<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747318427636.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Three-day weather outlook

COLBY — Colby Community College spring 2025 graduate Jaylei Sloan and alumna Gabrielle Hammer were recently awarded distinguished scholarships from Fort Hays State University to further their careers in science and education.

The Noyce project through FHSU is a collaboration with Colby and other regional Kansas community colleges with the intention of attracting teachers from STEM majors and placing them in high-needs communities. The colleges also developed STEM clubs to engage students in activities that increase their interest in teaching careers.&nbsp;

Sloan, who graduates in May with a degree in biology, was selected for the Noyce CREST (Creating Retention and Engagement for STEM Teachers) scholarship at FHSU and receives a renewable award of $15,000. The competitive program supports future science, technology, engineering, and mathematics educators who have at least junior standing and are pursuing a bachelor's degree. As part of the Noyce initiative, Sloan has also been invited to represent Fort Hays State University in Washington, D.C., later this year.

While at Colby, she has served as a microbiology teaching assistant, tutor, and lab assistant in the biology department. She credits CCC faculty and family for their support.

Biology Instructor and STEM Division Chair Dr. Jeffrey Sekavec is the Noyce CREST site director at Colby.

“I’d like to thank Dr. Sekavec for being such an incredible mentor and offering me a multitude of opportunities throughout my time at CCC,” said Sloan. “I’d also like to give recognition to my family. I couldn’t have done this without my loved ones by my side, along with the added bonus of the friends I have made along the way. CCC’s Dr. Joan Johnson once said, ‘Accept, Adapt, and Persevere.’ Every day since then, I have lived by those words.”

"Above all else, Glory be to God! With the Lord at my side, I am accomplishing all that is meant for me. I am proud to be a part of Colby Community College and optimistic for my next chapter to begin with the Noyce program at FHSU!"

Sloan is the granddaughter of Leanna and Tom Sloan and the daughter of Matt Sloan.

A 2021 CCC graduate, Hammer received the Noyce Post Baccalaureate STEM Teacher Licensure Scholarship from Fort Hays State University. The competitive program provides a $24,788 stipend to individuals with a bachelor’s degree in science or mathematics who are pursuing a teaching career. Recipients complete a specialized post-baccalaureate curriculum delivered primarily online, with required field experiences and student teaching in a rural school district. 

Hammer currently teaches high school science in Sharon Springs, where she also attended school growing up in nearby Wallace.

After earning associate of science and applied science degrees from Colby, Hammer completed a bachelor’s degree in general biology from FHSU in 2023. She previously worked as a physical therapist assistant in long-term care and home health facilities.

“I have always been a western Kansas girl at heart,” said Hammer. “Looking back, I am so grateful for the friendships made, the connections, and the hard lessons learned at CCC. Some of the best people in the world were always willing to lend a hand and help in whatever way they could.”

Hammer was also an active member of the STEM Club at Colby, citing fond memories of scientific activities and engaging presentations from guest speakers.

"It has truly been a privilege to be associated with such great members of the Noyce programs," said Sekavec. "Ms. Sloan and Ms. Hammer are shining stars of the future of STEM education in western Kansas."

"We are quite fortunate to be part of such an incredible partnership with FHSU in bringing such opportunities to members of the STEM/STEM education community."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581529246979.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Colby Community CollegeCOLBY — Colby Community College spring 2025 graduate Jaylei Sloan and alumna Gabrielle Hammer were recently awarded distinguished scholarships from Fort Hays State University to further their careers in science and education.The Noyce project through FHSU is a collaboration with Colby and other regional Kansas community colleges with the intention of attracting teachers from STEM majors and placing them in high-needs communities. The colleges also developed STEM clubs to engage students in activities that increase their interest in teaching careers.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746781726768.png" alt="Jaylei Sloan. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Jaylei Sloan. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Sloan, who graduates in May with a degree in biology, was selected for the Noyce CREST (Creating Retention and Engagement for STEM Teachers) scholarship at FHSU and receives a renewable award of $15,000. The competitive program supports future science, technology, engineering, and mathematics educators who have at least junior standing and are pursuing a bachelor's degree. As part of the Noyce initiative, Sloan has also been invited to represent Fort Hays State University in Washington, D.C., later this year.While at Colby, she has served as a microbiology teaching assistant, tutor, and lab assistant in the biology department. She credits CCC faculty and family for their support.Biology Instructor and STEM Division Chair Dr. Jeffrey Sekavec is the Noyce CREST site director at Colby.“I’d like to thank Dr. Sekavec for being such an incredible mentor and offering me a multitude of opportunities throughout my time at CCC,” said Sloan. “I’d also like to give recognition to my family. I couldn’t have done this without my loved ones by my side, along with the added bonus of the friends I have made along the way. CCC’s Dr. Joan Johnson once said, ‘Accept, Adapt, and Persevere.’ Every day since then, I have lived by those words.”"Above all else, Glory be to God! With the Lord at my side, I am accomplishing all that is meant for me. I am proud to be a part of Colby Community College and optimistic for my next chapter to begin with the Noyce program at FHSU!"Sloan is the granddaughter of Leanna and Tom Sloan and the daughter of Matt Sloan.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746781948207.png" alt="Gabrielle Hammer. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Gabrielle Hammer. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>A 2021 CCC graduate, Hammer received the Noyce Post Baccalaureate STEM Teacher Licensure Scholarship from Fort Hays State University. The competitive program provides a $24,788 stipend to individuals with a bachelor’s degree in science or mathematics who are pursuing a teaching career. Recipients complete a specialized post-baccalaureate curriculum delivered primarily online, with required field experiences and student teaching in a rural school district. Hammer currently teaches high school science in Sharon Springs, where she also attended school growing up in nearby Wallace.After earning associate of science and applied science degrees from Colby, Hammer completed a bachelor’s degree in general biology from FHSU in 2023. She previously worked as a physical therapist assistant in long-term care and home health facilities.“I have always been a western Kansas girl at heart,” said Hammer. “Looking back, I am so grateful for the friendships made, the connections, and the hard lessons learned at CCC. Some of the best people in the world were always willing to lend a hand and help in whatever way they could.”Hammer was also an active member of the STEM Club at Colby, citing fond memories of scientific activities and engaging presentations from guest speakers."It has truly been a privilege to be associated with such great members of the Noyce programs," said Sekavec. "Ms. Sloan and Ms. Hammer are shining stars of the future of STEM education in western Kansas.""We are quite fortunate to be part of such an incredible partnership with FHSU in bringing such opportunities to members of the STEM/STEM education community."

Colby students earn prestigious scholarships to FHSU

2025 Brews on the Bricks canceled; 'A pause with a purpose,' says board of directors

WASHINGTON, D.C.&nbsp; – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) Wednesday questioned witnesses from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on changes they are making to improve aviation safety. The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee held the hearing to examine both the progress and delays within the FAA to make necessary safety changes in accordance with the&nbsp;FAA Reauthorization Act,&nbsp;which Senator Moran helped to draft and pass last Congress.

Sen. Moran questioned witnesses about FAA’s failure to recognize a series of near misses in the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) airspace leading up to the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/3b0faf1d-fe84-4e1a-a5ca-e5598350e041">January 29 midair collision </a>involving American Airlines flight 5342originating from Wichita and a U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter.

“The National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary investigation after the tragic collision at DCA highlighted 15,214 events from October 21 to December 24 of commercial planes and helicopters that were separated by less than one nautical mile,”&nbsp;said Moran. 

“That information that NTSB provided came from FAA computer records.&nbsp;Those numbers and other statistics demonstrate to me a continuing problem and circumstance in which there is close proximity between aircraft at DCA. If this information is in the FAA’s computer records, does the FAA monitor these records to recognize trends so that actions can be taken to reduce the risks?”

Following Sen. Moran’s questioning,&nbsp;Mr. Franklin McIntosh, Deputy Chief Operating Officer of the Air Traffic Organization at FAA, acknowledged that there were mitigation failures in their systems leading up to the Jan. 29th accident and agreed with Sen. Moran’s assertion that the data “is sufficiently alarming that it should have raised more awareness and action than it did.”

