Campus Talk: National computer science teachers group praises Arkansas efforts on coding

Editor’s note: Each Tuesday, Talk Business & Politics provides “Campus Talk,” a recap and deep-dive into education topics.

NATIONAL COMPUTER SCIENCE TEACHERS GROUP PRAISES ARKANSAS EFFORTS ON CODING: The Computer Science Teachers Association, a national organization that supports the teaching of computer science, praised Arkansas’ efforts in developing computer science academic standards for grades kindergarten through eighth grade. The organization recognized Arkansas for being the first state in the country to require every public high school to offer computer science courses. Arkansas also is the first state to develop comprehensive computer science standards, which will identify what students are expected to know at each grade level.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS RECOMMITS TO SUPPORT OF CLIMATE CHANGE AGREEMENT: The University of Arkansas has recommitted to the American Campuses Act on Climate as part of the Paris Climate Conference agreement approved this weekend. UA interim Chancellor Dan Ferritor and incoming Chancellor Joseph Steinmetz joined 318 other U.S. higher education institutions in renewing their pledge to be climate neutral by 2040. These institutions represent more than 4 million students.

The UA signed the original American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment in 2007, and developed its own long range Climate Action plan. The UA is on schedule to meet its intermediate climate goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels next year, four years ahead of schedule, according to a university statement.

EXPLORATORY BOARD MOVING AHEAD WITH PLANS FOR A NEW CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL IN FORT SMITH: The Fort Smith Trinity Catholic High Exploratory Board announced Friday (Dec. 11) it has been approved to move forward on forming a college prep school that would be open to students in much of the Fort Smith metro. According to a statement from the exploratory board, Bishop Anthony Taylor gave his blessing for the board to begin fund raising and to further negotiations on a location for the proposed Catholic high school.

LOYD ENCOURAGES UAFS GRADUATES TO DO ‘THE RIGHT THINGS FOR THE RIGHT REASONS’: Dr. Marta Loyd outlined three responsibilities for recent University of Arkansas at Fort Smith graduates: celebrate your family’s first college graduate, do the right things for the right reasons, and pay it forward. Loyd, who served as the vice chancellor for advancement at UAFS before becoming executive director of the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute last year, spoke to graduates and more than 3,000 people gathered last week at the Stubblefield Center for the ceremony. Read her remarks to the crowd in this report.