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Today's News for September 19, 2008System NewsState News National News Photo of the Day Big Sandy Idol Begins Tomorrow! 9/18/2008 Mountain Citizen, Inez The Music Department is excited to begin our Big Sandy Idol 2008-2009 Season at Magoffin County High School Tomorrow. Clayton Case, BSCTC's Music and Drama Assistant Director, serves as the director of the Big Sandy Idol Program. Case, along with Hall and Technical Director Timothy Cooley, have worked to organize sign-ups, auditions, recordings, and shows for each high school. Through the sign-ups and audition process, approximately 10 to 15 students will be chosen to compete at the local high school level - in front of the student body at their own high school. From this group of local performers, two winners, a first place and runner-up, will be chosen to represent their school. After all of the winners are chosen, both winners will go on to the Mountain Arts Center on March 13 and 14 to compete for the grand prize in the regional competition. "We are so excited about the Big Sandy Idol program this year," said Case. "We hope everyone will come out to support the representatives of their school and to see the show. It would be hard to beat the talent we have among our eastern Kentucky high school students. It is amazing!" Both the winner and the runner up at each school will receive a two-song demo recording at the Big Sandy Productions Studio on the BSCTC Campus and will be featured on the 2009 Big Sandy Idol Compilation Album, all produced by Cooley. The sign-ups, auditions and school show will be held at each high school on the following dates, listed alphabetically: * Allen Central High School: SignUps Sept. 24; Auditions Sept. 30; Show Oct. 10, 1:30 PM * Belfry High School: SignUps Nov. 19; Auditions Nov. 24; Show January 16 * Betsy Layne High School: SignUps Sept. 3; Auditions Sept. 9; Show Sept. 19, 1:30 PM * East Ridge High School: SignUps Nov. 5; Auditions Nov. 11; Show Nov. 21, 1:30 PM * Johnson Central High School: SignUps Oct. 23; Auditions Oct. 28; Show Nov. 7, 1:30 PM * Magoffin County High School: SignUps Aug. 26; Auditions Aug. 28; Show Sept. 5, 1:30 PM * Paintsville High School: SignUps Nov. 4; Auditions Nov. 6; Show Nov. 14, 1:30 PM * Phelps High School: SignUps Oct. 1; Auditions Oct. 7; Show Oct. 17, 1:30 PM * Pike Central High School: SignUps Oct. 15, Auditions Oct. 20; Show Oct. 31, 1:30 PM * Pikeville High School: SignUps Sept. 10, Auditions Sept. 16; Show Sept. 26, 1:30 PM * Prestonsburg High School: SignUps Nov. 12; Auditions Nov. 18; Show Dec. 5; 1:30 PM * Shelby Valley High School: SignUps Oct. 8; Auditions Oct. 14; Show Oct. 24, 1:30 PM * Sheldon Clark High School: SignUps Aug. 27; Auditions Aug. 29; Show Sept. 12, 1:30 PM * South Floyd High School: SignUps Dec. 3; Auditions Dec. 9; Show TBA Big Sandy Idol Regional Competition will be held March 13 and 14 at the Mountain Arts Center. Tickets will be available in February. Faculty and Staff can count helping out at a show as internal service for the college. If you know a high school student that can sing, encourage them to audition when we come to their school! Big Sandy Idol is coming to your school! Big Sandy Community and Technical College (BSCTC) is excited to announce its third year of their music scholarship program for high school students. Big Sandy Idol, is a talent and scholarship competition that offers two winners from each of the 14 high schools in Pike, Floyd, Johnson, Magoffin, and Martin Counties, a chance to compete for a demo CD recording, a full-album recording, $1,000 cash prize from Q95 FM, a $1,200.00 vocal scholarship to attend BSCTC, along with a spot with the Big Sandy Singers who are directed by Laura Ford Hall. Clayton Case, BSCTC's Music and Drama Assistant Director, serves as the director of the Big Sandy Idol Program. Case, along with Hall and Technical Director Timothy Cooley, have worked to organize sign-ups, auditions, recordings, and shows for each high school. Through the sign-ups and audition process, approximately 10 to 15 students will be chosen to compete at the local high school level - in front of the student body at their own high school. From this group of local performers, two winners, a first place and runner-up, will be chosen to represent their school. After all of the winners are chosen, both winners will go on to the Mountain Arts Center on the last weekend of February to compete for the grand prize in the regional competition. "We are so excited about the Big Sandy Idol program this year," said Case. "We hope everyone will come out to support the representatives of their school and to see the show. It would be hard to beat the talent we have among our eastern Kentucky high school students. It is amazing!" Both the winner and the runner up at each school will receive a two-song demo recording at the Big Sandy Productions Studio on the BSCTC Campus and will be featured on the 2009 Big Sandy Idol Compilation Album, all produced by Cooley. "It is so rewarding to go into the schools and see the vocal ability of our eastern Kentucky students," Hall said. "It truly is the most rewarding program I have ever been involved with. And, I hope our talented students will not be afraid to come out and audition and give it their very best shot." The sign-ups, auditions and school show will be held at each high school on the following dates, listed alphabetically: Allen Central High School: SignUps Sept. 24; Auditions Sept. 30; Show Oct. 10, 1:30 PM Belfry High School: SignUps Nov. 19; Auditions Nov. 24; Show January 16 Betsy Layne High School: SignUps Sept. 3; Auditions Sept. 9; Show Sept. 19, 1:30 PM East Ridge High School: SignUps Nov. 5; Auditions Nov. 11; Show Nov. 21, 1:30 PM Johnson Central High School: SignUps Oct. 23; Auditions Oct. 28; Show Nov. 7, 1:30 PM Magoffin County High School: SignUps Aug. 26; Auditions Aug. 28; Show Sept. 5, 1:30 PM Paintsville High School: SignUps Nov. 4; Auditions Nov. 6; Show Nov. 14, 1:30 PM Phelps High School: SignUps Oct. 1; Auditions Oct. 7; Show Oct. 17, 1:30 PM Pike Central High School: SignUps Oct. 15, Auditions Oct. 20; Show Oct. 31, 1:30 PM Pikeville High School: SignUps Sept. 10, Auditions Sept. 16; Show Sept. 26, 1:30 PM Prestonsburg High School: SignUps Nov. 12; Auditions Nov. 18; Show Dec. 5; 1:30 PM Shelby Valley High School: SignUps Oct. 8; Auditions Oct. 14; Show Oct. 24, 1:30 PM Sheldon Clark High School: SignUps Aug. 27; Auditions Aug. 29; Show Sept. 12, 1:30 PM South Floyd High School: SignUps Dec. 3; Auditions Dec. 9; Show TBA Big Sandy Idol is presented by Big Sandy Community and Technical College with assistance by the Mountain Arts Center. The Regional Big Sandy Idol Competition will be held on March 13 and 14, 2009 at the Mountain Arts Center. In addition to the Big Sandy Idol program, the college also offers the following community programs: Children's Music and Drama Summer Camp; The Big Sandy High School Singers; InHarmony Community Women's Chorus; Serenade Community Women's Ensemble; and the college's elite student singing ensemble For more information on Big Sandy Idol, contact Clayton Case at 886-7388 or ccase0005@kctcs.edu. For additional information on the Big Sandy Singers or other programs, call Laura Ford Hall at (606) 889-4764 or laura.hall@kctcs.edu. Calling all ladies who like to sing... 9/18/2008 Mountain Citizen, Inez Big Sandy Community and Technical College (BSCTC) invites any lady age 13+ to come and be a part of the all female, community based singing group InHarmony. InHarmony meets every Monday evening from 6:30 - 8 PM in the Pike Building, Gearheart Auditorium, Prestonsburg Campus. Rehearsals will begin this-coming Monday, Sept. 8 and will take place every following Monday until the group's performances in December. InHarmony sings all types of music: pop, country, rock, and gospel and has a great range of participants from age 13 to age 70. Beginners and experienced are welcome, and there are no auditions and no fee to join. Just come to the first or second meeting and join the group to have fun singing with other talented ladies from the eastern Kentucky area. Members of InHarmony can also audition for an elite group called Serenade that receives greater training and performance experience. If you have questions, call director Laura Ford Hall at (606) 424-2498. Changes coming for United Way - To begin funding programs, Education. Health. Income. Writer: JOHN CANNON 9/19/2008 Ashland Daily Independent Those are the key words to remember as the five-county United Way of Northeast Kentucky begins its transition from an organization that funds agencies to one that funds programs. The difference between funding agencies and funding programs is significant, Larry Ferguson, the director of Business and Industry Services at Ashland Community and Technical College, told representatives of United Way agencies gathered for a training session on the new approach to funding. United