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Speed test surveys show 1 million Kansans may have inadequate internet
LAWRENCE — Two surveys conducted by researchers at the University of Kansas Institute for Policy & Social Research from January 2021 to January 2022 found that over 1 million Kansans live in a ZIP code where recorded average download speeds are below 100 Mbps download /20 Mbps upload. Those speeds are considered an adequate baseline for people engaged in online education, streaming video, downloading and uploading large files, and households with multiple users. This finding is especially relevant given the increase in remote work, online schooling and need for access to online services and resources during the COVID-19 pandemic.
KU Journalism partnering on ‘Good Morning Indian Country,’ providing news for Indigenous communities
LAWRENCE — The William Allen White School of Journalism & Mass Communications at the University of Kansas is matching its students with community partners to deliver news via “Good Morning Indian Country,” a morning talk show and information program for Indigenous audiences.
History and spread of ‘Stations of the Cross’ explored in new book
LAWRENCE — Nearly every Catholic church in the world displays paintings, windows, plaques or statues that depict the Stations of the Cross. But how exactly this pervasive (and surprisingly modern) devotion came to be is the subject of a new book by a University of Kansas researcher. “The Stations of the Cross in Colonial Mexico: The Via crucis en mexicano by Fray Agustin de Vetancurt and the Spread of a Devotion” investigates the history and spread of this practice, which traces the plaintive path of Jesus Christ from condemnation to crucifixion.
Global climate teach-in event to offer local perspectives across domains to worldwide event
LAWRENCE — Students, scholars, activists and area professionals will share short presentations about their research and practice as part of a global effort to facilitate discussion around solutions and education for the climate crisis. The climate teach-in will take place from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. March 30 at Maceli’s Banquet Hall. The University of Kansas is one of more than 300 institutions from more than 50 countries participating in the events.
Gina Wyant named inaugural director of university assessment
LAWRENCE – Gina Wyant has spent more than a decade in higher education navigating leadership roles, guiding strategic initiatives, and assessing academic quality and instructional effectiveness. Now she brings that knowledge and experience to the University of Kansas, where she steps into the role of director of university assessment.
Full stories below.
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Contact: Carrie Caine, Institute for Policy & Social Research, 785-864-9102, [email protected]
Speed test surveys show 1 million Kansans may have inadequate internet
LAWRENCE — Two surveys conducted by researchers at the University of Kansas Institute for Policy & Social Research from January 2021 to January 2022 found that over 1 million Kansans live in a ZIP code where recorded average download speeds are below 100 Mbps download /20 Mbps upload. Those speeds are considered an adequate baseline for people engaged in online education, streaming video, downloading and uploading large files, and households with multiple users. This finding is especially relevant given the increase in remote work, online schooling and need for access to online services and resources during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The surveys have identified areas of the state where internet speeds do not meet the current FCC minimum definition of broadband at 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload. The surveys also identified areas that fall below a more robust standard of 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload.
“The COVID-19 pandemic showed us that access to broadband is essential for work and education. Our surveys indicate that far too many Kansans do not have access to high-speed internet services. Kansas is in the process of making significant investments in broadband infrastructure that will support future economic growth and development in the state,” said Donna Ginther, principal investigator on the project, Roy A. Roberts Distinguished Professor of Economics and director of IPSR.
The surveys involved a questionnaire about at-home broadband access, affordability and adoption as well as a speed test to automatically report the speed of respondents’ internet connection. Survey data was used to map Kansas internet speeds across the state to help policymakers, service providers and residents identify unserved or underserved areas. Over 6,800 Kansans responded to the surveys.
This study is being conducted with external funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration University Center CARES Act. The study team includes Ginther; Germaine Halegoua, John D. Evans Development Professor & Associate Professor of Communication and Media, University of Michigan; and IPSR staff members Xan Wedel, Genna Hurd and Thomas Becker.
Of the 557 Kansas ZIP codes identified among respondents, the study also found that 95 ZIP codes had an average recorded speed falling short of the FCC broadband definition of 25/3 Mbps. These ZIP codes represent 87,000 people, or 3% of the total Kansas population.
“It’s well known that 25/3 is already an outdated baseline for adequate internet connection and will only prove more inadequate as internet needs increase. The fact that at least 3% of Kansans don’t even have this subpar connection is alarming. It’s like saying that 3% of the population lacks access to any other utility. It’s a disadvantage not only to these households and communities, but a disadvantage to the state of Kansas,” Halegoua said.
This finding is comparable to data reported by internet providers to the FCC, which indicates that 2.4% of Kansans live in Census blocks where internet providers report average speeds of less than 25/3 Mbps. The maps of speed tests across the state show that inadequate access to broadband internet service at home is not exclusively a rural issue but affects households in urban and urban-adjacent areas as well.
