The newsletter for the WKU community
July 31, 2019
Special Legislative Session Update
Here's a legislative update from Jennifer Breiwa Smith, Special Assistant to the President for Government and Community Relations:

Last Wednesday, the Kentucky Senate passed House Bill 1 (HB1), an act relating to the Kentucky Employees Retirement System and declaring an emergency. Governor Matt Bevin signed the bill into law shortly after passage. ( More: View HB1 )

HB1 only affects Kentucky Employees Retirement System (KERS); this bill does not affect Kentucky Teachers Retirement System. As a reminder, HB1 gives quasi-governmental agencies and comprehensive universities four options to exit KERS. The bill also includes a rate freeze in the employer contribution at the FY 2018 level.

Two options to exit KERS would freeze employee benefits at current levels, and all employees would move out of the system and into the University sponsored defined contribution plan. These options are referred to as a hard exit. WKU leadership has no intention to make a hard exit from KERS.

The other two options to exit KERS provide for tier 1 and tier 2 employees to remain in the system and continue accruing benefits. Tier 3 employees would move from KERS to the University sponsored defined contribution plan. These options are referred to as a soft exit. WKU leadership will determine if either of the soft exit options are feasible. We expect to complete this evaluation process in late spring 2020.
CLIMBING HIGHER
The Dow Jones News Fund/WKU Digital Workshop kicked off its 11 th year last week with a new curriculum to enhance the skills of eight faculty members from HBCUs. Participants were grouped in teams and produced a digital story about a health topic and how it affects diverse populations in the WKU campus community. Learn More
Ogden College receives award for NMR instrument
Ogden College of Science & Engineering has received a $304,487 award for the acquisition of a 400 MHz Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) instrument to be housed in the Department of Chemistry . The instrument has a variety of uses, including identifying and characterizing newly created compounds and observing reactions as they are occurring.
Chemistry faculty members (from left) Rui Zhang, Les Pesterfield, Kevin Williams, Larry Hill and Yongming Deng and their research students will be the primary users of the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance instrument.
Board of Regents to hold retreat, quarterly meeting
The WKU Board of Regents will hold its annual retreat at 9 a.m. Thursday in the Guillaume Executive Board Room at Augenstein Alumni Center and its third quarterly meeting at 9 a.m. Friday in the Martin Regents Room at Jody Richards Hall.
The WKU Board of Regents will hold its annual retreat on Thursday and its quarterly meeting on Friday.
Gender & Women's Studies joins English Department
WKU's English Department became the administrative home of the Gender and Women’s Studies Program on July 1. “This is a homecoming of sorts," English Department Head Rob Hale said. "In the 1980s, our faculty were instrumental in founding the annual women’s studies conference that evolved into the Gender and Women’s Studies Program in the 1990s. Dr. Katie Ward, Dr. Karen Schneider, Dr. Dawn Hall, and the late Mary Ellen Miller are among many English Department faculty members who have made significant contributions to GWS over the years. We’re very excited to be affiliated with GWS!”
Dr. Dawn Hall will lead Gender and Women's Studies for one year to integrate the program into the administrative structure, to expand outreach to students and faculty across campus, and to further develop relationships with academic departments.
Spotlight: Pre-College Strings
The WKU Pre-College Strings Program is enrolling students for Fall 2019. Early registration ends Aug. 6 at 11:59 p.m. The program offers students ages 5 to 18 the opportunity to learn the violin, viola or cello. 
2019-2020 parking permits have been mailed
WKU Parking & Transportation Services has mailed permits that were ordered online. Once you receive your new permit, please verify that the number on the letter matches the number on your permit. You may begin using your 2019-2020 permit as soon as you receive it. If you have chosen to have your permit held at will call, you may pick it up at the PTS office during regular business hours 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. Haven’t ordered your permit yet? Order now at www.wku.edu/transportation . 
Help with M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan
Attention WKU campus community: M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan  is preparing to welcome 2,200 students to campus on Aug. 19-20 and needs your help. Volunteers are needed to assist with move-in and to serve as large group facilitators for members of WKU’s Class of 2023. M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan events and activities will be held through Aug. 24. For information, contact M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan at (270) 745-2037 or  master.plan@wku.edu
Sisterhood Grant Application
The 2019 WKU Sisterhood Grant Application is now available. All applications must be received by Sept. 13. A minimum of $50,000 will be available for distribution this year. The WKU Sisterhood is a group of women affiliated with WKU who have contributed a gift of $1,000 or more to help fund WKU projects that will be selected by members of the organization at their annual meeting in October.
Help with Topper Directions
The start of the semester is just around the corner, which means it’s time for members of the campus community to sign up for Topper Directions. Tents will be set up to provide students with bottled water, campus maps and directions during the first and second days of the 2019 fall semester Aug. 26-27. Sign up online by Aug. 19; assigned spots and times will be sent on Aug. 21.
Topper Directions locations: Aug. 26 -- Guthrie Tower, Jody Richards Hall, Centennial Mall, Between Gatton Academy and Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center, Hardin Planetarium; Aug. 27 -- Guthrie Tower, Between Gatton Academy and Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center, Hardin Planetarium
Food for Thought: 'The Coach Diddle Story' on Sept. 18
WKU Coach E.A. Diddle had a gift for spotting unpolished talent and molding them into outstanding athletes who often exceeded expectations. No one experienced this more than his student athletes. The community is invited to explore the life and legacy of Coach Diddle through the Society for Lifelong Learning September Food for Thought event on Sept. 18 at the Augenstein Alumni Center.
View from the Hill
The practice of basket weaving has been used in cultures around the world for thousands of years. In addition to landing a national basket conference, WKU is hosting an impressive basket exhibit as WKU’s Amy Bingham shows us in the View from the Hill .
August
1
Thursday
Knicely Conference Center Open House

The Knicely Conference Center will host a ribbon cutting and open house for renovations of the West Lobby and Ballroom at 3 p.m. at the Knicely Center's West Entrance. More Info
August
3
Saturday
WWE Live at Diddle Arena

WWE Live SummerSlam Heatwave Tour will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Diddle Arena. More Info
August
4
Sunday
WKU PBS Pool Party

The annual WKU PBS Pool Party will be held from noon to 5 p.m. at the Russell Sims Aquatic Center, 2303 Tomblinson Way, Bowling Green. More Info
Western Kentucky University 
1906 College Heights Blvd. 
Bowling Green, KY 42101