THE UNIVERSITY DAHY KANSAN
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NEWS MANAGEMENT
Editor-in-chief Katie Kutsko
Managing editor-production Allison Kohn
Managing editor - digital media Lauren Armendariz
Associate production editor Madison Schultz
Associate digital media editor Will Webber
ADVERTISING MANAGEMENT
Advertising director Sean Powers
Sales manager Kolby Botts
Digital media and sales manager Mollie Pointer
News editor Emma LeGault
NEWS SECTION EDITORS
Associate news editor Duncan McHenry
Sports editor Blake Schuster
Associate sports editor Ben Felderstein
Entertainment editor Christine Stanwood
Special sections editor Dani Brady
Head copy chief Tara Bryant
Copy chiefs
Casey Hutchins
Hayley Jozwiak
Palie Lyle
Design chiefs Cole Anneberg Trey Conrad
Designers Ali Self Clayton Rohman Hayden Parks
Opinion editor
Anna Wenner
Photo editor
George Mullinix
Associate photo editor Michael Strickland
ADVISERS
Media director and content strategist Brett Akagi
Sales and marketing adviser
Jon Schiitt
CONTACT US
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Twitter: @KansanNews
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The University Daily Kansan is the student newspaper of the University of Kansas. The first copy is paid through the student activity fee. Additional copies of The Kansan are 50 cents. Subscriptions can be purchased at the Kansan business office, 2051A Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS, 66045.
The University Daily Kansan (ISSN 0746-9467) is published daily during the school year except Friday, Saturday, Sunday, fall break, spring break and exams and weekly during the summer session excluding holidays. Annual subscriptions by mail are $250 plus tax. Send address changes to The University Daily Kansan, 2051A Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue
Check out KUJH-TV on Knology of Kansas Channel 31 in Lawrence for more on what you've read in today's Kansan and other news. Also see KUJH's website at tvku.edu.
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2000 Dole Human Development Center
1000 Sunnyside Avenue
Lawrence, Kan., 68045
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014
What's the weather, Jay?
- weather.com
THURSDAY
HI: 50
LO: 21
Cloudy with gusty winds. WSW winds at 25 to 35 mph.
HI: 37
LO: 13
Enjoy it while it lasts.
FRIDAY
HI: 36
LO: 22
Sunny. NNW winds at 6 to 11 mph.
SATURDAY
Cloudy. NNE winds at 6 to 13 mph.
Easy come, easy go.
Here to stay.
Wednesday, Jan. 29
Calendar
What: Chet Cadieux presents Quik-
Trip: A Values Based Business"
When: 4 to 5 p.m.
Where: Lied Center
About: Chet Cadieux is the
chairman, president and CEO
of the QuikTrip corporation. This
event is presented by the School of
Business Dean's Executive Lecture
series and is free to the public.
Thursday, Jan. 30
What: Facing Genocide and Its Aftermath Seminar
When: 3:30 to 5 p.m.
Where: Hall Center, Seminar Room I
About: John Janzen, an anthropology professor, and Nimrod Rosler, a visiting assistant professor in the Jewish Studies program, will speak. The topics are "Deciphering Images and Voices of War: Trauma in Africa's Great Lakes Region" and "Israel-Palestine: Negotiating Peace & Land."
What: Making the Most of the University Career Fair
When: 4 to 5 p.m.
Where: 149 Burge Union
About: A professional development workshop focused on the upcoming career fair. The workshop will also stream live at career.ku.edu.
Friday, Jan. 31
what: Lunar New Year Party
When: 5 to 7 p.m.
Where: ECM Center
About: An international program
event celebrating the Year of the
Horse. Food, music games and other
activities are free and open to the
public. Lessons in making dumplings
and mochi will start at 3 p.m. before
the event.
ACADEMICS
Saturday, Feb. 1
What: KU Wind Ensemble and KU Jazz Ensemble I Concert
When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Lied Center
About: A concert featuring the University wind and jazz ensembles. Tickets are $6 for students, children and seniors, and $8 for adults.
Retired professor returns for semester
YU KYUNG LEE
news@kansan.com
After a year of retirement, Donn Parson is back.
Retired professor Donn Parson, far left, is pictured at work during the 1983-84 school year. Parson began teaching at the University in 1964 and retired last year. He returns this semester to teach a graduate seminar
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Parson had retired last January after beginning his career at the University of Kansas in 1964 as a communications professor and debate coach. The return marks the 50th year since he began teaching at the University.
FILE PHOTO/KANSAN
"I asked my adviser at Minnesota when you knew it was the right time to retire. 'You'll know,' he said. And I did. After 48 years it was the right time," Parson said. "However I have been persuaded to offer a graduate seminar this coming spring."
