Category: News

Smoking Ban 2012

President Ryan Vaughn of the city-county council is proposing a new smoking ban. He says this ban will be a stronger version of the current ban. “Well it is to take the existing ban and strengthen it to limit smoking to only establishments that are private clubs, internal organizations, retail tobacco shops, or what we’ve defined as especially tobacco bars, which are those bars that sell hookah, tobacco, or especially cigars.”

Currently 350 businesses in the Indianapolis area permit smoking. If the ban is approved, that number could be reduced down to 60. While the rest of the republican council may support this ban, some democratic council members might disagree.

Democratic city-county council member, Angela Mansfield, thinks that Vaughn’s proposal isn’t good enough. “Unfortunately a Republican, Ryan Vaughn, has introduced a proposal that is significantly watered down.”

Mansfield began working on a new smoking ban back in 2003. Mayor Greg Ballard plays a pivotal role in whether to expand the smoking ban. Over the years, he has switched his opinion. “The mayor in particular who wasn’t even supportive at all, well let me back up, he flip-flopped. First he said in 2007 when he was running for office that he was supportive but once he got into office he completely changed his mind and he actually killed it, the last time that we attempted to do it”, said Mansfield.

Her plans to take her proposal to the city-county council have been compromised ever since the election. With a new council coming in in January, and with the Mayor in favor of Vaughn’s proposal, she has since then reevaluated her decision.

She was planning to introduce a more comprehensive ban that would only permit smoking in retail tobacco shops that sell 85% of tobacco products. Vaughn made it clear that he is not a more comprehensive ban saying, “I don’t support, the Mayor doesn’t support a 100% comprehensive ban. Every indication is that is that’s what the Democratic council would pass or attempt to pass.”

Though he does not support the Democratic council’s proposal, he will need at least seven or eight Democrats for his proposal to pass. Vaughn considers this an opportunity for compromise, “I don’t think we need to be anymore restrictive than what I’ve offered. I think the Mayor conquers with that and I think its pretty comprehensive.”

If this ban is approved, it should be implemented by Jan. 22, just two weeks before the Super Bowl. Indianapolis will find out if this proposal will be implemented after the council votes at their final meeting of the year on Dec. 19.

Dec 14, 2011 | 0 comments | View Post

Debate With New Smoking Ban

President Ryan Vaughn of the city-county council is proposing a new smoking ban. He describes this new ban as an updated version of the current ban with some exemptions. The exemptions to this would be private clubs, internal organizations, retail tobacco shops, which are those bars that sell hookah, tobacco, and cigars.

Currently 350 businesses in the Indianapolis area permit smoking. If the ban is approved, that number could be reduced down to 60. While he may have support from some of the Republican, members of the Democratic council might disagree.

Democratic city-county council member, Angela Mansfield, strongly disagrees with Vaughn and brought forth a proposal for his removal as president last month. She spoke briefly about her dissatisfaction with Vaughn’s proposal by calling it “ watered down.”

Both Vaughn and Mansfield said that they have received both positive and negative support, but more positive than before. When asking about the support from bar owners, Mansfield said she has gotten support from many bar owners, “I heard a number of them say “do it for us, make it comprehensive, make it across the board that way because then our businesses won’t be hurt by that.” Vaughn says he’s seen a change in philosophy over the past few years, “I think in today’s society especially in a larger area like Indianapolis most people don’t expect to go in a bar to smoke.”

We’ll find out if the rest of Indianapolis agrees after the councils final meeting on Dec. 19. If this ban is approved, it should be implemented by Jan. 22, just in time for the Super Bowl.

Watch Video! —> smoking ban 2012

Dec 13, 2011 | 0 comments | View Post

Pay for Play Debate

Butler University Debates Paying College Athletes

By: Becca Bornhorst

It is no secret that the Butler men’s basketball team raked in millions of dollars the past two years after making back-to-back appearances in two national championship contests.

Ever since, ticket sales skyrocketed, donations flowed in, and the amount of “Bulldog club members” soared to a record high, according to Butler’s manager of external operations, Mike Freeman.

