TWO FIRSTS FOR MIDWESTERN

Midwestern State University made history twice this spring, becoming the first public university in Texas to prohibit the use of tobacco products. And on May 13, 2009, Governor Rick Perry signed legislation designating the campus the state's only public liberal arts university.

KEENE SNAGS HALF OF NATIONAL THEATRE FESTIVAL COMMENDATIONS

Keene State College participants in the fall production of Thornton Wilder's The Matchmaker attended the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival last winter and were awarded five of ten commendations recommended by a national selection team after a review of eight regional festivals. Full story.

RAMAPO ONE OF TWENTY TO RECEIVE $100K VETERANS GRANT

Ramapo College of New Jersey received a $100,000 Success for Veterans Award Grant from the American Council on Education (ACE) and the Wal-Mart Foundation. The grants were given to 20 institutions across the United States that operate model programs advancing access and success in higher education for veterans and their families. Full story.

FARMINGTON PUBLIC POLICY STUDENT ADVISES GOVERNOR

University of Maine at Farmington sophomore and 2009 Maine Public Policy Scholar, Nancy Varin, recently presented her public policy recommendation to Governor Baldacci. Varin's research has determined that supporting community-scale wind power efforts by enacting legislation that encourages investment in locally-owned projects would promote sustainable economic development in Maine. Full story.

FIVE FULBRIGHTS AND A TRIUMF

COPLAC students continue to dominate national scholarship competitions as five students from New College of Florida were named Fulbright Scholars. A student from Augustana, meanwhile, will conduct summer research at Canada's national subatomic physics research lab after snagging a prestigious TRIUMF Award.

CHARLESTON TENNIS WOMEN ARE SOUTHERN CONFERENCE CHAMPS

The College of Charleston women's tennis team won the 2009 Southern Conference Championship with a 4-1 victory over top-seeded Furman in the finals of the SoCon Championships recently. Full story.

SUPERIOR BREAKS GROUND ON $32 MILLION ECO-FRIENDLY ACADEMIC BUILDING

Chancellor Julius Erlenbach led dignitaries recently in breaking ground for Swenson Hall, a $32 million environmentally-friendly academic building that will reportedly open a new era of learning at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. Full story.

INTERNATIONIAL COLLEGE TEACHING GROUP HONORS GCSU PROFESSOR

The International Conference on College Teaching and Learning has awarded Dr. Walter Isaac, an Associate Professor of Psychology at Georgia College and State University, the 2009 award for Innovative Excellence in Teaching and Learning. The award celebrates the contributions of experienced full-time faculty who have contributed in the most highly creative ways to teaching, learning, and technology. Full story.

UMF WINS FIRST NATIONAL POWER DOWN CONTEST

The University of Maine at Farmington has won the first national "Power Down for the Planet" challenge, a national competition to fight global warming by pledging to reduce the amount of energy used by computers on campus. Full story.

SMCM SUPPORTER BEN BRADLEE NAMED MARYLANDER OF THE YEAR

One of America's most prominent journalists and newspaper editors, The Washington Post's Benjamin Bradlee, was named the Maryland Historical Society's Marylander of the Year for 2009, in part for his service to St. Mary's College of Maryland, leading the creation of SMCM as a public "honors college" and endowing the Benjamin C. Bradlee Lecture Series in Journalism. Full story.

UMF UNDERGRAD SNAGS COVETED RESEARCH GRANT

Jamez Terry, a University of Maine at Farmington junior and history major, has been awarded a coveted research grant by the Massachusetts Historical Society, ordinarily given for doctoral research or to established scholars. Full story.

KEENE STATE HOLOCAUST CENTER HONORS RACHEL MARGOLIS

The Cohen Center for Holocaust Studies at Keene State College will sponsor "Resistance Continued: Courage in the Face of Adversity," an event to honor Lithuanian Holocaust partisan Dr. Rachel Margolis. Attendees include Congressman Paul Hodes. Rachel Margolis was incarcerated in the Vilna Ghetto from 1942-1943 before escaping to join the anti-Nazi Jewish partisans. She discovered and transcribed the Kazimierz Sakowicz diary, Ponary Diary, 1941-1943: A Bystander's Account of a Mass Murder, which documented the daily executions of Lithuanian Jews. In 2006, Dr. Margolis's own memoir was published in Lithuania; material from her memoir has been used to support charges brought against other Lithuanian Holocaust participants. Full story.

GCSU STUDENTS AMONG 25 NATIONALLY TO RECEIVE LEADERSHIP AWARD

Two Georgia College & State University students have been named among 25 students across the United States to receive Next Generation Leader awards through a grant from the Kellogg Foundation. Full story.

UMW PROFESSOR SPEARHEADS EARLIEST ENGLISH LEGAL RESEARCH

Bruce O'Brien, professor of history at the University of Mary Washington, is leading historical research into the origins of English law with the Institute of Historical Research of the University of London and the Centre for Computing in the Humanities at King's College London. The ten-year project, titled "Early English Laws," will edit and translate over 150 legal codes and treatises composed in England from the earliest code (A.D. 600) to the issuing of the Magna Carta in 1215, the formative period of the Common Law. Full story.

NEW YORK UNITED TEACHERS NAME COPLAC CAMPUS ADMINISTRATOR MEMBER OF THE YEAR

Tom Matthews, director of leadership, educational development and training at the State University of New York at Geneseo and a longtime leader of United University Professions, has been named Higher Education Member of the Year by New York State United Teachers. Full story.

