Submit items to Campus Currents - Top

The Campus Currents is distributed every Friday. To submit an item 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

The following Career Service positions are open:

• food service worker, dining services
• secretary with keyboarding, business office

Teachers study light and color at CAMSE workshop - Top

Teachers from six school districts put on special spectrum glasses and discovered that mixing different colors of light is not the same as mixing different colors of paint at a one-day color-mixing workshop hosted by the Black Hills State University Center for the Advancement of Mathematics and Science Education (CAMSE). 

The workshop, led by Dr. Andy Johnson, associate director of CAMSE, provided an opportunity for the teachers to systematically observe what happens when light passes through colored filters and when lights of different colors combine. The teachers improved their understanding of color addition and subtraction and found out how the structure of the human eye determines color perception.  

At first glance the topic of color seems quite basic, but in fact it is surprising how little most people really know about light. Thus, these activities give almost everyone an opportunity to think scientifically about a topic that is at the same time very familiar and very new to them," Johnson said.  

He has plans to offer a more extensive teacher workshop on more aspects of light in early June.

This workshop was offered as part of the university’s Black Hills Science Teaching (BLAHST) project which was established with the goal of improving science education in kindergarten through eighth grade in eight regional school districts.  More information on the BLAHST project is available on the web or by calling Janet Briggs at 642-6875.

Accounting students to provide tax preparation assistance - Top

Accounting students at Black Hills State University will be available beginning Monday, Feb. 4 to help area residents with income tax return preparation through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. 

The Internal Revenue Service and the BHSU College of Business and Technology sponsor the VITA program. Student preparers have received IRS training and passed an IRS prepared exam.

a.m.  Messages can be left at other times on voice mail.  Taxpayers should come to Jonas 230 on the BHSU campus for their appointment.

VITA offers free assistance to those who file Form 1040EZ, Form 1040A, or a basic Form 1040 federal tax return.  Electronic filing is also available at no charge.  There is no restriction regarding income levels.  VITA volunteers do not do business returns or state returns.  Taxpayers who have complicated returns should contact professional tax preparers.

Taxpayers should bring this year’s tax package, wage and earnings statement (Form W-2) from all employers, interest statements from banks (Form 1099), a copy of last year’s tax return, if available, and other relevant information about income, and expenses.

AFLAC interviews at BHSU for sales and marketing positions - Top

A job placement representative from AFLAC will be interviewing on the BHSU campus Thursday, Feb. 21, 2002, for full-time sales and marketing positions in western South Dakota and eastern Wyoming.

The AFLC representative will interview any degree area, but sales, marketing, and communication skills are key requirements of the position. Individuals with some business 

and entrepreneurial interests and skills will also be considered.

Interested individuals should sign up at the BHSU Career Center at the Miller Student Union and have updated resumes. Interview times are available on a first-come basis. 

For information contact the BHSU Career Center at (605) 642-6277.

Students encouraged to participate in SHED days - Top

Black Hills State University students will join university students from across the state in the annual Student for Higher Education (SHED) Days in Pierre.

BHSU students travel to the state capital Feb. 10-12 to lobby the state Legislature in support of higher education issues. All BHSU students 

are encouraged to attend. Applications are available at the student senate office in the David B. Miller Yellow Jacket Student Union. Deadline for applications is Feb. 1.

For more information contact Heather Murschel at 722-9785.

Pew Trust supports university student opinion survey - Top

Students at Black Hills State University as well as students at other state universities will be receiving a survey questionnaire from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Supported by the South Dakota Board of Regents, the survey will seek student opinions regarding their higher education experience. Survey information will be sent to students by letter or by email or both.

Just what makes for a really good undergraduate experience? Rankings in magazines are based mostly on what students were like when they started college-their entrance exam scores or high school class rank. The rankings also emphasize what institutions have numbers of faculty members, library books, computer terminals, and so forth.  Oddly enough, what matters most to student learning—what they do with the resources their school provides—gets little attention.  The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) focuses on the things that are really important to a high quality undergraduate education: what students do and what they say about their experience.