Watch Sen. Moran's questioning below.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747327137939.png" alt="U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS). Screen grab from the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS). Screen grab from the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Office of Sen. MoranWASHINGTON, D.C.&nbsp; – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) Wednesday questioned witnesses from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on changes they are making to improve aviation safety. The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee held the hearing to examine both the progress and delays within the FAA to make necessary safety changes in accordance with the&nbsp;FAA Reauthorization Act,&nbsp;which Senator Moran helped to draft and pass last Congress. Sen. Moran questioned witnesses about FAA’s failure to recognize a series of near misses in the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) airspace leading up to the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/3b0faf1d-fe84-4e1a-a5ca-e5598350e041">January 29 midair collision </a>involving American Airlines flight 5342originating from Wichita and a U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter.“The National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary investigation after the tragic collision at DCA highlighted 15,214 events from October 21 to December 24 of commercial planes and helicopters that were separated by less than one nautical mile,”&nbsp;said Moran. “That information that NTSB provided came from FAA computer records.&nbsp;Those numbers and other statistics demonstrate to me a continuing problem and circumstance in which there is close proximity between aircraft at DCA. If this information is in the FAA’s computer records, does the FAA monitor these records to recognize trends so that actions can be taken to reduce the risks?”Following Sen. Moran’s questioning,&nbsp;Mr. Franklin McIntosh, Deputy Chief Operating Officer of the Air Traffic Organization at FAA, acknowledged that there were mitigation failures in their systems leading up to the Jan. 29th accident and agreed with Sen. Moran’s assertion that the data “is sufficiently alarming that it should have raised more awareness and action than it did.”Watch Sen. Moran's questioning below.&nbsp;<div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2mL6xAuVyqI" title="Sen. Moran Questions FAA Leadership on Aviation Safety Changes Following 2024 FAA Reauthorization" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

Sen. Moran Questions FAA leadership on safety system failures, changes implemented

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Administrators of public universities in the Kansas Board of Regents system proposed student tuition increases for undergraduate resident students in the upcoming academic year ranging from 2.5% at Pittsburg State University to 4% at Fort Hays State University.

The outlier was Emporia State University, which responded to steady enrollment declines by requesting no increase in tuition for the second consecutive year.

To varying degrees, the six Board of Regents universities in Kansas grapple with a decline in the college-age population, an ongoing crash in international student enrollment, flat state appropriations, instability in federal research spending as well as inflation in operational costs, pressure to raise employee compensation and demands for substantive direct support of college athletics.

The nine-member Board of Regents has authority over tuition adjustments, but typically recommendations from campus leadership have been adopted.

Here are tuition rate increases proposed by university officials for in-state undergraduate students in the 2025-2026 academic year: University of Kansas, 3%; Kansas State University and Wichita State University, 3.5%; Pittsburg State University, 2.5%; and Fort Hays State University, 4%.

On Wednesday, FHSU President Tisa Mason said during a presentation to the Board of Regents the 4% hike at FHSU would balance financial responsibilities of the university with the capacity of students to afford college.

“We believe that the proposed tuition increase is essential for maintaining our high-quality education and our student support services,” she said.

Board member Jon Rolph of Wichita asked whether Mason should consider a more aggressive tuition increase. FHSU historically maintained the state system’s lowest tuition rate due to revenue received from offering instruction to students in China, but the university found it necessary to raise undergraduate tuition by 7% in 2024 and 6% in 2025.

“Our students would loudly say, ‘No,'” Mason told Rolph. “They are feeling these increases right now.”

FHSU issues statement on proposed tuition hike

Scott Cason, FHSU chief communications officer, issued a written statement via email on the tuition increase today.

"Despite the growing costs of higher education, FHSU remains committed to providing its students with an affordable and high-quality college education," Cason said in the statement. "The tuition plan presented this week at the May Kansas Board of Regents meeting would increase tuition by $6.27 per credit hour for the 2025-26 academic year. FHSU has not proposed increasing any student fees for the coming academic year."

If FHSU’s tuition proposal is approved, FHSU Kansas resident students enrolled full-time will pay $3,055 per semester. Despite this proposed increase in our bottom-line price, an FHSU education will still be over $2,500 less per semester than the average cost of Kansas’s three research universities, and nearly $1,000 less per semester than the average of our fellow regional comprehensive universities, the statement said.

"FHSU’s request for a tuition increase is driven by the findings of a market and tuition and fees elasticity study, identifying new efficiencies, implementing budget cuts over the past three years, and incorporating the recommendations of a university tuition task force comprised of faculty, staff, and students in our tuition proposal. The increase will allow FHSU to remain a cost-effective, high-value educational choice," Cason said in the statement.

The final decision on FHSU’s tuition and fees schedule for the coming academic year will be made by the Kansas Board of Regents at the June meeting.

"To ensure the continuing affordability of an FHSU education, we also offer extensive scholarship opportunities, including an automatic first-time freshman scholarship worth up to $15,000 over four years," the statement said.

"FHSU’s affiliation with Fort Hays Tech | North Central and Fort Hays Tech | Northwest marks a strategic investment in expanding FHSU’s affordability advantage to more students and meeting the evolving professional and workforce development needs of students, communities and businesses across Kansas," the statement said.

Ken Hush, president of Emporia State University, defended the decision to request no tuition increase. It meant ESU would go without a tuition rate hike in five of the past seven years. The university projected it would collect 0.4% less revenue from tuition next academic year compared to the current year, a reflection of erosion in enrollment as ESU restructured the university by firing tenured professors and eliminating academic programs.

Since 2016, tuition revenue to ESU has fallen by 26% while the six-university system overall generated an additional $140 million from tuition during that period.

“We are recommending a zero percent increase for the second year in a row,” said Hush, who indicated ESU’s budget factored in a possible 3% enrollment decline in the upcoming year.

Rolph, however, reiterated that he was concerned adopting less-than-necessary tuition increases at this juncture could lead to substantial spikes in the future to fill revenue gaps.

“Do you have that mapped out over two, three, four years where it’s stair-stepped?” Rolph said.

Hush said ESU was proud to offer a high-quality education with a tuition rate that moderated financial barriers faced by students.

“Our goal is to keep it flat from here on out,” Hush said. “We believe its moving in the right direction.”

Rick Muma, president at Wichita State University, said the 3.5% surge in tuition recommended to the Board of Regents reflected an attempt to navigate a difficult financial landscape. He pointed to leveling of investment from the state, uncertainty regarding federal appropriations, employee compensation that was 16% below market rates, the need to allocate $3.5 million to athletics programs and the anticipated reduction in international student enrollment.

“We are seeing the effects of decreased enrollment among international students,” he said. “This just didn’t start this year. It’s significant for us.”

Muma said the tuition increase could net WSU about $3.4 million annually, but the decline in international students could reduce revenue by $5.5 million annually. He said the university planned to implement a 4.8% budget reduction.

Kansas State President Richard Linton said tuition for in-state undergraduates would climb by 3.5%, but a 2.5% tuition increase would be applied to veterinary medicine students and an 8% increase would be sought for students on the aviation campus in Salina.

He expected KSU enrollment to climb 2% in the upcoming year, which would be a second consecutive year of growth following nine years of decline.

“The goal is to be working as hard as we can from a student-affordability standpoint,” Linton said.

KU Chancellor Doug Girod said the plan was to raise undergraduate tuition by 3% and boost student fees by 2%. These adjustments were in reaction to a projected 2.4% inflation rate, challenges with faculty salary compression, the flat state budget, reinvention of federal research funding and arrival of the long-anticipated enrollment decline tied to U.S. population trends. He expected KU also would experience a reduction among international students.

He said financial ramifications of these forces on higher education were difficult to fully predict, especially in terms of what could happen to student enrollment.

“I think the next two years are going to answer that question for all of us,” he said.

Tuition at the six universities in the Board of Regents’ system didn’t rise in 2020 and in 2023. In 2022, only KSU raised tuition. KU didn’t adopt a tuition increase from 2020 through 2023 before embracing increases of 5% in 2024 and 3.5% in the current academic year.