The cash continues to flood in, but where are the profits being distributed? Head coach Brad Stevens signed a 12-year extension contract for more than $750-thousand. Renovations to historic Hinkle Fieldhouse are in the works.

What about the basketball players who battled their way through two tournament runs? Do players like Gordon Hayward, Shelvin Mack and Ronald Nored deserve a chunk of the change too?

The NCAA says no

Whether or not college athletes should be paid is a highly debated topic in the sports world. NCAA president Mark Emmert insists that pay-for-play will never be an option as long as he remains in charge.

“There’s an absolute consensus that we will never move to pay-for-play,” Emmert said. “No one, including me, believes that paying student-athletes is even remotely appropriate in the collegiate model.”

Butler staff and students show different opinions

“No one” may be a stretch, considering there are many critics who say student-athletes deserve some sort of compensation, especially if their names are on the backs of jerseys being sold.

Butler University volleyball coach Sharon Clark said she believes the issue at hand is more complicated than most people realize.

“I don’t really think there is a good way to pay student-athletes,” Clark said. “On the flip side of that, I definitely think and believe that there are top athletes, mainly in men’s basketball and in football, that a lot of schools and other business and other private people are making large amounts of money off of. I certainly don’t think that that should be happening, that the athlete who’s out there doing all the work, and putting it in, and performing well should not receive some sort of compensation. If it were my choice, I would try to figure out a system where those few top athletes can get money from that, but only after they’re done collegiately.”

Butler Athletic Director Barry Collier said he does not believe that treating some collegiate athletes different than others is fair.

“I think the issue at hand with the possibility of pay for athletes, the essential idea of paying athletes for their play, is not something that I think should happen and make them professionals, to the extent that most sports and an overwhelming majority of athletes do not generate any dollars for their university,” Collier said.

According to a “National Review” article, ex-Notre Dame football player Allen Sack said he believes college sports have already started becoming professionalized.

Butler men’s basketball senior Garrett Butcher also said he thinks that parts of the collegiate game are treated like the pros.

“The money in college football and basketball is huge. With TV deals and advertising and merchandise sales it’s a big time business,” Butcher said. “A lot more than what a lot of other amateur sports are in other places.”

New stipend option recently approved by NCAA

Emmert may never crack on paying athletes for their performance, but he is looking to close the cost of attendance gap for full-scholarship athletes.

“I’ll be asking the board to support a proposal to allow conferences, not mandate anyone, but allow conferences to increase the value of an athletic grant-in-aid to more closely approach the full cost of attendance,” Emmert said in a November press conference.

The Horizon League voted unanimously in favor of the extra payout, and Butler will begin to implement a $2,000 stipend to men’s and women’s basketball players in the fall of 2012. Whether or not other full-scholarship athletes will receive the allowance has not been determined yet, according to Mike Freeman.

What Butler athletes and coaches think about new stipend

Butler’s student-athletes will not turn down extra pocket change.

“I can understand players saying we don’t have time to work we spend so much time doing other things that you know having a little more compensation for things like gas, for things like meals would be a good thing,” senior basketball player Ronald Nored said. “I mean personally I live it everyday. I would love to have more money for gas, to pay for meals, for clothes and things like that.”

According to “The Butler Collegian”, a full-scholarship at Butler is worth $43,278, and the cost of attendance is $45,478. Though the $2,000 stipend is not equivalent to paying athletes for their play, it will be helpful to those who need extra money for necessity items.

“I know for a fact that everyone doesn’t have access to the same means,” Butler volleyball coach Clark said. “I’ve had players on my team who don’t have family support, don’t have someone to call when they need to get something, or additional school supplies that don’t get covered by your scholarship. So it’s difficult for a lot of kids. “I think people tend to forget that, in the whole mix, that your scholarship is specific for things, tuition, room and board fees, but who’s going to take you to Target to get the extra things you need to live when you aren’t getting that money.”

Butler basketball coach Brad Stevens said he believes most of Butler’s athletes are appreciative of their scholarships, not worrying about how much revenue they make for their university.