Way is conducting a series of such sessions between now and Oct. 7 on ACTC campuses in EastPark and in Ashland. It is mandatory that a representative of all 70 United Way agencies in Boyd, Greenup, Carter, Elliott and Lawrence counties attend one of the two-hour sessions. "In the past, we have given your agency money because we believe in what you are doing and think you have a good program," Ferguson told agency representatives attending a training session at EastPark. "Typically, funding was not linked to your organization's goals or measurement of performance." "In the future, we are going to be asking you to give us one to five goals that you hope to accomplish in a specific time period, along with a way to measure whether those goals are achieved," Ferguson added. "The emphasis will be on your results. Continued support is contingent upon documented, ongoing success and progressive performance improvement." Steve Towler, executive director of the United Way of Northeast Kentucky, said the intent is "not to scare you, but to help you become more effective. It will help you discover what works and what doesn't work." The process really began several years ago when the local United Way began requesting the agencies state their anticipated outcomes as part of their applications for United Way funding, Towler said. The change is not unique to the United Way in the five counties. It is something United Ways throughout the nation are doing, Towler said. "In fact, most United Ways are a bit ahead of us on this," he said. "We have opted to go slowly to make sure all the agencies understand what we are trying to do." Education, health and income are important because they have been identified by the United Way board as "the three most pressing issues in our community," Towler said. Because of that, United Way will be looking to fund programs specifically designed to improve education, health care and income, or financial stability, he said. "For example, we have identified through focus groups that improving dental care is a particular need in our five counties," Towler said. "If you can come up with an innovative program that is specifically aimed at dental care, then we may look favorably in giving you extra funding for it." Agencies will be asked to submit a brief mission statement with their 2009 United Way applications. "I've asked many groups how many of their organizations or businesses have a mission statement, and usually quite a few will raise their hands," Ferguson said. "But when I ask them what their mission statement says, most of them can't tell me. They just know that have one." "What is your mission? Where are you going?" Ferguson asked. "If you can't answer that, then how do you know if what you are doing is the right thing?" The 2009 United Way applications also will ask each agency to list no more than five "S.M.A.R.T. goals" or goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, results oriented and time bound. "We don't want vague goals," Ferguson said. "We want goals that are specific and measurable. If you can't measure your progress, how can you know if you are accomplishing anything?" Ferguson cited a study conducted by Harvard University. It found that in 1953, only 3 percent of the graduating class had clear, written goals, but 20 years later, that 3 percent accounted for 97 percent of the combined wealth of the entire class of 1953. "That tells me that if you have specific written goals, you will be more successful," Ferguson said. "That's our entire purpose in all of this. We want to make 80 agencies we fund more effective." Lady Antebellum promises high-energy show Saturday Writer: Lori Harrison 9/19/2008 Madisonville Messenger Hillary Scott, a member of the country trio Lady Antebellum, calls the past year "a whirlwind." The group signed a record deal with Capitol Nashville in April 2007, then went straight into the studio to work on an album. This was followed by a radio tour. "We actually were asked to go out on tour with Martina McBride for January, February and the very beginning of March," Scott said in a telephone interview. The group's self-titled debut album was released in April. Next, came a round of appearances at summer fairs and festivals. Saturday, Lady Antebellum will take the stage at Glema Mahr Center for the Arts in Madisonville, as the opening act of the Center Stage Series. "It's a really high energy, loud show," Scott said. "We play a lot of songs off our debut album." The trio will also perform cover tunes. "Everything from the Doobie Brothers to James Taylor to AC/DC," she said. "It all just kind of depends. ... It's definitely a show for the whole family. We just like to get everybody involved in clapping and singing along if they know it." The trio includes vocalists Charles Kelley and Scott, with Dave Haywood playing multiple instruments and providing harmony vocals. Scott met Kelley two years ago at a downtown Nashville music spot, and they agreed to try writing songs together. Haywood had moved to Nashville at the suggestion of his longtime friend Kelley. Scott stopped by the house where the men were staying, and the threesome developed a songwriting partnership, according to the group's Web site. Group members wrote nine of the 10 songs on the album. Becoming a musician seemed a natural move for Scott, who was born into the business. Her mother is Grammy-winning country artist Linda Davis and her father, Lang Scott, is an accomplished musician. "Honestly, growing up, that was the last thing that I wanted to do," Hillary Scott said. "It caused my parents to travel and be gone a lot. I wanted to be a chef. I wanted to be a nurse. I wanted to be a veterinarian. It was changing every week." Then, in high school, Scott found her voice. When her mother asked her to participate in a family Christmas show at Opryland during her junior year of high school, she readily agreed. "That's when I really got bit by the bug," Scott said. "My senior year in high school, I started writing songs professionally." Lady Antebellum's first single, "Love Don't Live Here Anymore," reached No. 3 on Billboard's hot country singles chart. The second single, "Lookin' for a Good Time," was released in June. The trio was named Top New Group at the 2008 Academy of Country Music Awards. Last week, it was nominated for two Country Music Association Awards, Vocal Group of the Year and New Artist of the Year. "We have been on cloud nine," Scott said. Starting next month, Lady Antebellum will join the CMT Tour, opening for Jason Aldean and playing a lot of college towns. Scott invited people to Saturday's show -- and to visit the group's MySpace site and Web site, http://ladyantebellum.musiccitynetworks.com/. "We're very involved online," she said. "We put up Webisodes every week of extra footage of what we're doing around the country." Lady Antebellum performs at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The show is sponsored by Fifth Third Bank. Tickets are $30 for main floor seats and $25 for the balcony. To purchase tickets, stop by the Glema Center box office on the Madisonville Community College campus or call 821-2787. Minton discusses Supreme Court cases at ECTC Writer: KELLY RICHARDSON 9/19/2008 Elizabethtown News-Enterprise ELIZABETHTOWN -- The Kentucky Supreme Court chief justice gave a a civics lesson Wednesday to a crowd at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College. John D. Minton Jr. spoke in the Science Auditorium in honor of Constitution Day. Wednesday was the 221st anniversary of the signing of the document and universities and colleges are federally mandated to celebrate it. Minton said Constitution Day gives people an excuse to brush up on their knowledge of government, something he said is essential to a democracy. "It is so important to the maintenance of a free country," he said. Minton took the opportunity to discuss four U.S. Supreme Court cases -- Baze v. Rees, District of Columbia v. Heller, Crawford v. Marion County Election Board and Boumediene v. Bush, which dealt with the death penalty, gun control laws, voter rights and the rights of detainees at Guantanamo Bay, respectively. He told the audience he chose those cases because they were good examples of the relationship between the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. "The relationship between these three branches is constantly in tension," he said. Retired Kentucky Supreme Court Justice William S. Cooper, an Elizabethtown resident, spoke on the separation of powers among the three branches of the government last year. Minton was sworn in as chief justice June 27 after two years on the Supreme Court. He is serving an eight-year term. He represents the 2nd Supreme Court District, made up of 14 counties, including Hardin. OCTC projects 3 percent enrollment jump - President: Fall semester could wind up with as many as 5,600 students Writer: Joy Campbell 9/19/2008 Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer It's