“The maps confirm that rural and frontier populations definitely struggle with unreliable or nonexistent internet access which affects their livelihoods, access to education and much-needed telehealth services. Our maps also show that households right on the edge of city limits also lack adequate access. As someone who lived just outside Lawrence city limits for nearly 10 years, I know this to be true. But even I didn’t realize that this was such a common statewide experience until I saw our maps,” Halegoua said.
In addition to surveys, researchers conducted interviews and focus groups to learn more about internet experiences across the state. The research team plans to release the full results of the study later this spring.
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Contact: Mike Krings, KU News Service, 785-864-8860, [email protected], @MikeKrings
KU Journalism partnering on ‘Good Morning Indian Country,’ providing news for Indigenous communities
LAWRENCE — One of the most important roles of a journalist is to find the news that’s not being covered and share it with the communities that need it. The William Allen White School of Journalism & Mass Communications at the University of Kansas is matching its students with community partners to deliver news via “Good Morning Indian Country,” a morning talk show and information program for Indigenous audiences.
The show is a partnership among the Lawrence Arts Center, KU, Haskell Indian Nations University and community members to provide news and information as “morning radio for the reservation,” as the program describes itself. The show contains interviews with Native newsmakers, conversations, weather reports, updates on powwows and news provided by journalism students that would otherwise likely go uncovered.
“It’s all about staking out Native media in a geography that hasn’t traditionally had media representation. There’s room to grow, and I look forward to helping with that,” said Melissa Greene-Blye, assistant professor of journalism at KU and a partner in “Good Morning Indian Country.” “Our students are realizing there is a lot of news out there of interest to Native communities that might not get a lot of coverage, and this helps make them aware of that and learn about representation. I always say one of the most important ways we can improve representation is by educating the next generation of journalists, and working on ‘GMIC’ is offering a great opportunity to do just that.”
The idea for “Good Morning Indian Country” was born when Lawrence native and KU alumnus Freddy Gipp realized how isolated people were during the pandemic. He approached Ruben Little Head Sr., a well-known powwow emcee, who was giving Facebook Live broadcasts about Native issues with the idea of a streamed talk and news program. The show debuted with a six-episode series this year and has already been renewed for an 18-episode series in the fall. Broadcast from the main stage of the Lawrence Arts Center every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., the show is supported by a 2021 Natural and Cultural Grant from the Douglas County Heritage Conservation Council, Humanities Kansas and by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Lily O’Shea Becker, a junior journalism major and political science minor at KU, was taking a diversity and media class with Greene-Blye, a member of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, when approached with the idea of being an intern for the show. One of five interns working on the show from KU and Haskell, she said being able to provide news packages for the show while honing her journalistic skills and providing news to an underserved community was a chance she could not pass up.
“I thought it would be good to get experience where I didn’t have it, and I loved my diversity in media class,” Becker said. “In that class I noticed there are not a lot of Native news outlets and important news was going unnoticed. I don’t know if I’ll have the opportunity to be there at the very beginning of a project like I have with ‘Good Morning Indian Country’ again, and there’s always room to learn.”
Thus far, the students, part of KU’s KUJH news television broadcast, have provided coverage on stories including STEM programs at Haskell Indian Nations University, Native art spaces and controversial statements about Indigenous populations made by a state education official. Becker said it has been rewarding to write news, provide video and graphics, and curate content with partners while learning about what works best for the program.
Greene-Blye, whose research examines journalistic representations and negotiations of American Indian identity, said “Good Morning Indian Country” not only is an opportunity to provide local, regional and national news of importance that is often overlooked but also an opportunity to showcase the vital role of journalism in serving Native communities as well.
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Contact: Jon Niccum, KU News Service, 785-864-7633, [email protected]
History and spread of ‘Stations of the Cross’ explored in new book
LAWRENCE — Nearly every Catholic church in the world displays paintings, windows, plaques or statues that depict the Stations of the Cross. But how exactly this pervasive (and surprisingly modern) devotion came to be is the subject of a new book.
“The Stations of the Cross in Colonial Mexico: The Via crucis en mexicano by Fray Agustin de Vetancurt and the Spread of a Devotion” (University of Oklahoma Press) investigates the history and spread of this practice, which traces the plaintive path of Jesus Christ from condemnation to crucifixion.
“You’re striving to imitate Christ while moving from station to station,” said John Schwaller, research associate in Latin American studies and history at the University of Kansas. “You’re kneeling and bowing and doing all sorts of physical things. You aren’t just sitting in a pew quietly meditating.”
People typically think of liturgies, devotions and ceremonies in the Christian church — and in particular the Catholic Church — as dating back dozens of centuries to shortly after the life of Christ. But the Stations of the Cross are less than 300 years old.
“It begins about the same time as the rosary,” Schwaller said.
