With major outbreaks of H1N1 flu occurring at campuses across the United States, and one death recently reported at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, universities are putting detailed prevention and containment plans into place. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported last week that with hundreds of students sick with swine flu on at least 17 U.S. college campuses, this is the highest rate of influenza infection for this time of year since the last pandemic flu, the Hong Kong flu, struck in 1968.

In response, Dr. Edward H. Hammond, president of Fort Hays State University, has announced that the university is launching a three-step plan to help students, faculty and staff avoid the flu.

Step 1
The first step in prevention is to get a seasonal flu shot. The CDC advises that the single best way to protect against the flu is to get vaccinated each year as soon as the vaccine is available, usually in September.

Flu vaccinations are highly recommended for everyone, but individuals who are in high-risk groups should make a special effort to get vaccinated. Contact your doctor or the Student Health Center to learn whether you are in a high-risk group.

Hays Medical Center will provide a free drive-through vaccination clinic from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 27. The university urges students, faculty and staff to take advantage of the free clinic. The university is recommending the option of the HMC free clinic because of difficulties in obtaining an adequate supply of the vaccine for a campus clinic. For those who are unable to participate in the HMC free clinic, FHSU will conduct a follow-up clinic in the Memorial Union, McMindes Hall and Weist Hall on Thursday, Oct. 1. However, due to limited supplies, there will be a $10 charge per vaccination at the on-campus clinic. The university encourages people to attend the free clinic in order to save money but also to receive the immunization at the earliest possible date.

Step 2
FHSU plans to provide immunizations for the H1N1 flu on campus. The Student Health Center is on a waiting list and will provide vaccines when they become available, likely in late October. Details about the H1N1 clinic will be announced later when more information is known.
Step 3
According to medical and nursing editors from EBSCO Publishing, sometimes a new vaccine needs a second shot, or “booster,” to take full effect. Therefore, the H1N1 flu vaccine might need to be given in two doses 30 days apart. The need for an H1N1 booster remains uncertain until ongoing studies are finished. If a second shot is required, only those who have received the original H1N1 vaccine will be eligible for the booster shots when they become available, likely in late November. Details about the H1N1 booster clinic, if needed, will be announced later.

General Disease Prevention
The best defense against the flu is good personal hygiene. Individuals should wash their hands thoroughly and regularly, sneeze into a sleeve, and stay home when they are sick.

What is the flu?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, influenza (the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The best way to prevent the flu is by getting a flu vaccination each year. Every year in the United States, on average 5 percent to 20 percent of the population gets the flu; more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications; and about 36,000 people die from flu-related causes. Some people, such as older people, young children and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious flu complications.

What is H1N1?
Originally called “swine flu” because the virus genes were similar to some influenza viruses that infect pigs, the new virus has been named “novel H1N1.” The CDC reports that H1N1 has begun causing illness in people and spreading around the world.

Since arriving at the helm of FHSU in 1987, he has announced a theme for each academic year, but this year’s theme has special significance because it is also the tagline for the university’s new brand platform.

This will be the third tagline used during President Hammond’s tenure — following “Affordable Success,” which in turn followed “High Tech, High Touch” — and he emphasized that the new brand platform continues a process of evolution. “We are not rejecting those earlier themes,” he said, “but building on them. We still provide the best of modern technology with close personal attention. We still are the most affordable university in the region and provide an education that makes our students successful. Our new brand tagline demonstrates that through those earlier efforts, we are positioned to look toward the future and prepare our graduates to compete in a rapidly changing world.”

The process of developing a new brand began in 2007 when university officials discussed the need to redesign the Web site — www.fhsu.edu — to make it more up to date and fresher, and to make use of new Web technologies that allow greater social interaction. The university’s Integrated Marketing Committee recommended that the brand should be reviewed and updated before beginning renovation of the Web site. President Hammond approved. The university issued a nationwide request for proposals and hired the Educational Marketing Group Inc., Denver, to assist in the process.

