Kansas budget, political parties topics of the 2015 Lou Douglas Lecture Series

Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015



MANHATTAN — Two individuals known for influencing public policy will be the speakers for the fall 2015 Lou Douglas Lecture Series on Public Issues at Kansas State University.



Thomas Frank, reporter and founding editor of The Baffler, will present "Snoozing through the Liberal Hour" at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6, in the K-State Student Union's Main Ballroom; and Duane Goossen, senior fellow with the Kansas Center for Economic Growth, will present "Restoring Kansas Values to the Kansas Budget" at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, in Forum Hall at the Union.



Both lectures are free to the public. The Lou Douglas Lecture Series is sponsored by UFM Community Learning Center.



Frank, author of "What's the Matter with Kansas: How Conservatives Won the Heart of America," is a contributing reporter for the Washington Post, The Nation, In These Times and other periodicals. His book, "The Conquest of Cool: Business Culture, Counterculture, and the Rise of Hip Consumerism," became a best-seller in 1997. Frank's lecture is co-sponsored by the Provost's Education Excellence Fund.



Goossen served as Kansas budget director for 12 years. He received the Gloria Timmer Award from the National Association of State Budget Officers for his impact on the financial situation of the state. Goossen will address the state's financial condition and discuss the importance of bringing Kansas values back to the state budget.



The Lou Douglas Lecture Series is dedicated to Douglas, who was one of the founders of the UFM Community Learning Center. Douglas was a distinguished professor of political science at Kansas State University from 1949 until 1977. He was widely known for his power to inspire students, faculty, staff and citizens to instigate change. After his death in 1979, UFM began the lecture series to honor him. More information is available at http://www.tryufm.org.