The Hays Post contributed to this story, adding comments from Fort Hays State University Communications.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747337376228.jpeg" alt="Leaders of six Kansas public universities submitted recommendations for tuition adjustments to the Kansas Board of Regents, including members in this image taken during a visit to Wichita State University. The increases range from 2.5% to 4%, with Emporia State University declining to raise tuition in the 2025-2026 academic year. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Leaders of six Kansas public universities submitted recommendations for tuition adjustments to the Kansas Board of Regents, including members in this image taken during a visit to Wichita State University. The increases range from 2.5% to 4%, with Emporia State University declining to raise tuition in the 2025-2026 academic year. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Fort Hays State seeks 4% increase</h2>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Administrators of public universities in the Kansas Board of Regents system proposed student tuition increases for undergraduate resident students in the upcoming academic year ranging from 2.5% at Pittsburg State University to 4% at Fort Hays State University.The outlier was Emporia State University, which responded to steady enrollment declines by requesting no increase in tuition for the second consecutive year.To varying degrees, the six Board of Regents universities in Kansas grapple with a decline in the college-age population, an ongoing crash in international student enrollment, flat state appropriations, instability in federal research spending as well as inflation in operational costs, pressure to raise employee compensation and demands for substantive direct support of college athletics.The nine-member Board of Regents has authority over tuition adjustments, but typically recommendations from campus leadership have been adopted.Here are tuition rate increases proposed by university officials for in-state undergraduate students in the 2025-2026 academic year: University of Kansas, 3%; Kansas State University and Wichita State University, 3.5%; Pittsburg State University, 2.5%; and Fort Hays State University, 4%.<h2>FHSU</h2>On Wednesday, FHSU President Tisa Mason said during a presentation to the Board of Regents the 4% hike at FHSU would balance financial responsibilities of the university with the capacity of students to afford college.“We believe that the proposed tuition increase is essential for maintaining our high-quality education and our student support services,” she said.Board member Jon Rolph of Wichita asked whether Mason should consider a more aggressive tuition increase. FHSU historically maintained the state system’s lowest tuition rate due to revenue received from offering instruction to students in China, but the university found it necessary to raise undergraduate tuition by 7% in 2024 and 6% in 2025.“Our students would loudly say, ‘No,'” Mason told Rolph. “They are feeling these increases right now.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747341839274.png" alt="Courtesy of FHSU" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy of FHSU</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>FHSU issues statement on proposed tuition hike</h2>Scott Cason, FHSU chief communications officer, issued a written statement via email on the tuition increase today."Despite the growing costs of higher education, FHSU remains committed to providing its students with an affordable and high-quality college education," Cason said in the statement. "The tuition plan presented this week at the May Kansas Board of Regents meeting would increase tuition by $6.27 per credit hour for the 2025-26 academic year. FHSU has not proposed increasing any student fees for the coming academic year."If FHSU’s tuition proposal is approved, FHSU Kansas resident students enrolled full-time will pay $3,055 per semester. Despite this proposed increase in our bottom-line price, an FHSU education will still be over $2,500 less per semester than the average cost of Kansas’s three research universities, and nearly $1,000 less per semester than the average of our fellow regional comprehensive universities, the statement said."FHSU’s request for a tuition increase is driven by the findings of a market and tuition and fees elasticity study, identifying new efficiencies, implementing budget cuts over the past three years, and incorporating the recommendations of a university tuition task force comprised of faculty, staff, and students in our tuition proposal. The increase will allow FHSU to remain a cost-effective, high-value educational choice," Cason said in the statement.The final decision on FHSU’s tuition and fees schedule for the coming academic year will be made by the Kansas Board of Regents at the June meeting."To ensure the continuing affordability of an FHSU education, we also offer extensive scholarship opportunities, including an automatic first-time freshman scholarship worth up to $15,000 over four years," the statement said."FHSU’s affiliation with Fort Hays Tech | North Central and Fort Hays Tech | Northwest marks a strategic investment in expanding FHSU’s affordability advantage to more students and meeting the evolving professional and workforce development needs of students, communities and businesses across Kansas," the statement said.<h2>Emporia State</h2>Ken Hush, president of Emporia State University, defended the decision to request no tuition increase. It meant ESU would go without a tuition rate hike in five of the past seven years. The university projected it would collect 0.4% less revenue from tuition next academic year compared to the current year, a reflection of erosion in enrollment as ESU restructured the university by firing tenured professors and eliminating academic programs.Since 2016, tuition revenue to ESU has fallen by 26% while the six-university system overall generated an additional $140 million from tuition during that period.“We are recommending a zero percent increase for the second year in a row,” said Hush, who indicated ESU’s budget factored in a possible 3% enrollment decline in the upcoming year.Rolph, however, reiterated that he was concerned adopting less-than-necessary tuition increases at this juncture could lead to substantial spikes in the future to fill revenue gaps.“Do you have that mapped out over two, three, four years where it’s stair-stepped?” Rolph said.Hush said ESU was proud to offer a high-quality education with a tuition rate that moderated financial barriers faced by students.“Our goal is to keep it flat from here on out,” Hush said. “We believe its moving in the right direction.”<h2>Wichita State</h2>Rick Muma, president at Wichita State University, said the 3.5% surge in tuition recommended to the Board of Regents reflected an attempt to navigate a difficult financial landscape. He pointed to leveling of investment from the state, uncertainty regarding federal appropriations, employee compensation that was 16% below market rates, the need to allocate $3.5 million to athletics programs and the anticipated reduction in international student enrollment.“We are seeing the effects of decreased enrollment among international students,” he said. “This just didn’t start this year. It’s significant for us.”Muma said the tuition increase could net WSU about $3.4 million annually, but the decline in international students could reduce revenue by $5.5 million annually. He said the university planned to implement a 4.8% budget reduction.<h2>K-State</h2>Kansas State President Richard Linton said tuition for in-state undergraduates would climb by 3.5%, but a 2.5% tuition increase would be applied to veterinary medicine students and an 8% increase would be sought for students on the aviation campus in Salina.He expected KSU enrollment to climb 2% in the upcoming year, which would be a second consecutive year of growth following nine years of decline.“The goal is to be working as hard as we can from a student-affordability standpoint,” Linton said.<h2>KU</h2>KU Chancellor Doug Girod said the plan was to raise undergraduate tuition by 3% and boost student fees by 2%. These adjustments were in reaction to a projected 2.4% inflation rate, challenges with faculty salary compression, the flat state budget, reinvention of federal research funding and arrival of the long-anticipated enrollment decline tied to U.S. population trends. He expected KU also would experience a reduction among international students.He said financial ramifications of these forces on higher education were difficult to fully predict, especially in terms of what could happen to student enrollment.“I think the next two years are going to answer that question for all of us,” he said.Tuition at the six universities in the Board of Regents’ system didn’t rise in 2020 and in 2023. In 2022, only KSU raised tuition. KU didn’t adopt a tuition increase from 2020 through 2023 before embracing increases of 5% in 2024 and 3.5% in the current academic year.The Hays Post contributed to this story, adding comments from Fort Hays State University Communications.

Five of 6 state universities in Kansas seek tuition hikes to grapple with financial obstacles

On this episode of the Hays Post Podcast, news reporter Becky Kiser talks with Sara Meitner, Heartland Community Foundation executive director about spring application deadlines for grant funding, the Youth Action Council, and Table Talk for non-profit organizations.&nbsp;

They also discuss four new funds that have been opened in the past month.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650389030295.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="Post Podcast: Heartland Community Foundation spring deadlines, new funds" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=btedu-18a9a35-pb&square=1&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the Hays Post Podcast, news reporter Becky Kiser talks with Sara Meitner, Heartland Community Foundation executive director about spring application deadlines for grant funding, the Youth Action Council, and Table Talk for non-profit organizations.&nbsp;They also discuss four new funds that have been opened in the past month.

🎙 Post Podcast: Heartland Community Foundation spring deadlines, new funds

FHSU crime log: May 9-15, 2025

By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN Special to Hays Post

They are survivors of the pandemic, graduating from high school in 2020 during such an uncertain time in their lives.

They fell in love and ended up attending Fort Hays State University together. They got married, and after remarkable athletic careers for the Tigers, they both will graduate with academic honors on Saturday morning.

They will move to the Wichita area next week and have a few weeks to settle into their first big purchase as a couple (a home in Bel Aire) and collect their thoughts before starting new jobs they had secured almost a year ago.

During that time off from the rigors of school and college athletics, they will take their honeymoon, which they had to postpone after their marriage last August, just two days before the start of the fall semester.

They were OK waiting for a honeymoon. After all, they had to return to Hays to finish their college educations – and to lead their respective athletic teams in super senior seasons they will never forget.

Sound like a fairy tale? As magical as this all sounds, it’s the real-life story of Trey and Katie DeGarmo.

Katie burst onto the scene as a highly recruited freshman for the Fort Hays State women’s basketball team.

She was known as Katie Wagner at the time, and that’s a name opponents would get tired of seeing and hearing about the next five years.

A multi-sport standout in high school at Maize South, Katie had several offers but felt a loyalty to FHSU.

“Fort Hays was one of the first schools to reach out to me,” she said. “That relationship they built with me early on was a huge piece of it. The women’s basketball team was winning, and I’ve always been one who loves to win.”