EMG prepared a Project Work Plan in May 2008 that included four components: 1. A brand audit and Web site/operations analysis; 2. brand platform development with an integrated marketing plan; 3. creative development and testing; and 4. Brand implementation and Web site design/programming.

An extensive research process began, which included exhaustive surveys and interviews. “The EMG consultants conducted an exhaustive effort to learn about FHSU, in numbers, in facts and in impressions,” said Kent Steward, FHSU’s director of the Office of University Relations and also the brand manager. “This was critical because a brand, in essence, is not something that can be forced. It has to be a true representation of what the university really is and what it is perceived to be.”

With the research completed, EMG issued a report and next began to develop the brand platform and marketing plan. Working with President Hammond and other university leaders, the consultants finalized the tagline — Forward thinking. World ready. — and a positioning statement:

Fort Hays State University is the region’s leading forward-thinking, entrepreneurial university that values social, civic and professional engagement. We attract goal-oriented students with a strong work ethic who want to live and learn in a caring community.

From the beginning of their college experience, our students are actively engaged in an exceptional depth of core learning opportunities, both inside and outside the classroom. We provide extraordinary one-to-one attention and support. Our faculty are outstanding teachers who motivate students to think globally, discover their potential and develop their unique talents. We expect our faculty, staff, students and alumni to be involved and engaged in their professions and communities.

Our graduates gain confidence, a deep appreciation of knowledge, and the professional skills that give them an advantage in their careers, now and for a lifetime.

Also critical was the development of brand messages. “We identified many truths about FHSU, but the strategic part was to hone in on which of these many possible messages we should emphasize to accomplish our goals, such as enrollment growth and enhancement of the learning experience,” Steward said. “We selected five key messages, which we call the brand drivers, by testing the various possibilities in focus groups and interviews. Over the past several month, we have conducted numerous education sessions to acquaint faculty and staff with the new brand platform and to show how they can participate by tailoring their publicity and recruitment efforts by emphasizing the brand drivers.”

The brand drivers:
· Learning opportunities with exceptional depth, inside and outside the classroom, from the beginning of the college experience;
· Outstanding faculty and staff who deliver exceptional attention and support;
· An expectation of social, civic and professional engagement;
· Partnerships and learning experiences that bring together cultures, perspectives and thinking from around the world; and
· Innovation that drives solutions.

Next came development of the creative elements, which are the visuals and symbols that help to convey the sense and feel of the brand. The creatives, which include a new logo in which the old torch is replaced by the mascot, Victor E. Tiger, also went through a testing process.

Finally, the demanding process of developing a new Web site and converting something like 70,000 pages has begun. That conversion is in the final stages, and the new Web site will be launched soon.

But with the president’s announcement at the Fall Convocation, the new brand is official. The public will be seeing more and more of the new images and hearing more and more of the new messages in the days and months ahead.

Today, Fort Hays State University unveils a new brand: Forward thinking. World ready.

What does that mean?

This builds on “High Tech, High Touch” and “Affordable Success” – our two very successful marketing brands that we have had in the past 22 years – since Dr. Ed Hammond came to FHSU in 1987.

Forward. We believe our university has vision. We have been on the forefront of new ideas on working with limited budgets and you can’t forget our ground-breaking international programs that have been in China since 2000.

Thinking. Thoughtful, responsive, reflective – the nature of learning is always centered around expanding one’s mind and thinking of new ideas and possibilities.

World. We are a regional comprehensive university located in Western Kansas, but our region is much more than just an area of Kansas or all of Kansas. We are expanding to other areas around the country and around the world.

Ready. We demand our students excel in classrooms and in the world around them. Upon graduation they are prepared and equipped to thrive in a world economy.

“Forward thinking. World ready. A visionary response to a universal need…..education for global citizens,” Dr. Ed Hammond said at this mornings convocation. In the next few weeks and months ahead, we will be sharing even more regarding our thoughts around this new brand. A redesigned website at www.fhsu.edu will launch soon.