Over the next few months randomly selected first-year and senior students at Black Hills State University and about 365 other colleges and universities across the nation will share their views by completing a short survey called The College Student Report 2002. The report takes students less than 15 minutes to 

complete via either the paper or web version. The questions are about how and where students spend their time, the nature and quality of their interactions with faculty members and peers, and what they have gained from their classes and other aspects of their college experience. All these activities are directly related to desired outcomes of college.  For this reason, the survey is like an anonymous suggestion box. The results get the attention of people who can make changes for the better. Among the other groups that are interested in what students say about their experience are governing boards, state agencies, and prospective students

The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) is supported by a grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts and is cosponsored by the Pew Forum on Undergraduate Learning and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The results from the NSSE survey are being used to help colleges and universities improve undergraduate education by providing valuable information about student engagement in learning and learning outcomes. The Pew Charitable Trusts is a philanthropic organization that is supporting the project as a public service to your school and others colleges and universities.

Johanna Meier to perform at fundraiser for Summer Institute of the Arts - Top

Famed soprana Johanna Meier will perform for a Valentine scholarship fundraiser for the Black Hills Summer Institute of the Arts Saturday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. at the Matthews Opera House in Spearfish.

“From the Heart of Spain” will feature Meier singing Spanish folk songs about dance, love and lullaby by Manuel de Falla (canciones populares espanolas). This concert is Meier’s only public performance this year.

International star of the opera and concert stage, Meier has been a leading soprano with the Metropolitan Opera and countless major opera houses and orchestras throughout the world. “From the Heart of Spain” will also feature performances by guitarists Christopher Robin Johnson, the Rushmore Orchestra, Spanish dancers and special mystery guests. Tapas (hors d’oeuvres) and dessert bar will be served.

Reservations are required and can be made by calling 642-6420. Cost is $25 per person donation. Gala dress is recommended.  

Proceeds of this fundraising event underwrite the student scholarship program of the Black Hills Summer Institute of the Arts-Vocal Arts/Opera Theater workshop which will be held June 17-30. Now in its fifth year, this program, under the artistic direction of Johanna Meier, offers students exposure to the highest level of voice training and performance experience in a workshop format. Hosted by Black Hills State University, this vocal arts program encourages students to stretch their creative potential with emphasis on individual expression.

For more information contact Laura Hovey Neubert at 341-5714 or 642-6420.

Speaker and author promises students good grades  - Top

National award winning speaker and author, Joe Smith, communications professor at the University of West Florida, will speak to BHSU students about “acing college” Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. in the Jacket Legacy Room of the David B. Miller Yellow Jacket Student Union.

Smith makes an unusual claim for students who attend his presentation “Tricks of the Grade: Street-smart Strategies for Acing College.” He promises to pay students $100 for any course in which they receive a “C” grade or lower after hearing his message.  

Martin persisted in pursuing his college degree, ultimately being voted “Student of the Year” at his university and graduating at the top of his

class by the age of 20. Martin credits his academic success to ten strategies he calls “Tricks of the Grade.”

His book “Tricks of the Grade: Street-smart Strategies for Acing College,” is popular among college students across the country.  The success of the book and lectures have garnered professor Martin national recognition. In 1999 APCA honored Martin as their national “Campus Speaker of the Year,” as voted by college students across the country.

Election notice for state retirement system - Top

The South Dakota Retirement System announces an election notice for all members of the retirement system.

Nominations for a classified employee representative on the South Dakota Retirement System Board of Trustees, for the four-year term beginning July 1, 2002, will be received by the administrator, pursuant to the provisions of SDCL 3-12-48.

Nominations of a candidate must be made by petition subject to the following conditions:

Signed by at least 20 members from the same group as the candidate (classified employees):

Petitions may be signed only by currently contributing and terminated vested members.

Petitions shall be on file in the administrator’s office no later than 5 p.m. Feb. 25, 2002.

Petitions forms may be secured from the South Dakota Retirement System, P.O. Box 1098, 216 East Capitol, Pierre, SD  57501-1098.

To inform the voters about the candidates, a special Election Issue of Outlook is prepared and mailed with the ballots.  Candidates who would like information about themselves included in Outlook should submit the following with their petitions:

Recent photo (black & white preferred) and a typewritten biographical sketch and/or statement of candidacy. The biographical sketch and/or statement of candidacy will be printed without editing provided the total word count, excluding articles, does not exceed 200 words.

CSA council is selling daffodils for cancer society - Top  

The BHSU Career Service Act Advisory Council is now selling flowers as a community service project for the American Cancer Society’s Daffodil Days.

Daffodils can be purchased from any CSA council representative for $6 for 10 daffodils, or $1/each individually or in bunches of less than 10. Council members will also be taking orders for Gift of Hope bouquets for $15.  Payment is requested in the form of cash or checks made payable to BHSU CSA Council. All monies collected from the sale of daffodils will be donated to the American Cancer Society.