Toward the end of Katie’s first year at FHSU, the NCAA announced it was granting athletes an extra year of eligibility because of the chaos the pandemic had caused in college athletics.

Because of COVID-19, the Tigers played only 22 games Katie’s “first” freshman season, when she averaged 9.2 points as one of the first players off the bench.

By the next season, she was firmly planted into the starting lineup, where she remained for the next four years.

Along the way, she garnered a boatload of honors, both academically and athletically. Included on that long list are several All-America teams to which she was chosen, and she was named the MIAA player of the year for basketball her last two seasons.

Last year, Katie won the MIAA’s Ken B. Jones Award voted as the top female athlete of the year and has been nominated for that honor again this year.

She is one of only two players in FHSU women’s program history to score more than 2,000 points (2,299 total) and has the school and conference record for most career rebounds (1,248).

Listed as a 5-foot, 11-inch guard, Katie could play every position on the court. She helped lead the Tigers to the NCAA Division II playoffs four of her five seasons. During her career, FHSU posted an incredible record of 125-33.

The DeGarmos were both well-known as exceptional multi-sport high school athletes in the Wichita area – Katie at Maize South and Trey at Andover Central.

They had met at a get-together during the pandemic their senior year in high school and hit it off immediately. At the time, Trey was already committed to play baseball at Cowley College in Arkansas City, while Katie was coming to Hays.

After a couple of years of a long-distance relationship, Trey transferred to FHSU, where he decided to try football and baseball, then settled on his first love – baseball.

“I just didn’t want to be apart from Katie anymore,” Trey said. “Then it became a mission to help turn this baseball program around.”

Cowley is a perennial national power and finished as the national junior college runner-up in Trey’s sophomore season.

While Cowley was going 54-11 in 2022, FHSU won just four of its 45 games.

The Tigers improved considerably in Trey’s first year at FHSU, finishing 20-30. They continued to improve, going 25-26 last year before a record-breaking season this spring.

FHSU went 32-16, finished third in the MIAA standings and were ranked nationally for several weeks before losing a 6-5 heartbreaker in extra innings in the first round of the MIAA Championships.

“I’m still wishing we had gotten a little farther, but only one team gets to be happy at the very end,” Trey said. “I’m proud of what we did and the season we put together.”

A solid anchor at third base for the Tigers, Trey earned the MIAA’s Gold Glove award at that position last year and led the team in several offensive categories this year while earning MIAA honors again.

He was second on the team in batting average (.328) and ranked first in total hits, with a team-leading 13 home runs and 55 RBI.

Something he said he enjoyed as much as having a productive year personally and winning games was being a senior leader.

“My favorite part was giving all my knowledge to the younger guys,” Trey said. “Hopefully, they can soak up all the success we had this year and keep this program rolling.”

It isn’t unusual for Tiger athletes to get married during their college careers. And long-time members of the FHSU athletic department can think of a few who married after enjoying outstanding careers in their respective sports.

But it would be tough to find a couple that dominated at both their sports during their first year of marriage.

“They both were so fun to watch,” said Gerard Wellbrock, Sports Director for Eagle Radio and long-time Voice of the Tigers, who covered both DeGarmos over the years. “They played the game the right way - the intensity you need to be great, but with humility. They made it look easy, and it’s not easy.”

“Katie is as good as it gets when it comes to Fort Hays women’s basketball,” Wellbrock continued. “Her intensity, her athletic ability, she’s the total package. And Trey is as smooth of a third baseman as there has been at Fort Hays.”

The DeGarmos knew they would have to be creative to spend much time together their final year of college with off-season workouts and long seasons.

“We were kind of prepared for this year,” Trey said. “It was kind of like meeting each other at the door, saying ‘See ya later.’ ”

“We try to have dinner together – when we are both in town,” Katie added. “We understand that we’re really committed to our sports. But that doesn’t mean a lack of commitment to each other. And it turned out to be a really special season in our lives.”

The last couple of months have been especially fun ones for Katie. After the Tiger basketball season (and her career) ended in the NCAA II playoffs, she played intramural softball and got to attend most of her husband’s baseball games.

“It’s been really fun being a baseball wife,” Katie said with a smile.

Tiger fans won’t soon forget Trey and Katie DeGarmo. Ditto for the DeGarmos.

And even as they ride off into the sunset in Jamaica for their honeymoon, then return to start their professional careers in Wichita, they will always remember the impact FHSU had on their lives.

“We’ll still come back for some games,” Katie said. “I still have friends that are still playing.”

“If I can come to a baseball game in five years and see how well they are doing, it’ll be a great feeling to know I was part of rebuilding the program,” Trey said.

“That’s the thing we’ll never forget – the relationships,” Katie said. “You remember the championships, of course, but I’ve already forgotten about the records we had. It’s more about how you felt about your teammates.”

And they will surely visit the hill west of town where Trey proposed to Katie in October 2023.

“We had found a spot on that hill my freshman year when I’d come visit Katie, where we would go watch the sunsets,” Trey said. “We called it our ‘sunset spot.’ I thought it was a perfect place (to propose).”

Katie, who earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting as well as an MBA, will begin work this summer for Koch Industries. Trey, who graduated with a degree in construction management, accepted a position as a project manager associate for the ICM ethanol plant.

They will get to spend time with several family members who live in the Wichita area and continue to take part in some type of athletic activity.

For the time being, they have both taken up running, and they say that pickleball is also a strong possibility.

Trey’s youngest brother, Ty, will be a freshman at Andover Central next year, so they look forward to following him in his activities the next four years.

Both Trey and Katie say that coaching – on some level – could be in their future.

And of course, folks are already looking forward to more talented athletes in the next generation of DeGarmos.

“We’re already having people taking bets on if we send our kids to Maize South,” Katie said.

With all the awards and Tiger memorabilia they have accumulated, Katie said they plan to decorate part of their basement in FHSU Black and Gold.