“These kids are a lot less about what they’re doing to bring notoriety to the school,” Stevens said. “Just making sure they are able to feed themselves well, to make sure they are clothed well, to make sure they are able to grow like any other student would be able to.”

And that is exactly what the new stipends are for, to make living a little easier for athletes who are already balancing two full-time jobs.

Whether top-tier athletes receive profit 10 years down the road or not, one thing is for sure: The athletes at Butler understand the magnitude of a free education.

“Just coming to college and having our education paid for is a huge thing,” said Rotnei Clark, senior Arkansas transfer basketball player. “Our parents aren’t having to worry about us paying our way through college. We don’t have to worry about loans and things like that.”

“At some places [a full-scholarship] is worth a lot more than other places,” Butcher said. “But that’s been the realm of college sports forever and that’s what it’s about.”

Follow updates about the NCAA on Twitter and Facebook

If you have a question about an NCAA rule or regulation you can contact the national office in Indianapolis. Click here for more info.

Want to read additional information about this issue?

1.Sports Illustrated

2. ESPN.com

3. The Miami Herold

4. Daily Sundial-California State University

Watch these videos for extra footage of NCAA president Mark Emmert’s recent press conferences

Dec 08, 2011 | 0 comments | View Post

Indianapolis Schools Convert to Balanced Calendar

by Lauren Pedigo

Numerous Indianapolis school districts will adopt a new calendar next year in hopes of improving attendance and reducing behavior problems.

A balanced calendar more evenly distributes breaks throughout the school year. Students have two weeks for
fall, winter and spring breaks. These changes leave a seven week summer break. During these two week breaks throughout the year, schools offer “intercessions,” a program for struggling and accelerated students.

Research suggests that adjusting the traditional school year calendar to a “balanced calendar” links to academic achievement.

Nationally, research shows that attendance, academic achievement and student and teacher attitudes improved
after schools switched to the balanced calendar. Dr. Stanley DeJarnett of the
University of Georgia studied 30 schools using the balanced calendar and
discovered that 17 recorded “significant” improvement in these areas while two
experienced a decrease. The remaining 11 districts did not show signs of change.

Schools that are switching

The Metropolitan School Distrcit of Warren Township began using an augmented calendar two years ago and first offered the balanced calendar as a choice for parents. After one year of use with the balanced calendar, the district experienced a one percent increase in attendance and a sixteen percent decrease in expulsions.

“It doesn’t matter what you call it, the point is is to reduce the summer gap, shorten the summer gap so you are not reviewing as much.” said Dr. Michael Wallpe, Associate Superintendent of Metropolitan School District of Warren Township.

Indianapolis Public Schools began using the balanced calendar this year. Principal Ron White said students living in poverty particularly benefit from this schedule because the shorter summer gap reduces learning loss over the summer. He explained that students from middle and upper income families tend to gain knowledge during the summer because students are exposed to new activities like museum visits or library reading programs. However, students living in poverty do not have these experiences.

“The effect of this calendar for students living in poverty is profound.” White said.

In November, Perry, Wayne and Franklin township school boards approved the use of the balanced calendar for
the upcoming school year. At least six other school districts in central Indiana, including Muncie, New Castle, Southern Hancock, Decatur Township, Beech Grove and Monroe-Gregg are also looking into it.

What teachers and administrators say

“It’s time to get real about this. The days of the old agrarian calendar are over.” Dr. Michael Wallpe, Associate Superintendent of Metropolitan School District of Warren Township.
“We believe we can create a culture of good attendance in school, that will help the academic achievement ultimately,” said Dr. Thomas Little, Metropolitan School District of Perry Township Superintendent
“The effect of this calendar for students living in poverty is profound.” Indianapolis Public Schools principal Ron White said.
“Sometimes for students, the time between January and spring break can feel like a death march. This calendar can help with that,” said Franklin Township Community School Corporation Assistant Superintendent Ron Blackgrave.

What Parents Say

The three districts gained insight about the switch from teachers, administrators, parents and students through surveys, blogs and open public forums.

