Things sure are different around here! This past year we really did move the department to Seaton Hall. We gained a few square feet for just about every category of space (the main office, faculty offices, teaching spaces, TA offices, and research labs) and it is nice to have the GIS lab back in the same area with the rest of the department. Those that have visited so far seem to think we made a really good decision to relocate. I want to invite each and everyone of you to come see our new layout.

Another big news event from the past year is that Dr. Seyler decided to retire (see relate story on page 8). Seyler ‘sightings' since he retired in early January have been infrequent; rumor has it that he has been out-of-town more than half the time. Those fortunate enough to see Sy recently report a smile on his face, sort of like he just landed a big fish.

During the past year, Professor Kromm announced his plans to go on 50% phased retirement for one year. For the FY 2002 academic year, Dave will be teaching only one class each semester (Natural Resources in Fall 2001 and Water Resources in Spring 2002). In May 2002, Dr. Kromm will retire after well over three decades of service to the department and K-State. Rumors that we will only be allowed to give him 50% of the normal level of good-natured kidding during FY 2002 are just not true.

With the announcement of both Sy's and Dave's plans, the Dean strongly supported the department and allowed us to begin searches for replacement faculty. A hiring freeze put a quick halt to the two searches, as everyone marveled at the budgetary games that were on-going in Topeka. It was not until late in the Spring Semester that we were able to complete a search for a Visiting Assistant Professor to help us with instructional needs in cartography, computer mapping, and GIS. We are fortunate to have Dr. J.M. Shawn Hutchinson joining the faculty. Shawn, who got his PhD from the department in 2000, was a K-State Biological and Agricultural Engineering faculty member this past year. During this past year Shawn served as a campus-wide GIS coordinator assessing both the current state-of-affairs and identifying numerous opportunities for improvement.

Numbers of students taught continue at the improved pace identified a year ago and the departmental emphasis on quality teaching is evidenced by the fact that Dr. Jeff Smith and Kevin Blake won Stamey awards this past year. Geography grabbed 2 out of 6 Stamey awards; pretty good for a department that tends to lead the social science departments in bringing in external research dollars. GISSAL continues to do over $100,000 in projects each year, the NSF-funded Human-Environment Regional Observatory (HERO) project is off to a good start, and the Kansas NASA EPSCoR Project on Remote Sensing of Rural Resources is finishing off its fifth year. In addition to those ‘big ones,' there are a number of other funded projects that are helping both graduate students and faculty advance their careers. Recently, we learned that Dr. Paul has been successful in getting NSF funding for work in south Asia and that Dr. Goodin has succeeded in getting another three years of NASA EPSCoR funding.

The Department Moves