not official, but enrollment at Owensboro Community & Technical College could see a 3 percent increase over last fall. Real numbers won't be available until November, but this fall the head count of traditional students enrolled during the first week of school is 3,654, or about 3 percent, over the 3,559 signed up at the same time in the fall 2007. "There's a good chance we will reach record numbers this year," said Kevin Beardmore, vice president of student affairs. "... It's been a very exciting semester so far in the sense that we're stuffed full." After dual-enrollment high school students and others, such as those taking fire and rescue training classes, sign up, the numbers will increase. "I just want to point out that we expect we will have 5,500 to 5,600 students," President Paula Gastenveld said. The college has recorded total enrollment gains each year, passing the 5,000 mark in the fall of 2005 with 5,047. The actual enrollment last fall was 5,439. Beardmore gave the OCTC board of trustees a glimpse of enrollment trends from 2002, when the community and technical colleges consolidated, through 2008. One significant trend is that in 2004, after the college began charging per credit hour, the number of full-time students began to drop, while part-time students continued to increase. In 2002, the number of full-time students was at 1,749, and in 2003, it jumped to 1,809. But in 2004, full-time students fell to 1,654. In 2005, it dipped slightly to 1,634 and dropped to 1,604 in 2006. Last year's full-time enrollment topped the 2004 number at 1,658. The increasing numbers left OCTC board member Todd Anderson wondering how many more students the campuses can accommodate. "It's pretty full. About 3:30 p.m. is the only time we see a drop," Beardmore said. Delivering financial education - Bus travels area to give info, advice about credit, banking Writer: TIM PRESTON 9/19/2008 Ashland Daily Independent ASHLAND -- Financial experts -- traveling on a bus loaded with computers and other resources -- are finding locals need only education and advice to get their credit on the right track. Gretchen Bias, community development officer for Fifth Third Bank, said the 38-foot bus provides people an opportunity to conduct a personal conference with a credit counselor, receive a comprehensive credit report from each of the three major sources, take advantage of activities and giveaways and meet with representatives of other community partners, including Appalachian Foothills Housing Agency, Goodwill Industries Consumer Counseling and Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital. "We've had a considerable number of visitors," Bias said during a break while the bank bus was stationed in the parking lot at Ashland's Wal Mart. She said staff members expected to see lower numbers as they pulled up credit reports for those who have stopped by, although they've been surprised to discover the opposite. "With the credit reports, most people have had fairly good credit. We have counseled some people with low credit scores about how to improve that. But, it looks like the community has been keeping a check on it," Bias said. Also on the bus, Fifth Third Bank Regional Vice President of Mortgage Lending Karen Mundy said some people have found they can take action to "clean up" their credit score and pay less for a home mortgage than they are currently paying in monthly rent. "We want people to be able to use this knowledge for now and the future," Mundy said, adding "We don't want to push a mortgage down anyone's throat." Pointing to Mary Acuff, home ownership coordinator for Appalachian Foothills Housing Agency, Mundy said there are people who can help individuals and families with low incomes find ways to improve their credit scores and secure an affordable mortgage. Many turn to friends and family for financial advice, Bias said, and often receive bad information as a result. Bank representatives on the mobile financial center also try to help people understand the advantages and disadvantages of a fixed-rate mortgage compared to an adjustable rate loan. The bank bus will be at Huntington Internal Medicine Group in Huntington today and at Pullman Square during Huntington's ChiliFest on Saturday. Bias said anyone who misses the bus can contact their local Fifth Third Bank branch for counseling and references to partner agencies. Reflecting on recent grim financial reports nationwide, Mundy said the bank staff and their partners sincerely hope to make a difference. "We really do want to find a solution, whether they are saving, investing long term or buying a home," she said. Doran organ back at MSU - First in concert series using instrument set for Oct. 24 9/19/2008 Ashland Daily Independent MOREHEAD -- Morehead State University's Department of Music has bought a vintage Hammond Organ that had been the personal instrument of popular former MSU first lady Mignon Doran. The organ is in pristine condition, according to Dr. Steven Snyder, assistant professor of jazz keyboard and music theory, and represents "not only a fine example of a top of the line Hammond organ built during the heyday period of home instruments of this type, but also an important link to the history of the university and the music program." Doran was passionate about music, and played organ frequently for university functions such as dances, sporting events and official gatherings. She was known for giving a yearly recital and sing-along of Christmas music during the holiday season. "Playing the Hammond is becoming more popular now, after almost descending into a lost art," Snyder said. "There are now several well known Hammond players in the world of jazz, more than we have seen since the late 1960s." He plans to make the organ available for students to use, as well as for events that document MSU history. A concert series titled "The Mignon Doran Hammond Organ Concert Series," will be at 8 p.m. Oct. 24 in Duncan Recital Hall, featuring Hammond organ master Tony Monaco and his trio. The organ and a display featuring items from the Doran Collection in the Camden-Carroll Library will be available for viewing in the lobby before and after the concert. "We hope there are people who remember what the Dorans did for MSU and want to help us honor their memory," Synder said. Ex-President Bush at Georgetown College Friday Writer: Jim Warren 9/19/2008 Lexington Herald-Leader Former President George H. W. Bush is scheduled to arrive at Georgetown College late Friday morning to participate in the dedication of the school's new recreation building, which is named for him. Ceremonies at the school's George H. W. Bush Center for Fitness are set to begin about 11 a.m. The event is open to the public. Bush has never before visited Georgetown, and appearances in the Scott County seat by presidents, either present or past, are few and far between, so a large public turnout is expected. The new Georgetown College building is being named for Bush because the former president heads a national program in which the college participates. Bush is honorary chairman of The First Tee, an initiative by the World Golf Foundation, designed to help young people develop values and skills through education and golf. In 2003, Georgetown became the first college in America to provide scholarships for those who complete The First Tee program. Now, 20 colleges and universities are offering such scholarships. Seven First Tee Scholars are attending Georgetown this fall, three from Illinois, two from Tennessee and one each from Arkansas and Minnesota. Several officials from the Professional Golfers' Association will be on hand for Friday's dedication ceremonies. After the dedication, Bush will go to Louisville to the Ryder Cup at Valhalla Golf Club, where 40,000 golf fans were expected to gather. Legislators participate in session Writer:JOHN MIDDLETON 9/19/2008 Harlan Daily Enterprise Several local legislators and officials gathered at the Rebecca Caudill Public Library in Cumberland on Wednesday to discuss a variety of topics concerning Harlan Countians during a Leadership Harlan County United session focusing on government. One topic discussed during the sessions was attracting more business to the area. "I figure the locals know more about what works, what doesn't work and so forth. So I try to listen and see what kinds of projects they think will work. Of course, there has been a lot of talk about tourism being the answer in the mountains. So when you talk about business in general that seems to be where it is leading to," said Leslie Combs, the state representative for the 94th District. "There are several different avenues of tourism that could create new business. That is where we try to assist in bringing these businesses in. As far as us going out and playing the economic development role or attracting these businesses -- no, that is not necessarily our role." Rick Nelson, the state representative for the 87th District, said he was upset