As a nationally recognized expert in the rhetorician Kenneth Burke, the Communications Department invited him back to teach a graduate seminar on Burke this semester.
"It was an obvious choice to ask him to teach a seminar in the area in which he was most knowledgeable," Communications Department Chair Tom Beisecker said. "We are very happy to have him back and share his knowledge with the students for this semester."
During his time as the debate coach from 1964 to 1988, he had three teams win the National Debate Tournament and took five other teams to the semi-final rounds, bringing national prestige to KU debate.
He was named one of the Best Coaches of the Decade in the 70s and received numerous recognitions, including induction into the Kansas Speech Hall of Fame, as well as Central States Communication Hall of Fame.
Parson's legacy in debate lives on with an anonymous donation of $500,000 that was given in his honor to the debate program last November.
.
"This year we are traveling 25 students to tournaments across the country. This donation will allow us to continue to support an expanding debate program and give more students the opportunity to debate for KU," said debate coach Scott Harris in an email. "Dr. Parson's primary commitment was always to students and we want to make sure this donation honors the student focused emphasis of his legacy."
er at KU and he deserves the acclaim he is receiving. It's been a wonderful thing for thousands of students to get to work with Donn."
Beyond his success in the debate program, Parson has created a generation of scholars
The money will be spent for debate scholarships and as
TAMMY VIGIL former student
"[Dr. Parson] showed me that it is possible to care without coddling and to expect more from myself and others. He helped me become the teacher I am."
"Dr. Parson is an iconic figure in debate, but his contributions to the lives of those he taught, mentored, and advised outside of the debate context must not be understated." Tammy Vigil said. Vigil was Parson's student when she came to the Univer-
"That donation is both a testament to Donn's influence and an attempt by one or more of his students to pay forward the wonderful gift they got from Donn," Communications Professor Robert Rowland said. "Dr. Parson has been a transformative teach-
tournament travel budget for University students.
who will continue his legacy into the next 50 years.
sity for graduate school. After getting her PhD in 2000, she now teaches undergraduates at Boston University what she learned from Parson on Kenneth Burke.
"Dr. Parson taught me more than probably any other individual I have ever encountered, not just about communication or rhetorical studies, but about effective teaching and being a better human being. He showed me that it is possible to care without coddling and to expect more from myself and others. He helped me become the teacher I am." she said.
Rowland, another former student of Parson, had the rare experience of being Parson's student as both an undergraduate and a graduate, colleague as a faculty member of the Communications Department, and his "boss" as the chair of the department when Parson was faculty. After 40 years of having known Parson, Rowland can personally testify to the impact Parson has on those around him.
"He has kind of a unique mind in his ability to ask questions that make you to come to know you by yourself," Rowland said. "There's the old adage that if you give a person a fish, they'll eat for a day, but if you teach them to fish, they'll eat for a lifetime. Donn gave his students the gift of critical thinking."
"I'm just thrilled because currently I am the director of graduate studies and to have a chance to take his class is just wonderful for current graduate students," Rowland said. "He is a wonderful teacher in that he leads you to help you discover it yourself."
Even though his return is only for this semester, Parson's presence is greatly welcomed.
Edited by Stella Liang
ACADEMICS
New teaching method flips class structure
JULIE ETZLER
news@kansan.com
Chemical engineering professor Susan Williams walks into her class ready to help students learn. Instead of starting with the traditional lecture, she has students split up into small groups and work on what is traditionally seen as a difficult homework problem. She teaches by walking around and helping students understand concepts in groups and individually.
Williams is implementing the method of learning that is now known as "flipped learning." According to an article from Grand Rapids Community College in Grand Rapids, Mich., a flipped classroom has students watch lectures outside of class and come to class ready to work through difficult problems with the instructor present to help.
"With flipped learning the classroom becomes an area where students are working
At the University, the Center for Online and Distance Learning played a major part in adopting flipped classes. One of the main goals is to help teachers through the process of adopting flipped learning.
with students and engaging in peer interaction," Williams said. "This allows students to practice the concepts together and figure out what they need to do to understand them."
"We help with the implementation of how technology can help support the professors teaching and help provide them with modes of delivery that a broader range of students can understand," said Julie Loats, director of the center.
The Center for Teaching Excellence also helps professors redesign their classes. Associate director Andrea Greenhoot is a psychology professor and also helped increase the amount of classes with flipped learning. She
has been trying to educate professors on the benefits of flipped learning.
"I am on the chancellor's task force, and the process started when we were trying to increase graduation and retention rates," Greenhoot said. "This was a relatively new phenomenon at the time, but it has become more successful over time."
According to an article published by the Association
SEE CLASS PAGE 3
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