“They’re both from what historians call the early modern period. There was a surge in what are called ‘popular devotions’ in the 15th and early 16th century. It was really a European phenomenon where people were interested in taking their spirituality to a new level. A lot of these popular devotions emerged in order to tap into this ‘new way of being a Christian.’”
The 14 Stations of the Cross, which start with Jesus’ condemnation to death and end with his being laid in the tomb, have steadily been co-opted by other denominations, including the Lutheran Church and Episcopal Church. The devotion is often exclusively practiced on Good Friday, but some celebrate it every Friday of the year.
In addition to detailing the history of the Stations of the Cross and how this got established in Mexico, Schwaller’s book explores the work of a Franciscan friar who proved crucial to the process. In the 17th century, Fray Agustin de Vetancurt penned “Via crucis en mexicano,” a devotional guide he adapted into Nahuatl (the Aztec language). Schwaller translated it into English as part of his own book.
As popular as Vetancurt’s work was in his day, only one such handwritten copy survives. But Schwaller found this was indicative of how few written documents remain that focus on the subject.
“Only five serious books attempt to write the history of the Stations of the Cross. I was absolutely astounded that for a devotion so ubiquitous, nobody had really studied where it came from. Most of these studies were from the beginning of the 20th century. When things are that old, you’re always a little skeptical about their accuracy,” he said.
Schwaller became drawn to the Stations of the Cross when first traveling to Mexico as a 5-year-old.
“We’d go down every year for Christmas vacation. I remember going into Catholic churches and seeing the Stations of the Cross displayed on walls. So it’s something that I’ve been aware of and familiar with my entire life,” said Schwaller, a native of Hays.
As a graduate student living in Mexico City, Schwaller recalled buying a vellum-covered book simply because he liked the cover art.
“I didn’t think anything about it until I was beginning work on this project years ago, and I realized the back half of that book was actually a Stations of the Cross,” he said.
Schwaller returned to Kansas to join KU’s faculty last summer after a lengthy career in academia that included serving as president of State University of New York at Potsdam. His research expertise centers on colonial Latin American history, specifically Mexico.
Ironically, even though he has dedicated his professional life to studying the Catholic Church, Schwaller is Episcopalian.
The professor hopes his book introduces readers to the “vibrant intellectual environment” in mid-colonial Mexico that encompassed both Spanish and Native peoples, and also intersected with what was going on in Europe.
“The whole popularity of Stations of the Cross was part of a cultural phenomenon in the European world of the Baroque, characterized by excessive piety, over-the-top decoration and bigger-than-life celebrations,” he said.
“The Stations of the Cross fit right into that culturally because not only are you praying a litany, you’re moving and looking at images. Those images can be statues, paintings or etchings, so the Stations in the Cross are always accompanied by a proliferation of artistic creation.”
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Contact: Emily Ryan, The Commons, 785-864-6293, [email protected], @TheCommonsKU
Global climate teach-in event to offer local perspectives across domains to worldwide event
LAWRENCE — Students, scholars, activists and area professionals will share short presentations about their research and practice as part of a global effort to facilitate discussion around solutions and education for the climate crisis. The climate teach-in will take place from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. March 30 at Maceli’s Banquet Hall.
Terrianne Lavin, assistant teaching professor of geography & atmospheric science at the University of Kansas, will lead the event in partnership with The Commons and the Environmental Studies Program. KU is one of more than 300 institutions from more than 50 countries participating in the events.
“Participation in the global teach-in solidifies the University of Kansas’ and the Department of Geography & Atmospheric Sciences’ commitment to sustainable solutions with respect to climate change, community, equity and justice,” Lavin said.
The structure will follow the format set by the global movement, initiated by Bard College in eastern New York. Broken into hourlong segments, each component series of the event will include five presenters speaking for five minutes each, followed by a larger discussion among panelists and with audience members. Each hour is organized around a central theme:
1. Adaptation & Mitigation, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
2. Culture & Health, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
3. Communication & Policy, 7:30-8:30 p.m.
Presenters at this event represent KU, Haskell Indian Nations University, KU Medical Center, Clean Air Now, the Resilient Activist and Sunrise Movement.
The event also will serve as an introduction to the ongoing research of EVRN 615, an environmental studies capstone course taught by Ali Brox. Students in the class are building a database of available courses across disciplines at KU that address dynamic challenges posed by climate change.
“Our goal with this project is to create a singular space where any student regardless of major can find classes relating to climate change,” said KU student Lauren Young. “Students should be able to engage with the topic within their chosen area of study and find classes that relate to both their interests and the climate. While our direct goal is to support students, our project also promotes courses from professors in other disciplines whose classes might be overlooked.”
Another area in which this event aims to create long-term impact is by building regional connections.
“As with everything we do, The Commons is deeply invested in bringing people together around common challenges toward more broadly informed and deeply understood responses,” said Emily Ryan, director of The Commons. “That this event builds a space for community and campus to come together with diverse sets of knowledge is critical to local awareness and understanding.”
