U.S. Public and Private Higher Education
News releases, reports, statements and associated documents from public, private and community colleges in the U.S.
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Western Kentucky University: Department of Music to Induct Alumna, Professor Emerita to Wall of Fame
BOWLING GREEN, Kentucky, April 19 -- Western Kentucky University issued the following news:
The Department of Music at WKU will induct alumna, Dr. Sheila Johnson ('77), and Professor Emerita, Dr. Mitzi Groom, to its Wall of Fame.
The Wall of Fame is the Department of Music's way of recognizing WKU alumni and former faculty members who have distinguished themselves in their music careers. The wall is located on the third floor of the Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center.
Dr. Sheila L. Johnson received a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Arts in Counseling from WKU. During her time as a student, she studied
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BOWLING GREEN, Kentucky, April 19 -- Western Kentucky University issued the following news:
The Department of Music at WKU will induct alumna, Dr. Sheila Johnson ('77), and Professor Emerita, Dr. Mitzi Groom, to its Wall of Fame.
The Wall of Fame is the Department of Music's way of recognizing WKU alumni and former faculty members who have distinguished themselves in their music careers. The wall is located on the third floor of the Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center.
Dr. Sheila L. Johnson received a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Arts in Counseling from WKU. During her time as a student, she studiedvoice under Professor Ohm Pauli and was initiated into the WKU chapters of Delta Omicron International Music Fraternity and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Additionally, Dr. Johnson served as the director of WKU's gospel choir, Amazing Tones of Joy. She also earned two doctorate degrees: a D.Min. from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh. Her 30+ year career in higher education is a culmination of work experience that took place at five different colleges/universities where she held positions such as professor, department chair, and division head.
Dr. Johnson is also known as an international recording artist. "Freedom," her original composition and one of her nine recordings, debuted at No. 9 on the USA Billboard Hot Singles Sales Chart. "Freedom" also garnered the No. 1 slot for four consecutive weeks on the international radio chart in England, Nigeria, Sweden, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. Dr. Johnson's tours have captivated audiences in the United States, the West Indies, Germany, Mexico, and Italy. Several of Dr. Johnson's compositions and arrangements have been sung by high school, university, church, and national convention choirs. She uses varying musical styles like gospel, rap, choral, anthem, folk, Negro Spiritual, and ballad in her compositions and arrangements.
When the Afro-American Music Institute (AAMI) of Pittsburgh opened in 1983, Dr. Johnson was a member of the founding faculty and the only female on the faculty. In 2020, Dr. Johnson was unanimously elected as the first female president of the Baptist Ministers' Conference of Pittsburgh and Vicinity.
Dr. Mitzi Groom was the chair for the Department of Music at WKU from 2001 to 2013. Previously, she was chair of the Department of Music and Art at Tennessee Technological University, where she was Associate Director of the Cumberland Children's Chorus. Dr. Groom holds music education degrees from the University of North Alabama and Florida State University. Her previous experience includes teaching choral music in Alabama and Tennessee at all public school and church levels, directing a five-county rural/community arts education program, being artistic director for community boy choirs, and holding organist/choirmaster church positions in several states.
Her professional service to the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) includes Alabama State President, Southern Division President, National President, and Editorial Board member of The Choral Journal. From 2000 to 2009, she was a member of the ACDA National Executive Committee and was the convention chair for the February 2003 national convention in New York City. From 2006 to 2012, she served as one of the 18-member Accreditation Commissioners for the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), visiting more than twenty universities during their accreditation processes.
Dr. Groom's work with young singers afforded her the opportunity to serve as choral adjudicator, professional accompanist/clinician, and guest conductor for numerous All-State and regional honor choruses. She was published in the specialty areas of the male changing voice, repertoire for the young singer, music education curriculum development, and music leadership in music journals, and was a monthly columnist for The Choral Journal as National ACDA President. She was selected as a distinguished alumna at both Cullman High School and the University of North Alabama, was inducted as a National Honorary Member of Delta Omicron in 2004, and received the Southern Division ACDA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014.
