Latest news with #KSU
Deccan Herald
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
Karnataka High Court quashes appointment of Dr BK Meera as acting VC of Maharani Cluster University
Justice R Nataraj observed that the discretion vested with the Chancellor does not mean that he can appoint any person other than a Dean/Director as the acting Vice-Chancellor as provided under section 16 (2) of Karnataka State Universities Act (KSU) Act.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kennesaw State students protest at regents offices over the end of Black studies, philosophy majors
KSU students and others protest outside the University System of Georgia offices in Atlanta over the end to majors including Black studies and philosophy. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder Dozens of Kennesaw State University students and others gathered outside University System of Georgia offices in Atlanta Wednesday to ask the Board of Regents not to eliminate majors in Black studies, philosophy and technical communication. The university announced last month that it plans to eliminate the three majors, citing low enrollment numbers. Kennesaw State University spokeswoman Tammy DeMel said the programs did not meet the graduation standards required by all majors. 'Undergraduate programs are expected to maintain a three-year rolling average of at least 10 graduates per year. The Black Studies major has a three-year graduation average of 5.7 degrees per year, while Philosophy averages 6.3 and Technical Communications 7.7,' DeMel said. 'The programs underwent a multi-year remediation process, which included annual improvement plans focused on increasing enrollment,' she added. 'As the required benchmarks were not met, the University deactivated these programs.' DeMel said the school will ensure current students majoring in those subjects will have the opportunity to complete their degrees, and courses from those subjects will continue to be offered as minors or electives. That wasn't much comfort for students outside the offices Wednesday, some of whom disputed the university's numbers. Students characterized the move as preemptively folding to pressure from the state and federal governments. President Donald Trump's administration has threatened to investigate and withhold federal funding from universities that promote 'diversity, equity and inclusion.' Kennesaw State has been moving forward with plans to shut down resource centers for groups like LGBTQ students and students of color. The Georgia Senate passed a bill this year that would have banned DEI programs and policies from all state public schools and universities, but the measure did not get a vote in the House. Simran Mohanty, a third-year KSU student majoring in sociology on the pre-law track, said philosophy classes have prepared her to study law. 'Philosophy helps a lot with critical and analytical thinking,' she said. 'You typically have a lot of readings to do, so you have to be able to critically analyze the readings, which is really good for pre-law students who need to read legal briefs or long case documents such as that, and it also helps to have analytical thinking of being able to analyze those readings and apply it to real-world context, practical context. So philosophy has been monumental in my studies.' KSU student Jacob Waller, who is seeking a double major in philosophy and psychology, said he fears doing away with the majors would prevent students who want to dip their toes in the field from doing so. 'You're cutting institutional support to the major so that all of the rigor and the quality of the classes as it is currently – which is very incredible due to our four professors, we only have four people in the department but they're all incredible and work very hard to make sure that the sanctity of the space is preserved – the quality of those classes is going to diminish significantly by getting rid of the major because you're cutting most of the systemic support for it.' Stephan Sellers, a third-year mechatronics major who has taken philosophy and Black studies courses, said they have been some of the most important of his college career. 'Those courses teach us not only who we are, but the history of our diaspora from the African continent,' he said. 'And those studies also teach us that we have a voice, we have power, and so with these studies being taken away, I can see that some of the students coming in will miss out on very vital parts of their education.' The Georgia Board of Regents is set to meet Thursday, but a vote on the majors is not scheduled on the agenda. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Kent State Ashtabula graduates spring class
ASHTABULA — Amanda Good shared an amazing story of resiliency detailing her life through recovery to Kent State Ashtabula graduation Thursday evening during commencement exercises in the school's gymnasium. Good, a 2008 graduate of Lakeside High School, represented the class and shared how chemical dependency delayed college for her on several occasions, but also put her on a road to help others. 'I am in remission for multiple substance abuse disorders,' she said. She said she is proud to be a part of the first class of Kent State Ashtabula students to earn a Bachelor of Social Work degree, and plans to continue to work as a licensed chemical dependency counselor and social work assistant in addition to her roles as mother, aunt, sister and daughter. 'Who you were, who you are and who you will become are three different people,' she said. Gina Carlucci, of Conneaut, was busy taking selfies during the procession but was ready for the big night. '[I am] nervous but excited to be here with my friends,' she said. Jason Tirotta, manager of strategic communications and marketing for KSU regional campuses, said the planning for a graduation usually begins right after the last one is complete. He said there were about 100 graduates this spring, with 62 walking across the stage. He said 62 was the largest number of students participating in graduation since the coronavirus pandemic. Tirotta said the management staff does a great job of coordinating all the people participating and making sure everyone knows where to be. Kent State University Ashtabula Dean and Chief Administrative Officer R. William Ayers IV greeted students and their families. He thanked families for all the sacrifices they made to help students to the culmination of this phase of their education. He also thanked the students for all of their input into the lives of others while at the Kent campus as they juggled work and family obligations. Ayers also thanked Andrew Luoma, a long-time member of the school's IT department, for his work. Heather Tulino was honored with the Community Service Award for her creation of a non-profit organization entitled Adam's Angels, which assists the homeless. She was unable to attend because she was also receiving a lifetime achievement award for her work at the Cleveland Clinic. Staci Hall was honored with the Roger T. Beitler Distinguished Former Student award. Hall worked for the past 10 years in the charitable food network in a variety of ways. She said she hopes students use all they learn as they go out into their future endeavors.