“I’m grateful that I live in an area that you are thinking like this, outside the box and finding a solution,” said Perry Township parent Jill Guenther.

Other parents were concerned about obstacles associated with the new calendar including day care, work availability for high school students and extracurricular activities like sports and music competitions.

“I must say that when I stumbled onto the fact that this was even a consideration, my jaw dropped in disbelief,” said Perry Township parent Jeff Halper.

While the effectiveness of the calendar is still being determined, school districts are making the change and parents and students will adapt with the new schedule.

To read more about this subject visit MSNBC, WTHR, Hoosier Ed, The Indianapolis Star or The Indy Channel.

Dec 08, 2011 | 0 comments | View Post

Unemployed Graduates

Just graduated and jobless

Recent college graduates are welcomed to the real world

by Rachel Brummer

College graduation is one of the most anticipated days of many young peoples’ lives. It’s the day they get to slip on the gown, slap on the hat and walk across a stage to pick up their diplomas. The degree symbolizes their readiness to enter the real world. It’s the beginning of a new chapter in their lives.

Hold that thought.

Recent graduates are having trouble finding post-graduate employment in their desired career fields.

The national unemployment rate has hovered at just over 9 percent for months. For 20- to 24-year-olds, the group that represents recent graduates, the unemployment rate is almost 15 percent.

In spring 2011, 1.7 million students graduated
Companies planned to hire 19.3 % more graduates in 2011
Just 54,000 jobs were added to the economy in April, barely 33% of what is needed
2 of 5 graduates who applied for jobs received an offer in 2011
Sources: U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Labor

Recent graduates are faced with limited options

Lauren Ott, a 2010 Butler University graduate, decided to move back home after graduating.

“Living with your parents is nice as far as groceries,” Ott said, “but I’d rather be starving on my own and starting my own life; even if I was living in squalor.”

Graduates who return home are often underemployed.

What Does it Mean to be Underemployed?

These people are employed, but are

working in jobs well below their skill

levels. These jobs might be part-time

and do not require a college degree.

Gallup reported that U.S.

underemployment in June, 2011, was

19.1%.

53% of graduates are working full-time
43% of graduates consider themselves to be underemployed
19% of graduates only able to find temporary work
71% of graduates wish they had done more in preparation to enter the job market
Source: Adecco Staffing, U.S. (2010 Survey)

Ott, a secondary education major, went to college to become a high school social studies teacher. She could not find an immediate teaching position and is now looking for something different.

“I really want to be a part of law enforcement, but it’s now kind of handicapped me because I don’t have a degree or any degree that applies to that,” she said. “It’s going to be really hard work in whatever I choose to do because I’m going to be starting from the bottom rung.”

As she applies for positions as a police officer, she said she is working in part-time jobs tutoring students and coaching softball at her old high school. Applications to law enforcement agencies and the travel needed for interviews are expensive.

“It’s like all this money is going out to places and it’s not coming back in,” Ott said. “It seems pointless.”

Other graduates have decided to go back to school and wait for the labor market conditions to improve.

Annie Dolan, a 2009 Butler University graduate, also moved home. She found part-time employment at her old high school and with a distributing company.

She is now at Northern Illinois University working towards a master’s degree in sports administration.

“I never really had aspirations to go to grad school,” Dolan said. “It’s sort of a default thing because I’m underemployed. I feel like I’m going to be underemployed until the economy gets better and I can somehow make networks.”

Kathy Paulson-Gjerde, an economics professor at Butler University, said the economy and labor market will improve only when the country’s level of economic activity changes.

“The whole problem is that we have stagnant growth in the overall economy in terms of production and GDP,” Paulson-Gjerde said. “If people aren’t buying, if product services aren’t changing hands, and firms aren’t producing or they’re shutting down, then you see implications for the labor market in that they don’t need as many workers.”

Recent graduates are tormented by their employment situations

Dolan said she feels like she is in a waiting period in her life.

“You feel like you’re regressing,” she said. “I moved out and went to school. I have my degree and I can get a job; I can live independently. I have to wait for everything, it seems like.”