NEW COLLEGE MAKES DAILY BEAST'S TOP 20 (AND KNOCKS ON HARVARD'S DOOR)

The Daily Beast, the news and culture webzine created by CNBC television talk show host and Washington Post correspondent Tina Brown, set out to find the top 20 best college values this year. New College of Florida came in third, after University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Harvard University. Full story.

MORRIS BOASTS TWO TRUMANS, A SULLIVAN AND A UDALL

Students from the University of Minnesota, Morris have received a staggeringly disproportionate number of prestigious national scholarships this spring. Kellcee Baker and Ashley Gaschk have been named 2009 Truman Scholars, Melinda Kernik received the Sullivan, and Tara Greiman is the recipient of the Udall Scholarship.

MSU ALUMNAE IS HISPANIC BUSINESS WOMAN OF THE YEAR

"If you are born early enough, you get to count a lot of firsts," said Frances Garcia, a Midwestern State University graduate who was recently named Woman of the Year by Hispanic Business magazine. Full story.

UMW DEBATE TEAM WINS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

The University of Mary Washington debate team recently won the American Debate Association's Varsity National Championship, defeating Vanderbilt University in the final round. Full story.

UMM TO RECEIVE U.S. DEPT. OF LABOR 'WIRED' FUNDS FOR BIOMASS COURSES

The University of Minnesota, Morris has been awarded a grant of $174,258 by the Renewable Energy Marketplace Alliance that is funded through the United States Department of Labor WIRED (Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development) Initiative. The funding will be used to develop new curriculum in biomass gasification technology. Full story.

UMF AMONG FIRST TO 'POWER DOWN FOR THE PLANET'

The University of Maine at Farmington is the first college in Maine and among the first in the nation to sign on to participate in "Power Down for the Planet," a national challenge designed to encourage campus communities to become involved in the fight against climate change by reducing their computer energy consumption. Full story.

APA LAUDS NEW COLLEGE PHILOLOGIST

The American Philological Association (APA) has presented New College of Florida Associate Professor of Classics David Rohrbacher with its Award for Excellence in Collegiate Teaching. Founded in 1869 by professors, friends, and patrons of linguistic science, the APA is the principal learned society in North America for the study of ancient Greek and Roman languages, literatures and civilizations. The Award for Excellence in Collegiate Teaching is among the APA's most distinguished honors. Rohrbacher is the author of The Historians of Late Antiquity. Full story.

KEENE MEN CAPTURE NEISDA SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIP

After finishing second three out of the past six years, Keene State College captured its first men's New England Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Association (NEISDA) championship at Roger Williams University this spring. Full story.

LARGEST CASH GIFT EVER FOR SOU

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Southern Oregon University is the recipient of a $1 million endowment gift from the Bernard Osher Foundation. The endowment is the largest cash gift the foundation has ever received and supports a program that, since 1993, has brought adults in the region the opportunity that is the hallmark of a liberal arts education...lifelong learning. Full story.

NEW COLLEGE PROFESSOR PUBLISHED IN SCIENCE

New College Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies Meg Lowman had an article, "ECOLOGY: A National Ecological Network for Research and Education," published in Science, one of the most prestigious peer-reviewed journals. The article is the culmination of four years Lowman spent with a team of national ecologists to fund a new and innovative science education program. Full story.

RAMAPO FORGES AGREEMENT WITH OLDEST RUSSIAN UNIVERSITY

Ramapo College of New Jersey has signed an affiliation agreement with the School of International Relations at St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia. The agreement provides for faculty and student exchange, joint research projects, joint courses offered on-line or through video conferencing, jointly sponsored conferences, grant proposals and curriculum development. Founded in 1724, St. Petersburg State University is the oldest university in Russia. Full story.

INTEL CO-FOUNDER UNDERWRITES SONOMA MUSIC CENTER

Les and Judy Vadasz, through the Vadasz Family Foundation, have generously underwritten music education at Sonoma State University's Green Music Center with a $500,000 gift. "We are confident that the Green Music Center will enhance the educational experience for our students, and are glad to be part of the community of supporters helping SSU achieve this goal," says Les Vadasz, retired co-founder of Intel Corp. Full story.

GENESEO CASE RECIPIENT TO AID HYGIENE IN NICARAGUA

Alison Kornblatt, a junior at the State University of New York at Geneseo, is one of four students from New York colleges to receive a $1,000 award to participate in the Carter Academic Service Entrepreneur (CASE) Program. Sponsored by the Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter Partnership Foundation, the CASE program promotes service-learning and provides financial support to students who propose innovative ways to serve the community. Kornblatt plans to initiate a long-term hygiene education campaign in Nicaragua this summer, where Geneseo operates an active service-learning program. Full story.

CHARLESTON NEARLY SWEEPS SCORE AWARDS

The College of Charleston earned four of the six "best of" awards given out by the South Carolina Organization for Resident Education (SCORE). The College's programs and students edged out others from Clemson University, Coastal Carolina University, University of South Carolina, University of South Carolina Aiken, Winthrop University, and Lander University. Full story.

GC&SU FINE ARTS MUSEUM TO BE LOCATED IN HISTORIC SCHUTZE-DESIGNED HOME

Georgia College & State University recently dedicated its new Museum of Fine Arts, located in a former Milledgeville home designed by renowned Atlanta architect Phillip Trammell Schutze. The historic home, designed in 1935, was selected for a House & Garden Award in Architecture in 1939. Full story.

SOU PROFESSOR TO RECEIVE FIRST SAGE AWARD

Dr. Alison Burke, assistant professor of criminology at Southern Oregon University, has been selected to receive the first Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences SAGE Junior Faculty Teaching Award. The organization is an international association that fosters professional and scholarly activities in the field of criminal justice. Full story.

