Improvements and new construction are being proposed to significantly expand student recreation opportunities on campus, and student, faculty and staff input is being sought.
The South Campus Recreation and Fitness Facilities plan has been discussed at length as part of the campus master plan, and now specifics are being discussed. The proposal would expand a number of outdoor facilities for use by individual students and student recreation organizations.
The proposal includes three new softball fields, two new flag football fields, a refurbished soccer field, a relocated rugby pitch, a renovated lacrosse field, seasonal bubble enclosures over the tennis courts and Blakeslee Stadium allowing year-round usage, synthetic turf for year-round recreation use at Blakeslee Stadium and a multi-purpose stadium, and a student ice facility. A committee is currently looking at academic issues created by the proposed lighting of several fields.
Each of the proposed improvements would expand student recreation and address programming deficiencies, safety and condition and location of existing recreation and athletic fields. The improvements would cost an estimated $21.7 million, and would be funded by a student recreation and fitness fee that would be approved by students.
The proposal is part of a strategy to increase student recreation participation from 60 percent to 80 percent, and it augments the university's strategic priority to create a campus culture of wellness to increase student retention, decrease absenteeism, and positively impact academic and personal success.
The plan makes all of the facilities multi-purpose, to serve the needs of the entire student body. A proposed artificial surface and bubble enclosure at Blakeslee Stadium, for example, would increase usage from a dozen times a year to more than 200 days a year for many purposes, including academics, Campus Recreation and Athletics.
Todd Pfingsten, director of campus recreation, and Kevin Buisman, director of athletics, developed the proposal and will explain it to student groups over the next two months.
The proposal includes six components:
Those who have questions about the proposal should contact Todd at todd.pfingsten@mnsu.edu.
The Higher Learning Commission Accreditation Team will be on campus Monday-Wednesday, Feb. 6-8, meeting with faculty and staff members responsible for carrying out various aspects of the university's mission, and meeting with students, faculty and staff in open sessions.
HLC Steering Committee Co-Chairs Joan Roca and Don Larsson invite all employees to attend the open sessions, to welcome the HLC visitors, and to be prepared to answer any questions they may have.
You can also download the [PDF] Minnesota State Mankato self-study document (6 MiB) or view it on the Digital Resource Room website.
Those who have questions should contact Don or Joan.
Campus chaplain and adjunct instructor Rev. Timothy Berg will discuss how one voice can make the world more diverse at the prestigious Oxford Round Table in Oxford, England, in March.
Tim is the fifth faculty member invited to the internationally renowned University of Oxford event. Others who have been invited are Bikash Nandy (Health Science), Mary Bliesmer (Nursing), Ellen Mrja (Mass Communications) and Jane McConnell (Mass Communications).
The Oxford Round Table started in 1989 to examine national and international education issues in order to promote human advancement and understanding. Each year six to eight Round Table groups are convened, allowing scholars to exchange ideas about issues facing state and national education systems.
Participants are invited for their potential to make significant contributions to discussions about selected topics. Each session is comprised of a select group of leaders from public and private sectors in several countries.
If you consented to receive your W-2 Form electronically, it is now available on the Employee Self Service Web site. To access your 2005 W-2 form, follow these steps:
If you live or work outside of Minnesota, you may have a W-2 for more than one state. To access your other W-2 form(s), select "Year/State Selection" at the top of the page, and then select "View W2" for the W-2 you want to display.
If you have not consented to receive your W-2 form electronically, you can do so at any time. Sign in to the Employee Self Service site, select "Other Payroll" and then "W-2." A pop-up box will appear allowing you to consent to receive your W-2 form electronically.
Paper W-2 forms were mailed in January, per IRS guidelines, to employees who did not consent to receive the form electronically.
The Office of the Chancellor has issued an update regarding proposed changes to the Tax Sheltered Annuity (TSA/403b) Plan and the Defined Contribution Retirement (DCR) Plan.
The DCR Plan includes both the Individual Retirement Account Plan (IRAP) and the Supplemental Retirement Plan (SRP).
