| Should Darwin be de-emphasized?
A week after events on the Kansas University campus and nationwide marked the 198th birthday of Charles Darwin, there's an article in The Chronicle of Higher Education describing one scholar's view that Darwin should be played down. "Evolutionary biology is a branch of natural science that is far beyond anything Darwin could have imagined," evolutionary biologist, Ulrich Kutschera, is quoted saying at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. An excerpt: "Mr. Kutschera, a professor of plant physiology and evolutionary biology at the University of Kassel in Germany, said scientists should emphasize that evolution is a fully formed field of biological study 'built up by generations of non-dogmatic scientists.' Terms like Darwinism can make evolutionary biology seem like an ideology, rather than a focus of empirical work, he said." It's an issue that's not lost on the "Darwin Day" organizers at KU.
Crews To Head Continuing Education At Community College
Derek Crews begins next month as the new associate vice president for corporate and continuing education. He replaces Floretta Bush, who left the position last fall to pursue an advanced degree.Shortly after Crews' arrival, however, a new opening will appear in the college's administrative ranks, as Stephen Hofmann, vice president for advancement, resigned effective at the end of the month. Hofmann came to the college last fall, and has focused on working with state and federal officials to affect policy decisions involving higher education and college funding.Crews comes to the area from Texas Woman's University's Keller Graduate School of Business. He has been involved in continuing education programs and work force training in Texas, Florida and West Virginia.The corporate and continuing education faculty at the college specialize in skill-specific training requested by workers or companies.
Governor picks Akron activist for education board
Gov. Ted Strickland made his first appointment to the State Board of Education on Friday, tapping Heather Heslop Licato of Akron to fill the seat vacated by Tom Sawyer. Licato, the mother of two children in the Akron schools, is active in the PTA and serves on several community boards, including the Akron Children's Hospital Board of Trustees and the Citizens Advisory Committee of Summit County Children's Services. Licato has also been active in Democratic Party politics, most recently in the campaign of Betty Sutton, who was elected to Congress in November. Licato replaces Sawyer, a former Akron mayor and 16-year congressman whom Democrats appointed to the Ohio Senate last month to replace Kimberly Zurz of Green, who was named director of the Department of Commerce.
More black women than men entering medical school
(Taylor Media Services) - The trend of fewer and fewer young African-American males seeking higher education appears to be showing up in medical school enrollments. According to data released last week by the Association of American Medical Colleges, Black female applicants and medical school students now outnumber Black males by better than two to one. Among all ethnic and racial groups, the male-female ratio in the nation's medical schools is around 50-50. But among Blacks, females account for nearly 70 percent of medical school students, according to the association. The developments in medical schools reflect a disturbing national trend in which the number of Black females acquiring higher educations is rapidly outpacing the number of Black males seeking college education.
Friends of charter schools seek help
The Seacoast Charter School in Exeter and the Cocheco Arts and Technology Charter School in Barrington are trying to fund raise for nearly half their operating budgets before the fall term. That's to avoid going out of business. As public schools, they can't charge tuition. Their three-year, $450,000 federal seed grants have expired, but they have enough money to finish this academic year. Barely. Supporters have filed legislation to save them. It may not be enough. Expect a quick House vote Tuesday on HB 752 to give these free-standing, family-style public schools $4,000 per student, a $400 increase over this year. The bill left the House Education Committee with a 12-1 endorsement and got onto on the consent calendar for a voice vote with dozens of other bills. That fast-track status came after bill sponsor Nancy Stiles, R-Hampton, volunteered the $4,000 rider as a compromise.
Educators honored
RED BLUFF - Educator Carolyn Barber received a lifetime achievement award Saturday night at the annual Child Care Provider Recognition Evening. Barber has worked in virtually every facet of education for more than 50 years: as a teacher, a teacher's assistant, in Head Start, as an early childhood education instructor at Shasta College, and as a private consultant. She also helped Nancy Casey found the First Church of God Preschool 38 years ago, one of the first of its kind in Tehama County. Now 69, Barber estimated she's been teaching from the time she was ten years old. "I had no idea" the award was coming, she said. Barber was one of many licensed day care providers and preschool teachers honored Saturday by the county's Local Child Care Planning Council and Child Care Referral and Education.
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