Submit items to Campus Currents - Top

The Campus Currents is distributed every Friday. If you would like to include an item in the newsletter send it to Campus Currents, Unit 9512 or by e-mail to Campus Currents. Deadline is Thursday at 8 a.m.

CSA positions open - Top

•  building manager supervisor, facilities services  
• secretary with keyboarding, College of Arts and Sciences

For additional information, review the announcement bulletin or contact the personnel office.

Resignation - Top

• Becky Dovre, food service assistant manager

Twelve BHSU faculty receive institutional research funds - Top

Twelve Black Hills State University faculty received funding for research projects from the university’s faculty research committee this past academic year.

Faculty member, research project, and funding amount are as follows: 

• Dr. Richard Gayle, Non-Linear Approximation in Mean Norms-Literature Search and Collaboration with Colleagues, $1,788;

• Dr. Audrey Gabel, Rapid Assessment of Numerous and Diverse Communities of the Black Hills for Macrofungi, $2,883;

• Dr. Thomas Cox, Historical Development of Methodological and Metaphysical Behaviorism in Russian Behavioral Science, or Psychology, $2,561;

• Dr. Steve Anderson, Laboratory Models of Lava Flow Surface Development, $2,000; 

• Dr. Amy Fuqua, Literature and Social Conscience in McClure’s Magazine: The Papers of S.S. McClure at the Lily Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, $1,217;

• Dr. Siriporn Sujithamrak, Student Attitudes Toward Courses Offered Via Video-conferencing versus Traditional Classroom Settings, $1,353;

• Dr. Christine Shearer-Cremean, The Epistemology of Police Science and the Silencing of Battered Women, $1,486;

• Dr. Charles Lamb, Functional Development of Neurons in the Taste System of Zebrafish, $2,316;

• Dr. Sharon Strand, Quilts as Non-verbal Persuasive Devices, $775;

• Dr. Ahrar Ahmad, Islam and Democracy: Text, Tradition, and History, $1,545;

• Dr. Dan Durben, Water Quality Comparison of Stock Ponds in Northern Butte County, S.D., $1,000; and

• Dr. Vincent King, Reviewing the Ezra Pound Manuscripts in Special Collections at Indiana University Library, $777.

Faculty release times were awarded to Dr. Shane Sarver for the fall 2001 term and to Dr. Timothy Hightower for the spring 2002 term.

Meeker earns marketing award - Top

An idea to shoot baskets for tuition took the right bounce for Steve Meeker, director of institutional advancement at Black Hills State, as two students cashed in on the Ballroom Blitz Tuition Shootout last January that ultimately brought recognition for the school and for the advancement director.

Meeker’s idea and the students’ hot shooting garnered him recognition from the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA) as marketing administrator of the year in the NAIA/other four-year divisions. The Yellow Jacket fundraiser recently returned from the NACMA national convention in Salt Lake City where he received the award.

The BH advancement director said, “Receiving the award itself means as much to me as any award or accomplishment I’ve received. It was a humbling experience.”

Meeker, 39, who is always on the lookout for a plan or promotion that will benefit the university picked up an idea used by other colleges where students shoot baskets during half time of the men’s basketball game. The prize was in-state tuition for a semester if a student could make a lay-up, a free throw, a three-point shot and a half-court shot in 25 seconds. What was unusual about the outcome of the contest was that the one-in-a-hundred odds of successfully completing the task happened on back-to-back nights.

The event not only got the students and fans excited but it took on a life of its own as the national media got into the game and bounced the story across the country to sports news networks, national newspapers and a regional bank magazine. They all contacted the university for film footage, photos and interviews with the hot-shooting students.

It was not just the tuition shootout that garnered Meeker recognition by the NACMA, it was his overall effort over the past 12 years promoting the university. He is always searching and investigating what other schools are doing to develop and expand their financial support beyond of the traditional tax base. He has successfully developed an annual-giving program, expanded the scholarship base for athletes and the general student population as well as gaining support form the business community through sponsorships. It was a 

sponsorship by Rushmore State Bank in Spearfish that backed the tuition shootout that ultimately led to the national publicity. 

In 1990 when Meeker became advancement director, the school’s athletic scholarship foundation was operating at a paltry $50,000 annually. Today, the Yellow Jacket Foundation operates on a budget of more than $200,000 and is growing yearly. He has raised more than $1.2 million in a city of 10,000 residents and college athletics scholarships have increased 83 percent since 1998.

Dave Little, BHSU athletic director, said of Meeker, “He has brought in a very progressive and open mind to funding for athletics and foundations. Some of his biggest successes have been because he has gone into the corporate marketing world with the idea of donations as an investment as opposed to philanthropy.”

Meeker says many of the things done at BHSU in support of athletics are done at major universities but are not often found at smaller schools. He has applied what works for them on a smaller scale at BHSU including business sponsorships, giving plans, tailgate parties, sign displays, athletic reunions, and a scholarship award from a national fast-food franchise.

He also credited the athletic director for helping to bring about the additional financial support for BHSU athletics.

