Kays Foundation Grants for 2008-09 announced The Board of Directors of  the Kays Foundation today announced grants to ASU's Department of Music and to the Department of Computer Science. The two proposals chosen for 2008-09 funding will support Department of Music chair Dr. Tom O'Connor, in the purchase of Sousaphones for the ASU Marching Band ($27,887) and Department of Computer Science associate professor Dr. E. T. Hammerand for equipment upgrades for the BEST Robotics Competition and expansion of numbers of participating school teams in the competition ($2,550). The Kays Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation supporting ASU by providing grants to support faculty, staff, departments, colleges, or other entities in order to further the teaching, research, and service goals of Arkansas State University. For details, visit the Kays Foundation. Faculty seminar on campus safety slated for this week A faculty seminar, "I Feel Safe: A Discussion on Campus Safety," will be Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 23-24, from 3:30-5 p.m., in the Student Union Auditorium. The seminar features duplicate sessions and is sponsored by Academic Affairs and Research and Student Affairs. Chancellor Potts and Dr. Louella Moore will welcome faculty, and Dr. Dan Howard will provide concluding remarks. For details, contact Nikki Adams, Academic Affairs and Research, ext. 2030, or Laura Cremeens, Student Affairs, ext. 2048. Chancellor Potts supports 'Biggest Loser' program Chancellor Robert L. Potts has announced that the Department of Wellness & Health Promotion will provide a 15-week "ASU Biggest Loser" program beginning today.The program is designed to encourage healthy weight loss and is available to ASU employees and spouses. Participants will be provided with some weight loss guidance throughout the program and will have an opportunity to team up with others who desire to lose weight. Learn more about this program at the Biggest Loser web site. Dr. Green's grad students improve campus sustainability Graduate students in Dr. Steven Green’s Environmental Sustainability class looked for and found ways to make an impact on the environmental sustainability of the ASU campus. Three teams focused on three plans involving the issues of plastic bottle recycling; lighting management in offices, classrooms, and labs; and incandescent lighting in residence halls. Proposals were submitted to the campus recycling committee, facilities management administrators, and residence life administrators. Implementing the proposed projects will make campus more environmentally sustainable by diverting tens of cubic yards of plastic bottles from landfills, reducing ASU's carbon dioxide footprint, and saving tens of thousands of dollars each year. For details, contact Dr. Steven Green at ext. 3463. Dr. Ogendi elevated to Senior Fellow status with ELP Dr. George Morara Ogendi, Environmental Geology, recently became a Senior Fellow with the prestigious Washington D.C.–based Environmental Leadership Program (ELP)after successfully completing a two-year training period as an ELP National Fellow. The ceremony took place in December at Kirkridge Retreat Center, Pennsylvania. The training program is geared towards equipping fellows with leadership skills for engaging governments, the private sector, and civil society in environmental education and policy formulation for sustainable use of natural resources. The ELP nurtures a new generation of environmental leaders characterized by diversity, innovation, collaboration, and effective communications. The training components included appreciative leadership, movement building, conflict management and resolution, negotiation, public speaking, media and communication planning, network building, and diversity. Back to the top