In brief, the Chancellor's Office recommended changes are:
The purpose of these modifications is to simplify the record-keeping process, reduce administrative costs and participant fees, and reduce the number of overlapping funds.
If the MnSCU Board of Trustees and the State Board of Investment approve the changes, they will take effect on July 1, 2006.
The full text of this most recent update, as well as the previous updates from the Office of the Chancellor, may be viewed on the Human Resources website.
You should have received new 2006 health insurance cards for yourself and each family member on your health plan.
Check your cards carefully to make sure that names are spelled correctly, that the correct primary care clinic is listed for each person, and that the correct copay is listed. If there are any problems or if you have not received insurance cards, contact your insurance carrier immediately. The phone numbers are:
Blue Cross Blue Shield: 1-800-262-0819
HealthPartners: 1-888-373-4404
PreferredOne: 1-800-997-1750
Once you have your 2006 cards and have checked them, it is a good idea to destroy old health insurance cards. The only reason you might need an old insurance card is if you have changed insurance plans. In that case, you may need the old group and ID numbers until you know that all medical claims have been resolved.
The copay printed on your insurance cards reflects a $5 increase over last year if you did not complete the Health Assessment during Open Enrollment. For example, if your primary care clinic is Level 2 in both 2005 and 2006, then your copay would be $25 this year if you did not complete the assessment, or it would remain at $20 if you did the assessment. In addition, if your primary care clinic changed cost levels in 2006, your copay might have changed.
If you think the copay on your insurance card is incorrect, contact your insurance carrier at the numbers listed above.
Minnesota State Mankato collected a record $34,189 in 2005 royalty payments from vendors who used the university's name and logotypes on garments and other items sold for profit. The 2005 royalties were 5.4 percent higher than in 2004, and 6.6 percent higher than in 2003.
The Media Relations Office oversees licensed vendors, approving, disapproving or requiring changes to each proposed design. Last year the office reviewed more than 660 designs submitted by commercial vendors. The royalty payments go to the Finance Office, and are used primarily for academic and athletic talent grants.
Employee Recognition Week is being celebrated through Saturday, Feb. 4, with contests, prizes, music and more.
The annual series of events, sponsored by the Employee Recognition Committee in conjunction with Minnesota Employee Recognition Week, celebrates the contributions of state employees. Remaining events include:
Those who want more information on each day's activities may contact Human Resources at 389-2015.
President Richard Davenport is accepting nominations of candidates for the Luoma Leadership Academy, designed to provide leadership theories, practices and skills to support leaders and prospective leaders of departments and colleges. Nominations are due in the President's Office by Friday, Feb. 3.
To encourage a broad and diverse application pool with faculty and staff participation, President Davenport encourages vice presidents, deans, directors and department chairs to submit nominations. Self nominations also will be accepted. Forward nomination forms to WA 303 or presidentsoffice@mnsu.edu. Applicants will be required to have support from their immediate supervisors and endorsement from their president or vice chancellor.
The Luoma Leadership Academy is a distinguished development program, recently named after Trustee Emeritus Jim Luoma, a great proponent of leadership development opportunities for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities employees. This year a team-based action learning project component is being added to strengthen this excellent program, and to provide experiential learning opportunities for participants. The program is inclusive and focuses on building leadership capacity for mid-level managers and leaders throughout our organization.
The program addresses the following goals:
Participants must commit to participating in two 5-day sessions and stay overnight at a metro area conference facility/hotel where all sessions will be held. Dates are set for June 18-23, 2006, and June 17-22, 2007. In the intervening year between the two residential sessions, participants will be engaged in team-based action learning projects. Graduate credit is possible for participants.
The college/university will be responsible for hotel and transportation costs, which will be approximately $950 per one-week session. We will accept up to 54 participants for the 2006-2007 year. A list of participants from the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 cohorts is available on the MnSCU Human Resources website.
Nominees will be notified and asked to complete the application form and send in a supervisor's and president's endorsement along with a reference letter. Eligible participants may include department and faculty deans, human resource directors, business managers, chief financial officers, as well as faculty and staff who aspire to future leadership positions. Again, we are looking to increase the participation of faculty and we encourage a diverse pool of nominees for the 2006-2007 Leadership Academy cohort.