that other counties are getting high paying jobs while Harlan and Bell counties are asked to rely on jobs from the tourism industry. "I get mad at some of the federal legislators because in Corbin and Laurel and Whitley counties they provide -- through their political power -- factories and call centers and jobs where people go in at $15 per hour. But, these same federal people want Harlan and Bell to do tourism," Nelson said. "There is no money in a tourism job unless you are the tourism director. Tourism does bring money into the area, but most tourism jobs are minimum wage." The representatives were later asked what improvements are scheduled to improve infrastructure in the area. "One of the things I am trying to get is some extra blacktop for KY 38. Last year they were going to go all the way to the Virginia line, but they stopped about 13 miles short. What we were told by the highway guy is Governor (Ernie) Fletcher didn't think he could win Harlan so he took the blacktop money out and put it one of the counties where he thought he had a chance to win," Nelson said. Both representatives Nelson and Combs discussed strip-mining and mountaintop removal. "As far a strip mining and mountaintop removal, when you look at these mountains people don't want to see that happen. At the same time, while I realize not all of them come back to this, I have seen some of this. I have seen some sites that have been returned to beautiful, usable and productive sites. I don't think we can legislate it any more," Combs said. "We need to make sure that what we have legislated is enforced. When you get to talking about wanting to outlaw strip mining, be careful what you wish for on that. The process used for mountaintop removal is pretty much the same process used to build a lot of our roads." "I don't like strip mining either, but coal mining has been a way of life for a long time. Things are better than they used to be as far as legislation," added Nelson. "Now, we have laws and I guess the problem is that they are not enforced like they should be. I have heard some of the people on these councils around here. They love spending coal severance money, and then they want to try to close the industry down." The representatives were later asked about possible activities for the youth of the area. Nelson said parents should take more responsibility for the activities of their children. "When I hear that there is nothing for kids to do I think of when I was a little boy batting rocks across from my house. There is plenty of stuff for kids to do," he said. "Parents are going to have to take a bigger role in taking their kids and being responsible for activities for them. I don't believe there is nothing for kids to do, because they have more than I had to do." Nelson also discussed the status of the attractions in the Tri-Cities. "I will try to talk to the parks department to see if they will release any more money, but it is not looking real good. The state is telling me that it will take another million dollars to fix the portal," he said. "I am willing to help with it, but the portal is the only draw that you have up there." State senator Brandon Smith, as well as various Tri-Cities officials, also attended the governmental session. Letter: Supports Ramsey 9/19/2008 Louisville Courier-Journal As just one trustee of the University of Louisville, I want to publicly declare my support and confidence in the ability, integrity and judgment of our outstanding president, James Ramsey. Despite the pejorative, almost daily hammering of your reports, the community needs to know that for weeks Ramsey has been pushing the right levers to get to the essence of the issues confronting us. Unlike the president of the pompous Duke University, who condemned innocent young men and their lacrosse coach in the face of media pressure, Ramsey has withstood The C-J onslaught with courage and fortitude. Jim Ramsey has the fervent belief that the facts and truth should dominate the ultimate judgment of an individual, and that no person deserves a predetermined public flogging. He and U of L stand for the ultimate freedom of each of our students, staff and faculty. I can assure all those who read this offering, from the perspective of someone who has been intimately engaged with U of L as an 30-year overseer before becoming a trustee, that the leadership of our beloved U of L is in steady and skilled hands. We will come out of this stronger and better as we continue our inevitable journey toward national academic prominence. BILL STONE, Louisville 40206 Panel: Overhaul student aid system Writer: Art Jester 9/19/2008 Lexington Herald-Leader A national panel called Thursday for a massive overhaul and simplification of the college student aid system, but the more immediate need is simply a lot more money. Applications for all federal financial aid and loans have gone up by 8.9 million, or 16 percent, in the first half of 2008. As a result, the U.S. Department of Education has warned Congress that up to 6 billion additional dollars might be necessary next year to ensure that all students qualified to receive a Pell Grant, the basic form of federal aid based on financial need. Thomas P. Skelly, director of budget service for the education department, told Congress in a memo that "more people are applying for student aid, more people are going to college, more people who qualify for aid are showing up at school." Around the country job layoffs, declining real estate values and higher prices for gasoline and food have triggered more requests for financial aid. A rule of thumb is that if the economy is bad, college enrollments go up, and vice versa. Most early reports in Kentucky and around the nation are that the campuses have more students this fall, in some cases record numbers. Federal lawmakers appropriated $14 billion for Pell Grants in fiscal 2008. But the education department says that with increased demand, Congress will have to come up with an extra $6 billion for fiscal 2009 or cut the amount of the grants. "It's the mother of all shortfalls," said Barmak Nassirian, associate executive director of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. "There's more unmet need than anyone predicted." In the current fiscal year, Pell Grants will be awarded to more than 6 million low-income students in amounts from $431 to $4,731, according to federal officials. About 90 percent of the Pell Grant recipients come from families who make $40,000 a year or less. For Pell Grants alone, applications were up by more than 800,000 as of July 31, one of the biggest increases since the grant began in 1972. To a great extent, this news has overshadowed the release Thursday of proposals by a study group commissioned by the College Board, which administers the SAT entrance exam. The report contained four major recommendations. Of them, the one most likely to garner widespread support is the call to simplify the application process for financial aid, which was called "complex snarl" for that confuses students and parents. However, David Cecil director of financial aid at Transylvania University, said there's nothing new about the cry for "simplification." Cecil serves on the federal issue committee of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, which is developing its own proposal to present to the next presidential administration in its first 100 days in office. Cecil said there is no doubt that reform is occurring and educators want to find a simpler way of administering financial aid, but consensus isn't easily achieved. "Simplification, believe it or not, is very complicated," Cecil said. "However, I believe there will be some small steps in the future" to simplify the process. He added, though, that most dissatisfaction is not with the process but with the outcome, or whether a family gets the aid it thinks it deserves. The other proposals are: ? Redirect subsidies for federal loans "to diminish the burden of repayment." The study group wants no student to pay back more than 15 percent a year of discretionary income, on a graduated scale. ? In what may be the most controversial recommendation, the study group urged the creation of special savings programs for low-income families, basically those eligible for Pell Grants, to build up a nest egg and increase the likelihood that their children will go to college. The savings could be used only for college. ? Create incentives for colleges and universities to support students so they complete their degrees. "The point is not to get to the starting line but to cross the finish line," said Michael McPherson, president of the Spencer Foundation and a study group member. Program shows how to bolster cultural heritage Writer: Kevin Kelly 9/19/2008 Kentucky Enquirer, Covington COVINGTON - A free program for people interested in helping preserve and promote Kentucky's cultural heritage kicks off today at the Center for Great Neighborhoods. The Kentucky Folklife Program