Ott said she has been spending several hours each day filling out applications, making phone calls and establishing herself online.

“I feel like I’m randomly shooting arrows in the air, hoping they’re going to hit something,” she said.

Recent graduates are not alone

Both Ott and Dolan recognize that plenty of other graduates are in the same boat.

“After awhile, you realize so many other people are in the same position that you’re in; they’re underemployed or they’re unemployed,” Dolan said. “It makes you feel a little better but, at the same time, I have high expectations for myself.”

“I’m hoping someone will see my application and think that I’m the one,” Ott said. “But there’s a million other people trying to do the same thing.”

Recent graduates should not give up

Mary Ellen Wolfsie, director of Butler’s College of Business Career Development and Student Services, said that there are jobs available. Recent graduates have to stay persistent by treating their employment searches like a full-time job, she said.

“One of the most important things in landing a job is a positive attitude,” Wolfsie said. “Not getting discouraged, not assuming that there aren’t jobs out there because there are.”

Wolfsie’s Job Search Tips for Grads

Work internships. Gain experience.
Network, network, network.
Meet people. Be social.
Always carry a business card.
Create a LinkedIn profile.
Keep resume updated.
Tailor resumes. Make them specific.
Research. Do your homework.
Prepare for interviews.
Know the company. Know the issues.

Recent graduates look to the future

Dolan said the thought of having a master’s degree, and the potential opportunities it will open for her, gets her through the hard work required by graduate school.

“It’s awesome that I’m going to get my master’s, I’ll only be 25,” she said. “But, psychologically, it’s tough not to get so down about it. It’s been hard.”

Ott said she stays motivated in her job search with the thoughts of moving away from home to be a real person. She said she is ready to begin her own life.

“I know that I’m special, everyone else has to know it,” she said. “It’s desperation, at this point. You do what you have to do, it’s not always glamorous.”

View the BLS Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey.

Check out a poll of college students and their job expectations from the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Watch a video about recent graduates from the Wall Street Journal’s website.

Check out data on choosing the “right” college major.

Get started on LinkedIn to connect to peers and potential employers.

Search for jobs on Monster, CareerBuilder or SimplyHired.

Watch the video version of this story:

Read the entire story:

Welcome to the real world: just graduated and jobless

by Rachel Brummer

College graduation is one of the most anticipated days of many young people’s lives. It’s the day they get to slip on the gown, slap on the hat and walk across a stage to pick up the diploma they have earned upon completion of their college careers. The degree symbolizes their readiness to enter the real world, to begin a new chapter in their lives.

Hold that thought.

Recent college graduates are having trouble finding post-graduate employment in their desired career fields.

The national unemployment rate has hovered at just over 9 percent for months, which is the result of a dismal labor market. For 20- to 24-year-olds, the group that represents recent graduates, the unemployment rate is almost 15 percent.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, 1.7 million students graduated with bachelor’s degrees in the spring of 2011. Though companies said they were planning to hire 19.3 percent more recent graduates in 2011 than in 2010, just 54,000 jobs were added to the U.S. economy in April. The addition provided barely 33 percent of what is needed each month to boost the nation’s economy, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Struggling to find work, recent graduates are faced with limited options.

According to a survey conducted by Adecco Staffing U.S., about one-third of recent graduates returned home to live with their parents.

Lauren Ott, a 2010 Butler University graduate, decided to move back home after graduating.

“Living with your parents is nice as far as groceries,” Ott said, “but I’d rather be starving on my own and starting my own life, even if I was living in squalor.”

Graduates who return home are often underemployed in part-time jobs. Though underemployed people have jobs, they are working in positions that are well below their skill levels just to receive a paycheck. These jobs do not require a college degree. According to Gallup, the U.S. underemployment rate was just over 19 percent in June. About 43 percent of recent graduates considered themselves to be underemployed, and just under 20 percent were only able to find temporary work, Adecco Staffing U.S. found.

Ott, a secondary education major, went to college to become a social studies teacher. Since she was unable to find an immediate teaching position, she said she is now looking to pursue something different.