For more information and for nomination and application forms, see the MnSCU Human Resources website.
The Department of Theatre & Dance opens the second half of its Mainstage Season with the atypical musical "Urinetown" Feb. 1-5 and 8-12 in Ted Paul Theatre.
"Urinetown," winner of three Tony Awards in 2002, including Best Original Score for Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis, takes place in a crippled Gotham-like industrial city in the middle of a 20-year drought. In a mad attempt to regulate water consumption, the government has outlawed the use of private toilets, causing the citizens to rebel against Caldwell B. Cladwell and his Urine Good Company
Directed by Paul Hustoles, "Urinetown" features first-year transfer student Joey Ford as Bobby Strong and Waconia native and junior BFA Musical Theatre candidate Jacleen Olson as Hope. The live orchestra is directed by Nick Wayne. The production is sponsored by Jadd Seppmann & Sons of Mankato.
Tickets are $17.50 regular admission and $16 for senior citizens, youth and groups of 15 or more. Several of the performances are sold out due to season ticket sales. The Box Office can be reached at 507-389-6661 between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., Monday-Friday. For more information visit MSUTheatre.com
Individuals with a disability who need reasonable accommodation to participate in this event should contact the Office of Disability Services at 507-389-2825 (V/TTD), 800-627-3529 or 711 (MRS/TTD) at least five days prior to the event.
A public forum on renewable energy will be held Thursday, Feb. 2, from 7-8:30 p.m. in the Heritage Room of Centennial Student Union.
The forum, coordinated by the Minnesota Department of Commerce, will be co-hosted by Jack Geller, president of the Center for Rural Policy & Development, and State Rep. Tony Cornish, a member of the Center's Board of Directors.
Mike Bull, assistant commissioner for renewable energy at the Department of Commerce, will discuss Minnesota's renewable energy programs and successes. There will be time for questions and discussion.
The Center for Rural Policy and Development, based in St. Peter, is a non-partisan, not-for-profit policy research organization dedicated to benefiting Minnesota by providing its policy makers with an unbiased evaluation of issues from a rural perspective.
The Minnesota Department of Commerce develops state energy policy, serves as the public advocate before the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, and provides energy information for energy consumers. For more, go to the Minnesota Commerce website.
Individuals with a disability who need reasonable accommodation to participate in this event should contact the Office of Disability Services at 507-389-2825 (V/TTD), 800-627-3529 or 711 (MRS/TTD) at least five days prior to the event.
"The Triumph of Human Spirit: Roseville Police Officers Respond to Hurricane Katrina" will be celebrated Thursday, Feb. 2, in the third annual "Mankato and Beyond" lecture at Minnesota State Mankato.
The discussion, free and open to students, faculty, staff and the public, will be from 10-11:30 a.m. in Ostrander Auditorium of Centennial Student Union. The annual lecture is sponsored by the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences Advisory Board.
Speakers will include Carol Sletner, a Minnesota State Mankato alumna and police chief in Roseville, Minn. Sletner, chair of the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences Advisory Board, has degrees from Minnesota State Mankato in Law Enforcement, Corrections and Public Administration. She and two Roseville police officers, Officer Alan Stefani and Sgt. Rick Wahtera, will discuss how police responded to the Katrina flooding, and will show some of the more than 1,000 photos that they took of the devastation.
After their presentation, Farid Sabongi, an urban and regional studies program faculty member at Minnesota State Mankato, will discuss New Orleans' renovation.
The lecture was planned by the advisory board's lecture series sub-committee, chaired by alumnus Tom Doering.
Individuals with a disability who need reasonable accommodation to participate in this event should contact the Office of Disability Services at 507-389-2825 (V/TTD), 800-627-3529 or 711 (MRS/TTD) at least five days prior to the event.
A day of events featuring information about Marriage Equality Day and real families will be sponsored by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Center on Tuesday, Feb. 7.
The schedule includes:
For more information contact Jessica Flatequal at jessica.flatequal@mnsu.edu or 389-6076.