LIBERAL ARTS TECHNIQUE LETS FORT LEWIS STUDENTS DOMINATE CPA EXAM

Students at Fort Lewis College recently outperformed undergraduates throughout Colorado on the Uniform CPA Examination, thanks to active learning exercises introduced by campus administrators and professors. Full story.

TWO COPLAC CAMPUSES RECEIVE PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY SERVICE HONOR

The President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, launched in 2006, recognizes colleges and universities nationwide that support innovative and effective community service and service-learning programs. The Honor Roll's Presidential Award, given each year to only a handful of institutions according to the "Learn and Serve America" Web site, is the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning, and civic engagement. Recently, both St. Mary's College of Maryland and Southern Oregon University were recognized.

COPLAC CAMPUS CENTER TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY GREEN NEEDS

Communities in northern California seeking to broaden and deepen their commitments to sustainability have an important new resource. Sonoma State University's Department of Environmental Studies and Planning has launched a new Center for Sustainable Communities to support local sustainability efforts. Full story.

AUGUSTANA RUNNERS RECEIVE FIRST CONDON SCHOLARSHIPS GIVEN TO CROSS COUNTRY ATHLETES

Several runners at Augustana recently became the first cross-country competitors to receive Canada's Jimmy Condon scholarships. Full story.

MORRIS CENTER PROVIDES SMALL TOWN SUSTAINABILITY SYMPSOIUM

"Communities 2050: Building a Livable, Renewable and Responsible Future" will be the theme of the Seventh Annual Symposium on Small Towns at the University of Minnesota, Morris. The event will be hosted in part by UMM'S Center for Small Towns in partnership with Minnesota Public Radio. Full story.

COPLAC PRESIDENT PART OF U.S./KOREA ROUNDTABLE

The president of the State University of New York at Geneseo, Christopher C. Dahl, will join a group of academic leaders from the United States and Korea for a roundtable discussion in Washington, D.C. Feb. 7 to explore common challenges and partnership opportunities. Full story.

WARHOL ATHLETES EXHIBIT OPENS AT MARY WASHINGTON

The University of Mary Washington will host "Andy Warhol's Athletes: Portraits from the Richard Weisman Collection." Weisman commissioned Warhol to paint a series of 10 world-class athletes, including golf legend Jack Nicklaus, tennis star Chris Evert, major league baseball pitcher Tom Seaver, basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Brazilian soccer star Pelé, former football star O.J. Simpson, Olympic gold medal ice skater Dorothy Hamill, jockey legend Willie Shoemaker, boxing superstar Muhammed Ali and ice hockey standout Rod Gilbert. Full story.

COPLACer ONE OF TWO U.S. STUDENTS SELECTED FOR JAPAN TOUR

Christopher Girouard, a Truman State University senior political science and communication double-major, is one of only two students selected by the National Communication Association's Committee on International Discussion and Debate to represent the United States on a tour of Japan. Full story as PDF document in new window.

COVERDELL PROFESSOR TO KEYNOTE GC&SU INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Roger A. Coate, former director of the Walker Institute of International Studies and holder of the Paul D. Coverdell Endowed Chair of Policy Studies at Georgia College & State University, headlines the list of keynote speakers at the school's upcoming international symposium on environmental justice. Full story.

NEW COLLEGE PRESIDENT TO EVALUATE NATION'S SOUTHERN COLLEGES

Mike Michalson, president of New College of Florida, has been elected to serve as a member of the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), the accrediting body for eleven U.S. southern states and Latin America. Full story.

TUITION-FREE CAMPUS ADDS FIRST NATIVE AMERICAN BOARD MEMBER

Like the University of Minnesota, Morris, Fort Lewis College is one of the COPLAC institutions that offers tuition-free education to Native American students. Now the campus has appointed Karen Wilde as its first Native American member to the Board of Trustees. Full story.

CHARLESTON PROFESSOR NAMED TOP EMERGING SCHOLAR BY DIVERSE MAGAZINE

College of Charleston Assistant Professor Laquita Blockson is one of only 10 teachers named among Diverse magazine's 2009 emerging scholars. Blockson gave up a lucrative career in corporate America for academia, hoping to inform and influence responsible business practices. Full story.

TODAY SHOW LAUDS VALUE OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS LIKE NEW COLLEGE

Rob Franek of The Princeton Review appeared on the Today Show recently to champion the value of public colleges in a time of escalating tuition, noting in particular a COPLAC institution, the New College of Florida. Full story with link to video.

POP LEGEND'S INTERNATIONAL TOUR INCLUDES STOP AT RAMAPO

The legendary Judy Collins, a folk icon with more than 40 albums and numerous hit singles and award nominations to her credit, will give two performances at Ramapo College of New Jersey during her international tour this winter. Full story.

OBAMA CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR DISCUSSES ELECTION TECHNOLOGY AT EASTERN

David Vorland, one of Barack Obama's campaign directors, visited Eastern Connecticut State University recently to discuss the critical role information technology played in the 2008 presidential election. Full story as PDF document.

GEORGIA RECEIVES $1.5 MILLION TO INCREASE 'COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS'

Georgia College & State University and the University System of Georgia's Digital Innovation Group announced recently a $1.5 million grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to establish the 'Milledgeville Community Connections: Digital Bridges...Bringing People Together' project. The initiative will facilitate a community owned effort to develop and implement ways technologies can improve residents' lives at home, school and work. Full story.

