UPCOMING EVENTS AND IMPORTANT DATES
12th Annual Civil Rights Teach-In—Knowledge in Motion: From Ancestral Language to Future Cures
Wed., Jan. 28, 2026 | 2:30-5 p.m.
Leadership Studies Building, McVay Family Town Hall
Join in the 12th Annual Civil Rights Teach-In, proudly presented by our college during K-State’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Observance Week. It is a free, come-and-go event that’s open to the public.
This teach-in explores how knowledge—whether carried through language, preserved in libraries, or generated through scientific inquiry—can shape history, advance justice for all, and save lives. The talks invite us to reflect on whose knowledge is valued, how access to information fuels innovation, and why recognizing and protecting knowledge systems is central to civil rights and collective liberation.
Schedule
- 2:30 – Greeting, Land Acknowledgment and Dean’s Welcome
- 2:40 – “Top Secret Mission: The Navajo Code Talkers of World War II”
- 3:30 – “Impacts of Libraries: From Peter Pan, the Fall of Rome, and the Titanic to Modern-Day Therapeutic Discovery”
- 4:20 – Panel Discussion and Q&A with Drs. Harrison and Rafferty
Presentations
- Top Secret Mission: The Navajo Code Talkers of World War II
by Spintz Harrison, Teaching Asst. Prof., Social Transformation Studies
The Navajo code talkers changed military war communication tactics by creating a code based on the Navajo language that could send and receive messages in seconds. The perplexing code was not broken until after it was declassified. Learn how the code was created, its impact on the war and why Navajo code talkers were silenced after the war.
- Impacts of Libraries: From Peter Pan, the Fall of Rome, and the Titanic to Modern-Day Therapeutic Discovery
by Ryan Rafferty, Assoc. Prof., Chemistry
Libraries allow any person to be transported in time, experience a different culture, and explore the universe. New adventures and discoveries are at everyone’s fingertips. Similarly, our lab takes synthetic routes and builds new chemical libraries that allow a vast scope of chemical knowledge to be unlocked for new therapeutic discoveries.
“You Can’t Do That with Statistics!” seminar presentation
Wed., Jan. 28 | 4-5 p.m.
163 Justin Hall
Sponsored by Department of Statistics
Chris Bilder, a statistics professor at University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a K-State alum, will discuss the problematic statistical data and analyses that led to the decision to eliminate the statistics department at UNL last December. This “tale of failed shared governance” will describe how faculty metrics of productivity were analyzed and suggest better practices moving forward.
Bilder, a fellow of the American Statistical Association, is well-known for his high-quality, innovative teaching, demonstrated by over a decade’s worth of lectures on YouTube.
College Faculty Meeting
Thu., Feb. 5 | 4-5 p.m. | 106 Kedzie Hall
The college will hold faculty meetings on the first Thursday of every month through May at 106 Kedzie Hall. All faculty and staff members are welcome. Only faculty who are eligible to vote in Faculty Senate elections may vote.
Future meeting dates:
- March 5
- April 2
- May 7
ArtSci Drop-By
Thu., Feb. 5 | 5-6:30 p.m.
Union Fireside Lounge, outside JP’s
Join us for this fun, informal social for all Arts and Sciences faculty and staff! This is one of only two this semester; the next one will be May 7. Heavy hors d’oeuvres are provided and JP’s bar is open.
Bridging Campus and Community: Arts and Sciences Engagement Symposium
Fri., Feb. 13 | 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
Hale Library and K-State Student Union
K-State faculty members, instructors and graduate students are invited to this free, on-campus symposium designed to strengthen community-engaged teaching, research and creative work. Participants will gain practical strategies for expanding the impact of their work beyond the university and for incorporating applied learning experiences into their courses.
Highlights:
- keynote presenter-led workshop on curriculum and syllabus design
- panel with local community organizations
- presentations from faculty members who have led successful engagement projects
- networking with campus partners
- evening community orchestra performance
College Awards Celebration
Thu., March 5 | 5-7 p.m.
Plan to join us as we present annual awards to some of our outstanding faculty and staff members! Watch your inbox for more information.
Chapman Center Research Showcase
March 5 | 3:30-5 p.m. | 112 Leasure Hall
This showcase will feature a panel presenting research sponsored by the Chapman Center for Rural Studies, an announcement of the latest Interdisciplinary Research Grant recipient, and information about future funding opportunities. Refreshments will be provided.
5th Annual K-State Social Media Week
Mark your calendar for K-State Social Media Week, April 13-17, presented by the A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication. Events will be offered in a variety of formats, including in-person, online and hybrid. All students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members are invited.
View all College of Arts and Sciences events
Important dates
See university academic calendar for more details.
- Jan. 26 – Last Day to ADD Course(s) without instructor permission
- Jan. 30 – Instructors may drop students for non-attendance
- Feb. 13 – A/Pass/Fail Grading Option Request Deadline
- Feb. 13 – Academic Progress Reports Available in SSC-Navigate
- Feb. 16 – Census: 20th Day Deadline for changing program/plan
- Feb. 23 – Last Day to Drop Classes – no ‘W’ on Transcript (16-wk classes)
- March 15-22 – Spring Break!