alumni News | Comments Off

Keene State’s traditional opening of the academic year will begin on Monday, August 24, with coffee and pastries in the atrium of the Student Center at 10 a.m. President Giles-Gee’s opening address will start at 10:30 a.m. in the Mabel Brown Room. An all-campus luncheon will be served from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in the Zorn Dining Commons, followed by a panel discussion with principal administrators in the Mabel Brown Room from 2 to 3:30 p.m. This year, moving new-student orientation from June to August 26-30 has created a new opening week schedule:

Move-in Day: Wednesday, August 26
The dress code in all offices will be business casual.

Parking:
First-year students will move into their residence halls on Wednesday, August 26, and we also have Parent-Family orientation then. A section of Winchester Street (between Ralston and Main streets from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and the following parking lots will be closed to facilitate the move-in process:

Hale lot
Randall/Blake lot
Fiske lot
Madison/Holloway lot
Owl’s Nest lot

If you will not need your vehicle until the end of the business day, please consider parking at the Owl Athletic Complex. You can walk to campus via the Martel Court footbridges or ride a shuttle, available between 7-9 a.m. and 3-5 p.m. Carroll/Proctor lot (limited), Science lot, Student Center F/S lot, Student Center Commuter lot, Spaulding lot, Art Center lot, and Elliot lot will remain open to all faculty and staff.

Move-in Volunteers:
If you would like to help students and their families empty cars (volunteers will no longer carry student belongings to the residence hall rooms), please email Jim Carley, associate director of Residential Life (8-2337). Move-in will begin at 8 a.m. and continue through approximately 4 p.m.

New Student Convocation: Thursday, August 27
The rescheduled orientation has given the College the opportunity to hold the New Student Convocation during the week, on Thursday, August 27, when everyone on campus can attend. The convocation will begin with a clap-in along Appian Way at 9:15 a.m., and the ceremony will be from 10 to 11:15 a.m. in Spaulding Gym. The College will be awarding an honorary degree to Dr. Susan Lynch for her work on behalf of New Hampshire children. Dr. Lynch’s work focuses on childhood obesity, preventive health care for children, and literacy. President Giles-Gee has asked that offices be closed during this time if possible, and that all faculty and staff participate in the clap-in and convocation. See the full opening week schedule here.

Filed under: Academics | Comments Off

The Keene State women’s soccer team returned from a nine-day trip to Spain and France this week. While there, they practiced and played three games against club teams (courtesy photo).

Filed under: Athletics | Comments Off

From Mary Jensen, Recycling and Sustainability: Work with fun and interesting people from across Keene State on campus-related sustainability issues. Carbon neutral planning, energy and resource use, food, water, student engagement, and alternative transportation are just a few of the projects for the upcoming year. The deadline for applications is Friday, September 11; apply online.

Filed under: Sustainability | Comments Off

From Patty Farmer, Alumni and Parent Relations: Great news: KSC’s annual Alumni Homecoming event is getting a well-deserved makeover! Unfortunately, we will have to suspend the event for 2009 during our “renovation” period.

Filed under: Alumni News | Comments Off

From the IT Group: The calendar feature, which displays your busy or free time in Microsoft Outlook, is set for two months. This means that information beyond two months appears as “no information is available,” and a bar with diagonal lines. A simple solution to this problem is to expand the number of months others can view from two to six! If you expand your calendar availability, and everyone else expands theirs, scheduling project meetings or making appointments will be whole lot easier.

To do this, open Microsoft Outlook, click on “Tools,” and open “Options.” In the “Calendar” area, choose “Calendar options,” and under “Advanced” options, select “Free/busy options.” In the “Options” area, change the default from “Publish 2 months” to “Publish 6 months of calendar free/busy information on the server.” Click “OK” and continue clicking “OK” through each subsequent screen.

That’s it, you’re done! Visit our web page to see this tip and other helpful information. If you have any questions about this or any other technology issue, please feel free to contact the HelpDesk at 8-2532, email us, or stop by our office on the second floor of Elliot Hall.

Filed under: Information Technology | Comments Off

Banner Finance training will begin on Tuesday, September 15, for the fall semester. All classes are in Rhodes CE Lab unless otherwise indicated. You can view the entire schedule and self register on the web. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Sue Freitas at 8-2478.

Filed under: Professional Activities | Comments Off

From Recreational Sports: Opening week hours for the Recreation Center will be:

Monday-Tuesday (8/24-8/25): 6 a.m.-9 p.m. (summer pool hours)

Wednesday (8/26): CLOSED (Freshman Move-in Day and staff training; locker rooms will be available for general use.)

Thursday and Friday (8/27-8/28): 6 a.m.-5 p.m. (no pool hours)

Saturday (8/29): 1-6 p.m. (no pool hours)

Sunday (8/30): 1-11 p.m. (pool hours 5-8 p.m.)

Student IDs & membership cards are required to access the Recreation Center.
Regular facility and pool hours begin on Monday, August 31. Check the Recreational Sports webpage for facility hours and other information about the program.