RAMAPO STUDENTS WIN MUSEUM DESIGN CONTEST

For the second year in a row, members of Ramapo College's Creative Media Club won first prize in the annual Design Derby sponsored by the Art Directors Club of New Jersey (ADCNJ). This year's competition required the creation of promotional material for the Morris Plains Museum. Full story.

ESPN CELEBRATES COPLAC ATHLETE'S 'MIRACLE SHOT'

In what many are calling one of the best displays of second effort in sports history, SUNY Geneseo senior guard Scott Morton made a diving save off of a rebound and scored the winning basket at the buzzer recently with a miraculous "over the shoulder, behind-the-back" shot. It gave the Blue Knights an 85-84 win over SUNY Oswego and was the #1 Play of the Day on ESPN "SportsCenter." The shot also received attention on sports broadcasts across the nation. Full story with video.

"TODAY SHOW" LIKES CHARLESTON'S 'SHRIMP ON A TREADMILL'

The NBC "Today Show" featured a College of Charleston scientific experiment that has turned into an Internet sensation. Lou Burnett spoke to "Today Show" hosts Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieira and Al Roker about research entitled "Shrimp on Treadmill" that started as a simple investigation on the impact of bacteria on shrimp but soon turned into an Internet sensation. Full story. Check out the latest video - 'Crab on a Treadmill.'d

ST. MARY'S PROFESSOR RECEIVES ARC AWARD FOR CHILD-READING RESEARCH

A St. Mary's College of Maryland psychology professor known for her groundbreaking research on raising children with developmental disabilities is the recipient of the Arc of the United States' 2008 Distinguished Research Award. Full story.

GIFT WILL FUND MARY WASHINGTON DIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS

Alumna Mary Ann Dorsey Judy and her husband have contributed $1.1 million to the University of Mary Washington to provide scholarships for students with diverse backgrounds including race, ethnicity, culture, socioeconomic status, disability, religion or geography. Full story.

CHARLESTON CHOIRS SCORE LIKE THE NCAA FINAL FOUR

College of Charleston choirs will be performing at the two most prestigious choral festivals in the United States, a remarkable accomplishment for one school. "This choral honor is akin to [making] the NCAA Final Four..." said Robert Taylor, Director of Choral Activities. Full story.

ST. MARY'S TOPS THE STATE IN FOUR-YEAR GRADUATION RATE

In a 2008-2009 survey in Kiplinger's Personal Finance, St. Mary's College of Maryland is rated highest in the state for its four-year graduation rate...and third in the nation! Full story.

SUPERIOR TEACHING LETS FUNDAMENTAL MATH STUDENTS SOLVE WORLD PROBLEMS

At the University of Wisconsin-Superior, instructor Heather Kahler uses global technology to enable her "Fundamentals of Mathmatics" students to map African village slopes in a fight against soil erosion. Full story.

EVERGREEN RECEIVES $5.8 MILLION TO GEAR UP

The Evergreen State College's Student and Academic Support Services department will receive a $5,760,000 six-year GEAR UP grant from the Department of Education. The GEAR UP program works to prepare students for college beginning in middle school. Full story.

PARTICIPATING DIRECTORS NAME MSU PLAY OUTSTANDING FESTIVAL PRODUCTION

In competition with nine other Texas colleges and universities at the Texas State American College Theatre Festival, the MSU production of Doubt was one of four recommended by the evaluators for consideration for the six-state regional festival in February. Moreover, Doubt was voted the outstanding production at the festival by the directors of the other nine productions. Full story.

UMM RECEIVES NEXT GENERATION ENERGY GRANT

The University of Minnesota, Morris was among the awardees announced by Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty in a program aimed at accelerating the development of renewable energy projects and advanced biofuels. Full story.

$100K FOR WISE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

The Napoleon Hill Foundation recently presented The University of Virginia's College at Wise with $100,000 for the Napoleon Hill Scholarship Fund. The fund provides scholarships for up to 10 of the College's best and brightest students. Students in the Napoleon Hill Scholars program participate in a leadership program that provides training on the principles touted by Napoleon Hill. Full story.

HUBBARD DONATES ARONSON SCULPTURE TO KEENE

A sculpture by David Aronson, given to Keene State College by Robert P. Hubbard, was recently installed in front of the Redfern Arts Center. Aronson's work is represented in more than 40 museums; he has exhibited in Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Paris, Rome, Berlin, and Copenhagen. Full story.

SOU MAKES EPA LIST OF TOP 20 GREEN CAMPUSES

Because of its high use of renewable energy, Southern Oregon University has been named to the Top 20 list of Green Colleges and Universities by the Environmental Protection Agency. Full story.

NOBEL WINNER URGES USAO STUDENTS TO CHOOSE ONE CAUSE

Urging action rather than talk, Nobel winner and human rights activist Jody Williams encouraged students at the University of Science and Arts at Oklahoma recently to "choose just one" charity or cause and to get involved. Full story.

ST MARY'S STUDENT WRITES CAR-WINNING ESSAY

A biochemistry student at St. Mary's College of Maryland recently produced an essay that topped 25 finalists and won her a new Toyota. Full story.

CHARLESTON STUDENTS BUILD GREEN HABITAT HOUSE

Students from the College of Charleston will be participating in the Habitat for Humanity Green Building Blitz, helping to build an environmentally-friendly home on Wadmalaw Island. To reduce the number of cars driving to the home site, students will take the LEEP Bio-diesel bus from campus. Full story.

