CHAIR S CORNER. Washburn University Sociology/Anthropology. November 2015 Volume 2015, Issue 11

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1 Washburn University Sociology/Anthropology November 2015 Volume 2015, Issue 11 CHAIR S CORNER I can t believe it is almost November. Is it just me, or is this semester passing very quickly? As you will read in the next few pages, October was a busy month. The department held an Open House for the Grand Homecoming last Friday. Two alumni who came by were able to give us some historical information about the department that none of us knew, which was very interesting. I hope students were able to attend some of the festivities held during the weekend. We (and by we, I mean mostly Tammy) have been finalizing the display boards and creating the demonstrations for the tours taking place in our new lab spaces during the Grand Opening Week of the KBI Forensic Science Center. Please be sure to come to one of the tours on Tuesday, which is Washburn Day. It is probably the only chance we have to tour the KBI side of the building. Advising for Spring 2016 classes is ongoing. Any students who have not signed up with their advisor should do so. It is encouraging to see more students coming by the department for free coffee. We want you to feel welcome to hang out awhile if you have time and let us get to know you better, and for you to get to know your fellow majors better. As always, if anyone has ideas for what they want to see in the newsletter or on the departmental web site, please let Tammy or me know. Dr. Cheryl Childers INSIDE THIS ISSUE Page 2 New KBI Building Grand Opening Week Page 3 Andrea Burton Grand Homecoming Open House Page 4 Study Abroad India Academic Calendar Important Dates for November Page 5 Grade School Panel Page 6 Sociology/Anthropology Club Page 7 Thanksgiving

2 NEW KBI BUILDING GRAND OPENING WEEK The new KBI building on the Washburn University campus will have its Grand Opening Week November 2nd 6th. The three-story, 100,000-square-foot $55 million facility replaces the KBI s existing facility. It will be able to handle things like fingerprint and tire analysis, DNA matching, chemical and biological analysis, ballistics, the digital forensics. The new facility was built for the purpose of being a crime lab and includes classroom/lab space that will house classes for Washburn University s forensic program. The forensic program includes forensic chemistry, crime scene investigation, digital forensics, AND forensic anthropology. Additionally, there is a dig site located on the KBI building grounds for the forensic anthropology program. The partnership between Washburn University and KBI will allow for select students to serve as practicing apprentices with KBI staff. KBI experts will also be used as adjunct professors. Be sure to take advantage of the opportunity to tour the new facility during the Grand Opening Week. After the week is over unless you are part of the KBI or its clientele, you will not have the opportunity to see the KBI areas again. Monday, November 2nd, 10:00am: Ribbon cutting followed by tours for dignitaries Tuesday, November 3rd, 9:00am: Tours start for Washburn University faculty, staff, and students and at 1:00pm tours start for Washburn University s invited guests. Wednesday, November 4th, all day: Tours for KBI clientele only Thursday, November 5th, 9:00am-5:00pm: Tours for the general public Friday, November 6th, 9:00am-5:00pm: Tours for the general public 2

3 Andrea Burton It is with great sadness that we say our good-byes to Andrea Burton, who succumbed to cancer. Andrea had earned her M.A. in Sociology from Kent State University and had been a Adjunct Instructor of Sociology for the Sociology/ Anthropology Department for most of the past 11-years until her passing on October 27, Andrea taught both face-to-face courses and online courses in Introduction to Sociology and Aging and Society. Outside of Washburn University, Andrea worked for the Kansas Historical Society at the State Capitol. She was the Visitor Center Coordinator and provided tours of the capitol building, including the capital dome. You can go to the following link to hear Andrea discussing the history of the Kansas State Capitol and some of its most notable features on American History TV C-Span: /kansas-state-capitol. Andrea is survived by her husband, Russell Burton, six children and several foster children. Visitation will be Friday, October 30th, from 5:00pm-7:00pm and services will be Sunday, November 1st, at 3:00pm. Both the visitation and the services will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Church, 4775 SW 21st St, Topeka. GRAND HOMECOMING OPEN The Sociology/Anthropology Department participated in Washburn University s Grand Homecoming by hosting an Open House on Friday, October 16th, from noon until 4:00pm. The department enjoyed visiting with our alumni that dropped in to chat. We had recent graduates and alumni from as far back as 1981 and even It was a very enjoyable afternoon of socializing, catching up, and sharing stories and the history of the Sociology/Anthropology Department. 3

