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CONNECTING JUNE. 2017
In this issue of ConnectingU - June 2017, you will find: KJHK and SUA’s Annual Farmers’ Ball Recap 8th Annual Big Event Recap Coming Soon! Roll20 E-Sports Lounge Thank You to Chancellor Gray-Little RedoYourU Press release KU Bookstore Introduces New Regalia KU Dining Wins Pair of Awards DAAD Scholarship recipient Kassandra Valles Kim Nixon Wins the Christopher M. Sowa Pride Award Director’s Corner with David Mucci Union Employee Years of Service Who is New at the U Position Changes at the U
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U
CONNECTING JUNE. 2017
HIGHLIGHTS FARMERS’ BALL
On Saturday April 15th and 22nd, KJHK 90.7 FM and Student Union Activities commenced the annual battle of the bands: Farmers' Ball. After numerous local and regional bands submitted to the competition, the public voted online for their top picks to compete in the semi-finals. Eight acts of varying genres performed at the Bottleneck on April 15th, with Gnarly Davidson, Cuee, Pale Tongue, and Hush Machine moving on to the finals. In a close competition, fans voted on their top two favorites out of the four to award outstanding cash prizes. First Place: Gnarly Davidson Second Place: Hush Machine Third Place: Pale Tongue Fourth Place: Cuee Notably the organizations were glad to see not only a diversity in submissions but also in the success of performances and the participating crowds respectively.
COMING SOON!
ROLL20 E-SPORTS LOUNGE Coming this August – The Roll20 E-Sports Lounge. This new space, featured on level 1 of the Kansas Union, is set to open in August and was made possible by a donation from Roll20. Roll20 is an online gaming company that allows for role playing gamers to take their games to the next level and was founded by three KU alumns who met in the Grace Pearson scholarship hall. With this, SUA will launch a brand new Technology and Games Committee to activate this space with tabletop gaming, online gaming and game development, and console gaming. Potential ideas for the space include gaming nights, hackathons, board game nights, and a variety of others. SUA students met with campus gamers and tech developers to gain insight and feedback into options that would make the space accessible and of greatest interest to students of all interest levels and types.
THANK YOU CHANCELLOR! Thank you, Chancellor Gray-Little, for your incredible service to KU. You will be missed. Learn more about the Chancellor's amazing contribution to the university at bit.ly/ThankYouBGL. Pictured: The Chancellor at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Central District.
PRESS RELEASE Statement concerning the #RedoYourU campaign: union.ku.edu/media-releases/2017-union-referendum
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@KUunion
KU BOOKSTORE INTRODUCES NEW REGALIA
The eighth annual Big Event at KU was held on April 8, 2017. This day of gratitude for the Lawrence community included over 2,350 students, faculty, and staff who completed over 293 projects in the Lawrence community. The day was planned by 18 student leaders with 25 committee members who worked all year long to coordinate sponsorships and logistics for this largest day of service at KU. The volunteers charged into the community with rakes, shovels, paintbrushes, and other tools after a celebratory kickoff event and motivational address given by Provost Neeli Bendapudi. The date for The Big Event 2018 will be April 14 and The Big Event’s new leadership is starting now!
From all of us here at the Union, congrats KU Class of 2017! The KU Bookstore is excited to share their all-new graduation regalia, featuring embroidered cuff KU and Jayhawk logos, pocket access, and an optional Jayhawk zipper pull. Students also have the option to purchase the new souvenir royal and red tassel to add to their collection of KU memories. You can take a closer look at the new gowns and their features at bit.ly/KUGradHQ. "My friends and I are excited to be the first to wear grad gowns with the Jayhawk and KU emblem on the sleeves. It makes them much more individual to our KU experience," said student Rachel Bennett, double major in Film and Media Studies and American Studies The Bookstore also offers a plethora of great gifts for grads, including exclusive KU luggage, home decor, diploma frames, and of course apparel.