Somewhere down the road, they will have lots of stories to tell their children about their life as Tiger athletes, especially during their first year of marriage, which took them from one magical ride to another.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747266419976.jpeg" alt="Trey and Katie DeGarmo will graduate from Fort Hays State University this weekend and move away from Hays next week. But they will leave behind a plethora of memories for Tiger baseball and basketball fans. Photo llustration by Ryan Prickett" />
 <figcaption>Trey and Katie DeGarmo will graduate from Fort Hays State University this weekend and move away from Hays next week. But they will leave behind a plethora of memories for Tiger baseball and basketball fans. Photo llustration by Ryan Prickett</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747267168315.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN Special to Hays PostThey are survivors of the pandemic, graduating from high school in 2020 during such an uncertain time in their lives.They fell in love and ended up attending Fort Hays State University together. They got married, and after remarkable athletic careers for the Tigers, they both will graduate with academic honors on Saturday morning.They will move to the Wichita area next week and have a few weeks to settle into their first big purchase as a couple (a home in Bel Aire) and collect their thoughts before starting new jobs they had secured almost a year ago.During that time off from the rigors of school and college athletics, they will take their honeymoon, which they had to postpone after their marriage last August, just two days before the start of the fall semester.They were OK waiting for a honeymoon. After all, they had to return to Hays to finish their college educations – and to lead their respective athletic teams in super senior seasons they will never forget.Sound like a fairy tale? As magical as this all sounds, it’s the real-life story of Trey and Katie DeGarmo.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747266586362.jpeg" alt="Trey and Katie DeGarmo dazzled Tiger fans for years. Trey was both at the plate and on the field for FHSU baseball, and Katie was on the hardwood for Fort Hays State’s women’s basketball team. Photos by Ryan Prickett" />
 <figcaption>Trey and Katie DeGarmo dazzled Tiger fans for years. Trey was both at the plate and on the field for FHSU baseball, and Katie was on the hardwood for Fort Hays State’s women’s basketball team. Photos by Ryan Prickett</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Where it all began</h2>Katie burst onto the scene as a highly recruited freshman for the Fort Hays State women’s basketball team.She was known as Katie Wagner at the time, and that’s a name opponents would get tired of seeing and hearing about the next five years.A multi-sport standout in high school at Maize South, Katie had several offers but felt a loyalty to FHSU.“Fort Hays was one of the first schools to reach out to me,” she said. “That relationship they built with me early on was a huge piece of it. The women’s basketball team was winning, and I’ve always been one who loves to win.”Toward the end of Katie’s first year at FHSU, the NCAA announced it was granting athletes an extra year of eligibility because of the chaos the pandemic had caused in college athletics.Because of COVID-19, the Tigers played only 22 games Katie’s “first” freshman season, when she averaged 9.2 points as one of the first players off the bench.By the next season, she was firmly planted into the starting lineup, where she remained for the next four years.Along the way, she garnered a boatload of honors, both academically and athletically. Included on that long list are several All-America teams to which she was chosen, and she was named the MIAA player of the year for basketball her last two seasons.Last year, Katie won the MIAA’s Ken B. Jones Award voted as the top female athlete of the year and has been nominated for that honor again this year.She is one of only two players in FHSU women’s program history to score more than 2,000 points (2,299 total) and has the school and conference record for most career rebounds (1,248).Listed as a 5-foot, 11-inch guard, Katie could play every position on the court. She helped lead the Tigers to the NCAA Division II playoffs four of her five seasons. During her career, FHSU posted an incredible record of 125-33.The DeGarmos were both well-known as exceptional multi-sport high school athletes in the Wichita area – Katie at Maize South and Trey at Andover Central.They had met at a get-together during the pandemic their senior year in high school and hit it off immediately. At the time, Trey was already committed to play baseball at Cowley College in Arkansas City, while Katie was coming to Hays.After a couple of years of a long-distance relationship, Trey transferred to FHSU, where he decided to try football and baseball, then settled on his first love – baseball.“I just didn’t want to be apart from Katie anymore,” Trey said. “Then it became a mission to help turn this baseball program around.”Cowley is a perennial national power and finished as the national junior college runner-up in Trey’s sophomore season.While Cowley was going 54-11 in 2022, FHSU won just four of its 45 games.The Tigers improved considerably in Trey’s first year at FHSU, finishing 20-30. They continued to improve, going 25-26 last year before a record-breaking season this spring.FHSU went 32-16, finished third in the MIAA standings and were ranked nationally for several weeks before losing a 6-5 heartbreaker in extra innings in the first round of the MIAA Championships.“I’m still wishing we had gotten a little farther, but only one team gets to be happy at the very end,” Trey said. “I’m proud of what we did and the season we put together.”A solid anchor at third base for the Tigers, Trey earned the MIAA’s Gold Glove award at that position last year and led the team in several offensive categories this year while earning MIAA honors again.He was second on the team in batting average (.328) and ranked first in total hits, with a team-leading 13 home runs and 55 RBI.Something he said he enjoyed as much as having a productive year personally and winning games was being a senior leader.“My favorite part was giving all my knowledge to the younger guys,” Trey said. “Hopefully, they can soak up all the success we had this year and keep this program rolling.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747266880322.jpeg" alt="DeGarmos were able to celebrate Katie’s 2,000th-point night a few games later and were together for Trey’s Senior Day at Larks Park. Courtesy photos" />
 <figcaption>DeGarmos were able to celebrate Katie’s 2,000th-point night a few games later and were together for Trey’s Senior Day at Larks Park. Courtesy photos</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Senior seasons to remember</h2>It isn’t unusual for Tiger athletes to get married during their college careers. And long-time members of the FHSU athletic department can think of a few who married after enjoying outstanding careers in their respective sports.But it would be tough to find a couple that dominated at both their sports during their first year of marriage.“They both were so fun to watch,” said Gerard Wellbrock, Sports Director for Eagle Radio and long-time Voice of the Tigers, who covered both DeGarmos over the years. “They played the game the right way - the intensity you need to be great, but with humility. They made it look easy, and it’s not easy.”“Katie is as good as it gets when it comes to Fort Hays women’s basketball,” Wellbrock continued. “Her intensity, her athletic ability, she’s the total package. And Trey is as smooth of a third baseman as there has been at Fort Hays.”The DeGarmos knew they would have to be creative to spend much time together their final year of college with off-season workouts and long seasons.“We were kind of prepared for this year,” Trey said. “It was kind of like meeting each other at the door, saying ‘See ya later.’ ”“We try to have dinner together – when we are both in town,” Katie added. “We understand that we’re really committed to our sports. But that doesn’t mean a lack of commitment to each other. And it turned out to be a really special season in our lives.”The last couple of months have been especially fun ones for Katie. After the Tiger basketball season (and her career) ended in the NCAA II playoffs, she played intramural softball and got to attend most of her husband’s baseball games.“It’s been really fun being a baseball wife,” Katie said with a smile.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747266993061.jpeg" alt="Trey and Katie DeGarmo, who were married last summer and spent their last year in Hays traveling for their respective FHSU athletic teams, will now continue dancing through life together in the Wichita area. Courtesy photos" />
 <figcaption>Trey and Katie DeGarmo, who were married last summer and spent their last year in Hays traveling for their respective FHSU athletic teams, will now continue dancing through life together in the Wichita area. Courtesy photos</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Once a Tiger, always a Tiger</h2>Tiger fans won’t soon forget Trey and Katie DeGarmo. Ditto for the DeGarmos.And even as they ride off into the sunset in Jamaica for their honeymoon, then return to start their professional careers in Wichita, they will always remember the impact FHSU had on their lives.“We’ll still come back for some games,” Katie said. “I still have friends that are still playing.”“If I can come to a baseball game in five years and see how well they are doing, it’ll be a great feeling to know I was part of rebuilding the program,” Trey said.“That’s the thing we’ll never forget – the relationships,” Katie said. “You remember the championships, of course, but I’ve already forgotten about the records we had. It’s more about how you felt about your teammates.”And they will surely visit the hill west of town where Trey proposed to Katie in October 2023.“We had found a spot on that hill my freshman year when I’d come visit Katie, where we would go watch the sunsets,” Trey said. “We called it our ‘sunset spot.’ I thought it was a perfect place (to propose).”Katie, who earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting as well as an MBA, will begin work this summer for Koch Industries. Trey, who graduated with a degree in construction management, accepted a position as a project manager associate for the ICM ethanol plant.They will get to spend time with several family members who live in the Wichita area and continue to take part in some type of athletic activity.For the time being, they have both taken up running, and they say that pickleball is also a strong possibility.Trey’s youngest brother, Ty, will be a freshman at Andover Central next year, so they look forward to following him in his activities the next four years.Both Trey and Katie say that coaching – on some level – could be in their future.And of course, folks are already looking forward to more talented athletes in the next generation of DeGarmos.“We’re already having people taking bets on if we send our kids to Maize South,” Katie said.With all the awards and Tiger memorabilia they have accumulated, Katie said they plan to decorate part of their basement in FHSU Black and Gold.Somewhere down the road, they will have lots of stories to tell their children about their life as Tiger athletes, especially during their first year of marriage, which took them from one magical ride to another.

NWester: The DeGarmos, a royal couple of Tiger athletics

Fort Hays State University will recognize approximately 1,691 graduates during its spring 2025 commencement ceremonies on Friday and Saturday, May 16-17.

Graduates who have chosen to participate in person will be honored in two ceremonies on Friday and two ceremonies on Saturday at Gross Memorial Coliseum (GMC).

The ceremonies will begin on Friday for undergraduate and graduate candidates in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at&nbsp;8:30 a.m. Central time, followed by the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences at&nbsp;11 a.m. Central time.

Saturday’s two ceremonies are the Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship and Werth College of Science, Technology and Mathematics (combined) at 8:30 a.m. (CT), followed by the College of Education at 11 a.m. (CT).

If graduates are unable to attend the on-campus ceremonies, they can tune in to the virtual celebration on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. for the DNP, Ed.S., and master’s students. The undergraduate virtual ceremony will follow at 4 p.m. Graduates can experience all the excitement, pride, and unforgettable moments wherever they are located.&nbsp;

All ceremonies – in-person and virtual – are available on the Tiger Media Network YouTube channel. The link to access the live ceremonies will also be posted on the Fort Hays State University Facebook page. Individuals are not required to sign up for a Facebook account to view the ceremonies.

Recordings of the virtual ceremonies will be archived on the FHSU YouTube channel, with the link provided on the commencement website on the “Programs and Videos” tab the week after the semester ends.

Doors to GMC and the adjoining Cunningham Hall will open at 7:45 a.m. Graduates and guests will be asked to enter through Gate 2 or Gate 3. The graduates will check in at these two gates, and guest seating will be on the upper level of the Coliseum.