As she applies for positions as a police officer, she said she is working part-time jobs tutoring students and coaching softball at her old high school. However, applications to law enforcement agencies and the travel needed for interviews are expensive.

“It’s like all this money is going out to places and it’s not coming back in,” Ott said. “It seems pointless.”

Other graduates have decided to go back to school and wait for labor market conditions to improve.

Annie Dolan, a 2009 Butler University graduate, also moved home upon graduation. She found part-time employment at her old high school and with a distributing company.

She is now working towards a master’s degree in sports administration at Northern Illinois University.

Kathy Paulson-Gjerde, an economics professor at Butler University, said that the economy, and the labor market, will improve only when the country’s level of economic activity changes.

Another way to jump start the nation’s economy, Paulson-Gjerde said, is to raise the public’s confidence in the economy.

“We won’t have spending unless people are confident that their jobs are going to be there in the future and that things are going well,” she said. “If consumer confidence were to rise, it would increase spending that would, therefore, pull up employment at the same time.”

Recent graduates are tormented by their employment situations.

Dolan said she feels like she is in a waiting period in her life.

“You feel like you’re regressing,” she said. “I moved out and went to school. I have my degree and I can get a job; I can live independently.

“I have to wait for everything, it seems like.”

Ott said she has been spending several hours each day filling out numerous applications, making multiple phone calls and establishing herself online.

“I feel like I’m just randomly shooting arrows into the air, hoping they’re going to hit something,” Ott said.

Both Dolan and Ott recognize that plenty of other recent college graduates are in the same boat.

“After a while, you realize so many other people are in the same position that you’re in; they’re underemployed or they’re unemployed,” Dolan said. “It makes you feel a little better but, at the same time, I have high expectations for myself.”

“I’m hoping that someone will see my application and think that I’m the one,” Ott said. “But there’s a million other people trying to do the exact same thing.”

Mary Ellen Wolfsie, director of Butler University’s College of Business career development and student services, said that, though the current economy and labor market is down, there are jobs available. Recent graduates have to stay persistent by treating their employment searches like a full-time job, she said.

“One of the most important things in landing a job is a positive attitude,” Wolfsie said. “Not getting discouraged, not assuming that there aren’t jobs out there-because there are.”

She said that recent graduates should have acquired experience through working internships, should continue to network extensively and, most essentially, should not stop looking for employment.

“The most important thing is to get out and meet as many people as possible,” Wolfsie said. “Always have your business card with you; be ready to tell your story.”

Ott said she uses this particular strategy when she is out and about.

“When I’m at home, I carry around my resume with me in an envelope, just in case something was to happen in any conversation I’m in with a random person,” she said. “I’ll always bring up what I’m doing now, just to work in some networking things.”

Wolfsie suggested that, in sending out resumes, graduates must do their research. The same resume should not be sent to each employer, but it should be made specific to what the company is looking for, she said.

Also, Wolfsie said that research should be done in preparation for an interview. Graduates should spend plenty of time researching the employer or the company and the relevant website to discover who they are, what they do, what their products or services are, and what issues they are currently facing, she said.

“If you can go in and convince them that you can help them solve whatever problems they have, they’re going to hire you,” Wolfsie said.

Dolan said the thought of having a master’s degree, and the potential opportunities that will open for her, gets her through the hard work required by graduate school.

“It’s awesome that I’m going to get my master’s, I’ll be only 25,” she said. “But, psychologically, it’s tough not to get so down about it. It’s been hard.”

Ott said she stays motivated in her job search with the thoughts of moving away from home to be a real person and begin her own life.

“I know that I’m special, everyone else has to know it,” she said. “It’s desperation, at this point. You do what you have to do; it’s not always glamorous.”

Dec 08, 2011 | 0 comments | View Post

Education Reform

Indiana Education Reform causes local concern, preparation

by André Smith

Education reform is causing the Indiana Department of Education and schools across the state to change how students are instructed to improve student and teacher performance.

Law Changes

The department of education currently uses Public Law 221 to determine grades for schools. According to the law, schools that receive an F on the grading scale for six consecutive years may be taken over by the state or have to engage in a partnership with a private company.