KU DINING WINS PAIR OF AWARDS The Courtsidé Cafe in the DeBruce Center was recognized this spring for its efforts towards a more sustainable future. The KU Center for Sustainability awarded the café the Leadership Project Award, which was presented to KU Dining representatives at an awards ceremony on April 21st. On the development of Courtside Café: "Sustainability was a guiding principle from the start of the project, it permeated every part of the design, from the systems and equipment chosen to outfit the new facility to the menu design and ingredients chosen for the self-branded concepts, Sunflower BBQ Co. & the Prairie Fire Grill." Cynthia Faircloth, Manager of Courtside Café, stated that "The Courtside staff takes great care in what they do to contribute to sustainability, even though much of it is behind the scenes and goes unnoticed by our patrons. This award is a huge source of pride for myself and my staff by recognizing our efforts to be the best we can be, in the front of the house and the back to make an impact on our environment." You can learn more about this year's KU Center for Sustainability award winners at sustain.ku.edu/2017-award-recipients. Follow the Courtside Café on Twitter @KUCourtsideCafe!
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KU Dining Services also garnered another prestigious award this spring. Chef John Thompson of Ekdahl Dining competed in the NACUFS Midwest Region Culinary Challenge on March 19th and received the ACF silver medal. Great job, John!
DAAD SCHOLARSHIP
JUNE. 2017
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Kassandra Valles, Union Referendum Student Outreach Director and past SUA President, was recently awarded the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service). DAAD is the "world's largest funding organization for the international exchange of students and researchers," offering scholarships and programs for undergraduates, graduates, including Master’s degree students, doctoral students, postdoctoral scholars and faculty. Kassandra’s scholarship funds a full Master's program at an accredited German university. Kassandra will begin her program in August.
KIM NIXON WINS THE CHRISTOPHER M. SOWA FACULTY/STAFF PRIDE AWARD
Congrats to Kim Nixon, Impromptu Café manager, for receiving the Christopher M. Sowa Faculty/Staff Pride Award at SILC's Lavender Graduation on May 11th, 2017. Kim is highly deserving of this award. We are very grateful to have her on our team here at the Union. To learn more about Lavender Graduation and Kim's award, visit https://silc.ku.edu/LavGrad
DIRECTOR’S CORNER Thanks to the 2688 spring survey respondents. Your ratings and comments are invaluable in gauging our successes and shortfalls in providing campus services, programs and facilities. We are encouraged by the uptick in the ratings which suggests we were listening and acting for better results. We are very much a product of student energy and ideas as students constitute the majority of Union employees (750+) and create our program offerings (210 SUA events a year, 315,000 KJHK streamed hours, The Big Event). The Union remains student-centric in service to the campus community. - David Mucci
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JUNE. 2017
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UNION EMPLOYEE YEARS OF SERVICE
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A total of 33 Union employees were recognized for their years of service to the university by the KU Human Resources Department on May 10th, 2017. Congratulations to all, and especially to Lisa Eitner (KU Bookstore Event Coordinator) for 40 years and to Kirby Ostrander (Custodial Supervisor) for 35 years.
Mole, Linda Sue - 15 years Rials, Jeremiah - 20 years Cornwell, Brendan Ross - 5 years Eitner, Lisa - 40 years Engel, Michael - 5 years Ensz, Daniel - 10 years Faircloth, Cynthia - 10 years Fox, Whitney -15 years Fryberger, Russell - 10 years Gevara, William - 5 years Hardrick Jr., Willard - 5 years Hassinger, Marcie - 5 years Howland, Drew - 5 years Josling, Craig - 10 years Kring, Elisabeth Anne - 15 years Laughrey, William - 5 years Burbank, Joshua - 5 years
Stielow, Mathhey Wayne - 20 years Abel, Kamay Victoria - 10 years Newman, Derrick - 5 years Nichols, Patricia Christine - 5 years Nixon, Kim - 10 years Norman, Kory - 5 years Oatis, Jeffery - 5 years Ostrander, Kirby - 35 years Pattison, Jason - 5 years Simpson, Elizabeth - 5 years Spence, James - 5 years Swinney, Steven - 5 years Tang, Weiming - 10 years Tingle, Melanie - 10 years Wade, Terry Dale - 15 years Wooten, Katrina Bryn - 5 years
To see the full list of KU employees recognized, visit https://humanresources.ku.edu/2017-employee-recognition-ceremony.