Leaders
06-05-2025
- Business
- Leaders
SAMI-AEC Sponsors Best Graduation Project Award at King Saud University
SAMI Advanced Electronics Company (SAMI-AEC), a subsidiary of Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI), has once again demonstrated its commitment to developing national talent by sponsoring the Best Graduation Project Award at King Saud University (KSU) for the 26th consecutive year. This enduring partnership reflects SAMI-AEC's dedication to fostering local innovation and advancing engineering and technological excellence among Saudi youth. The awards honored top-performing students from KSU's College of Computer and Information Sciences, College of Engineering, and the Department of Electrical Engineering. Winners were recognized across three categories: the Scientific Advancement Award for the best graduation project, the Excellence Award for top academic performance, and the Creativity Award for the most innovative idea. These accolades aim to encourage academic excellence, innovation, and the practical application of technology to solve real-world challenges. SAMI-AEC SAMI-AEC CEO Eng. Ziad Al-Musallam expressed pride in supporting future generations of Saudi innovators. He emphasized that, as the Kingdom transitions to a knowledge-based, technology-driven economy, investing in youth education and innovation is both essential and strategic. He noted that the sponsorship aligns with SAMI-AEC's broader mission to contribute to Saudi Arabia's industrial and technological independence under Vision 2030. King Saud University Dr. Abdullah Al-Salman, Acting President of King Saud University, praised the longstanding collaboration with SAMI-AEC, recognizing its pivotal role in promoting academic excellence and fostering a culture of creativity. He thanked the company for its continued support in building a knowledge-driven society. A joint committee from SAMI-AEC and KSU reviewed over a dozen graduation projects submitted by the class of 2024. The awards ceremony was attended by senior executives, university faculty, and students. Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Riyadh, SAMI-AEC has become a national leader in electronics manufacturing and advanced technology solutions. Finally, the company supports Vision 2030 by building local capabilities, driving innovation, and empowering Saudi youth to lead the Kingdom's technological evolution. With a workforce exceeding 3,659 employees—85% of whom are highly qualified Saudi professionals, including over 1,500 engineers and certified experts—SAMI-AEC continues to be a key driver of Saudi Arabia's innovation ecosystem. Related Topics : SAMI to Unveil Saudi-Made Defense Innovations at IDEX 2025 in Abu Dhabi Saudi and French companies Sami and Thales are signing an agreement to establish a joint entity Al-Khorayef Discusses Boosting Industrial, Mining Cooperation with Tunisia, Tajikistan Governor of Monsha'at Congratulates Leadership on State Budget Announcement Short link : Post Views: 1
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
A transgender professor at Kansas State University is suing for discrimination
A transgender faculty member at Kansas State University alleged the university created a hostile environment and did not provide medical accommodations. Associate professor Harlan Weaver filed a gender discrimination and retaliation lawsuit against KSU April 28. He is asking for $300,000 in damages, front and back pay including benefits and attorney's fees. Weaver was assigned female at birth but identifies as male. He was hired as an associate professor within the Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies Department in August 2015, according to court documents and his personal LinkedIn. KSU's communications director Michelle Geering said the university has yet to receive the lawsuit. She also declined to make any further comment stating she "would not comment on active litigation." In March 2022, Weaver underwent a hysterectomy, which is a surgery to remove a uterus. This procedure requires a post-surgery recovery period of six to eight weeks. In preparation for the surgery, Weaver claimed he ensured his duties would be covered through the appropriate university channels, according to the lawsuit However, he was then allegedly pressured by his cis gender supervisor and is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit, Christie Launius, into coming back to work before recovering. Launius did not immediately respond for comment. Weaver reported back to work two weeks after his procedure and completed the Spring 2022 semester. During the Fall 2022 semester, Weaver took a sabbatical and returned in time for the Spring 2023 semester. When he returned he found out that cis gender coworkers who also took a sabbatical were given more leniency and cooperation from Launius, according to court documents. Weaver raised concerns to the department about the unfair treatment he had received in a department faculty meeting in January 2023 and again in the March 6, 2023 meeting. On March 23, 2023, Weaver filed a complaint against Launius to the university's Office of Institutional Equity for the differential treatment. After which, Weaver claims Launius' demeanor became more negative against him and that Launius refused to acknowledge him on multiple occasions. On April 17, 2023, the university held a meeting to address "tension" within the department and a co-worker had an aggressive and emotional outburst directed at Weaver stating he should be ashamed for filing a complaint, according to court documents. The co-worker is not named as a defendant in this lawsuit. Weaver filed a second complaint on June 9, 2023 to the Office of Institutional Equity for the increasingly hostile environment created by Launius and his coworkers. Weaver claims the complaint was not addressed before closing two months later. During that time, Launius was named interim department head despite Weaver's objections. In the Fall 2023 semester Weaver was allegedly the only one told he could no longer speak off topic during department faculty meetings. However, his submissions for discussion points were repeatedly denied by Launius. During the October department meeting Weaver used the word orgasm, which is used when discussing sex education research. Soon afterwards, a coworker, Susan Rensing, filed a complaint against him for it. Rensing did not immediately respond for comment. Near the end of October, Launius and Rensing allegedly took Weaver off the Queer Studies Committee without his consent or input, which would impact Weaver's ability to get full professorship. He then alleged in his lawsuit that Launius withheld information about the full professorship application until after applications were due. By summer time, Launius and Rensing moved to a different department and we're no longer in direct contact with Weaver. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State University faces a discrimination and retaliation lawsuit