Her pivotal collaborative moments at WKU were hiring and retaining stellar faculty, celebrating student success, implementing the public-school strings program, redesigning the Master of Music in Music Education degree, renovating Van Meter Auditorium, planning and building the Music Rehearsal Hall, and being the university carillonneur for graduations and holidays.
The 2023-2024 Wall of Fame presentation will be held on Friday, April 26, at 7:30 p.m. in Van Meter Hall. It will precede the Choral Masterwork Concert, which features WKU Orchestra and Choral ensembles. Tickets can be purchased at wku.showare.com.
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Original text here: https://www.wku.edu/news/articles/index.php?view=article&articleid=11920
Vanderbilt University School of Nursing to Host Free Virtual Panel on Planetary Health
NASHVILLE, Tennessee, April 19 -- Vanderbilt University School of Nursing issued the following news on April 18, 2024:
The Vanderbilt School of Nursing will host a free virtual panel discussion on Thursday, May 2, at noon, on the emerging multi- and transdisciplinary field of planetary health. Topics will include the implications for health and health equity, clinical practice, research, education and advocacy, and a solutions-focused mindset for the future to achieve sustainable outcomes.
The panel will feature a 90-minute session focusing on the concept of planetary health and how it aligns
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NASHVILLE, Tennessee, April 19 -- Vanderbilt University School of Nursing issued the following news on April 18, 2024:
The Vanderbilt School of Nursing will host a free virtual panel discussion on Thursday, May 2, at noon, on the emerging multi- and transdisciplinary field of planetary health. Topics will include the implications for health and health equity, clinical practice, research, education and advocacy, and a solutions-focused mindset for the future to achieve sustainable outcomes.
The panel will feature a 90-minute session focusing on the concept of planetary health and how it alignswith the four metaparadigm concepts of nursing, which are the fundamental pillars of the profession defined as person, health, environment and nursing. Panelists will also discuss putting these concepts into evidence-based practices that contribute to sustainable health outcomes, with an emphasis on integrating climate-justice-centered principles into health care delivery.
The featured panel of experts includes Clinical Professor Teddie M. Potter, PhD, FAAN, FNAP, director of planetary health at University of Minnesota School of Nursing. Potter co-founded Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate and holds membership in the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments and the American Academy of Nursing Environment and Public Health Expert Panel.
Also on the panel is Chris Hanley. He serves as the director of the National Academy of Medicine's Grand Challenge on Climate Change, Human Health, and Equity. NAM launched this climate grand challenge as a multi-year global initiative to improve and protect human health, well-being and equity by working to transform systems that both contribute to and are impacted by climate change.
Moderating the panel is Professor Carol Ziegler, MSN'06, DNP'12, a dually certified family nurse practitioner and advanced practice holistic nurse, and the co-founder of the Climate, Health and Energy Equity Lab at the Wond'ry, Vanderbilt's Center for Innovation. She is joined by Assistant Professor James Muchira, PhD, who specializes in population health and cardiology research, and is also a co-founder of CHEEL.
Participants are encouraged to register for the panel here (https://nursing.vanderbilt.edu/news/school-of-nursing-to-host-free-virtual-panel-on-planetary-health/). There is no cost to attend. Please contact Carol Ziegler at carol.c.ziegler@vanderbilt.edu or James Muchira at james.muchira@vanderbilt.edu with any questions.
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Original text here: https://nursing.vanderbilt.edu/news/school-of-nursing-to-host-free-virtual-panel-on-planetary-health/
Two UChicago Scholars Elected as 2023 American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellows
CHICAGO, Illinois, April 19 (TNSres) -- The University of Chicago issued the following news:
Two members of the University of Chicago faculty have been elected as fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a distinguished lifetime honor within the scientific community.
Profs. Guangbin Dong and Benoit Roux have made breakthroughs in organic synthetic chemistry and biophysics. They join the 2023 class, announced April 18, which includes scientists, engineers and innovators across multiple fields.
Guangbin Dong is the Weldon G. Brown Professor of Chemistry.
Dong's expertise
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CHICAGO, Illinois, April 19 (TNSres) -- The University of Chicago issued the following news:
Two members of the University of Chicago faculty have been elected as fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a distinguished lifetime honor within the scientific community.