Filed under: Recreational Sports | Comments Off

From Karyn Kaminski, Human Resources: Please be sure to welcome the following newly hired staff members: Brian Quigley, Counseling Center director, and Sara Telfer, assistant director of Alumni and Parent Relations. Michele Kuiawa, Student Financial Services, has transferred to the Cohen Center for Holocaust Studies, where she is senior program support assistant.

Filed under: New Faces New Places | Comments Off

With this issue Campus News returns to a weekly publication schedule. Deadlines will continue to be noon on Monday before the next Thursday’s issue.

Filed under: Uncategorized | Comments Off

Keene State's commitment to sustainability has brought two huge co-generation steam boilers to campus. Each of the units creates steam for heating and more efficiently generates electricity, saving money and lessening CO2 emissions. (Photo by Colin Burdick).

This winter, Keene State will heat its campus more efficiently, generate electricity, and reduce the College’s carbon footprint. A newly constructed co-generation heat plant is expected to reduce energy costs by more than $120,000 a year and to reduce green house gases caused by campus electrical consumption by more than 500 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year.

When the steam plant that has heated the campus for nearly 100 years needed an upgrade, the design team chose to think more broadly about the assignment: How could it incorporate other energy savings? The project, which had originally focused on replacing two 46-year-old boilers, expanded into a new co-generation facility with classic lines attractive enough to be built on the original site at the center of the campus.

The new brick building blends with neighboring Fiske Hall, the College’s first residence hall, and has huge glass panels that reflect the central campus quad. Inside, the two new boilers have high-efficiency burners that increase steam output with almost no waste. A control system regulates the boilers for maximum output, and they use less water. In addition to providing heat, the steam turns a turbine that will generate up to 12% of the campus’s electricity.

Vice President for Finance and Planning Dr. Jay Kahn estimates a seven-year payback and a $5.6 million savings over the 30-year life of the boilers. “We could save even more if they last as long as the 46-year-old boilers they are replacing,” he adds.

The $9.5 million project began in April of 2008, when contractors razed the 79-foot brick chimney of the old plant (the bricks were then recycled into road base). Construction was completed in spring of 2009.

Filed under: Campus Sustainablity and Recycling, Facilities | Comments Off

Misha J. Charles (Mark Corliss photo)

Misha J. Charles has been named senior executive assistant and legislative liaison to the president at Keene State. In this role, she will support the activities of the President’s Office and coordinate work with legislators on the local, state, and federal level.

“I am very pleased that Ms. Charles has joined us at Keene State College,” said President Helen Giles-Gee. “She brings with her an indefatigable energy, broad national experience, and sound thinking, which will contribute to the building of community inside and outside the College. Given the role’s additional responsibility as the point person with the government, the College is counting on her to communicate our commitment in working towards a greater collaboration that benefits the state,  especially with regard to economic development.”

“My role is to share information about Keene State College – our programs and the many ways we are impacting the state,” Ms. Charles said, describing the new legislative component of the position. “We have many projects here that demonstrate the new ways students are applying a liberal arts education to everyday life.” Two of the projects she will be focusing on this fall are the Monadnock Biodiesel Cooperative and the Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing (RCAM).

Charles has more than eight years of experience in the higher education and nongovernmental sectors in the U.S. and South Africa, and has deep knowledge in the areas of education, global learning and exchange, organizational governance, management, and institutional growth. In her most recent position as Director of Planning and Board Relations for Phelps Stokes, she oversaw a major institutional transformation effort aimed at revitalizing an organization (nearly 100 years old) that connects visionary leaders and organizations in Africa and the Americas with resources necessary to effect social change.

Prior to this role, Charles was the administrative and program associate in the Office of Education and Institutional Renewal for the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U), where her work focused on bringing about institutional change at U.S. colleges and universities. Prior to joining AAC&U, she was an associate lecturer at the University of Cape Town’s Numeracy Centre.

Charles received her AB in history with a certificate in African American Studies from Princeton University. After graduating from Princeton, she studied at the University of Cape Town where she earned a BA in African studies and an MA (research) in historical studies. She also holds an MA in education and human development with a focus on international education from the George Washington University.

Raised in a military family, Charles has traveled extensively and lived in many places, including South Africa, seven U.S. states, and Germany. She is an active volunteer and is the vice-chairperson of the DC-based South Africa-Washington Internship Program.

Filed under: New Faces New Places, Staff News, Uncategorized | Comments Off

Jordan Pokryfki, and Brittany O'Bryant in front of a glacier out of College Fjord in Prince William Sound (courtesy photo).

From Stuart Kaufman, Sports Information: Beach volleyball in Alaska? “It’s like an oxymoron,” said recently graduated Keene State volleyball standout Brittany O’Bryant, visiting Alaska on a two-week vacation. The last thing the former Owl thought she’d do in the Last Frontier was put on shorts and dive around in some sand. But earlier this month, O’Bryant put on her sunglasses, joined up with her college teammate Jordan Pokryfki, from Wasilla, Alaska, and finished second at the Fufudabo beach doubles tournament at Springer Park in Anchorage.