“Little has helped make these concepts successful,” said Meeker.

Having just returned from the convention in Salt Lake City, Meeker is already making new plans for future funding-raising efforts, that of course will follow this month’s all-school reunion and fundraising golf tournament and sports memorabilia auction that he directs.

If the ball continues to bounce right, while Meeker juggles a full schedule of school related events, BHSU athletics may once again quadruple its funding goals by the year 2011.

BHSU student selected for summer internship with General Electric in the Netherlands - Top

Guy Longbrake, a Black Hills State University senior, is one of seven students selected from across the United States for a summer internship with General Electric in the Netherlands.  Longbrake is a chemistry major at BHSU, with minors in biology and business. 

Longbrake leaves for Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands, in early June, and will spend 10 weeks taking part in work assignments with the plastics division under the guidance of company mentors.  GE will provide a stipend, housing, and local transportation, and will sponsor extra-curricular activities for the interns.  The company’s goal in recruiting outstanding college students for internship opportunities is to encourage them to consider long-term employment with GE.

His advisor, Dr. Charles Lamb, associate biology professor, says "This experience is a great opportunity for Guy to apply his academic science training to a workplace setting.  He will get a unique chance to see how the things he has been learning at BHSU apply to the 'real' world of industrial scientific research.  It also speaks very highly of the accomplishments Guy has achieved during his academic career and of the quality of the science program at BHSU.  We are proud for him and are excited about similar opportunities in the future for our science students."

For the interns, it is a once-in-a-lifetime learning opportunity. In addition to  the working experience, Longbrake will learn to deal with passports, flight arrangements and communication across time zones, along with differences in things such as language, money, and measurements.  He plans to take a laptop with him to keep in touch with his family and friends in the states.  He thinks the opportunity will be exciting and very enlightening.

“It will be interesting to live among different cultures, and I am looking forward to the experience and knowledge I will gain from working with GE,” Longbrake said.

He is receiving some assistance for his travel expenses through the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, his family, and a co-worker at the forest service.  Other contributions are being sought by the Student Support Services program at Black Hills State University.  The internship is sponsored by General Electric Plastics Europe and the Council of Opportunity in Education. 

Longbrake is the son of Ron Longbrake of Mobridge and Carol Lynn Coleman of Scottsbluff, Neb., and is a 1993 graduate of Mobridge High School.  He and his wife, Kim, and their daughter, Nicolette, currently live in Belle Fourche.

Postal Pete's Tip... - Top
(courtesy of Hanna Swarts, BHSU mail services) 

Due to the United States Postal Service increase that begins July 1, certified letters with return receipts will cost $3.60 each  - a 20 cent increase. For additional information contact Hanna Swarts at university mail service.

Minutes of the CSA council meeting - Top

CSA Council met at Pangburn Hall, May 8, 2001, Jeanne Hanson called the meeting to order.  Those present were Deatta Chapel, Krista Schroeder, Cheri Leahy, Jeanne Hansen, Ginny Sunding, Becky Haak and Myron Sullivan.

The minutes from the April meeting were read by Becky Haak. Cheri Leahy moved to accept and Ginny Sunding seconded the motion.

Jeanne Hansen gave the treasurer’s report.  Myron Sullivan moved to accept and Cheri Leahy seconded.

Committee Reports:

Ginny Sunding gave an abbreviated report on a strategic planning meeting (hard copy is available).

Ginny Sunding reported she had four welcome bags to deliver.

Cheri Leahy gave a report on safety and facilities meeting (hard copy is available).

Old Business:
Jeanne Hanson and Cheri Leahy will follow up on Lisa Glover’s CSA logo.

CSA recognition luncheon was reported as a grand success and “thank-you’s” had been mailed to Tom Flickema, Brock Finn and Tim Johnston. Cheri Leahy will be checking with Anita Haeder to make sure we have enough watches and clocks to award next year.

New Business:
The summer picnic committee (Myron Sullivan, Carolyn Skallerud, Lynnette and Krista Schroeder) will be meeting soon.   The picnic is usually the first week in August.

Myron Sullivan reported SDSEO adopted the resolution from CSA on the N6 pay issue.   Our chapter (chapter 18) was recognized, for the second year, as “Chapter of the Year”.

Deatta Chapel made a motion to adjourn and Krista Schroeder seconded the motion.  Our next meeting will be June 12, 2001, at 9 a.m. in the Market Place.

Grant opportunities announced - Top

Below are the program materials received June 7-13 in the grants office, Woodburn 218. For copies of the information, contact our office at 642-6627 or e-mail requests to us at grants@bhsu.edu.  Fellowship information will also be posted on the Student Union bulletin board near the information desk.

• Department of Education.  Community Technology Centers Program Grant; Notice Inviting Project Applications for One-Year Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2001.  The purpose of the Community Technology Centers program is to promote the use of technology in education through the development of model programs that demonstrate the educational effectiveness of technology in low-income or economically distressed urban and rural communities.  Deadline July 16, 2001.