Profs. Guangbin Dong and Benoit Roux have made breakthroughs in organic synthetic chemistry and biophysics. They join the 2023 class, announced April 18, which includes scientists, engineers and innovators across multiple fields.
Guangbin Dong is the Weldon G. Brown Professor of Chemistry.
Dong's expertiseis in the field of organic synthesis, catalysis, organometallics and organic materials. His lab works to harness transition-metal catalysts and boron chemistry to address challenges in the arena of chemoselectivity and multi-step synthesis.
He specializes in efficient ways to introduce functional groups into organic molecules; innovative approaches to activate and functionalize inert chemical bonds; efficient ways to synthesize molecules with complex skeletons; and strategies to quickly access structurally complex but important biologically active molecules.
His previous awards include the Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award, the American Chemical Society's Elias J. Corey Award, a Sloan Research Fellowship, an American Cancer Society Research Scholarship, and a National Sciences Foundation CAREER Award, among others.
He joined the University of Chicago in 2016.
Benoit Roux is the Amgen Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Roux is a biophysicist who uses theoretical and computational methods to advance the understanding of the structure, dynamics and function of biological systems at the atomic level.
Using a computational approach called "molecular dynamics," Roux's lab constructs detailed atomic models of the macromolecular system and, having described the microscopic forces with a potential function, simulates the dynamical motions of all the atoms as a function of time. The calculated trajectory, though an approximation to the real world, provides detailed information about the time course of the atomic motions, which is nearly impossible to access experimentally.
He is being recognized by the AAAS for "distinguished contributions to the field of biophysics, with ground-breaking theoretical and computational work that have served to establish the physical principles governing the function of biological macromolecules."
He joined the University of Chicago in 2006.
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Original text here: https://news.uchicago.edu/story/two-uchicago-scholars-elected-2023-american-association-advancement-science-fellows
Rutgers Board of Governors Approves Blau Wellness Center and Mental Health Fellowships
NEW BRUNSWICK, New Jersey, April 19 (TNSres) -- Rutgers University issued the following news:
Rutgers alumnus Allan Blau has dedicated his life to helping young adults and adolescents with significant emotional and psychiatric challenges.
"At every turn, I've asked, 'How would I respond if these children were my own - regardless of financial factors?'" said Blau, a renowned clinician and pioneer in special education who earned his Rutgers undergraduate degree in 1963. "This mindset has consistently guided my work to ensure vital support for adolescents and to tailor educational initiatives accordingly."
He
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NEW BRUNSWICK, New Jersey, April 19 (TNSres) -- Rutgers University issued the following news:
Rutgers alumnus Allan Blau has dedicated his life to helping young adults and adolescents with significant emotional and psychiatric challenges.
"At every turn, I've asked, 'How would I respond if these children were my own - regardless of financial factors?'" said Blau, a renowned clinician and pioneer in special education who earned his Rutgers undergraduate degree in 1963. "This mindset has consistently guided my work to ensure vital support for adolescents and to tailor educational initiatives accordingly."
Heis bestowing an endowment to create a fellowship program to train the next generation of mental health clinicians, the Rutgers University Board of Governors announced. Additionally, a building at the Brandt Behavioral Health Treatment Center and Retreat will be named the Blau Wellness Center and will operate as an outpatient facility.
The interdisciplinary program will support 10 fellowships annually for Rutgers graduate students in the coming years.
The severity of the youth mental health crisis is evident, with statistics from the Centers for Disease Control indicating that more than one in five adolescents has seriously considered suicide, with young adults ages 18 to 25 particularly vulnerable.
"To address the mental health crisis, it's imperative that we empower the next generation to delve deeply into its core," said Blau, an alumnus of the Rutgers chapter of the Zeta Beta Tau, whose national organization is the first and largest Jewish fraternity. "Training requires a different kind of dedication, one that goes beyond the surface. That's precisely why I'm drawn to this cause. If, long after I'm gone, young people can truly find solace and thrive, then my life would have truly mattered. This, to me, encapsulates the essence of living."
