Open discussion at Oct. 22 Student Government Association senate meeting brought to light many issues of contention between administration and members within SGA .

The issue of SGA t-shirts was first introduced by SGA president Natalie Bailey during the executive board reports in the opening of the meeting. According to Bailey, each fall semester the SGA prints t-shirts as a marketing tool for recruiting new students and creating interest in the organization. (Full story)

 There are many faces that you will see on campus on any given day, and you are sure to see a staff member that is an alum of Missouri Western State University.

 Darcy Groce, who is an Administrative Coordinator for the Department of the College of Professional Studies, is one of them.
 Groce earned her bachelor’s degree in 2002, but has been working at Missouri Western since 1995. (Full story)

 Many professors here at Western have interesting stories to tell. But how many can count REM frontman Michael Stipe as a former student? Art Department chairperson Dr. Allison Sauls can. But that seems to be only the beginning.

 Dr. Sauls, who was raised in the deep South during the  civil rights movement, originally was interested in being a novelist, and received her bachelor’s degree in English with a double major in Art History from Huntingdon college in Montgomery, Ala. But the story of that double major is a humorous one. After telling the head of the English department that she had figured out Shakespeare and concluded that everyone in his stories are either killed and dragged off or are married and walk off the stage, the professor yelled “HERETIC!”, and Dr. Sauls said, “I became an art history major by the time I had reached the bottom step, so I ended up with that double major.” (Full story)

The 5K run/walk helped bring in an estimated $3,500-$4,000 for the women’s shelter

On Oct. 27 Missouri Western hosted the second annual 5K Run/Walk with all proceeds going to the YWCA Shelter for abused and homeless women and children.

As of that Saturday, Rolling Hills Auto Plaza of St. Joseph estimated a donation to the YWCA of between $3,500 and $4,000. There were 78 runners who participated.

In recent years, the YWCA has seen an increase of individuals who need their services. The number of battered and homeless women has increased at the YWCA by 245 between 2001 and 2006. (Full story)

‘Anna’ walks the halls like everyone else at Western. She gets to class on time, does her homework, wants to major in something that will let her be creative.

She sits daily among conservative classmates  who routinely wear a standard Christian Cross around their necks. Only the sharpest of eyes will spot the pentacle around her own neck.

Tis the season for ghosts, ghouls and of course, witches. Did you know they could be sitting next to you in class? (Full story)

Starting next fall, students will be presented with the opportunity to enroll in two new and unique graduate programs which could provide them with some real-life experience in their chosen career areas.

Western students have never had an opportunity quite like this in the past.
Western will be offering the Master of Applied Science (MAS) in Assessment and the Master of Applied Arts (MAA), which were recently approved by The Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education. (Full story)

It has almost been a year since the Office of Graduate Studies began to offer master’s degree programs. Four graduate programs have been started so far with the promise of registration Nov. 5 for two new masters programs.

The Associate Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, Jeanne Daffron has been wearing two hats and is also the Interim Dean of Graduate Studies. According to Daffron, after obtaining university status and gaining legislative approval there were still many things that had to be done.  Many programs were suggested, then evaluated.  Each had to be accredited by the Missouri Department of Higher Education.

“We want to do this slowly and deliberately.” said Daffron. (Full story)