administers the Community Scholars program and has scheduled seven training sessions at three Covington locations over the next several weeks. Participants who successfully complete the entire program will become certified Community Scholars eligible for grants and fieldwork opportunities. "It's not a relationship that ends after the class is over," said Sarah Schmitt, a folklife specialist with the Kentucky Folklife Program. "Community scholars call on us for advice on projects. We do ask them if they know about topics in a certain area when we have fieldwork opportunities. It's not just a network that exists on paper." The first session of the Covington program, "An Introduction to Folklife," starts at 1 p.m. today at the Center for Great Neighborhoods. Other sessions will be held at the Kenton County Public Library and the Artisans' Enterprise Center. A graduation will be held Nov. 8 at Behringer-Crawford Museum. People also are welcome to drop in on certain sessions for a workshop-type experience. "We try to make it very hands-on and try to introduce (participants) to some of the things that we know about their area," Schmitt said. "But more often we listen to what they have to say. We want to ask the participants first what they are interested in and then move from there." The training is designed to give participants a framework to conduct fieldwork and highlight folklife. Jean St. John is the director of community arts initiatives at the Center for Great Neighborhoods and participated in the Community Scholars program when it was held here in 2003. "Being able to recognize people's traditions and how people come together is very important for the type of work that we do," St. John said. "Finding out what kinds of things bring people together and hold people together is very important. It deepened my work in community arts and working with Covington residents." Covington was awarded a Preserve America federal grant in 2007, and city supporters are developing a program to shape the city's cultural identity through offerings like self-guided walking and driving cultural tours. One of their goals was to bring the Community Scholars program back to the area. "It was part of our overall strategy in collecting information, identifying sites for what should be on the tours as well as encouraging others to help join in the research and documentation of all these sites," St. John said. The program has been held throughout the state and there are now more than 100 certified scholars. "It's nice to have those contacts out in other parts of the state," Schmitt said. Todd highlights UK's achievements, challenges - State budget cuts created challenge Writer: Stephenie Steitzer 9/19/2008 Louisville Courier-Journal LEXINGTON, Ky. -- To keep the University of Kentucky on track to becoming a Top 20 research school, officials planned to ask the state for millions of dollars for construction projects and other needs, President Lee Todd said during last year's state of the university address. But a tanking economy instead meant $20 million in state budget cuts at the school, leading trustees to eliminate 188 positions, freeze pay for faculty and staff and increase tuition for in-state undergraduates by 9 percent. "Talk about a punch in the gut," Todd said during this year's state of the university address. Todd's address, given yesterday outside the Patterson Office Tower on campus, highlighted the achievements students, faculty and staff are making in spite of the troubled economy. "In times like these we focus on things we can control," Todd said. Among the accomplishments Todd emphasized were these records: This fall's African-American freshman enrollment, with 341 students out of a class of 4,044. An 81 percent retention rate for freshmen and sophomores. $332 million spent on research last year. A six-year graduation rate of 61.2 percent last year. He also recognized several students and faculty, including: A group of UK engineering students who placed 11th in a national competition to design, build and drive solar-powered cars across the country. Three students and a coach who participated in the Summer Olympics in Beijing. Faculty member Stephen Dobson, who became the first UK professor to receive a $5.3 million Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grant to research reducing mosquito populations. A group of faculty members who received a $10 million federal grant to study the connections between diabetes, obesity and heart disease. Todd even thanked the groundskeepers for getting rid of some of the drab juniper bushes on campus and for their work during last winter's ice storm. He also reminded those gathered of why the university decided to pursue Top 20 status as he urged them not to be discouraged by recent financial setbacks. "People in states with Top 20 universities have higher incomes," Todd said. "Unemployment rates are lower there and fewer public dollars are spent on health care. These states have healthier children and fewer people living in poverty." Ryan Murrell, a political science major from Lexington, said he was glad Todd emphasized the importance of undergraduate retention. "Even though we are trying to become a Top 20 research university, all the deans and President Todd are really focused on undergraduate education, which is something a lot of the students -- myself and my peers -- have been worried about," he said. Daniel Root, a Spanish major from Lexington, said he was happy to hear Todd talk about improving health care in Kentucky and pursuing renewable energy research. He said Todd probably should have talked more about the economy. "That is one thing that comes to student minds -- ... tuition increases and the financial crisis," Root said. Todd: Economic downturn can't stall UK's goal Writer: Associated Press 9/19/2008 Lexington Herald-Leader LEXINGTON, Ky. --University of Kentucky president Lee Todd says the state's flagship institution needs to continue with its top 20 business plan despite tough economic times. Todd delivered his State of the University address on Thursday in front of about 200 people. He warned the university shouldn't shrink from its responsibilities because the outside economy is struggling. The president has set as a goal to become one of the nation's top 20 research institutions. To get there, he says the retention rate needs to jump to 71 percent. It is currently at 61 percent. Todd lauded the $332 million the school spent on research last year and its record black enrollment for freshmen this fall. Expelled Freedom Riders earn honorary degrees Writer: Associated Press 9/19/2008 USA Today NASHVILLE (AP) -- Forty-seven years ago, 14 black students from Tennessee State University were beaten and arrested during the Freedom Rides that helped integrate the South. For their courage, they were expelled from school, and informed of that decision by letter while still jailed in Mississippi. On Thursday, the historically black university made amends by presenting the former students with honorary degrees, three of them posthumously. "It's been such an honor. Higher than any expectation I had," said Sandra Mitchell, 60, who accepted the Doctor of Human Letters degree on behalf of her late husband, William B. Mitchell Jr. She recalled breaking down in tears when a university representative called to tell her about the award. The Freedom Rides were bus trips designed to challenge segregation in areas of the deep South that were unwilling to accept a Supreme Court ruling that found the segregation of interstate travel facilities -- such as bus station waiting areas, restrooms and restaurants -- to be illegal. According to the university, the Freedom Riders from TSU, then Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial State University, were members of the Nashville Student Group, which had successfully integrated the city's lunch counters and movie theaters. "The Freedom Riders serve to remind this generation of a time when people were willing to risk their reputations, their careers and their lives (for the greater good)," TSU president Melvin Johnson told the gathering of about 5,000. Allen Cason Jr., 66, was one of those receiving the honorary degree. He said he spent his 19th birthday in jail because of the Freedom Rides. After Thursday's ceremony he recalled an angry reception for the riders in Montgomery. "When the bus pulled into the terminal we heard them announce over the speaker 'The Freedom Riders have just arrived,' and a mob came out," said Cason, who never graduated. A group of his fellow students sued TSU and had their expulsions overturned. Four eventually graduated from the school, TSU said. Keynote speaker C. T. Vivian, also a veteran of the civil rights movement, said Nashville and the nation are better off because of the sacrifices of the former TSU students. "We made the nation understand that law must be based on morality," he said. The idea of granting the honorary degrees began in 2005 when a group