DIGNITARIES HELP DEDICATE NEW SCIENCE BUILDING AT EASTERN

Connecticut Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele and other dignitaries recently joined Eastern Connecticut State University's president and campus community members to dedicate the University's new $64 million, 174,000-square-foot, six-story Science Building. Full story as pdf file.

SUPERIOR ATHLETICS BOOST LOCAL ECONOMY

Student-athletes and athletic staff at the University of Wisconsin-Superior spent approximately $1.9 million in the local economy in 2007-2008, according to a new economic impact study by two university employees. Full story.

AUGUSTANA PROFESSOR MAKES GILLER PRIZE SHORTLIST

University of Alberta's Augustana Campus professor, Marina Endicott, has made the 2008 Scotiabank Giller Prize shortlist with her book, "Good to a Fault." The five authors selected came from a field of nearly 100 submissions. Full story.

COHEN NAMED DEAN AT CHARLESTON

David Cohen has been named dean of the School of Languages, Cultures, and World Affairs at the College of Charleston. His plans for the new school include new majors in International Studies and Asian Studies and required study abroad for majors. Full story.

UMM RECEIVES FIRST ACORE CAMPUS EXCELLENCE AWARD

The first American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) Campus Excellence Award for Outstanding Use of Renewable Energy was presented to the University of Minnesota, Morris on October 3, 2008, by Cheri Olf, ACORE's director of education and program manager of the Higher Education Committee. Olf, who presented the award to Vice Chancellor for Finance and Facilities Lowell Rasmussen and other campus leaders during the biomass facility dedication ceremony, noted that the University's new facility "represents the highest level of commitment that our institutions of higher education can make to renewable energy." Full story.

FARMINGTON TO JOIN AACU NATIONAL COALITION TO MAXIMIZE LIBERAL ARTS EDUCATION

University of Maine at Farmington has been chosen to join a select group of 45 universities and colleges to form a national Leadership Coalition to create and sustain transformative campus change. Created by the Bringing Theory to Practice Project, an independent undertaking in partnership with the Association of American Colleges and Universities, the Leadership Coalition will bring together university and college presidents from across the country as they commit their campuses to becoming models for what a liberal arts education can offer and most effectively deliver. Full story.

$1.5 MILLION TO CONNECTICUT FOR COMMUNITY LITERACY PROJECT

Eastern Connecticut State University's Center for Early Childhood Education has been awarded an "Early Reading First" grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Eastern will receive $1,409,697 to begin the three-year Community Partners for Early Literacy project. The project will include a particular focus on developing the language and literacy skills of children for whom English is a second language, including the development of model bilingual classrooms.

MSU, MICHIGAN, UT, AND FLORIDA A&M PROVIDE TubetheVote CONTENT

As part of learning about media uses of the Internet and the resulting impact on society, Midwestern State University students are joining the University of Texas at Austin, Michigan State University, and Florida A&M in providing editorial content for an online web 2.0 political magazine called TubetheVote.com. MSU students are providing content for Thursday 'editions' beginning Oct. 2 Full story.

GILES SYMPOSIUM BRINGS PEACE PRIZE WINNER TO USAO

Nobel Peace Prize Winner Jody Williams will address the public as part of the first annual Ray and Mary Giles Symposium on Citizenship and Public Service at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma on Oct. 30. Full story.

COPLAC CAMPUS HOSTS KEY VIRGINIA PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN RALLY

The University of Mary Washington recently served as host site for Virginia's first joint appearance by running mates Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Full story.

FORMER HOMELESS CHILD SHINES AT SONOMA

Demonstrating a public liberal arts institution's outstanding capacity for serving the nation's underprivileged and sometimes marginalized citizens, Sonoma State University junior Constance Bravos recently won the coveted William Randolph Hearst/CSU Trustees Award. Full story.

AUGUSTANA LANGUAGE LAB BOASTS MOBILE VIDEOCONFERENCING, DIGITAL PRONUNCIATION REVIEW

The University of Alberta's Augustana Campus recently unveiled its new language lab featuring state-of-the-art digital recording equipment and a mobile video conferencing unit that can move from lab to classroom. Full story.

GREG MORTENSON VISITS FORT LEWIS

Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea and rumored candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize, was a special guest of Fort Lewis College and the League of Women Voters of La Plata County recently. Full story.

UNCA TO HOST HIROSHIMA EXHIBIT

UNC Asheville and the Center for Diversity Education will host the national traveling exhibit "Hiroshima-Nagasaki: Images and Stories from Eyewitness Accounts" in October. Full story.

MIDWESTERN CONTRIBUTES TO $19 MILLION HEALTHCARE STUDY

Midwestern State University recently received $300,000 to participate in an investigation of negative outcomes associated with evening and weekend patient care. Midwestern researchers will conduct their portion of the investigation in the Dallas and Houston areas. Full story.

COPLAC CAMPUS FIRST RECIPIENT OF MARS MISSION DATA

NASA planetary scientist Carol Stoker presented the first results from the Phoenix Lander Mission at Sonoma State University recently. The Phoenix has been digging into the icy polar region of Mars since May, establishing the presence of ice and looking for conditions that might have harbored life at some time in the past or present. Full story.

NEW COLLEGE OF FLORIDA RECEIVES RECORD $2.1 MILLION GIFT

New College of Florida has announced a major gift through a charitable remainder trust created by Sarasota philanthropists Lee and Bob Peterson. The gift is largest individual donation in the College's history. Funds from the trust will provide academic enhancements directed toward both student and faculty support at New College, Florida's honors college for the liberal arts. Full story.