Playing outdoors in sand is a little different than the hard court of Keene State’s Spaulding Gym. The loose surface challenges even the best of players, including a pair of accomplished indoor stars like O’Bryant and Pokryfki. O’Bryant holds multiple KSC records for kills, while Pokryfki broke the Owl career-assists mark last season. The pair helped lead the Owls to the program’s first Little East Conference championship and NCAA tournament berth last fall.

After showing the sites to O’Bryant, Pokryfki, a biology major, returned to the pipeline on the North Slope, where she is completing an internship at a medical facility. Although the Owls lost several key contributors to last year’s LEC championship, Pokryfki is looking forward to returning to Keene and helping KSC defend its title.

O’Bryant isn’t quite sure of her plans for the fall. Still looking for a teaching job, she will serve as a JV coach at Bishop Guertin High School in Nashua.

Filed under: Athletics | Comments Off

From Ellen Edge, CDC: The Child Development Center (CDC) at Keene State has full and part-time openings available for the coming year in our preschool classrooms. Our high-quality program is accredited by NAEYC. Please call the CDC office at 8-2233 (x2) for an application and information.

Filed under: Uncategorized | Comments Off

From Patty Farmer, Alumni & Parent Relations: The Alumni & Parent Relations Office has a new staffing model that will help us expand our outreach efforts and broaden the impact that alumni have on campus with students and with one another.

We have created two assistant director for Alumni & Parent Relations positions, each with a distinct role in the department. Kay MacLean, who has been with the department for over a decade, will transition to the assistant director position that will develop and grow our Alumni to Alumni Career Services outreach and volunteer management. She will also coordinate the 25th through Golden Circle (50 year+) class reunions, and Golden Circle programming. Kay’s office is on the third floor of the Barry Alumni Center in the front of Elliot Hall.

Pauline Dionne, another long-time veteran of KSC who has been with us part time, will transition to the department full time as the senior administrative assistant. Pauline’s office will be in the Alumni & Parent Relations reception area, on the second floor of Elliot Hall.

Sara Telfer has been hired as our second assistant director, and she will concentrate on developing new programs to engage students and recent alumni in Alumni Relations activities. Sara will be responsible for the identification, recruitment, and orientation/training of students and recent alumni volunteers in new programs (including career planning, alumni mentoring, internships, and initiating a student- driven Student Ambassadors program). She will also manage strategic development of technology-based services provided to students and alumni and parents. Sara’s office will be next to Kay’s on the third Floor of the Barry Alumni Center in the front of Elliot Hall. Sara will join us August 10.

Our Alumni Association Board of Directors has worked hard to assess the program offerings of the past few decades and many of these new initiatives are a result of that self-assessment and strategic planning. Many more events/programs will be reviewed/revised, and we will work to expand offerings for greater engagement between the campus community and the alumni and parent constituency groups.

Thank you to all who have helped us in our transitions with your encouragement and enthusiasm. We are all very excited about the changes, and the construction of the new Alumni Center. Please don’t hesitate to contact any one of our staff with questions or comments.

Filed under: Advancement, Alumni News | Comments Off

From Frank Mazzola, Physical Plant: On Saturday, August 8, there will be a campus-wide electrical shutdown so that final connections can be made to the co-generation equipment at the newly renovated central heating and co-generation plant. The work will begin at 8 a.m. and be complete by 4 p.m. Though emergency and stand-by electrical generators will be operational, college staff should not plan to be on campus.

The shutdown will affect all college buildings (excepting some of the smaller wood frame houses we own along the peripheral of campus). Network and information system services may be down intermittently from 8 a.m. to noon during the power outage. This would include the KSC network, internet, and all system services including, but not limited to, Datatel, WebAdvisor, P&Q drives, Outlook, and Outlook Web Access.

Filed under: Uncategorized | Comments Off

From Recreational Sports: There will be no hot water or heat in the Recreation Center August 10–14, because of the campus-wide heat plant shutdown. The facility will remain open, but please plan accordingly for your workouts. Also, during that week, all the wood floors will be refinished and there may be a strong odor in the facility for the first few days. The areas with wood floors will be closed until at least August 21. Group fitness classes will be held as scheduled, but in alternate rooms. Please check outside the aerobics studio for signs indicating what rooms the classes will be held. Signs will be posted indicating when the workout areas affected by the wood floor refinishing will be re-opened.

Summer facility hours will end on Tuesday, August 25. Reduced facility hours will be held on Wednesday, August 26–Sunday, August 30, (signs will be posted in the facility the week of August 10).

Reminder: all facility memberships (those issued for 2008–09) end on August 31. Memberships can be renewed (or new sign-ups taken) for 2009–2010 beginning on Monday, August 17. The membership period runs from September 1 to August 31, so you will want to process your renewal or first-time membership by the end of August/first week of September. Any membership that was purchased or received after January 2009 also expires on August 31.

Membership applications can be picked up and completed at the front desk, and the staff will issue you a 2009–2010 membership card. Information on membership can be found on the Recreational Sports web page or at the front desk of the Recreation Center.

Filed under: Recreational Sports | Comments Off