Dr. Titilayo Ufomata, the Associate Provost for the Office of Academic Affairs, has been appointed Provost and Dean of Faculty at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, effective July 1, 2012.
On March 14, 2012, Kentucky State University was formally accepted as a member of Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU). KSU's membership in ORAU provides prime opportunities for educational and scientific research collaborations with other Universities, private entities and governmental agencies.
Under the direction of Dr. Carolyn Carter, Director of the Center for Innovation in Teaching, Learning, and Assessment (CITLA) and Dr. Titilayo Ufomata, Associate Provost, the Office of Academic Affairs implemented the KSU Retention and Graduation Elevation Initiative (KSURGE). KSURGE is a combined University effort, which seeks to improve retention and graduation rates by giving all members of faculty and staff ownership of student success. The initial phase of the KSURGE program consisted of a roundtable discussion of faculty and staff members from each department about how to improve the educational experiences of students at KSU. The results of the initial meeting have been compiled in a report, and an implementation team has been established to carry the initiative forward.
Dr. C.T. Wright, founder and chairman for The Light of Hope Institute, which promotes human rights around the world, served as a guest speaker at the opening plenary session of the Interdisciplinary Roundtable Conference on African Studies on April 6, 2012. Dr. Wright is the former President of Chaney University. Dr. Wright has also served as President and CEO of the International Foundation for Education and Self Help, where he worked in collaboration with Rev. Leon Sullivan to engage corporations in practices that would promote social responsibility.
His Imperial Highness Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie, Chairman, The Crown Council of Ethiopia, addressed the audience at the INTERDISCIPLINARY ROUNDTABLE CONFERENCE on African Studies (SIRAS) on April 7, 2012. The topic of the conference was How Will Africa's Growing Economic Development Impact the People and the Environment?
Dr. Erin Gilles and Dr. Shannon Brogan, professors in the Division of Literature, Languages and Philosophy, have published two case studies in a 2012 organizational communication textbook titled Casing Organizational Communication. Each case study was co-written with a KSU student (L'Artis Allen and Melissa Smith).
Johanna Putoff has been appointed by Governor Beshear to the Reading Diagnostics and Intervention Grant Steering Committee. Ms. Putoff's appointment is due to her experience with public schools and higher education, and is related to her involvement with the Kentucky Education Association.