Individuals with a disability who need reasonable accommodation to participate in this event should contact the Office of Disability Services at 507-389-2825 (V/TTD), 800-627-3529 or 711 (MRS/TTD) at least five days prior to the event.
The fifth annual benefit production of Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues" will be presented Wednesday, Feb. 8, and Friday, Feb. 10.
The play will be performed at 8 p.m. both days in Ostrander Auditorium, Centennial Student Union.
The play is a collection of monologues taken from the real-life experiences of women throughout the world. Playwright and activist Eve Ensler interviewed women of all races, religions and locations, and in her script recounts their relationships, their lives and their experiences as women.
The play celebrates women's sexuality, and acknowledges how that sexuality is used against women. The monologues are different each year, because Ensler regularly interviews more women and adds new material.
Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for others. Previous performances have sold out early, so students and members of the public are encouraged to get tickets early.All proceeds go to V-Day, the Blue Earth County Sexual Resource Center and the Women's Center.
V-Day is a global movement that helps anti-violence organizations continue and expand their work to stop worldwide violence against women and girls, including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation and sexual slavery. More about V-Day is at V-Day website.
Those who want more information about the event may contact Lindsay Gullingsrud at lindsay.gullingsrud@mnsu.edu or at 507-389-6146.
Individuals with a disability who need reasonable accommodation to participate in the event should contact the Office of Disability Services at 507-389-2825 (V/TTD), 800-627-3529 or 711 (MRS/TTD) at least five days prior to the event.
Writer, lecturer, editor and feminist activist Gloria Steinem will be guest speaker for the second annual Carol Ortman Perkins Lectureship and Women's History Month celebration Tuesday, Feb. 14.
"An Evening with Gloria Steinem" will start at 7 p.m. in the Centennial Student Union Ballroom. Seating is limited and tickets are required for the event. Tickets may be purchased in CSU 218 (Women's Center) and MH 109 (Women's Studies) during office hours. Advance prices for students are $3 and $8 for non-students. If available, tickets will be sold at the door to students for $5 and $10 for non-students. To reserve tickets by phone, call the Women's Center at (507) 389-6146.
Steinem travels throughout the world as an organizer and lecturer and is a frequent media source of information about equality. In 1972 she co-founded Ms. magazine, and was one of its editors for 15 years. She continues to serve as a consulting editor for Ms.
Steinem has received numerous honors, including the Penney-Missouri Journalism Award, the Front Page and Clarion awards and National Magazine awards. She also received the first Simmons College Doctorate of Human Justice award, the Bill of Rights Award from the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, the National Gay Rights Advocates Award, the Liberty Award of the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, the Ceres Medal from the United Nations, and a number of honorary degrees.
The Carol Ortman Perkins Lectureship is sponsored by the Department of Women's Studies, the Women's Center and the Carol Ortman Perkins Lectureship Fund, and is supported by student activity fees.
For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Deirdre Rosenfeld, 507-389-6146 (V), 800-627-3529 or 711 (MRS/TTY) or deirdre.rosenfeld@mnsu.edu. Another accommodation option is the Disability Services Office at 507-389-2825 (V/TTY).
Shirley Murray will provide tips on communicating with aging loved ones, getting what is needed from the health care system, and taking care of yourself while taking care of others in a brown-bag discussion with about eldercare Wednesday, Feb. 15.
The event, sponsored by the Wellness Committee, will be from noon to 1 p.m. in CSU 204.
Shirley is director of the Minnesota Area Geriatric Education Center South, director for Continuing Education of the College of Allied Health & Nursing, and director of eldercare. She has developed coursework and taught seminars in the areas of aging and caregiving.
Providing care and support to an aging loved one is challenge that requires special knowledge and skill, as well as insights about the personal dynamics of role changes and losses.
Those who want more information can contact the Minnesota Area Geriatric Education Center South office (on campus) at 507-389-5194 or email shirley.murray@mnsu.edu. You can view the center's website.
Those who want to attend the discussion should contact Ellen Pillsbury at 507-389-2068 or ellen.pillsbury@mnsu.edu.