of TSU students began researching the Freedom Riders. It gained momentum during "Freedom Ride 2007," when buses of area college students traveled to Alabama towns involved in the civil rights movement. But the Tennessee Board of Regents voted in March of this year against awarding the degrees. Board members who opposed the idea said honorary degrees were meant to recognize a lifetime of achievement, not a one-time action. That vote was widely criticized and the board unanimously voted to reverse the decision the following month. Experts Lay Out Aggressive Plan for Simplifying Student Aid Writer: BECKIE SUPIANO 9/19/2008 The Chronicle of Higher Education The federal student-aid system makes college possible for a lot of students. It is also needlessly complicated and confusing. That's the thought that inspired the Rethinking Student Aid study group, a collection of higher-education professionals, policy experts, and researchers who have met over the last two years to create a set of proposals for simplifying and improving the federal student-aid system. The group, which was coordinated by the College Board but worked independently, was co-chaired by two big-thinkers in the financial-aid world: Sandy Baum, a senior policy analyst with the College Board, and Michael S. McPherson, president of the Spencer Foundation. The group released its proposals on Thursday in a report, "Fulfilling the Commitment: Recommendations for Reforming Federal Student Aid." The report asserts that providing access to low-income students--as opposed to expanding opportunities for the middle class--should be the primary focus of federal aid. The document recommends simplifying federal grants and tax benefits, giving loan subsidies to students during the repayment period, providing federal savings accounts to children of low-income families, and rewarding states and institutions for the success of low-income students in college. "We've worked very hard to devise a system that's comprehensive and innovative and puts students first," Ms. Baum said. The group sought many opinions while devising its recommendations, but, she said, "some people will have a problem with any change." And the group is suggesting big changes. They are "not just tinkering around the edges" of the current system, said Donald E. Heller, director of the Center for the Study of Higher Education at Pennsylvania State University. "Obviously, that raises the question of how practical they'd be." Simplify, Simplify The group hopes to drum up support for its proposals with a "communications effort" over the next six months, Mr. McPherson said. In the short term, the group's goal is to change the conversation on student aid. In the long run, the group hopes that lawmakers will seriously consider its proposals. In its most robust form, the study group's plan would cost more than the current federal financial-aid system. But Ms. Baum said that a scaled-down, and still effective, version of the plan could be achieved for about the same cost as the current system. The group's proposals are innovative, but they also build on previous policy proposals--some of which haven't been popular. Still, Terry W. Hartle, senior vice president for government and public affairs at the American Council on Education, said that people may be ready to tackle the financial-aid system now that the Higher Education Act, which governs most federal student-aid programs, has finally been reauthorized. "It's a good time to have a conversation like this," he said. One of the group's major suggestions is to do away with the famously complex Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or Fafsa. The report recommends that the government instead base students' eligibility for Pell Grants on information already reported to the IRS in families' income-tax returns. The idea of using IRS data instead of the Fafsa is popular, and Congress has considered it--but it's unclear whether the IRS is willing to take on that responsibility, Mr. Hartle said. Furthermore, such a change "would alter who gets student aid," but until it's tried, no one knows quite how. The report argues that under such a setup, the government should base the size of Pell Grants solely on the student's or family's adjusted gross income and family size. And eligibility for Pell would be linked to the federal poverty level. The group also recommends that increases in maximum grant size be linked to the Consumer Price Index, rather than being set by Congress. And it says the government should discontinue specific awards, like Academic Competitiveness Grants and SMART Grants, that apply to only some Pell-eligible students and put that money into the main Pell program--an idea that is popular among aid administrators. All told, those steps would make it easier for students and families to plan for college and apply for aid, the report says. Basing Pell Grant eligibility on tax data would also allow the IRS to estimate how much grant money children would be eligible for once they reach college age. The IRS should then provide that information to families, the group says. Most financial-aid officials back a simpler aid application process. The Fafsa has become bloated with questions from the government that have nothing to do with aid, said Maureen McRae Levy, director of financial aid at Occidental College. But, she said, it's important that the process doesn't become so simplified that aid administrators can't take into account the nuanced differences between family situations. The study group recognized that some states and colleges would want more detailed information, now gathered through Fafsa, to award other grants. So the report lays out a plan under which the U.S. Department of Education would create an index of financial ability based on IRS data and provide it to states and institutions. That index would replace the expected family contribution now in use. Michael Barron, assistant provost for enrollment services and director of admissions at the University of Iowa, generally likes the group's ideas, but wonders what would happen on the state and institutional level. "It's bound to change the states--and would we get 50 different reactions? And is that OK?" In addition to suggesting steps to increase access, the group recommends incentives for keeping Pell-eligible students in college. It calls for replacing a host of programs including work-study with a single grant for colleges, based on how many of their Pell-eligible students complete their first year. And for states, the group pushes for an expansion of the Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership program, known as LEAP. Tackling Student Debt The report also takes on the student-loan system. As it stands, the government covers the interest on loans for some students while they are in college. The distinction is based on family income, which the group notes is only loosely related to what a student will make after graduation. The group suggests doing away with those subsidies and replacing them with ones made during the repayment period. It recommends completely replacing the current repayment system with a version of the relatively new income-based repayment option--which allows former students to choose to make graduated payments that increase as their income does. There would be a back-up option for graduates whose income is insufficient to make their expected loan payments at a given time. The group also deals with college savings. It recommends a government system that would create savings accounts for low-income children. Those accounts could only be used to pay for that child's college expenses. The group says such a plan would increase lower-income families' expectations that their children go to college. "This is light-years beyond early awareness," said Mr. McPherson. Broadening the Appeal The group also wants to simplify the tax incentives for families paying for college. Families now choose between a tax credit and a tax deduction. The group suggests replacing that system with a single tax credit covering both tuition expenses and a fixed amount of college-related living expenses. It's surprising that the group is advocating for a tax credit at all, said Robert J. Massa, vice president for enrollment management and college relations at Dickinson College. "On the surface, I'd be opposed to that idea," said Mr. Massa. Instead, he would rather see that money go into the federal-aid system. The group made the decision to recommend continuing tax credits to gain wider support for its proposals, said Thomas R. Bailey, a member of the study group and director of the Community College Research Center at Columbia University's Teachers College. " In my view, these kinds of systems provide a broader political base for a financial-aid system," he said. "To promote the interests of low-income families, you make it a broader base," so such programs are seen as being more like Social Security and less like welfare. And