To facilitate engagement beyond campuses and across domains, the event is free and open to the public. It also will be livestreamed. Snacks and beverages will be available onsite for purchase, and the Raven Book Store will also hold a book sale from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
This event will offer an opportunity to develop new connections, regionally, in response to climate change.
Event participants include:
1. Adaptation & Mitigation: Shannon O’Lear, director of the KU Environmental Studies Program and professor of geography & atmospheric science; Victor Hugo Gonzalez, assistant teaching professor of undergraduate biology and research associate, Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum; Emily Rountree, associate director, Center for Service Learning; Dave Rahn, associate professor of geography & atmospheric science; Ted Harris, assistant research professor at Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research; and Jack Harte, KU student in geography & atmospheric science.
2. Culture & Health: Ali Brox, assistant teaching professor in the Environmental Studies Program; Dr. Shelley Bhattacharya, associate professor of geriatric medicine, Department of Family Medicine; Beto Lugo-Martinez, executive director of Clean Air Now; Joseph Stegman, KU medical student; Simon Williams, of Sunrise Movement-Lawrence; and Sami Aaron, founder of the Resilient Activist.
3. Communication & Policy: Students in the Environmental Studies 615 capstone class; David Halliwell, third-year KU law student; Hong Tien Vu, associate professor of journalism; Trevor Lies, KU doctoral student in psychology and member of the Cultural Psychology Research Group; and Daniel Wildcat, Yuchi member of the Muscogee Nation and professor in the Indigenous and American Studies Department, Haskell Indian Nations University.
For up-to-date information about this event, please visit https://thecommons.ku.edu/climate-teach-in.
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Contact: Evan Riggs, Office of the Provost, 785-864-1085, [email protected], @KUProvost
Gina Wyant named inaugural director of university assessment
LAWRENCE – Gina Wyant has spent more than a decade in higher education navigating leadership roles, guiding strategic initiatives, and assessing academic quality and instructional effectiveness. Now she brings that wealth of knowledge and experience to the University of Kansas, where she steps into the role of director of university assessment.
Wyant began her role Jan. 24 and reports to Jennifer Roberts, vice provost for academic affairs and graduate studies.
“I’m pleased to welcome Gina as KU’s inaugural director of university assessment,” Roberts said. “Her leadership experience in assessment, program review and strategic planning will ensure our assessment and program review process aligns with Jayhawks Rising and meets expectations and requirements of both the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and the Association of American Universities.”
Wyant provides management and leadership for curricular outcomes assessment and program review to support the university’s mission, strategic initiatives and resource planning. Wyant also works collaboratively with faculty, staff and administrators to ensure the assessment of student learning outcomes for academic programs, including the KU Core and KU’s general education program. This includes the documentation and tracking of clearly articulated learning outcomes for all courses and programs.
“I am excited to join the KU community,” Wyant said. “I look forward to working collaboratively across the institution to support the university’s mission and strategic initiatives.”
Wyant collaborates with staff in the Center for Teaching Excellence, departmental chairs, faculty, academic administrators, Analytics, Research and Institutional Effectiveness and the University Core Curriculum Committee to build and implement assessment policies, practices, systems and link assessment activities with strategic planning. She also works with staff in Student Affairs and Academic Success to support the assessment of co-curricular activities to ensure assessments meet accreditor standards.
KU’s next reaffirmation for accreditation comes in the 2024-2025 academic year. The outgrowth of Wyant’s work with academic and co-curricular units will demonstrate that KU meets HLC expectations for the university’s 2025 accreditation visit. The HLC’s expectations are participation in assessment, the robust use of assessment results to inform and guide ongoing improvements, and that results are linked to strategic planning.
Before coming to KU, Wyant spent two years as a financial adviser at Edward Jones in Lansing and the previous 11 years in higher education, where she’s worked closely with individuals at all levels from faculty and staff to executive leadership and board members.
Her most recent stop in higher education came at MacMurray College, where Wyant worked from 2017 to 2020, serving as an interim director of online education, associate provost for Academic Affairs & Compliance, and interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs and Student Life. She supervised direct reports concerning service-related outcomes, budgets, management and personnel issues and served as a writer and final editor of the college’s assurance argument to the HLC. She also led faculty through moving all in-person courses to complete the academic year remotely during spring break 2020 in the beginning stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wyant worked at Ottawa University in a variety of roles from 2009-2017 and served as the director of adjunct & curriculum administration for most of her tenure. Her final role before departing the university was as assistant dean for academic administration. She has attended HLC workshops on assessing general education and integrating teaching, learning and assessment.
Wyant earned her bachelor’s degree from Hannibal-LaGrange College, an MBA from William Woods University and a doctorate in educational leadership from Baker University.
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