Education

List of top STEM universities includes Purdue

Mike Loizzo — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:16:22 +0000

U.S. News and World Report is out with a new ranking of the top STEM universities in the country. Purdue makes the list – tied at Number 19 with Rice University.

The magazine determined the proportion of science, technology, engineering and math bachelor’s degrees granted last year. For Purdue, and Rice, that was 44% in 2012.

The top-ranked STEM schools, according to U.S. News, are Caltech and Colorado School of Mines. Both granted 98% of their bachelor’s degrees in STEM fields.

U.S. News did not consider every university. Here's the editor's explanation:

LARA notifies test takers of GED changes

Mike Loizzo — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:29:00 +0000

Indiana will have a new high school equivalency test in 2014.

The director of the Lafayette Adult Resource Academy (LARA) says that means people in the midst of completing the GED exam need to act before December 31^st. Trish Maxwell says if they don’t, they’ll have to start all over again.

She says LARA offers free preparation help and childcare for those who need it.

New state funding formula changes school head count rules

Kevin Camp — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:58:36 +0000

A new state mandate could mean financial challenges for the Tippecanoe School Corporation.

The Indiana Department of Education now requires two yearly head counts of students for its funding calculation.

TSC financial officer Kim Fox says in the past, changes in enrollment from semester to semester have not had an impact on budgets.

Hanna Center campers caring for, studying caterpillars

Mike Loizzo — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:46:55 +0000

A metamorphosis will take place at a Lafayette area camp in the coming weeks. Kids attending the Hanna Summer Camp will be taking care of caterpillars until they change into butterflies. It’s in partnership with the College of Veterinary Medicine at Purdue.

Dr. Sandy San Miguel, Associate Dean for Engagement, says campers will learn about science, math and reading.

“The overall goal is to keep them excited about learning, excited about school, so that when they go back in the fall, they haven’t forgotten everything,” she says.

LSC board reauthorizes school charter, approves GLASS agreement

Kevin Camp — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:41:13 +0000

Beacon Academy in West Lafayette is set to continue serving non-traditional students in the area.

Lafayette School Corporation board members voted to reauthorize sponsorship of the school’s charter for the next five years.

Superintendent Les Huddle says the academy is geared toward high-school-aged students in particular.

It'll give some LSC students an opportunity to continue their high school education that maybe ran into some trouble, made some bad choices, maybe have found themselves behind academically."

New Purdue Extension director listening and learning

Mike Loizzo — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 20:37:33 +0000

The new head of Purdue Extension wants to find a better way to get information into the hands of Hoosiers.

Jason Henderson was most recently a vice president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. He oversaw outreach programs in economic education, community development, and agricultural/rural programming. Henderson thinks that experience will transfer to Extension and benefit Hoosiers.

His first day on the job was May 28^th.

NH firm to review ISTEP results

Kyle Stokes — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 20:30:31 +0000

State education officials have hired a New Hampshire-based firm to review results of Indiana’s ISTEP exams after at least 78,000 students’ online tests froze in April.

The Indiana Department of Education will pay the National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment no more than $53,000 to review the results of the ISTEP exam — a review state superintendent Glenda Ritz expects to take four to five weeks.

Purdue conference helping educators use social studies to teach literacy

Kristin Malavenda — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 16:20:47 +0000

Learning how to use key social studies content to teach literacy— that’s the goal of the Purdue College of Education’s 2013 Summer Institute.

Nine elementary school teachers were chosen to participate in the conference, which is coordinated by the James F. Ackerman Center for Democratic Citizenship and the Center for Literacy Education and Research.

The focus is to learn how to make sure the state-mandated 90-minute reading block includes content-rich instruction.

Teachers spent the week creating units to be implemented in their classrooms this fall.

Ball State approves tuition increase, new fees

Stephanie Wiechmann — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 19:39:18 +0000

Ball State University is raising tuition by 2% for students next year, which administrators say is in line with most other public universities in the state.

Ball State Vice President for Business Affairs Randy Howard says the Muncie school will raise tuition for undergraduate and graduate students by 2% next year and another 2% the year after that. In-state full-time undergraduates will pay a little more than $9,000 next year. Out-of-state undergrads will pay a little more than $24,000.

Purdue hires first Honors College dean

Mike Loizzo — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 13:38:50 +0000

Purdue has hired the inaugural dean of its Honors College. Dr. Rhonda Phillips currently serves as the associate dean of Barrett, The Honors College of Arizona State University.

She was one of three to interview on campus in March. The other two were interim dean Dennis Savaiano and Shannon Blanton, vice provost for undergraduate programs and professor of political science, University of Memphis.

Phillips received her doctoral degree from Georgia Tech, as well as one of her two master’s degrees. Her background is in land development and planning.