The fellowships will provide comprehensive training for future mental health leaders across a spectrum of disciplines, including psychology, social work, education, public health and public policy. Fellows will engage in weekly mental health and wellness training, leadership development and hands-on experience at the Brandt Center.
"At Rutgers, our campuses provide unparalleled opportunities for students to receive advanced clinical training across a diverse range of settings," said Josh Langberg, who is Rutgers-New Brunswick's chief wellness officer and director of the Center for Youth Social Emotional Wellness in the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology.
Langberg is collaborating with Peggy Swarbrick, director of ScarletWell - a mental health and wellness program for Rutgers students, faculty and staff - to oversee the fellowship training program.
"We need a holistic approach to tackle the youth mental health crisis," Langberg said. "This initiative will meet that need by providing interdisciplinary training within a state-of-the-art facility."
Langberg expressed gratitude to Blau, whose gift will "empower students to lead in developing and refining education and clinical systems that foster wellness."
The fellowship program will consist of two groups of students working collaboratively. Second- and third-year psychology and social work students seeking licensure will be provided with a stipend, tuition support and an intensive one-year training experience with licensed supervision. Students from other disciplines that impact mental health and wellness systems will receive stipends and engage in seminars and leadership activities alongside those pursuing licensure.
"The vision behind Allan Blau's generous gift is directly allied with Rutgers' mission to serve the common good through excellence in education, scholarship, and service," said Rutgers-New Brunswick Chancellor Francine Conway. "This partnership will do so much to help young people in need while training our students to become the next generation of mental health practitioners."
A Lifetime of Dedication
Throughout his life, Blau has maintained a steadfast dedication to enhancing mental health services for adolescents and young adults in New Jersey and beyond.
He serves as the founding director of the Cornerstone Day School - a private therapeutic school in Cranford, N.J., for students in grades 5-12 - and was the cofounding director of Effective School Solutions LLC in New Providence, N.J., which extends mental health services to more than 80 schools and 45 districts across the tri-state area.
With 40 years of experience in special education, Blau has aided thousands of adolescents in overcoming challenges and reintegrating students into public schools where possible.
Rosalyn "Roz" Blau, a retired social worker and family therapist, has borne witness to the impact of her husband's work firsthand.
"I'm part of a family that he saved," she shared, reflecting on her journey with a child, now 53, who has Asperger's, a form of autism, and who attended one of Blau's previously owned schools. "I'm incredibly proud - and grateful - for all of the work Allan has done, and the countless others he will help through this initiative."
A Program for Youth Behavioral Health
Blau's donation supports the construction of the Brandt Behavioral Health Treatment Center and Retreat, New Jersey's first treatment facility for adolescents and young adults backed by an academic health leader such as Rutgers.
The newly named Blau Wellness Center will operate as the outpatient facility at the Brandt Center. It stands as one of two new buildings devoted to youth mental health on Rutgers University-New Brunswick's George H. Cook campus.
The Brandt Center, made possible through a $30 million commitment by Rutgers alumna Marlene Brandt, will establish a gold standard for evidence-based behavioral health care and extend world-class treatment to many New Jersey youth and young adults. It will offer an array of services, summoning the resources Rutgers has at its disposal - namely its academic and clinical talent and research capacity - to offer advanced forms of treatment.
The center will draw upon the most advanced methodologies in psychology and psychiatry. At the same time, it will make use of strategies in social work, education, nutrition and art and music therapy. The approach will be holistic, emphasizing the progress and development of the whole person.
"If we do not have adept caregivers, we will not be able to properly heal our distressed youth," Brandt said. "The personnel responsible for patient care is undeniably the cornerstone of a treatment center. Dr. Blau's gift will ensure the presence of exceptional caregivers, medical professionals and students who can mentor in our facility."
University officials project the facility to serve more than 1,500 young adults annually. It is slated to open for patients this year.
The Brandt Center is a collaboration between Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care and Rutgers University-New Brunswick.