POSITION CHANGES AT THE U
Congratuations to the following Union team members on their new positions! Bakery Chef Bakery Commissary Hassinger, Marcie Lynn Procurement Supervisor (Oliver Commisary & Bakery) Commissary Hopkins, Danielle Renee Supervisor (Courtside CafĂŠ) DeBruce Dining Beye, William Scott Systems Administrator Dining Service Administration Bradley, Kaprelle Blu Executive Sous Chef (Residential) Dining Service Administration Corrigan III, William E. Storekeeper Dining Service Administration Miller, Donald Glenn Administrative Assistant Dining Service Administration Reed, Jamie Michelle Assistant Director of Residential Dining Dining Service Administration Schilling, James A. Facilities Technician II Maintenance Dick, Matthew Stephan Food Service Worker (Boulevard Grill) Market Auffert, Andrew William Senior Barista (Union Roasterie) Market Perala, Sarah Priscilla General Manager Mrs E's Lake, Keith A. Display Cook Mrs E's Nice, Tyler David Cook (Hot Foods) Mrs E's Talkington, Logan Neal Display Cook (Copper Oven) Mrs E's Tuszkiewicz III, Richard John Senior Cook (Hot Foods) Mrs E's Winter, Jeffery Allen Food Service Manager North College Cafe Norman, Samantha Vaughan Senior Cook North College Cafe Turner, Joseph Denzel Cook Oliver Epps, Ke'Jauna Zhini General Manager Oliver Maranell, Mark Supervisor KU Bookstore Bandasack, Sebastian IC Catering Production Cook Production Ford, Jason Shon Catering Production Cook Production Kilgore, Jennifer Nichole Sous Chef Production Morgan, Grylyn Cardell Lead Dishwasher Production Watts, Leighton Von Derrick Senior Barista Studio Ramirez Jimenez, Gloria E Food Service Worker (Brellas/Garden Gourmet) Underground Waechter, Adam Lewis Marketing & Events Coordinator Programs Myers, Bailee Lyn Supervisor Edwards Campus Bookstore Poland, Andrew Healy Unit Manager Market Prososki, Steven E Training & Events Coordinator Dining Service Administration Reed, Jamie Michelle Senior Supervisor (Buying and Receiving) Dining Service Administration Anthony, Nathanael Jon
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WHO IS NEW AT THE U NAME
DEPARTMENT
JOB TITLE
Hopkins, Danielle Renee Jess, Eliot Nathaniel Heilman, Scott David Ingram, Jeremy Lynn Geiger, Dylan Gabriel Lu, Cassandra Marie Tsui-Ling Todd, Alexandra Jo Walz, Caitlin Rae Sahadi, Jeffrey Alan Sisson, Regan Marie Spotswood, George Sterling Haxton, Nicholas Benjamin Kendricks, Larrian Keonah Ford, Jason Shon Kearney, Marilyn Johanna Nesbitt, Brandt Arthur Johnson, Dominic Taylor Jones, Ajali Elene Sachs, Tonie Lee Ready, Sarah Ann MacFarland, Michael Jason Austin, Dominique Dimetrius Kuestersteffen, Erica Louise Nesbitt, Brandt Arthur Shirley, Keaton Lee Weeks, Garrett Allen Chandler
Oliver Custodial DeBruce Dining DeBruce Dining Dining Service Administration KU Bookstores - Operations KU Bookstores - Operations KU Bookstores - Textbooks Mrs E's Mrs E's Mrs E's Oliver Oliver Production Production Production Underground Underground Commissary Oliver KJHK Underground Mrs E's Production DeBruce Dining Underground
Administrative Assistant Custodial Worker Cook (Courtside CafĂŠ) Cook (Basketball Nutrition Center) Administrative Assistant for Systems Administrator Customer Service Manager Retail Operations Manager Course Materials Requisition Specialist Assistant Food Service Manager Senior Supervisor (Service/Sanitation) Assistant Food Service Manager Executive Sous Chef Administrative Assistant Catering Production Cook Pastry Sous Chef Catering Production Cook Pizza Hut Production Helper Cashier Commissary Manager Administrative Assistant General Manager Food Service Worker (Dishroom Helper) Cook (Service Monitor) Catering Production Cook Custodian Food Service Worker (CFA Opener)
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CONNECTING Submit your ideas via email to union@ku.edu A Marketing, Media and Programs Team member will contact you. @KUunion
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