Individuals with a disability who need reasonable accommodation to participate in this event should contact the Office of Disability Services at 507-389-2825 (V/TTD), 800-627-3529 or 711 (MRS/TTD) at least five days prior to the event.
The 2nd annual Minnesota State Mankato Relay for Life will be Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 18 and 19, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. in Myers Field House.
Everyone is invited to attend and participate. The event will feature entertainment, a disc jockey, games and food. Proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society.
The event is organized by Colleges Against Cancer, a student organization, and the American Cancer Society. Last year's event raised more than $18,000.
Those interested in participating or who would like more information should contact Colleges Against Cancer President Lexie Weibel at alexandra.weibel@mnsu.edu
Individuals with a disability who need reasonable accommodation to participate in this event should contact the Office of Disability Services at 507-389-2825 (V/TTD), 800-627-3529 or 711 (MRS/TTD) at least five days prior to the event.
Three staff members have graduated from the Academy for Leadership and Development, a college organizational leadership program. Henry Morris, Bryan Schneider and Kenneth White recently graduated from the year-long program, administered by the Maricopa Community College District in Mesa, Ariz.
The program includes two week-long, on-site training sessions, a practicum focusing on skills learned during the training, and a mentoring experience.
Academy participants implement a professional development plan that includes study of the role of the organizational leader, building effective work teams, strategic and scenario planning, conflict management, leading change, behavioral work styles, and diversity.
The Academy offers opportunities for higher education leaders to understand the latest research and theoretical developments in leadership. Participants learn theories, practices and skills needed to support their leaders, and to prepare them for positions of leadership.
Henry, Bryan and Ken were selected and nominated for the program by President Richard Davenport.
Numerous faculty and staff members were honored recently for professional achievements:
Suzanne Bunkers (English) participated in the second international multidisciplinary conference, "Beyond Camps and Forced Labor," at the Imperial War Museum, London, in January.
A paper by Kate Cady (Speech Communication) – "Postfeminism/Post-Fordism: Gender, Race, Class, and Nation in Economic Discourse" – has been accepted for presentation at the annual conference of the International Communication Association in Dresden, Germany, this summer.
Kristen Cvancara (Speech Communication) is a presenter for a symposium that will be part of the 2006 International Association of Relationship Researchers Conference in Rethymnon, Crete, July 6-10. Kristen belongs to an international research group that studies the effects of communication on close relationships.
Sheryl Dowlin (emerita, Speech Communication) and Suzanne Bunkers (English) presented a workshop, "My Story, Your Story, Our Stories: Building Respect for Personal Difference in the Classroom" at a MnSCU Center for Teaching and Learning Weekend Seminar in January.
David Laverny-Rafter (Urban & Regional Studies Institute) presented a paper, "Evaluating Urban Sustainability Plans," at the Annual Conference of the American Evaluation Association in Toronto, Canada.
Tracy Pellett (Academic Affairs) and Heidi Henschel Pellett (Human Performance) are authors of an article published in the December 2005 issue of the Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance. The article is "Helping the Struggling Physical Education Teacher Education Candidate: A Model for Intervention Assistance."
Two students were honored recently:
Beth Kern (Elementary Education) received a regional "Of the Month" award for November 2005 from the Midwest Association of College and University Residence Halls as a community advisor. Beth's nomination now moves to the national level, where she'll compete against other regional winners. "Of the Month" awards are the primary source of recognition in the National Residence Hall Association, and are intended to highlight the successes of students, advisors and programs.
Jill Lueth (Mass Communications) recently received the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves Commander's Award for coordinating the first campus Toys for Tots drive for KMSU and the Public Relations Student Society of America-Mankato Chapter. Jill is a student worker at KMSU 89.7 FM, and the station's drive brought more than 500 toys to Toys for Tots. The Commander's Award recognizes individuals for outstanding achievement in support of Toys for Tots. In the Mankato area more than 5,000 toys were distributed to 2,500 children.
Minnesota State
University, Mankato
Mankato, MN 56001
1-800-722-0544
© 2005-2013 Minnesota State University, Mankato. Minnesota State University, Mankato is a member of
Minnesota State Colleges & Universities system and an affirmative action/equal opportunity university.