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Original text here: https://www.rutgers.edu/news/rutgers-board-governors-approves-blau-wellness-center-and-mental-health-fellowships
NMSU Geography Alumna Manages New York City Parks
LAS CRUCES, New Mexico, April 19 -- New Mexico State University issued the following news release:
From a young age, Terese Flores dreamed of moving to New York City. Raised in Silver City and Las Cruces, she hoped her dream would one day become a reality. Twenty years after graduating from New Mexico State University with a bachelor's degree in geography, she is now the Regional Park Manager for Manhattan in the New York City Parks Department.
Since starting her position, she has helped the city battle a pandemic, started an agency initiative for women in her field called Women in Leadership
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LAS CRUCES, New Mexico, April 19 -- New Mexico State University issued the following news release:
From a young age, Terese Flores dreamed of moving to New York City. Raised in Silver City and Las Cruces, she hoped her dream would one day become a reality. Twenty years after graduating from New Mexico State University with a bachelor's degree in geography, she is now the Regional Park Manager for Manhattan in the New York City Parks Department.
Since starting her position, she has helped the city battle a pandemic, started an agency initiative for women in her field called Women in Leadershipand has mentored many young interns in the world of Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping software.
GIS is a system that connects data to maps by integrating geographical information to descriptive information. The data from these systems is crucial in city planning, communicating and decision making. Flores' interest in GIS mapping and geography started during her time at NMSU.
"I graduated after so many years taking different classes within the college of Arts and Sciences," Flores said. "I ended up taking so many classes in geography that I really loved that I ended up pursuing it. I was even able to take graduate courses in landscape ecology. That's what I loved about NMSU; it really gave me a chance to explore my interests."
GIS technology was not always available to everyone in the field. Because of her degree and access to the software, Flores was able to teach young interns about GIS through a program she created called the Park Management Internship.
"The internship has been my biggest accomplishment so far because nothing like it existed before in my department," Flores said. "I've created a way to network with young individuals who have a passion for the environment, New York City and GIS."
The Park Management Internship made her role critical during the pandemic, as her ability to teach GIS technology to more people helped create safe outdoor spaces for the most populated city in the country.
"It feels rewarding," Flores said. "I had two young kids who needed access to outdoor space through the pandemic. Being part of the creation of safe access to those spaces tells me that, even in a post-pandemic world, I'm doing really important stuff for the people and the city I care about."
Besides the internship, another one of her accomplishments was starting Women in Leadership in 2019. She and a small group of other women started the initiative to serve as a forum for leaders throughout New York City government to directly contribute to the development of other leaders in a field primarily dominated by men. Ultimately, their goal was to create an inclusive environment for all leaders and to level the playing field to ensure that everyone has access to the same opportunities and preparation.
Recently, Flores has worked to address the excessive flooding in New York City. With assistance from her interns, she has been carefully pulling together data from maps acquired from plumbers and the capital division to pinpoint the issues.
Flores returned to Las Cruces earlier this year and reflected on her time at NMSU.
"NMSU made it possible for me to evolve with the career I was pursuing," Flores said. "The access to learning, research, tools and different ideas is really huge. I'm grateful to everything I was exposed to, because it prepared me for where I'm at now."
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Original text here: https://newsroom.nmsu.edu/news/nmsu-geography-alumna-manages-new-york-city-parks/s/af5a8ddf-8280-4d92-9350-2691074f7998
GCU Responds to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona's Inflammatory Comments
PHOENIX, Arizona, April 19 -- Grand Canyon University issued the following news release:
In light of the disturbing and defamatory public comments made by U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona last week during a House Appropriations Committee hearing, Grand Canyon University is providing the following statement.
This response is prefaced with the comment that our disagreements with the Department of Education (ED) are not politically motivated. We are not anti-government and have a record of cooperation and great relationships with 26 different regulatory and accrediting bodies,
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PHOENIX, Arizona, April 19 -- Grand Canyon University issued the following news release:
In light of the disturbing and defamatory public comments made by U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona last week during a House Appropriations Committee hearing, Grand Canyon University is providing the following statement.