CHAPEL HILL'S BROWNING TO DELIVER KSC HOLOCAUSE MEMORIAL LECTURE

Professor Christopher Browning will present Keene State College Cohen Center's 11th Annual Holocaust Memorial Lecture, "Holocaust Denial in the Courtroom: The Historian as Expert Witness." Professor Browning is the Frank Porter Graham Professor of History at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and author of Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland. Full story.

SONOMA SAVING CALIFORNIA'S ONLY NATIVE AQUATIC TURTLE SPECIES

Rapidly shrinking numbers of California's only native aquatic turtle species - the Western Pond Turtle - has sparked the development of a pioneering partnership between Sonoma State University and two Bay Area zoos to save the reptile from extinction in California. Full story.

MONTEVALLO NAMED #1 'BEST VALUE' PUBLIC SCHOOL IN THE SOUTH

In a recent U.S. News article on the nation's best values in college education, Montevallo dominated its division in the South, coming in second only to Loyola, a private school. Full story.

FIRST NATIVE AMERICAN IN SPACE ADDRESSES FORT LEWIS

Fort Lewis College's Fall Convocation speaker was John Herrington, a retired Naval aviator and former astronaut. Herrington, a member of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma, was the first Native American to fly and walk in space. Full story.

USAO BAGS 10 PR AWARDS AT STATE

Members of the Media and Community Relations staff at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma earned a record 10 awards in a statewide competition. College public relations specialists across the state went toe-to-toe in 30 different categories during the annual Oklahoma College Public Relations Association convention, competing for awards in categories from photography to news writing, videography and graphic design. Full story.

UMM RECEIVES 'EXEMPLARY' IN NWF SUSTAINABILITY REPORT CARD

The University of Minnesota, Morris is among only a handful of Minnesota colleges and universities named as "exemplary" by the National Wildlife Federation in its recent "report card" on sustainability in higher education. Full story.

SHEPHERD OBSERVATORY AT MONTEVALLO TO BE DEDICATED IN OCTOBER

The magnificent new James Wylie Shepherd Observatory at the University of Montevallo is nearing completion of construction. It will be dedicated at the Founders' Day celebration Thursday, Oct. 9, at 2 p.m. Read about the newest COPLAC campus observatory..

COPLAC CAMPUS ONLY GEORGIA SCHOOL SELECTED FOR AASCU INITIATIVE

Georgia College & State University has been selected by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities to participate in its Civic Agency Initiative, an activity of the American Democracy Project. The new initiative focuses on helping students develop civic skills and a sense of civic identity that provides them with the ability to promote positive social changes. Georgia College is the only university in the state of Georgia to be selected for the program. Full story.

EASTERN TO BENEFIT FROM $95 MILLION PACKAGE

On Aug. 4, 2008, the Connecticut State Bond Commission approved a $95 million bond package that will allow the Connecticut State University System (CSUS) to begin the first phase of a multi-year investment in its infrastructure. For Eastern Connecticut State University, a COPLAC campus, the vote gives the university the green light to proceed with the design of a new fine arts instructional center.

SOU ANNOUNCES VETERAN TUITION REMISSION

Southern Oregon University recently announced a new Veteran Tuition Support Program, beginning fall 2008, which offers newly admitted veterans tuition remission for 4 credits if they enroll for 8 credits. Veterans who have served on active duty in the last 12 months or are currently serving in the National Guard qualify for the program.

FARMINGTON STUDENT IS FIFTH CONSECUTIVE UMF PEACE SCHOLAR

Frederick Liebfried, a University of Maine at Farmington senior, has been named a 2008-2009 George J. Mitchell Peace Scholar, making this the fifth consecutive year that a UMF student has been the recipient of one of only two one-semester George J. Mitchell Peace Scholarships awarded. This prestigious award was created in 1998 in tribute to former U.S. Senator George J. Mitchell for his work in helping to facilitate a peace accord between Ireland and Northern Ireland. Full story.

NEARLY $2 MILLION FOR FORT LEWIS MATH PROGRAM

From the Denver Post, August 15, 2008, by Mary Hudetz for the Associated Pres. Fort Lewis College officials say they plan to use a $1.9 million federal grant to overhaul its math program and increase the number of students studying science, engineering and technology. One obstacle the Durango college wants to tackle with the grant from the U.S. Department of Education is how to get more students to advance through the school's math program, said Dr. Carol Smith, dean of enrollment services and general education. "We're really strong in science and technology," said Dr. Carol Smith, dean of enrollment services and general education at the college. "But we also see students opting out and not believing or seeing those areas as careers for themselves." She said many students enrolled in calculus are not moving on to higher levels of the course because they are not being taught what they need in their prerequisite classes. "It wasn't a smooth process," she said. "But I believe it could be." Fort Lewis College students have nearly 600 science and engineering majors, said school spokesman Mitch Davis. Davis said that while the school is still planning how it will use the grant, the funding will likely benefit the college's American Indian students, who make up nearly 20 percent of the school's student body. A 2007 Fort Lewis College survey found that about 31 percent of the school's nearly 4,000 students arrived at the school underprepared in math, Davis said. More than half of the school's American Indian students have also enrolled underprepared for the school's math courses. "We identified native students as having a need," he said. "We're also looking for this grant to help the entire student body."

EVERGREEN PARTNERS WITH DONORS FOR NATIVE STUDENT SUCCESS

The Partnership for Native American College Access and Success - a collaboration of five Washington state higher education institutions - has received $292,000 from the Gates Foundation, $195,000 from the Lumina Foundation and nearly $500,000 from the National Science Foundation to strengthen postsecondary curriculum for Native students in Washington and create a clear pathway to a bachelor's degree for Native Americans in Muckleshoot and Tulalip communities. Full story.