4 STUDY ABROAD - INDIA Dr. Sharla Blank will be co-leading a group of Washburn University students to India December 26th January 14th. Two of our majors, Zach Downing (Sociology) and Lori Holstrom (Anthropology), one of our minors, Dawn Jensen (Anthropology), and one of the department s student workers, Michael Anschutz (Secondary Education English) are members of the study abroad class and trip. During the trip portion of the class, they will tour Mumbai (Bombay), Maximum City (Gate of India), Colaba Market, Chowpatty, Jain Temple- Malabar Hill, Ali Dargah, Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Agra Fort, India Gate, Parliament, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, and the Taj Mahal. They will also attend classes at Symbiosis International University. ACADEMIC CALENDAR IMPORTANT DATES FOR NOVEMBER November 2 and 3: Seniors advance registration for the spring 2016 semester November 4 and 5: Juniors advance registration for the spring 2016 semester November 6 and 9: Sophomores advance registration for the spring 2016 semester November 10 and 11: Freshman advance registration for the spring 2016 semester November 12: Open registration begins (ends January 15, 2016) November 25-29: Thanksgiving Break November 30: Success Week begins (ends December 4, 2015) 4

5 Grad School Panel Tuesday, November 17, :00pm 6:00pm A panel of Sociology and Anthropology faculty will provide information about applying to graduate schools and about grad school. The panel will also be available to answer questions. Henderson Room 107 FREE!! Open to All SO & AN Majors Sponsored by the Sociology/Anthropology Club 5

6 UPCOMING SOCIOLOGY/ ANTHROPOLOGY CLUB EVENTS Grad School Panel: November 17th from 4:00pm-6:00pm in HC107 November Fun/ Social Event A Mixer: Mid-Late November but exact date/time/location is still to be determined. SOCIOLOGY/ANTHROPOLOGY CLUB The Sociology/Anthropology Club, in collaboration with a couple other student organizations, kicked off a Voter Registration Drive wrapped up their National Voter Registration Day. The drive began on National Voter Registration Day, September 22nd, and concluded at the iread March event with Congressman and Civil Right Movement leader John Lewis the evening of October 14th. During the Voter Registration Drive, a grand total of 401 students, faculty, and staff were registered to vote. The club also sponsored the WTE (Iceland Study Abroad) Presentations on October 19th. Nine of the ten students that participated in the Iceland Study Abroad presented. Presentations ranged from Icelandic parental leave from both a cultural and legal perspective to the bar culture s work and labor force to the economic crash and recovery to political and social activist groups. The club would like to thank everyone who ordered a Sociology/Anthropology t-shirt. The shirts are done. Once we have them and have them sorted, everyone who ordered a shirt will be contacted via . Shirts will be available to be picked up in the Sociology/Anthropology Department office, Henderson Room 218, Monday-Friday 8:00am until 5:00pm. For updates on events, either go to anso or follow us and like us on Facebook at wusoan. Before the semester ends, the club has two more activities planned. On November 17th from 4:00pm until 6:00pm in HC107, the club will host a Grad School Panel. The panel will consists of both Sociology and Anthropology faculty, Dr. Childers, Dr. Blank, and Mr. Conner, from the Sociology/Anthropology Department. The panel will provide information about applying to graduate schools and about graduate school. They will also answer questions that students have about the process of applying and about graduate school. November s fun/social event will be a mixer. Plans are still in the works. Information will be sent out once all the plans are finalized. 6

7 Please Consider Giving to the Sociology/Anthropology Department at Washburn University - It s Easy... Go to Click on Ways to Give, Click on Areas to Give, See a list of all fund designations, Select either: Archaeology Program, Archaeology Program Scholarship Fund, Sociology/Anthropology Department, or Sociology/Anthropology Department Scholarship Fund OR Mail a check to: Washburn University Foundation 1729 SW MacVicar Avenue Topeka, KS Be sure to note one of the areas above in the memo line on the check. THANK YOU! 7