After complaints from school administrators saying this old plan was too tough and unfair, the department of education changed its school A to F grading system.

Graphic by André Smith

The new plan that will go in effect next school year will rate more high schools at A that were previously stuck with a C. Many schools found it hard to prove to the state that students who were ethnic minorities, from low-income families, and in special education made “adequate yearly progress.”

Changes are also taking place in the local level as four Indianapolis Public Schools will undergo a takeover with the old system— and two, Broad Ripple and George Washington Community High School, will engage in a partnership after both proved that they have made some improvements over the years.

Local Complaints

IPS officials said schools like Broad Ripple should not be taken over because the state combined middle school and high school scores when determining which school to take over.

“If they looked at high schools separately, and if they looked at middle schools separately, the high schools were well above where they should have been,” Mary Busch, IPS school board president, said. “It was not until the state stepped in and combined the junior high scores and the high schools scores, did the scores go down.”

During the 2010-2011 school year, 46.8 percent of Broad Ripple’s students passed both their English and Math ISTEP tests, down from 58.4 percent the previous school year. Bennett said this decrease is what caused the department to decide intervention was necessary. Broad Ripple Principal Linda Davis said she believes the failing scores are due to student motivation, particularly in the younger students.

“When it comes to ISTEP, the sixth, seventh and eighth graders have been taking this dang test since they were in third grade, and it doesn’t mean anything to them,” Davis said. “It never has and it never has affected them in any way. The older students know they have to pass the End of Course Assessments, which is the high school equivalent to ISTEP tests, so they’re much more focused.”

IPS initially threatened to file a lawsuit against the department of education, with the school board voting 4-3 to sue if the takeovers took place, but decided against it.

“At first we talked about a lawsuit, but after our attorneys and our superintendent talked we just put our energies into doing a better job,” Busch said.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett said he used a lot of thought when deciding which schools will be taken over and that IPS officials knew the rules when they decided to add middle school grade levels to some of its high schools.

“The rules in place on how the state takes into consideration blended schools has been in existence for a long time,” Bennett said. “So when [IPS Superintendent Eugene] White and the IPS board made the decision to make those 7-12 buildings, Dr. White and the school board accepted the fact those schools would be considered using that blended method.”

Graphic by André Smith

Bennett said the state decided not to completely overtake two of the schools because they showed signs of improvement the others did not.

“What we saw in Broad Ripple and George Washington was the need for more targeted intervention,” Bennett said. “Instead of putting turnaround school operators in there, we said there are some really good things going on in George Washington and Broad Ripple. But here is what they need to take them from where they are to where they need to be.”

Bennett added that he believes the state did not move fast enough in the situation.

“Honestly, I don’t think we acted quick enough,” Bennett said. “I think we allowed six years of the erosion of the education system, and we allowed children to attend these schools that were failing for six years. So I think we should have acted quicker.”

New Concerns

Davis said she has some concerns about the partnership her school will take part in next year.

“It is worrying when you have someone looking over your shoulder and several people from the company will be here every day,” Davis said. “Dr. Bennett said if we do not collaborate with the company then they could possibly stay longer or we could be taken over. That is also worrying because it is kind of subjective to say someone is not collaborating enough.”

Bennett contended that the partnerships and takeovers would only stay in place until scores make improvements.

But many teachers say Broad Ripple already does a good job of educating its students.

“I think Broad Ripple has done an excellent job,” radio and acoustics teacher Vernon Williams said. “One of the unique things about Broad Ripple is the fact that it is a humanities magnet and it gives students the opportunity to do things that they love.”

Current Focus

Broad Ripple is a magnet school that focuses on the arts and humanities. The school was made into a magnet school two years ago in an effort to show the state that changes were made to help students. Teachers say the arts help students because they are allowed to focus on something they enjoy.

Students at Broad Ripple are allowed to choose a magnet in the visual and performing arts. Photo courtesy of Broad Ripple High School

“We are really strong on the arts,” Rusnak said. “Most of the kids are wonderful artists and they do so much for the school. They are in theater. They are on athletic teams. A lot of our kids are involved and it really is like a community here. I think there are more positives at Broad Ripple High School than negatives, by far.”