This response is prefaced with the comment that our disagreements with the Department of Education (ED) are not politically motivated. We are not anti-government and have a record of cooperation and great relationships with 26 different regulatory and accrediting bodies,none of whom have corroborated what ED is claiming. We are an educational institution that is doing an exemplary job of addressing the many challenges that are plaguing higher education while also living out our Christian mission both on our campus and in the surrounding community. That is reflected in the growing demand from students and families who are seeking a higher education option at GCU that is affordable and taught from a Christian worldview perspective. That mission, not politics, is our motivation and it is our hope that we can again put our full attention to those efforts in the near future.
Mr. Cardona's inflammatory comments, which are legally and factually incorrect, are so reckless that GCU has no choice but to demand an immediate retraction. He is either confused, misinformed or does not understand the actions taken by his own agency.
There are no factually supportable allegations that warrant an attempt to shut down GCU and, in fact, ED has already granted a three-year extension of GCU's provisional program participation agreement that allows it to continue to receive Title IV financial aid dollars. Those Title IV funds go directly to students, who can use them at whatever institution they choose. More are choosing GCU than any other university in the U.S., which does not happen if you are deceiving a small number of students as ED claims. Further, GCU remains fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, which gave the university a maximum 10-year extension in its last review, and all of GCU's academic programs, including those requiring state licensure, remain in good standing.
Regarding Cardona's misguided comments that GCU "lied" and "preyed" on students, we have asked ED repeatedly for evidence of intent and verified student complaints, and they have refused to provide us with that information. Rather, their accusations are based entirely on their own subjective opinion of GCU's financial disclosures for doctoral programs. As Mr. Cardona's comments confirm, those opinions reflect a deeply held bias against GCU, which has manifested itself in his Department's selective and punitive enforcement actions against the university.
Two points of fact directly refute ED's claims against GCU that have resulted in a record $37.7 million fine that the university is appealing.
* First, ED's claims are not corroborated by 1) the federal court system, which has refuted similar claims about GCU's financial disclosures in Young v GCU, 2) GCU's accrediting body, the Higher Learning Commission, which described GCU's doctoral disclosures as "robust and thorough" in its 2021 comprehensive review of GCU's enrollment practices, and 3) the Arizona State Approving Agency (SAA) of the Department of Veterans Affairs, which recently audited GCU specifically to investigate ED's claims and confirmed that there were "no substantiated findings." Unlike the ED bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., both the HLC and SAA actually took the time to visit GCU, conduct interviews and do a thorough first-hand review of GCU's enrollment practices.
* Second, ED's claims that GCU "lied to students" and "falsely advertised" the cost to complete a doctoral program are gross mischaracterizations of what GCU actually discloses. In higher education, doctoral programs that include dissertations rarely have a fixed cost because the number of continuation courses varies for each individual student. Most universities with similar continuous enrollment requirements do not disclose the cost or potential need for the additional coursework. GCU, on the other hand, uses the most prominent place that it provides financial estimates - its Degree Program Calculator (see attachment) - to highlight both the cost for the 60-credit doctoral programs and, in full-size red font, the average number and cost of continuation courses students take while completing their dissertation. GCU reiterates the need for continuation courses in six other places prior to the start of classes. In short, because it is trying to benefit students and provide full transparency, GCU provides more cost information than other universities regarding doctoral programs, yet GCU has been singled out by ED.
Specific to Mr. Cardona's broader comments about predatory for-profit schools' marketing material "not being worth the paper it is printed on," we actually agree with him - with two important caveats: GCU is not a predatory school and it is legally authorized to operate as a nonprofit, which Cardona does not distinguish. What's more, GCU's metrics on measurable academic metrics such as nursing NCLEX scores are well above the national average, even as GCU produces far more nurses than most universities; our Honors College has grown to nearly 3,000 students with an unweighted incoming GPA of 4.1; GCU's National Society of Collegiate Scholars and Alpha Chi chapters are among the top performing chapters in the country; and GCU has over 100 teacher graduates who have been recognized as Superintendent, Administrator or Teacher off the Year award recipients.
GCU has been asked repeatedly why it believes it is being targeted by federal agencies of the Biden Administration. Here's what we can tell you: Mr. Cardona's inflammatory comments make very clear the Department of Education's intentions and their disdain for institutions that do not fit their ideological agenda. What's also clear is that ED has no lawful grounds to carry out those intentions based on their disingenuous and factually unsupportable allegations.