Students are asked to wear their regalia to GMC. For late pick up of regalia after May 2, contact&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.EWtdXdo3nx3t8ZlvSfKX0fRrRToYU8moO1n-2Fd4GGiT2zmYZ7DEIyM5njzyEAJPwAjf9x_1ix3pnygukYWZfKiCJpm8BsHsayWXlw0ucteiDEo46fRc0p9DVWJmv2prlqkbHR6S2dsrJiXPEopagJAn55fgrGOya21Ubchf288oY8AFP4iYaBJwhylwdd5l9F7UOfOcCncgWNMzcnBuAvn3AGWn-2BHGaczCZEz6Uw9O-2FnrN8VHZfrwIhf-2F3hzIhePztalKltT9ktv56NLDkIXW4mOQZ5YSb5bGQN3EXpVKy-2Fgpn7Y3bNjw5tMhdw9V4cASYIOmIYEGFJBWQ-2B6vzJUEe3SIT2ucQspf1OQjTx9C4ikiqqfZBelaeoHZN-2FXSisW7iq-2FJ8A-2BqUWtIb7F45DcZ-2BpsYdhe5zTdYMtCf-2BO6-2BeoRUYvt-2BYsnD1rUWNumMC21X9KXao">Victor E. Apparel &amp; Gift Co.</a>&nbsp;in the Memorial Union.

Seating on the main floor of Gross Memorial Coliseum is reserved for graduates and faculty. Guests will be seated in the upper level. The elevator is accessible by Gate 3. Seating for guests with mobility impairment and patrons in wheelchairs is available on the main floor; a commencement staff member will escort the individual(s) and one guest to the seating area on the GMC floor. There are no reservations for this area, and seating is limited. Drivers will find Gates 2 and 3, at the northwest and northeast corners, most convenient for dropping off passengers with disabilities. Handicap parking is available at Gate 4 (west side of building).

Closed captioning will be available on the screen in GMC during each ceremony.Traffic in the GMC area is anticipated to be high during the transition periods between each commencement ceremony. Parking lots adjacent to the coliseum typically fill up quickly, but parking is available on the main campus.

Graduates, families, and friends are encouraged to share photos and messages on Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook using the hashtag&nbsp;#tigergrad.

The in-person commencement ceremonies will be broadcast live at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.EWtdXdo3nx3t8ZlvSfKX0aUTrZUkCBF5-2Bwz-2F2-2FlggJ0mEAI1H6CYXWmXq0vUjpGOscTDyzfV-2BviLO0Q28zbcDL-2BZMa9jQ89C8PG-2FIb8QWT0-3DnY9k_1ix3pnygukYWZfKiCJpm8BsHsayWXlw0ucteiDEo46fRc0p9DVWJmv2prlqkbHR6S2dsrJiXPEopagJAn55fgrGOya21Ubchf288oY8AFP4iYaBJwhylwdd5l9F7UOfOcCncgWNMzcnBuAvn3AGWn-2BHGaczCZEz6Uw9O-2FnrN8VHZfrwIhf-2F3hzIhePztalKltT9ktv56NLDkIXW4mOQZ5fUCOwarhy3qdyI3-2Be4PQbDV4zjAI70A3i8NDt5MyYJT-2BAeLskikUOegMPhkrEVLyS-2F7vGuy67uF-2BWA3zv27bo0r-2BPDPT0im5MxXIYRqBPKoeqlKOX6WHUwm8V5NKmW8fkFg-2Bv2aMKslWZidv33kTwOePNAiuhDarT-2Fn2YuAM6S4">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy-pTViuiXfMeJilvmltyrg</a>&nbsp;and through the Fort Hays State Facebook page at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.EWtdXdo3nx3t8ZlvSfKX0d6l0qajQc2cNPx9eB-2BHhpliVZKa8owTAfikeTUTv-2BP2d7nJ_1ix3pnygukYWZfKiCJpm8BsHsayWXlw0ucteiDEo46fRc0p9DVWJmv2prlqkbHR6S2dsrJiXPEopagJAn55fgrGOya21Ubchf288oY8AFP4iYaBJwhylwdd5l9F7UOfOcCncgWNMzcnBuAvn3AGWn-2BHGaczCZEz6Uw9O-2FnrN8VHZfrwIhf-2F3hzIhePztalKltT9ktv56NLDkIXW4mOQZ5ZomftYhcouwMvqGxAqF-2B1N9VQ66MeSctjeYaHczQE58-2BGyEnFnZF30ZiSYSX3aDCO-2BOSNHNcrmkJCMEoGMHvDHX5wnZHHEmMKpf8B3eznEahJOQSxlhRDPq9akMPDjqFjNIeOj7ptAJ1mN-2FT-2F5x6HVMnfy82E75KrL8jzP75QmA">https://www.facebook.com/forthaysstate</a>.