Orders and payment are due by Feb. 14. The daffodils placed in water will open for a beautiful display of spring color. Customers are requested to have their own vases ready to receive the daffodils on March 11.  

A list of CSAC representatives is available on the web. Questions can also be directed to any CSA representative, to CSA President Nancy Shuck, or to Cheryl Leahy as CSA’s liaison with the American Cancer Society.

High school and college track meets scheduled at the Young Center Friday and Saturday - Top

Two indoor track and field meets are scheduled at the Black Hills State University Young Center Feb 1 & 2.

The Alpine Impressions/BHSU High School Indoor Invitational will begin Friday at 3:30 p.m. with the field events to be followed by the running events starting at 4:30 p.m.

The entry fee is $5 per athlete. Events winners will be given t-shirts. High school coaches should notify BHSU officials as to the number of athletes they expect to bring to the meet.

Black Hills State will host the Yellow Jacket Collegiate Invitational the following day, Saturday, Feb. 2. Field events will get underway at 10 a.m. and the running events will begin at 11 a.m. Teams entered include BHSU, Chadron State, Dickinson State,

University of Mary and S.D. Tech.

A special attraction at the colligate meet will be the 10^th annual Alumni Mile set to be run at 1:30 p.m. The event features a number of former Yellow Jacket greats who will return to their alma mater to display their mature running style. The event was created for BH track alumni to show their support for university’s running programs and to award an Alumni Mile scholarship to a deserving Yellow Jacket athlete. Information regarding the Alumni Mile is available by contacting Jim Glazer, Class of ’82, at (952) 894-9343.

Minutes of the University Assessment Committee meeting - Top

Minutes of the University Assessment Committee for Tuesday, Sept. 29 in Woodburn Conference Room 1 at 3:30 p.m.

Present:  Siewert, L. Turner, Schamber, Earley, Pearce, J. Miller, Altmyer, Isaac Olson, Valades. Absent: Cook, Haislett, Myers, Calhoon.

Discussion about the proposed draft of how to write annual report - chair agreed to resend the draft to all members.

Pearce announced that SDSMT was having an assessment conference on April 9 and April 16^th. The BHSU Bush Grant would pay for

expenses. Interested faculty should contact her about attending.

Discussed the Pearce-Schamber scoring rubric. Modifications were made and the rubric was approved.  This will be used with reviewing the annual reports.

Reviewed and approved the annual report on math.

Agreed to meet Feb. 5 at 3:30 p.m. in Woodburn Conference Room 1 to review political science, sociology, mass communications, and communication arts.

Instructional improvement grants available - Top

The Instructional Improvement Committee (IIC) encourages, through monetary grants, the application of existing knowledge to specific teaching situations to improve the quality of instruction at BHSU.

Any full-time faculty member, full-time adjunct faculty, or other full-time staff member engaged in student instruction may apply for grant funds administered by the committee. Grant funding will normally be available up to a maximum of $1,000 per project. Priority will be given to projects that will have a broad-based, visible, continuing impact of instruction across faculty members and/or disciplines. Funds are available for development of materials and methods to improve teaching and learning, equipment to enhance teaching and learning, travel to conferences or workshops which enhance teaching and learning, and bringing consulting lecturers and teaching specialists to 

campus to offer presentations to and/or with faculty and teaching-support staff at BHSU. 

Faculty members who apply for grants to support travel to a conference or workshop are limited to receiving no more than one grant every three years.  In the other categories, priority will be given to those who have not received an IIC grant in the last academic year.  

Faculty research funds available - Top  

It is anticipated that successful applicants will request support for faculty release time, research equipment, travel to research sites or research support for the production of creative work. Preference is given to new applicants, particularly in the areas of education, business, social sciences and humanities. The next 

The applicants are encouraged to contact the committee members for advice prior to completing their proposals. The members are John Alsup, Steve Anderson, Lyle Cook, Tom Cox, Abdollah Farrokhi, chair; Jim Hess, Kathleen Parrow, Shane Sarver, and Rob Schurrer. 

Grants opportunities announced - Top

Below are the program materials received Jan. 17-30 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.

• NASA.  Precollege Achievement of Excellence in Mathematics, Science.  The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is seeking applications to develop broad collaborative precollege achievement of excellence (PACE) programs in mathematics, science and technology education that reach out to K-12 students.  Deadline(s):  Feb. 28 for optional letters of intent; April 12 for proposals.

This week at Black Hills State University - Top

Campus Calendar

This calendar is also available on the BHSU homepage quick links.