AT GEORGIA, EVEN THE LAUNDRY IS GREEN

Incoming freshmen and returning Georgia College & State University students will find new 'high-tech' laundry machines that also are environmentally friendly. The new washers and dryers not only save water and energy but alert students via text messaging when the wash and dry cycles end. Full story.

NEA NATIONAL CHAIR INSPIRES USAO STUDENTS

Overcoming his own hardships to achieve success, educator Anthony Daniels of Alabama came to Chickasha last week to encourage college students at the University of Science and Arts to devote themselves to public service. Full story.

KEENE PROPOSES SUSTAINABLE DESIGN MAJOR

Keene State College is adding a new baccalaureate program in Sustainable Product Design and Innovation (SPDI). The College is waiting for final approval from the University System of New Hampshire, but hopes to start offering courses in the fall of 2009. Full story.

STRIKE UP THE BAND!

The Marching Highland Cavaliers at The University of Virginia's College at Wise will soon have new uniforms and instruments thanks to a $1.28 million gift that also creates an endowment to provide annual operational support for the band. Full story.

AUGUSTANA PROFESSOR TO ADVISE HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS

Dr. Timothy Parker, Professor of Psychology with the Augustana Campus, has been appointed Research Development Advisor for Alberta's east central health region through the SEARCH Canada program. Dr. Parker will work collaboratively with SEARCH Canada and the health region to improve the capacity for health professionals within East Central Health to carry out and use research and evaluation that is relevant to local issues and priorities. Full story.

MONTEVALLO SEEKS PEACH BELT MEMBERSHIP

The University of Montevallo, currently a member of the Gulf South Conference, announced recently that it plans to apply for membership in the NCAA Division II Peach Belt Conference. The decision reflects Montevallo's continued commitment to its student-athletes and the growing regional reputation of the University. Full story.

FARMINGTON ADDS TO COPLAC FULBRIGHT WINNERS

Chris Brinegar, a faculty member affiliated with the Department of Natural Sciences at the University of Maine at Farmington, is the latest instructor at a COPLAC institution to be awarded a Fulbright Scholar grant by the United States Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Brinegar will lecture and conduct research at Kathmandu University in Nepal during the 2008-2009 academic year. Full story.

NEW FEATHER CEREMONY HONORS AUGUSTANA ABORIGINAL GRADS

This spring, the Augustana Campus of the University of Alberta held its premiere Eagle Feather Ceremony to recognize the accomplishments of its graduating Aboriginal students. The ceremony took place during convocation and was performed by Elder John Crier of the Samson Cree Nation, who himself is an Augustana alumnus. Full story.

COATE RECEIVES GCSU COVERDELL CHAIR

Roger A. Coate has been named the first Paul D. Coverdell Endowed Chair of Policy Studies at Georgia College & State University. Interim Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences Mike Digby said the search committee sought "someone with a national reputation in teaching and scholarship in public policy." Full story.

MIDWESTERN PROF WINS TEXAS COLLEGIATE TEACHING AWARD

Midwestern State University Regents' Professor Michael Collins was named a Piper Professor on May 1. The award is given annually by the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation to 15 State of Texas professors for superior teaching at the college level. Full story.

$1,000,000 AND WISE PROFESSORS TO ENHANCE AMERICAN HISTORY INSTRUCTION

The University of Virginia's Center for the Liberal Arts has secured nearly $1 million from the U.S. Department of Education "so that children in that region can learn American history in the most engaging ways possible." The collaborative project will be fulfilled in part by history professors from the University of Virginia at Wise. Full story.

COPLAC SCHOOLS ATTRACT DISTINGUISHED COMMENCEMENT SPEAKERS

Ronald Tschetter, the national director of the Peace Corps, is among the notable visitors who will be enriching commencement celebrations at COPLAC campuses this spring. He is set to address graduates at the College of Charleston, one of many COPLAC schools lauded for strong participation in service programs like the Peace Corps.

UNCA TO SHARE IN $500,000 TO IMPROVE UNDERGRAD RESEARCH AT APPALACHIAN SCHOOLS

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded a $500,000 grant to the Appalachian College Association (ACA) that will expand undergraduate research expertise and opportunities for faculty and students in the humanities and humanistic social sciences at more than two dozen colleges in Central Appalachia, including a new collaboration with the University of North Carolina Asheville. Full story.

NEW COLLEGE STUDENT CREDITS COPLAC SCHOOL WITH GOLDWATER SUCCESS

A New College of Florida junior, Josh Abbott, one of only 321 students nationwide to win a prestigious Barry M. Goldwater scholarship, credits the COPLAC institution, which he chose over Penn State and Humboldt, with providing 'the right solution' for his mathematical interests. Full story.

MORE GREEN ON THE PUBLIC LIBERAL ARTS SCENE

COPLAC schools continue to excel in green campus initiatives. Both Keene State College and Eastern Connecticut were recently awarded LEED® certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

NATION'S PREMIERE ENERGY SERVICE COMPANY A PARTNER IN UMW'S GREEN PLAN

A student-led environmental campaign at the University of Mary Washington, sparking a dramatic shift in energy-saving behaviors on campus, is a direct result of a partnership between the university and NORESCO, "the nation's premier energy service company." Full story.