Here's what else we can tell you: Simply look for yourself at GCU's actual disclosures and the conclusions of a court of law, two impartial agencies (HLC and SAA) and 26 regulatory/accrediting bodies that consistently grant GCU full approval. Look at the 700 industry leaders on our 20 advisory boards who want access to GCU's graduates. Look at the 5,000+ partnerships GCU has with schools, hospitals and other organizations across the country who have not expressed concerns about GCU's transparency. Look at GCU's efforts to help disadvantaged populations in its surrounding community through a groundbreaking five-point plan that no other institution is doing. If GCU's intent was really to deceive students, why would we choose the smallest degree program we offer (doctoral) which is less than 5% of our student body and includes our most experienced students? If our goal was to generate more revenue, rather than allegedly deceive students we could simply increase tuition 3-4% a year for a few years - as most universities have done - and no one would bat an eye. We haven't done that. In fact, we have frozen tuition on our ground campus for 16 straight years because our innovative approach to managing this university, which ED objects to, has allowed us to do that for the benefit of our students.
Your other option is to look for yourself at the one outlier in this issue: a federal government agency that has done the following:
* Openly stated its disdain of for-profit institutions and, in order to label GCU a for-profit, intentionally disregarded the conclusions of the IRS, State of Arizona, Arizona Private Postsecondary Board, HLC, NCAA Athletics and two major independent accounting/finance firms that acknowledged and/or supported GCU's nonprofit transaction.
* Coordinated actions with the Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to launch five inquiries into GCU in retaliation for the lawsuit the university filed vs. the Department in 2021 over its lawful nonprofit status.
* Recently initiated unprecedented fine actions against the two largest Christian universities in the country (GCU and Liberty). In GCU's case, ED has confirmed the proposed $37.7 million fine is not based on student complaints and has not identified a single corroborated account of a student actually being misled by the university's disclosures. That is a shocking admission from an agency trying to impose the largest fine in its history.
* Focused much of its efforts under the Biden Administration granting itself significantly broader regulatory authority through the negotiated rulemaking process and circumventing both Congress and the Supreme Court in an attempt to grant broad student loan debt relief (which was recently refuted by a 5th Circuit Court of Appeals decision that severely questioned ED's authority).
* Has drawn the ire of the House Education and Workforce Committee after ED "failed an audit two years in a row, been derelict in its duties and continues to make up estimates it cannot defend to its auditor." Further, the committee stated, "We are deeply disturbed by this administration's bungling, general ineptness and deliberate wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars."
* Has been universally rebuked for the delays, glitches and inaccurate data that have accompanied its rollout of a new FAFSA form. Overseen by ED Office of Federal Student Aid COO Richard Cordray and ultimately Secretary Cardona, the rollout has been an abject failure that has broken the trust of higher education institutions across the country and left many students wondering if they will even be able to attend college due to the uncertainty of their financial aid situation.
* Been sued by the Goldwater Institute in its efforts to uncover documents about ED's coordinated actions against GCU with other agencies.
ED's conduct related to GCU goes well beyond normal regulatory activity. It epitomizes the weaponization of federal agencies' power against a private Christian university. To borrow a term ED uses liberally to describe every for-profit institution it is trying to harm, the comments by Mr. Cardona and actions taken by his Department are predatory in nature and designed to achieve their own ideological agenda.
GCU is confident that, in time, an impartial court of law will refute ED's extraordinarily thin allegations. GCU's intent is to fight these accusations all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary. The Department of Education's intent, based on the frivolous nature of its accusations and defamatory statements from ED officials, seems to be to damage the university's reputation, use its "findings" as a rationale to seek loan forgiveness for students under the borrower's defense to repayment program and impose unprecedented fines and legal fees. In other words, regardless of the inevitable legal outcomes in GCU's favor, the process becomes the punishment.
