5 things to read this morning
March 25, 2014
1. Happy Gas produces laughs for 15th anniversary show
A host of Happy Gas alumni joined the improv troupe’s current generation in the Russell Miller Theatre on Saturday night in celebration of the group’s 15th anniversary.
As the crowd gathered in the theatre, the sound system played a selection of hit songs from 1999, the year of Happy Gas’ inception.
Muhlenberg County senior and Happy Gas member Stephen Korfhage introduced Josh Chapman, one of Happy Gas’ founding members, before the show kicked off with a performance from Chapman and other Happy Gas alumni.
Colin Thornton, a founding member of Happy Gas, as well as the troupe’s first president, said the group has grown far larger since he left than he ever thought it would.
2. Ransdell, WKU announce privatized Health Services in response to potential budget cuts
University officials have decided to privatize WKU Health Services in response to another $1.5 million loss and snowballing budget troubles.
“First, we can achieve a net savings of more than $1 million to apply to our campus-wide budget cut that will reduce the amount of the cut for each division of the university,” President Gary Ransdell said in the email sent last Thursday. “Secondly, we want to give private sector medical providers the opportunity to show us how they might operate our Health Services program in a more efficient manner, and provide enhanced services to faculty, staff, students, and perhaps even the general public.”
3. Music Department brings eclectic mix with ‘An Afternoon of Choral Music’
Sounds of Mozart, Mendelssohn, Eric Whitacre and several other composers filled Van Meter auditorium Sunday night when the WKU Music Department held “An Afternoon of Choral Music.”
Performers included the Southern Kentucky Choral Society, the WKU men’s and women’s choruses, the Treblemakers, the RedShirts and the WKU Chorale.
Rebekah Pate, a Bardstown sophomore, found out about the concert on WKU’s website.
“I was looking online and it was on the calendar,” Pate said. “I’m a big fan of Pitch Perfect, so I wanted to see the Treblemakers and RedShirts, because I never have before.”
4. University registrar to retire in June
After 40 years of service to WKU, University Registrar Frieda Eggleton will begin to shift into her retirement.
“I have reached a point in my life where I would like to have a different lifestyle, a simpler lifestyle,” Eggleton said.
As of June, she will have been University Registrar for 28 years. She plans to return in July to work part time as the NCAA academic compliance coordinator.
5. Researchers promote sustenance by using iPods as Scarecrows
WKU researchers have updated the traditional scarecrow into something much more complex and effective. The iPod-powered scarecrow emits smells, sounds and flashing lights.
Biology professor, Michael Stokes, is one of the directors of the scarecrow project.
“We call them scarecrows for lack of a better word (and) also in the literature they’re called radio-activated guards,” Stokes said. “But scarecrows, everybody knows what a scarecrow is.”