The commencement schedule, maps, directions, links to accommodations in Hays, and general information can be found at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.EWtdXdo3nx3t8ZlvSfKX0cdeTry58ih-2F0ByFBW-2FXzaO2dfEgAhUEeT4iu401VQSaIDFl_1ix3pnygukYWZfKiCJpm8BsHsayWXlw0ucteiDEo46fRc0p9DVWJmv2prlqkbHR6S2dsrJiXPEopagJAn55fgrGOya21Ubchf288oY8AFP4iYaBJwhylwdd5l9F7UOfOcCncgWNMzcnBuAvn3AGWn-2BHGaczCZEz6Uw9O-2FnrN8VHZfrwIhf-2F3hzIhePztalKltT9ktv56NLDkIXW4mOQZ5aolgSQGR3j7x1Qz1KfpojvL0IXItXmVs9Gm0spLN69p7WZdJVRwLz7i7BmDZeDX0lYlECqaQwBtkrYI5bIhTM9FBkVCG7hVVqhrXn2LPy-2F1ttgc4VFJBvPEGpCIvNVu7H2F5fFhosQVm8snjqy533Pj-2BCcV0PXf5DwMIYXK3yXK">www.fhsu.edu/commencement/</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747153626456.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State University spring 2025 commencement ceremonies will be held&nbsp; Friday and Saturday. Photo courtesy FHSU" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State University spring 2025 commencement ceremonies will be held&nbsp; Friday and Saturday. Photo courtesy FHSU</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University CommunicationsFort Hays State University will recognize approximately 1,691 graduates during its spring 2025 commencement ceremonies on Friday and Saturday, May 16-17.Graduates who have chosen to participate in person will be honored in two ceremonies on Friday and two ceremonies on Saturday at Gross Memorial Coliseum (GMC).The ceremonies will begin on Friday for undergraduate and graduate candidates in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at&nbsp;8:30 a.m. Central time, followed by the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences at&nbsp;11 a.m. Central time.Saturday’s two ceremonies are the Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship and Werth College of Science, Technology and Mathematics (combined) at 8:30 a.m. (CT), followed by the College of Education at 11 a.m. (CT).If graduates are unable to attend the on-campus ceremonies, they can tune in to the virtual celebration on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. for the DNP, Ed.S., and master’s students. The undergraduate virtual ceremony will follow at 4 p.m. Graduates can experience all the excitement, pride, and unforgettable moments wherever they are located.&nbsp;All ceremonies – in-person and virtual – are available on the Tiger Media Network YouTube channel. The link to access the live ceremonies will also be posted on the Fort Hays State University Facebook page. Individuals are not required to sign up for a Facebook account to view the ceremonies.Recordings of the virtual ceremonies will be archived on the FHSU YouTube channel, with the link provided on the commencement website on the “Programs and Videos” tab the week after the semester ends.Doors to GMC and the adjoining Cunningham Hall will open at 7:45 a.m. Graduates and guests will be asked to enter through Gate 2 or Gate 3. The graduates will check in at these two gates, and guest seating will be on the upper level of the Coliseum.Students are asked to wear their regalia to GMC. For late pick up of regalia after May 2, contact&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.EWtdXdo3nx3t8ZlvSfKX0fRrRToYU8moO1n-2Fd4GGiT2zmYZ7DEIyM5njzyEAJPwAjf9x_1ix3pnygukYWZfKiCJpm8BsHsayWXlw0ucteiDEo46fRc0p9DVWJmv2prlqkbHR6S2dsrJiXPEopagJAn55fgrGOya21Ubchf288oY8AFP4iYaBJwhylwdd5l9F7UOfOcCncgWNMzcnBuAvn3AGWn-2BHGaczCZEz6Uw9O-2FnrN8VHZfrwIhf-2F3hzIhePztalKltT9ktv56NLDkIXW4mOQZ5YSb5bGQN3EXpVKy-2Fgpn7Y3bNjw5tMhdw9V4cASYIOmIYEGFJBWQ-2B6vzJUEe3SIT2ucQspf1OQjTx9C4ikiqqfZBelaeoHZN-2FXSisW7iq-2FJ8A-2BqUWtIb7F45DcZ-2BpsYdhe5zTdYMtCf-2BO6-2BeoRUYvt-2BYsnD1rUWNumMC21X9KXao">Victor E. Apparel &amp; Gift Co.</a>&nbsp;in the Memorial Union.Seating on the main floor of Gross Memorial Coliseum is reserved for graduates and faculty. Guests will be seated in the upper level. The elevator is accessible by Gate 3. Seating for guests with mobility impairment and patrons in wheelchairs is available on the main floor; a commencement staff member will escort the individual(s) and one guest to the seating area on the GMC floor. There are no reservations for this area, and seating is limited. Drivers will find Gates 2 and 3, at the northwest and northeast corners, most convenient for dropping off passengers with disabilities. Handicap parking is available at Gate 4 (west side of building).Closed captioning will be available on the screen in GMC during each ceremony.Traffic in the GMC area is anticipated to be high during the transition periods between each commencement ceremony. Parking lots adjacent to the coliseum typically fill up quickly, but parking is available on the main campus.Graduates, families, and friends are encouraged to share photos and messages on Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook using the hashtag&nbsp;#tigergrad.The in-person commencement ceremonies will be broadcast live at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.EWtdXdo3nx3t8ZlvSfKX0aUTrZUkCBF5-2Bwz-2F2-2FlggJ0mEAI1H6CYXWmXq0vUjpGOscTDyzfV-2BviLO0Q28zbcDL-2BZMa9jQ89C8PG-2FIb8QWT0-3DnY9k_1ix3pnygukYWZfKiCJpm8BsHsayWXlw0ucteiDEo46fRc0p9DVWJmv2prlqkbHR6S2dsrJiXPEopagJAn55fgrGOya21Ubchf288oY8AFP4iYaBJwhylwdd5l9F7UOfOcCncgWNMzcnBuAvn3AGWn-2BHGaczCZEz6Uw9O-2FnrN8VHZfrwIhf-2F3hzIhePztalKltT9ktv56NLDkIXW4mOQZ5fUCOwarhy3qdyI3-2Be4PQbDV4zjAI70A3i8NDt5MyYJT-2BAeLskikUOegMPhkrEVLyS-2F7vGuy67uF-2BWA3zv27bo0r-2BPDPT0im5MxXIYRqBPKoeqlKOX6WHUwm8V5NKmW8fkFg-2Bv2aMKslWZidv33kTwOePNAiuhDarT-2Fn2YuAM6S4">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy-pTViuiXfMeJilvmltyrg</a>&nbsp;and through the Fort Hays State Facebook page at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.EWtdXdo3nx3t8ZlvSfKX0d6l0qajQc2cNPx9eB-2BHhpliVZKa8owTAfikeTUTv-2BP2d7nJ_1ix3pnygukYWZfKiCJpm8BsHsayWXlw0ucteiDEo46fRc0p9DVWJmv2prlqkbHR6S2dsrJiXPEopagJAn55fgrGOya21Ubchf288oY8AFP4iYaBJwhylwdd5l9F7UOfOcCncgWNMzcnBuAvn3AGWn-2BHGaczCZEz6Uw9O-2FnrN8VHZfrwIhf-2F3hzIhePztalKltT9ktv56NLDkIXW4mOQZ5ZomftYhcouwMvqGxAqF-2B1N9VQ66MeSctjeYaHczQE58-2BGyEnFnZF30ZiSYSX3aDCO-2BOSNHNcrmkJCMEoGMHvDHX5wnZHHEmMKpf8B3eznEahJOQSxlhRDPq9akMPDjqFjNIeOj7ptAJ1mN-2FT-2F5x6HVMnfy82E75KrL8jzP75QmA">https://www.facebook.com/forthaysstate</a>.The commencement schedule, maps, directions, links to accommodations in Hays, and general information can be found at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.EWtdXdo3nx3t8ZlvSfKX0cdeTry58ih-2F0ByFBW-2FXzaO2dfEgAhUEeT4iu401VQSaIDFl_1ix3pnygukYWZfKiCJpm8BsHsayWXlw0ucteiDEo46fRc0p9DVWJmv2prlqkbHR6S2dsrJiXPEopagJAn55fgrGOya21Ubchf288oY8AFP4iYaBJwhylwdd5l9F7UOfOcCncgWNMzcnBuAvn3AGWn-2BHGaczCZEz6Uw9O-2FnrN8VHZfrwIhf-2F3hzIhePztalKltT9ktv56NLDkIXW4mOQZ5aolgSQGR3j7x1Qz1KfpojvL0IXItXmVs9Gm0spLN69p7WZdJVRwLz7i7BmDZeDX0lYlECqaQwBtkrYI5bIhTM9FBkVCG7hVVqhrXn2LPy-2F1ttgc4VFJBvPEGpCIvNVu7H2F5fFhosQVm8snjqy533Pj-2BCcV0PXf5DwMIYXK3yXK">www.fhsu.edu/commencement/</a>.

FHSU to celebrate commencement May 16, 17

Editor's Note: The following letter was presented to Hays USD 489 board members and Ron Wilson, superintendent.

Other than being a resident and taxpayer for these past 42 plus years, I currently do not have any skin in the game of tennis. I just am hopeful this time around, the USD 489 board would build them correctly, not like the existing disaster, the current courts were built cock-eyed in a NW-SE direction. 

You see, and bet we all would agree, Hays is not a "Hot Bed" for tennis like other communities near or around Wichita. When I went to college in Winfield during the mid-1960s, they had 26 courts scattered around town. Today, or since 2012, they have 14 courts called the Curly Vaughn Tennis Center, and play host to many KSHSAA state tournaments. (Note: All are built legally north to south.)

 When I played college tennis, there were only four courts at that side—now 14. When I did my practice teaching at Winfield High School, they had won 17 of 21 state tennis championships. 

They along with nearby Arkansas City were the Hot Beds of tennis for decades. Many of their grads played D-1 at KU, KSU or WSU.&nbsp;In those two communities, Christmas was a failure if they didn't get new rackets.

The closest Hays ever got to being a hot bed of tennis was when Dennis Douglas was the teacher and head coach. Yes, his sister (Donna Kay) was married to long time coach Jim Maska. Dennis had state champions in both girls and guys. We moved here so my oldest daughter might get a chance to play for him. He resigned at HHS and became the Hays Recreation director, so Cathy Kuhn became our oldest daughter's coach.

If Tanya could make it to state just once in four years, it was going to be worth the move. Wow! She went all four years, and along with Andre' Schmidt, they were the last class 5A State Champions in Doubles or Singles that Hays has produced with a 30-1 record. (That was fall of 1982.) 

We knew then the HHS tennis courts were constructed wrong, as any avid tennis player would know. NO courts in the Northern Hemisphere (Kansas) were constructed that way. Ignorance is one thing meaning lack of knowledge but when architects and board members are educated and know the difference or rely on other professionals, but continue to make the same mistake, then that surpasses ignorance into stubborn stupidity (in my humble opinion). 

KSHSAA knows about the diagram/photo which previous appeared in an edition of the Hays Daily Newspaper and I contacted Sarah Smith (in charge of tennis). She confirmed to me that ALL tennis courts where they assign post-season matches are built and run in a north-south direction. Even other tennis courts in Hays, like down near Larks Park or FHSU, "ALL" are constructed correctly. 

Please be smart and use your intelligence like the board's "Mission Goals" state: "Effective Management of Resources". 

