August 2, 2006 Talking Points

From the Office of University Communications

Greetings. This is the first issue of a monthly update on topics, news, and tidbits of interest to KU Communicators. The goal is to keep those of us on the front lines of university communications better plugged into what's happening at KU and better acquainted with our colleagues.

I'll soon be sending you a schedule of KU Communicators meetings for the fall semester. Rosita McCoy, senior vice president for communications at KU Endowment, has kindly offered to let us use meeting space at Endowment as well as its ample parking. University Communications — new name for the office formerly known as External Affairs — will host regular working lunches and other sessions on news, marketing, event planning, professional development topics and more. Provost Richard Lariviere has agreed to meet with us during one of the fall sessions. Stay tuned for the schedule.

Feel free to email me any news of interest for the next "Talking Points." And if you have a chance, drop by and say hello to me at 230 Strong Hall.

--Lynn Bretz, director of University Communications

A more robust online calendar. Deans, directors and chairs will receive an email this week asking them to designate an official online calendar administrator for their units to update information for the university's online calendar of events .

After registering, the designated calendar administrators will be able to directly and immediately post on the calendar website information about their units' public events on campus.

The upgraded website also will permit posting of photos, PDFs and other documents related to events. A list-proc will be created for calendar administrators to keep them informed of system changes and other information of interest to event planners. The upgrade is a joint effort of Information Services and University Relations.

KU Communicators will receive an FYI copy of the notice to deans, directors and chairs.

U.S. News rankings coming up. Embargoed sections of the 2007 edition of U.S. News' "America's Best Colleges" are supposed to arrive Wednesday, Aug. 16, at University Relations.

This is the U.S. News ranking that evaluates undergraduate programs (not to be confused with the spring "America's Best Graduate Schools," which concentrates on law, medicine, and graduate programs, and in which KU does exceptionally well.)

"Best Colleges" information is embargoed for media until 12:01 a.m. Friday, Aug. 18. University Relations produces a university-wide press release announcing the new rankings and may contact some of you for assistance in producing the release. Contact Todd Cohen if you would like copies of the rankings — in PDF form — in advance of the release. The magazine will appear on news stands Aug. 21.

Regardless of how KU fares in this U.S. News issue, keep in mind that it is just one indicator of how universities compare. KU performs very well in other rankings and measures of success (e.g., Fiske Guide to Colleges; the number of National Merit scholars, Rhodes scholars and other major fellowship winners at KU; KU's nationally prominent participation in Study Abroad and other markers of an internationalized campus; to name just a few areas.) You can help the university keep the public aware of KU faculty, staff and student achievements. Contact University Relations when your department has news.

Review the photo Web library. University Relations requests that you review your unit's photos on the photo Web library . The library showcases the best recent images of KU people, places, and events. Its goal is to reflect KU's beautiful, diverse, and supportive nature, not to provide news or historical photographs.

To review the photos representing your area, use the navigation bar on the left side of the main page. Email kuphotos@ku.edu if you see anything that should be removed for any reason, or you find no photos, or you have suggestions. Please mention "photo Web library survey" in your email.

Top minority scholar nominations. Diverse Magazine, formerly Black Issues in Higher Education, is collecting nominations for its special section in January called "Top 100 Emerging Scholars." The magazine is looking for "standout, stellar minority scholars in a variety of disciplines" who are either doing groundbreaking, unique research or have been recognized for outstanding teaching or mentoring. The magazine says ideally they should be at the assistant or associate professor level and under 40 -- "up and coming scholars, not those that are already really well known, but those that are showing great potential." If you know of a KU faculty member who fits this criteria, please contact Todd Cohen in University Relations before the end of August.

An interested constituency. The KU Lawrence campus has many retirees who hold an active interest in the activities of the university and especially the departments in which they worked. University Communications asks that as you update your departmental or unit newsletter mailing lists, please make sure you are current with retiree names. The provost's office has a list of retirees by departmental affiliation in addition to mailing addresses. Contact Brandi Wills for assistance.

Be there, State Fair. You still have time to volunteer for a shift at the KU information booth at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson, Sept. 8-17. Although you arrange your own travel, the university will provide hotel accommodations for those who need to stay overnight, free admission to the fair, and a special KU T-shirt. Some departments will pay mileage for fair volunteers' travel. If you haven't had a chance to see the fair and you enjoy representing KU to the public, don't miss this opportunity. Email Margey Frederick at for details on how to volunteer.