With 118,000 students and growing, GCU is thriving and will continue to thrive. In an industry that is struggling and slow to change, GCU has created a model that has allowed it to freeze tuition on its ground campus for 16 straight years, increase diversity and social mobility by ensuring that higher education is affordable to all socioeconomic classes (over 40% of GCU's ground campus student body are students of color), maintain lower student loan default rates than the national average and lower student debt levels than other private universities, and produce nearly 30,000 graduates in each of the past three years.
If a government-run institution produced those kinds of outcomes, it would be applauded. At the largest private Christian university in the country, it draws unwarranted threats from the Secretary of Education and the ire of the federal government.
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Original text here: https://news.gcu.edu/gcu-news/gcu-responds-to-u-s-department-of-education-secretary-miguel-cardonas-inflammatory-comments/
BC Interior Universities Continue Research Collaboration
KAMLOOPS, British Columbia, April 19 -- Thompson Rivers University issued the following news release:
British Columbia's three Interior universities continue collaborating to boost their research and innovation ecosystems after renewing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the three organizations.
The renewed MOU extends the Interior Universities Research Coalition (IURC) - a partnership between the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), Thompson Rivers University (TRU) and the University of British Columbia's Okanagan campus (UBC Okanagan) - for a further five years.
Since its
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KAMLOOPS, British Columbia, April 19 -- Thompson Rivers University issued the following news release:
British Columbia's three Interior universities continue collaborating to boost their research and innovation ecosystems after renewing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the three organizations.
The renewed MOU extends the Interior Universities Research Coalition (IURC) - a partnership between the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), Thompson Rivers University (TRU) and the University of British Columbia's Okanagan campus (UBC Okanagan) - for a further five years.
Since itscreation in 2017, the IURC has attracted nearly $8 million for cross-institutional research projects and other collaborations at the three universities and has developed a multitude of new research opportunities in the BC Interior.
The funded research projects have addressed regional questions on topics such as disaster prevention, aging in rural communities, COVID-19, education and wildlife stewardship.
Over the next five years, the IURC will continue to support community-based research, develop greater research capacity and joint educational opportunities and build on what has been learned and gained over the past five years.
The partnership has developed a foundation that fosters talent in the BC Interior and enhances student and faculty mobility while at the same time increasing academic opportunities and strengthening community connections.
This renewed MOU reflects a shared commitment to effective and mutually beneficial co-operation that enhances research and educational opportunities with positive benefits for communities served by the three partners.
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QUOTES:
"The Interior Universities Research Coalition facilitates partnerships among scholars at all three institutions as they work with community partners to identify solutions to pressing issues in our region and beyond. The knowledge generated through these projects builds capacity for healthy, productive and thriving Interior communities." -UNBC Vice-President of Research and Innovation Dr. Paula Wood-Adams
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"The IURC has set the groundwork to advance important research in our regions--the collaboration between our institutions is critical in building capacity for new research opportunities in our communities. The renewal marks the beginning of what we envision as a blueprint towards inter-institutional partnerships across Canada, inspiring a future where collaboration paves the way for discovery and growth." -TRU Vice-President Research Dr. Shannon Wagner
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"We're pleased to continue collaborating with our research colleagues in the BC Interior to further drive discovery and innovation. Each of the IURC institutions bring research specialties and strengths to this agreement that create synergies and maximize the impact of the partnership to the benefit of the Interior's communities and industries." -UBCO Vice-Principal and Associate Vice-President Research and Innovation Dr. Philip Barker
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"We support this initiative and share the IURC's commitment to making post-secondary education more accessible, responsive, and relevant for people across British Columbia. The IURC is a leading example of institutions finding collaborative solutions to enhance educational opportunities and solve regional challenges so we can build stronger and more resilient communities in B.C." -Minister Lisa Beare, Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills
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"B.C.'s post-secondary institutions and research centres are world-class, and this continuing collaboration ensures our province draws and retains the talent needed to drive innovation to make life better for people, and to create good jobs. Through the B.C. Knowledge Development Fund and other provincial programs, our province is supporting our post-secondary research infrastructure and we're looking forward to hearing more from the partnership." -Minister Brenda Bailey, Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation
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Original text here: https://inside.tru.ca/2024/04/18/bc-interior-universities-continue-research-collaboration/