UMM BRIEFS SENATE AS A LEADING CLEAN ENERGY CAMPUS

At a recent Senate hearing, University of Minnesota, Morris Chancellor Jacqueline Johnson was among three leading educators who described the way American colleges and their students are leading the fight against global climate change. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee session was convened to highlight the importance of college and university research on clean energy and to spotlight the leadership of college students in fighting greenhouse gas pollution. Others giving testimony were Dr. Richard C. Levin, president of Yale University, and Dr. Robert Birgeneau, chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley. Full story.

GCSU EDUCATION SCHOOL WINS WISNIEWSKI AWARD

Georgia College and State University's John H. Lounsbury School of Education recently received the prestigious 2008 Wisniewski Award, which annually recognizes one institution that has made "singularly significant contributions to the theory and practice of teacher education." The award is conferred by the Society of Professors of Education, the oldest professional organization for teacher educators in the United States. Full story.

KEENE STATE NEWSPAPER SHINES IN NATIONAL COMPETITION

The Society for Collegiate Journalists, a national organization of collegiate mass communication, has announced that the Keene State College student newspaper, The Equinox, received 15 awards in the national 2007 competition, including second place for overall excellence for weekly newspapers. Full story.

ANGELA DAVIS VISITS CHARLESTON

Internationally renowned scholar and activist Angela Davis will speak at the College of Charleston this spring. Currently a Professor of History of Consciousness at the University of California, Davis may be best known for her past affiliations with the Black Panther and Communist USA parties. Full story.

RENOWNED ASTROPHYSICIST VISITS EVERGREEN

The Evergreen State College welcomes Neil deGrasse Tyson, a national leader in science, astronomy, and education, to campus this spring. The renowned astrophysicist, director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City and host of PBS's Nova Science Now, will take questions from the audience following his presentation on April 29, 2008. Full story.

NOW WE'RE IN THE TOP TEN!

Readers may remember stories heralding "Top 25" status for COPLAC schools in Peace Corps volunteerism. Now St. Mary's College of Maryland breaks the top 10! You may access a Word document press release here. (New/blank window may open)

ACCLAIMED AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR TO ADDRESS EDUCATION CONFERENCE AT WISE

Author and illustrator Rosemary Wells will speak at the 16th annual Early Childhood Education Conference at The University of Virginia's College at Wise. Wells, creator of the animated Nick Jr. television show "Max and Ruby," will be joined at the conference by musician Darrell House. Full story.

ST. MARY'S WELCOMES BROKAW AND BRADLEE...

St. Mary's College of Maryland recently hosted a forum with one of America's most distinguished journalists, Tom Brokaw, former NBC news anchor, focusing on Brokaw's recent books, world events, the state of journalism, and current politics, including the history-making presidential campaign. Also participating was Benjamin C. Bradlee, legendary editor of The Washington Post. Click here for a downloadable press release in Word format.

...WHILE MSU WELCOMES BOB DOLE

The final event of Midwestern State University's 2008 Artist-Lecture Series featured Bob Dole, Senate Majority Leader and candidate for President of the United States who also served as chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee. Full story.

SEVENTH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FOR TRUMAN SWIMMERS

For the seventh time in eight years, the Truman State Univesity women's swmming team won the NCAA Division II Swimming and Division Championship this spring. In addition, all 14 swimmers earned all-American honors. Full story.

HAMPLE TO HEAD MARY WASHINGTON

The University of Mary Washington Board recently announced the selection of Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Chancellor Judy G. Hample to serve as the eighth president of the institution, effective July 1, 2008. Dr. Hample has been chancellor of Pennsylvania's 14-campus, 110,000-student public university system since August 2001. Previously, she was chancellor of the State University System of Florida and also spent nearly two decades on college campuses, serving in a variety of faculty and academic administrative positions. Full story.

COPLAC CAMPUSES OUTPERFORM DEBATE AND MOCK TRIAL COMPETITORS

Debaters from the Truman State University Forensic Union captured the 2008 State Debate Sweepstakes Championship at the Missouri Association of Forensic Activities State Tournament recently. Meanwhile, members of the University of Minnesota, Morris Mock Trial team bested opponents from Carleton, St. John's, and the U of MN's Twin Cities campus during the Upper Midwest Durst Memorial Regional Competition in Superior, WI.

WELCH NEXT PRESIDENT OF HENDERSON

Dr. Charles Welch has been named Henderson State University's 15th president. Welch will officially assume presidential duties at Henderson on July 1. Full story.

GC&SU AND KEENE STATE AMONG NATIONAL COMMUNITY SERVICE HONOREES

Keene State and Georgia College & State University are among those to receive presidential recognition for extraordinary contributions to community service through the Community Service Honor Roll, the highest federal recognition a school can achieve for its commitment to service-learning and civic engagement.

COPLAC ATHLETES TAKE CHAMPIONSHIPS FROM PRIVATE SCHOOL RIVALS

The women's hockey team at UW-Superior swept Finlandia recently to clinch the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association while the women of Keene State College ended Bentley's six-year reign over the New England Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving championship. The Owl men, meanwhile, won the Little East Alliance Indoor track title. Congrats to all competitors!

CHARLESTON FOLKS BUILD HOME IN TWO WEEKS

It's called a blitz build. With the help of more than 500 College of Charleston students, staff, faculty and community member volunteers, a needy family's home at 351 N. Nassau Street in downtown Charleston will be built in a total of two weeks. Full story.

KEENE RECEIVES GRANT TO DEVELOP ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCIENCE ENRICHMENT PROGRAM

Keene State College has been awarded a $20,000 Bank of America Charitable Foundation grant to develop Science Out of the Box, an enrichment program that will engage elementary school students with direct experience and experimentation to enhance essential concepts and principles in science. Full story.