'Paid for by KU' expires. The 2006 Kansas Legislature did not re-enact the requirement for advertising taglines ("Paid for by KU") when state funds are used. Purchasing has notified the campus that any advertisement ordered for publication on or after July 1 does not have to use the phrase.

New look Oread. The Oread will unveil a new design in its first fall semester issue, Aug. 21. The Oread schedule for the academic year is attached to this email. Contact Oread editor Mike Krings if you have story or photo ideas or want to contribute news from your area.

Car decals, standards manual tune up. The new KU logo will begin appearing on official university vehicles this fall. The Graphic Identity Standards manual is being updated and should be ready by September. The manual exists there as a PDF document. If you would find it more useful to have the standards manual on three-hole punched pages, please email David Johnston, director of marketing. David would like to know.

Staff achiever tip. Paula Naughtin alerted University Relations when School of Education staff member Becky Saathoff represented Douglas County at the National Special Olympics. A reception and presentation for Becky in front of the school's faculty and staff was arranged in cooperation with the provost and chancellor's offices. See the story which School of Ed put on its website and UR repurposed as a feature on www.ku.edu. Thanks for the head's up, Paula!

Comings & goings

Christie Appelhanz to assistant to the dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in March. Christie replaces Nancy Lott, who left for a marketing position with the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. A KU graduate with a journalism degree in business communications, Christie previously was communications director for Congressman Dennis Moore. She also has been a business reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal and handled media relations for Kansas Action for Children. Christie was a Peace Corps volunteer in Poltava, Ukraine, where she taught economics to high school students and trained nongovernmental organizations how to deal with the media.

Todd Cohen to interim director of University Relations. Cohen, who has been UR associate director for news and public issues since 2002, succeeds Lynn Bretz, who was named KU's director of University Communications in July. Cohen was UR assistant director from 1999 to 2001 and Oread editor from 1998 to '99. Before that he worked at several newspapers in Washington State. He holds a bachelor's degrees in journalism and political science from KU and a master's in public administration from the University of Washington.

Erin Curtis-Dierks, communications coordinator for the School of Fine Arts, will soon take 12 weeks of maternity leave. Filling in half-time for her will be Kelly Bietka, interim Public Information Officer/Communication Coordinator. Kelly's email is

Robin Bedenbaugh will start Aug. 21 as Web Communications Manager for University Relations. Robin comes to KU with eight years of experience as an information architect and editor, including working as a product manager/information architect with Knight Ridder Digital, where she helped Knight Ridder develop a coordinated web content and strategy for 32 subsidiary newspapers.

Robin also developed the web site for Sportissimo sports apparel company and has been a community college instructor teaching about data communications and networking. She holds a bachelor's degree in English from Clemson University and a master's in library and information science from the University of South Carolina. She currently is an online communications manager and information architect for Symantec Corp.

Jane Cigard to publications coordinator for the School of Law where she produces KU Law Magazine. Jane formerly was publications manager for the Lied Center. Jennifer Colaner, former event planner for the law school, left earlier this year.

Amy Leigh Beecher to publications manager for the Lied Center. Amy Leigh formerly was marketing coordinator for Student Health Services and Recreational Services.

Bill Myers is now director of assessment for Information Services; he previously was director of development for University Libraries. Bill's office will be in 223 Strong Hall, the Vice Provost for Information Services office suite.

David Cook, assistant vice chancellor for external affairs, is covering the bases as interim director for University Relations at the KU Medical Center in the absence of former director Kate Lee, who left in June to pursue other interests.

Peg Sampson to outreach coordinator for Audio Reader. Peg formerly was the A-R development director. This fall Peg will begin working to establish relationships with librarians and senior centers across the state.

Jackie Hosey to interim associate director for University Relations to oversee UR's News and Public Issues division. A Missouri graduate, Hosey worked nine years as a reporter, photographer and editor at several newspapers in Arkansas, Nevada and Kansas. More recently she was director of publications for Baker University in Baldwin City and publications coordinator for the KU School of Law.