Campus Talk: UALR selected for national initiative to help first-year students
by February 2, 2016 10:12 am 200 views
Editor’s note: Each Tuesday, Talk Business & Politics provides “Campus Talk,” a recap and roundup of education news.
UALR SELECTED FOR NATIONAL INITIATIVE TO HELP FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS: The University of Arkansas at Little Rock announced its selection by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) to participate in the three-year “Re-Imagining the First Year of College” (RFY) project, an initiative aimed at transforming the first year of college to enhance students’ success in their undergraduate years and in the future workplace.
The first year of college has emerged as a critical barrier to student success, the point at which undergraduate institutions experience the greatest loss of students. The objective of the RFY project is to help project participants – and ultimately the broader AASCU membership of 420 state colleges and universities – to implement changes that enhance the first-year student experience and increase student retention and graduation rates, particularly among historically underserved populations.
As part of AASCU’s RFY project, UALR will select and implement proven, innovative strategies and programs, adapting them to the campus’s environment and needs. The evidence-based strategies focus on four core areas to help first-year students succeed: institutional intentionality, curriculum, faculty, and staff roles, and student roles.
EDUCATION COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCES TWO NEW APPOINTMENTS: Arkansas Department of Education Commissioner Johnny Key appointed Stacy Smith as the interim assistant commissioner of Learning Services. Smith, who assumed her new role Feb. 1, replaces Dr. Debbie Jones, who has been named the deputy superintendent at the Bentonville School District.
Before being named interim assistant commissioner, Smith served as the director of the Curriculum and Instruction unit at ADE since July 2014. As director of the unit, Smith oversaw the curriculum standards writing process for multiple subject areas, most recently math and English language arts. She also led the implementation of the Response to Intervention Arkansas initiative.
Brad Montgomery has been selected as the new director of the Arkansas Division of Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation. As director, Montgomery will oversee programs that assist Arkansas public schools with providing adequate and safe facilities and transportation for students, including the Education Facilities Partnership Program. He will begin Feb. 15 and replaces Terry Granderson, who has served as interim director since June. Granderson will resume his previous role as assistant director.
NEW SOUTHSIDE ‘MAVERICKS’ LOGO UNVEILED: Southside High School Principal Wayne Haver sent to the media on Saturday (Jan. 30) the new school mascot logo produced by Mark Verlander, with Montara, Calif.-based Verlander Design. The new logo is expected to be used in the 2016-2017 school year following a Fort Smith School Board decision to end use of the “Rebels” mascot and end use of playing “Dixie” as the school’s fight song. The controversial and often emotional process to change the mascot began in late June with a School Board committee vote. Read more here.