In spending over $600,000, either do it right or not at all. Don't be stupid. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698091063975.png" alt="Image by Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image by Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>Editor's Note: The following letter was presented to Hays USD 489 board members and Ron Wilson, superintendent.Dear Mr. Wilson and board members: Other than being a resident and taxpayer for these past 42 plus years, I currently do not have any skin in the game of tennis. I just am hopeful this time around, the USD 489 board would build them correctly, not like the existing disaster, the current courts were built cock-eyed in a NW-SE direction. You see, and bet we all would agree, Hays is not a "Hot Bed" for tennis like other communities near or around Wichita. When I went to college in Winfield during the mid-1960s, they had 26 courts scattered around town. Today, or since 2012, they have 14 courts called the Curly Vaughn Tennis Center, and play host to many KSHSAA state tournaments. (Note: All are built legally north to south.) When I played college tennis, there were only four courts at that side—now 14. When I did my practice teaching at Winfield High School, they had won 17 of 21 state tennis championships. They along with nearby Arkansas City were the Hot Beds of tennis for decades. Many of their grads played D-1 at KU, KSU or WSU.&nbsp;In those two communities, Christmas was a failure if they didn't get new rackets.The closest Hays ever got to being a hot bed of tennis was when Dennis Douglas was the teacher and head coach. Yes, his sister (Donna Kay) was married to long time coach Jim Maska. Dennis had state champions in both girls and guys. We moved here so my oldest daughter might get a chance to play for him. He resigned at HHS and became the Hays Recreation director, so Cathy Kuhn became our oldest daughter's coach.If Tanya could make it to state just once in four years, it was going to be worth the move. Wow! She went all four years, and along with Andre' Schmidt, they were the last class 5A State Champions in Doubles or Singles that Hays has produced with a 30-1 record. (That was fall of 1982.) We knew then the HHS tennis courts were constructed wrong, as any avid tennis player would know. NO courts in the Northern Hemisphere (Kansas) were constructed that way. Ignorance is one thing meaning lack of knowledge but when architects and board members are educated and know the difference or rely on other professionals, but continue to make the same mistake, then that surpasses ignorance into stubborn stupidity (in my humble opinion). KSHSAA knows about the diagram/photo which previous appeared in an edition of the Hays Daily Newspaper and I contacted Sarah Smith (in charge of tennis). She confirmed to me that ALL tennis courts where they assign post-season matches are built and run in a north-south direction. Even other tennis courts in Hays, like down near Larks Park or FHSU, "ALL" are constructed correctly. Please be smart and use your intelligence like the board's "Mission Goals" state: "Effective Management of Resources". In spending over $600,000, either do it right or not at all. Don't be stupid. Thank you for your time! —Larry Jantz, Hays&nbsp;

LETTER: New Hays High tennis courts must be built correctly

William Least Heat Moon sold a book promoting the idea of traveling Blue Highways. 

For those who don’t remember paper maps, these two-lane highways carry rural travelers from one burg to another across the United States. Some villages boast a stop light. Other don’t even have a stop sign to control intersection traffic. Those officials trust that locals know enough to follow state driver manuals and hope common sense is a bonus. 

Most such tiny towns have sights worth seeing and stops for folks who make time to travel slow routes, enjoying exploration at a snail’s pace.

Recently, we took a favorite drive to scenic Morland, situated near the South Solomon River. Getting there either via Highway 24 or driving country roads offers impressive views of weathered limestone filled with fossils, vast horizons replete with waving prairie grasses and wheat, wood, brick, and stone homesteads—age confirmed as roofs fall, windows and doors vanish, and barns collapse under the weight of time. Occasionally, travelers luck out and spy a well-kept original homestead that’s survived harsh winters and summers.

Driving into Morland, note a railroad line once passed through. It’s old-time depot recalls memories of travelers with camel back trunks and metal milk cans and huge egg containers waiting for trains to stop. 

With a hop and skip, visit the Veterans Memorial and a public park designed to encourage young imaginations. 

Travel south to explore a two-story stone bank where investors deposited cash and earned interest. Currently, it serves as a museum where visitors can appreciate sturdy 19th century architecture and displays that tell stories of former residents. The school memorabilia surely initiates lively reunion conversations.

Several old brick buildings serve as more than sentinels on Main Street. Cottonwood Digs has a bas relief depicting an impressive fossil collection dug nearby several decades ago. Inside, you’ll find meeting rooms and areas that local enterprises utilize.

Across the street, wide enough two big wagons could meet and pass back in the day, community planners revitalized the old Merc into a grocery, deli, community kitchen, and post office. Visionary supporters/grant writers qualified for funding that enabled them to reopen the old mercantile in 2013 with well-stocked aisles so locals needn’t leave town to buy essentials.

The manager orders not only basics but also intriguing items sightseers might want to buy such as Charlotte Keith paintings, Graham County honey, homemade jams and jellies, Jack’s Gourmet seasonings, Hoganville Family Farm sauerkraut, and local Rock Creek Meats. The well-stocked deli supplies lunch meats and cheeses that satisfy finicky diners and those wanting a sandwich for a fishing trip to nearby Antelope Lake. 

Anna Hutchinson prepares specials Monday through Friday that make Blue Highway travel worth the drive. Her polish sausage with Hoganville sauerkraut, fancy beans, and scalloped potatoes is delicious and filling. I couldn’t eat everything, but I wanted to. Wednesday is fried chicken day. I never thought I’d find fried chicken as good as Grandma Lottie’s, but Anna has the gift. Quantities are limited so call ahead to reserve some. I’m eager to visit on the other three weekdays to sample those meals.

This delightful trip into quieter and slower times offers much to explore. I’ll leave Penokee, Cottonwood Ranch, Antelope Lake, and Sheridan State Fishing Lake for other columns.

Karen Madorin is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658158626307.png" alt="Karen Madorin. Courtesy photo&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Karen Madorin. Courtesy photo&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By KAREN MADORINWilliam Least Heat Moon sold a book promoting the idea of traveling Blue Highways. For those who don’t remember paper maps, these two-lane highways carry rural travelers from one burg to another across the United States. Some villages boast a stop light. Other don’t even have a stop sign to control intersection traffic. Those officials trust that locals know enough to follow state driver manuals and hope common sense is a bonus. Most such tiny towns have sights worth seeing and stops for folks who make time to travel slow routes, enjoying exploration at a snail’s pace.Recently, we took a favorite drive to scenic Morland, situated near the South Solomon River. Getting there either via Highway 24 or driving country roads offers impressive views of weathered limestone filled with fossils, vast horizons replete with waving prairie grasses and wheat, wood, brick, and stone homesteads—age confirmed as roofs fall, windows and doors vanish, and barns collapse under the weight of time. Occasionally, travelers luck out and spy a well-kept original homestead that’s survived harsh winters and summers.Driving into Morland, note a railroad line once passed through. It’s old-time depot recalls memories of travelers with camel back trunks and metal milk cans and huge egg containers waiting for trains to stop. With a hop and skip, visit the Veterans Memorial and a public park designed to encourage young imaginations. Travel south to explore a two-story stone bank where investors deposited cash and earned interest. Currently, it serves as a museum where visitors can appreciate sturdy 19th century architecture and displays that tell stories of former residents. The school memorabilia surely initiates lively reunion conversations.Several old brick buildings serve as more than sentinels on Main Street. Cottonwood Digs has a bas relief depicting an impressive fossil collection dug nearby several decades ago. Inside, you’ll find meeting rooms and areas that local enterprises utilize.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746782589425.jpeg" alt="Morland, Kansas. Photo by Karen Madorin" />
 <figcaption>Morland, Kansas. Photo by Karen Madorin</figcaption>
 </figure>Across the street, wide enough two big wagons could meet and pass back in the day, community planners revitalized the old Merc into a grocery, deli, community kitchen, and post office. Visionary supporters/grant writers qualified for funding that enabled them to reopen the old mercantile in 2013 with well-stocked aisles so locals needn’t leave town to buy essentials.The manager orders not only basics but also intriguing items sightseers might want to buy such as Charlotte Keith paintings, Graham County honey, homemade jams and jellies, Jack’s Gourmet seasonings, Hoganville Family Farm sauerkraut, and local Rock Creek Meats. The well-stocked deli supplies lunch meats and cheeses that satisfy finicky diners and those wanting a sandwich for a fishing trip to nearby Antelope Lake. My favorite is the lunch special.Anna Hutchinson prepares specials Monday through Friday that make Blue Highway travel worth the drive. Her polish sausage with Hoganville sauerkraut, fancy beans, and scalloped potatoes is delicious and filling. I couldn’t eat everything, but I wanted to. Wednesday is fried chicken day. I never thought I’d find fried chicken as good as Grandma Lottie’s, but Anna has the gift. Quantities are limited so call ahead to reserve some. I’m eager to visit on the other three weekdays to sample those meals.This delightful trip into quieter and slower times offers much to explore. I’ll leave Penokee, Cottonwood Ranch, Antelope Lake, and Sheridan State Fishing Lake for other columns.Karen Madorin is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan.

MADORIN: Day trippin’ 1

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747229753488.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747081009982.png" alt="Tenure and Promotion Reception Ad.png" />
 <figcaption>Tenure and Promotion Reception Ad.png</figcaption>
 </figure>

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