the issue is not just a political one, Mr. McPherson said during a telephone news conference. Linking programs for low-income families with ones that help middle-class families will "help a broad segment of the American public realize these programs are for them." For Florida Community Colleges, Who Should Pay? Writer: David Moltz 9/19/2008 Inside Higher Education Remember the theory that community college should be supported by states, localities and tuition? In Florida, it's strictly a theory, as counties don't provide any financial support. In a move that is dividing community colleges in the state, a proposal on the fall ballot for a constitutional amendment would give counties the authority to levy a local-option sales tax to supplement state funding for their community college. Currently, Florida community colleges are funded entirely by the state in addition to student tuition and fees. Some support the amendment, which would pave the way for an additional funding source to compensate for a strained state budget. Others, however, worry it will shift the burden of community college funding to local authorities and create inequities among institutions as a result of the disparate economies of Florida's urban and rural counties. (Many of Florida's community colleges are known as leaders in the movement to offer four-year degrees and to drop "community" from their names, but these institutions are equally involved and would be equally affected by this shift.) If the amendment passes - it needs 60 percent of the vote - counties would need voter approval in order to levy the sales tax. Additionally, any tax approved would require voter extension within five years. Supporters of the amendment, which include officials from more populous counties such as Miami-Dade, emphasize that it only provides the language for a possible tax and gives voters the opportunity to deny any proposed local-option sales tax. Additionally, they argue that voters know what programs and education are needed for their community and should have the ability to additionally support their open-access institutions as they see fit. "The state funds K-12 first, then four-year universities and then community colleges," said Victoria Hernandez, director of governmental affairs at Miami-Dade College, which supports the amendment. "We get shortchanged. If we make this change in the constitution, we know there are any number of community colleges who might want to do this. It's not an imposition or a mandate. Funding is tight, and this is an option we want to embrace." As of 2006-2007, the last full year for which data is available from the state, Florida community colleges received about 53 percent of their revenue from the state, almost 21 percent from student fees and the remainder from federal support, sales and lottery funds. The proposed amendment, drafted by the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, will appear on the ballot this November after repeated attempts by Miami-Dade College to secure the ability to ask voters for a local tax levy from the state legislature. Last year, twin House of Representatives and Senate bills died in committee that, if approved, would have given specific Florida counties the option to leverage the community college tax proposed by this amendment. As Miami-Dade is such a populous county, it is served by its own community college district. Some other community college districts, however, serve multiple less-populous counties. If this amendment passes, a tax levy would require the approval of all counties served by a district, said Ed Massey, chairman of the state's Council of Community College Presidents. Though he said the council ultimately supports the amendment, he noted there is some concern about the potentially rough road to tax approval in multi-county districts. Massey, who also serves as the president of the four-county-serving Indian River State College, said it would be difficult for a tax levy to pass in his district because of an urban-rural split. His district serves the populous and wealthier coastal counties of Indian River, Martin and St. Lucie in addition to the rural agricultural county of Okeechobee, whose median household income is $9,000 less than the state average. If it were proposing a tax levy to voters, Massey said, his college would have to convince voters in Okeechobee County that they were being served in a manner equitable to that of the coastal counties. It is hard, he said, for voters to approve a referendum that does not benefit their county. Though it is finally being brought to a state-wide vote for the first time, the notion of local funding for community colleges in Florida is not new. It was at least talked about in the late 1980s, said Stephen G. Katsinas, director of the Education Policy Center at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa. Katsinas, who worked at Miami-Dade College at the time, said one justification for it was that the housing costs were higher in his county than throughout the Florida Panhandle. James L. Wattenbarger, often cited as the "father of Florida's community college system," believed it was the state's responsibility to fund its open-access institutions when outlining a master plan for the system in the 1950s, Katsinas said. Additionally, Katsinas noted that Wattenbarger was concerned about the difference between high and low tax districts in addition to his firm belief that property taxes should not be used to fund education. Florida's community college funding formula, which currently cannot make use of local tax dollars, was initially constructed as a means of equalization for all of its institutions, said Linda Hagedorn, director of the Research Institute for Studies in Education at Iowa State University. Describing Florida as a "poor state besieged by some deep pockets of poverty," she added that the state is now under considerable budgetary pressures and is seeking money anywhere it can get it. "In terms of looking at local taxes and local wealth, the state would have an unequal distribution of that wealth," Hagedorn said. "It turns into a situation where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. In that sense, Florida made a wise decision in not using local taxes and using the equalized approach. Now, Florida is trying to take steps to correct and alleviate student funding issues. It is following in the step of states that have tried a tiered approach to funding." The consideration to allow local funding comes at a time when community college enrollments are booming, partly because of the recent downturn in the economy. Some say these increasing numbers explain why new sources of revenue are being sought. Nationally, between 2000-2001 and 2005-2006, community college enrollments have grown by 30 percent, Katsinas said, adding that data are highest in selected fast-growth states like Florida. In Florida, that growth equates to around 43,000 students - almost the equivalent of adding another large community college district the size of Miami-Dade. "Numerically, the growth is as great as any time during the baby boom of the 1960s," Katsinas said. "State revenue models are not keeping pace. They are challenging the ability of states to keep the door open." Though the proposed amendment would supplement and not supplant state funding for community colleges in the state, Florida is already considering revamping its funding formula, according to a new report by the Community College Budget Office. There are already concerns about the equity of the state's funding formula in Florida, said Christopher Mullin, post-doctoral fellow at the Illinois Education Research Council. He added that a local-option tax could further complicate this debate between the rural and urban community colleges, some of which are now pushing to offer more four-year degrees. "There's always a tension because larger counties will always get more money," said Mullin, who wrote his dissertation at the University of Florida on the typology of state funding. "It's going to cause inequities of what people can provide. Can they get those people who don't have a lot of money in the first place to approve a tax? I don't think it's going to be easy to do. Also, if they don't take [local appropriations] and fold them into the funding formulas, do they deduct from what the state gives?" Answers to his questions are unclear at this juncture. Mullin, however, argues that the current funding debate in Florida is a sign of the deterioration of its system for supporting community colleges. The state, he said, is slowly shifting to a tripartite system much like that of California -- which consists of a community college, state university and research university system. As larger community colleges in Florida seek to offer more four-year degrees and seek to gather local funding through this amendment, Mullin said he sees these institutions becoming regional centers, rendering the remaining community colleges "third class institutions." Metro State Prof Stays Silent, On The Job Writer:Shaun Boyd 9/19/2008 cbs4denver.com, Denver, CO DENVER (CBS4) ? Metro State College is investigating a professor who asked students to write an essay critical of Republican vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin. One student said the instructor singled out Republican students in the class and allowed others to ridicule them. The adjunct professor, Andrew Hallam, stayed silent Thursday as he took his class on a field trip to an art museum. Hallam said he would issue a statement Thursday, but none came. The college said Hallam will continue working during the investigation. "I was shocked, I was holy cow, this is just an open door for him to discuss politics with us," Jana Barber first told CBS4 Wednesday, a student in the class. Barber shared the class' first assignment with CBS4 Wednesday. Hallam asked students to write an essay to contradict what he called the 'fairy tale image of Palin' presented at the Republican National Convention. Barber filed an official complaint with the college which triggered the investigation. "What the faculty's responsibility is to provide opportunity for critical thinking and civic engagement so bringing something of relevancy into the classroom was the faculty's goal," said Cathy Lucas Wednesday, spokeswoman for Metro State. "Should he have broadened it and included all the political figures, yes." Metro State officials are investigating claims of bias, harassment and bullying. Barber and another student appeared on KOA's Mike Rosen talk show Thursday to discuss the issue. "I said something to him like, 'well, there may be five of us, but we're ready to debate this and he cussed us out," student Ben Faurer said Thursday. "He's trying to avoid all this, go along like nothing is happening." "The F-you should definitely not be said to them," fellow student Alyson Brooks said Thursday. Brooks said Hallam is a great teacher and the controversy overblown. "He definitely makes it known he's a Democrat and prefers that and wishes everyone else would, but he knows there's Republicans in class and lets them speak out and have their opinion and doesn't put them down or discriminate against that," she said. Metro State College Professor Norm Provizer said Thursday the issue has moved well behind whether or not the assignment was appropriate. Provizer calls it a political firestorm now. "So it isn't just a straight question, well is this a biased assignment?" he said. "It also has all of these political implications and it'll be used for that." The chair of Metro State's English Department is not taking sides yet. He sat in on Thursday night's class by Hallam to provide students an opportunity to express their opinions. There is one formal complain about Hallam, who is in his first semester at Metro State. A former student of Hallam's emailed CBS4 Thursday and said he or she could understand how the professor's style could be misunderstood. Hallam often picked a topic for students and asked them to write a specific viewpoint as an exercise in critical thinking, the student's email said. Hallam has revised the assignment. Students may now write about any of the candidates. The controversy has gained worldwide attention, including a prominent link from popular news Web site The Drudge Report. Report notes higher-education gains in Indiana - State's progress called 'remarkable' Writer: Maureen Groppe 9/19/2008 Louisville Courier-Journal WASHINGTON -- Indiana has made considerable progress increasing college access in recent decades, according to a new report by the Institute for Higher Education Policy. The assessment, released yesterday, calls Indiana a "remarkable example of how policy priorities can be shifted and consensus reached." It praises the state for better preparing high school students for college, making a commitment to need-based aid and establishing a statewide community college system. And it credits the state with achieving those and other accomplishments through a bipartisan effort of policymakers, business leaders and education officials. "By focusing its efforts on a clear policy goal -- increasing college access and success -- Indiana has been able to achieve a series of significant postsecondary policy changes that we hope will lead to a myriad of successful outcomes," said Michelle Asha Cooper, president of the nonpartisan Washington-based institute. The report said, however, that Indiana needs to do more to help low-income, minority and adult students. And it remains to be seen whether the state's recent emphasis on encouraging more college students to graduate will succeed. The Indiana Commission for Higher Education recently started a strategic plan to include Indiana among the top 10 states in the nation for college-degree completion by 2012. Only one-third of Indiana's first-time, full-time college students graduate in four years. "Historically, higher education has been focused on access, providing people an opportunity to go to higher education," said Stan Jones, who heads the commission. "And we need to shift that focus to success, that students will actually complete their degrees." But Jones said he's pleased that the report recognizes the gains the state has made. Kevin Brinegar, president of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, said, "I think this underscores what can be done when you work in a more bipartisan fashion and a way that focuses on the overall goals for our state and checks at least a little bit of our parochial talk at the door." The report noted that Indiana had not previously developed a strong "college-going culture," because high-paying jobs used to be readily available to Hoosiers in the automotive and other manufacturing industries. In 1992, Indiana ranked 34th in the nation in the percentage of high school graduates going on to college. By 2004, Indiana had risen to 10th through a variety of long-term initiatives. Some of the steps the report singled out for praise included: Better preparing students for college through the Core 40 diploma, which requires students to take four years of English, three years of math through at least Algebra II and three years of science. The program, which started as an option for students in 1994, is now required for admission to Indiana's four-year colleges and universities. "They were really leaders in that arena," said Matt Gandal, executive vice president of Achieve Inc., which helps states align high school graduation requirements with college and work readiness. Gandal said Indiana and most other states still need to do more to give high schools incentives to increase the percentage of graduates ready for college and to make sure the exams they're taking adequately test their college readiness. Making a commitment to need-based aid. The report said Indiana awards 86 percent of undergraduate student aid based on financial need alone, compared with a national average of 49 percent. Establishing a statewide community college system though Ivy Tech, which started in 1963 as a modest technical school. State leaders focused on Ivy Tech in recent years to steer more Hoosiers toward colleges and streamline a higher education system that traditionally pushed students toward more expensive four-year campuses at Purdue and Indiana universities. Ivy Tech announced last month that enrollment was up nearly 12 percent over last year. The growth was fueled in part by students who start at Ivy Tech with plans to later transfer to four-year universities, something that's now easier to do. Indiana University and Purdue University, for example, now accept more than 100 Ivy Tech courses at their main campuses. The institute singled out Indiana for the report because it's "one of the few states that has taken significant steps to improve its education quality and capacity to better serve its students," spokeswoman Tia Gordon said. The group has also examined higher education in Michigan and is now looking at Nevada. The Indiana report was compiled under a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The institute was founded in 1993 by Jamie P. Merisotis, who now heads the Indianapolis-based Lumina Foundation for Education, a national nonprofit organization that promotes access to college. ECTC employee receives national recognition 9/19/2008 Elizabethtown Community and Technical College ECTC's Patricia Walsh, left, is pictured with Olive T. Ritchie, center, and co-worker Bonnie Elder. Walsh received the Olive T. Ritchie Educational Office Professional of the Year Award from the National Association of Educational Office Professionals. Walsh is the second Kentuckian to receive the award since it began in 1973 Walsh received the Olive T. Ritchie Educational Office Professional of the Year Award from the National Association of Educational Office Professionals. Walsh is the second Kentuckian to receive the award since it began in 1973 Photo of the Day Gallery |