After spending his freshman year at Arsenal Tech High School, Junior Christian Peek said he decided to come to Broad Ripple because of its arts program.

“I went to Tech my freshman year and I came here because of the performing arts,” Peek said. “I want to be a theatre music director when I grow up. And the training of our director is phenomenal and I heard how wonderful she is. I hesitated when I came here because it was so new of a school but when I came, I don’t regret it at all.”

New Changes

Members from Scholastic Achievement Partners, the company that will be partnered with Broad Ripple, visited the school once and gave suggestions for improvement.

“Right now we are just sounding each other out and [company representatives are] trying to find where they think they can help,” Davis said.

One of the suggestions was for Broad Ripple’s teachers to engage in peer review sessions, where teachers meet to discuss lesson plans and new teaching methods. Many teachers say these sessions have been beneficial.

“They just want to help us improve, and offer resources, and allow teachers to observe other teachers which I think is definitely a good thing,” English teacher Katy Rusnak said.

Ultimately, teachers like Williams said that Broad Ripple faces the same problems all schools face but teachers have to change the way students think to make an impact.

“What’s lasting is the things that have to do with character, that have to do with resiliency, and more cognitive learning,” Williams said. “Those are the things that are more lasting and are what I think teachers should endeavor to do.”

Students say their relationship with teachers is part of what makes the school unique.

“I think truly here all the teachers know how to get everyone to work,” Peek said. “And if you don’t know how to work, they’ll get you there. A lot are encouraging, so that we do our work right and still have time to do our performing arts stuff.”

Ultimately, the school’s focus on the arts is what students say they enjoy the most.

Broad Ripple's failing scores made state leaders decide intervention was necessary.

“It’s an art school and I feel that draws a lot of people, and different kinds of people, and it just makes things more exciting,” freshman Owen Tate said. “Art to me is doing something no one else can do because it’s your viewpoint. It’ll always be there.”

Freshman Rayauna Wilburn said she believes Broad Ripple will prepare her for a future career in entertainment.

“I came here because it is different from any other school with a challenging education,” Wilburn said. “I came to the theater department because I want to be an actress, so I wanted to challenge myself to do something big.”

Wilburn added that she thinks the school’s many opportunities gives her and many students the experience needed to achieve these goals.

“I feel like it’s a school where kids can actually get what they need as far as what they want to be in life or what they want to do in the music program, the theater department, the band,” Wilburn said. “It’s a really good experience.”

To listen to Broad Ripple Principal Linda Davis’ school radio broadcast about the partnership, click here.

To view official Indiana Department of Education ISTEP results for individual schools, click here.

Dec 08, 2011 | 1 comment | View Post

Possible ban could lower state smoking rate

By Jillian McCarter

In response to Indiana’s rising smoking rates, state legislators will again propose a bill in January that would place a statewide ban on smoking in all public areas and workplaces.

23 percent of Hoosier adults are smoking, six percent higher than the national average. State health officials say that a statewide smoking ban would lower the rate. (Photo courtesy of mctcampus.com)

The smoking rate in Indiana is 6 percent higher than the national average. According to state health officials, 23 percent of Hoosier adults light up, compared to the national average of 17 percent.

No developments in smoking laws on the statewide scale have been made since data was last collected, which is why Karla Sneegas, director of the Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Agency, does not understand why Indiana’s rate is high.

“It should not be that high,” Sneegas said. “There is no reason for our rates to be higher than the national rate.”

Current state law ‘ineffective’

Supporters of a statewide smoking ban say it would keep the rate from getting any higher.

“The statistics really show that a ban means lower rates,” Sneegas said. “It’s that simple and there’s really no evidence saying otherwise.”

States with statewide smoking bans have lower smoking rates, according to a recently released study. (Graphic courtesy of mctcampus.com)

Twenty-seven states in the country have a complete ban in all public areas and workplaces, including restaurants and bars. The smoking rate is significantly lower in states with smoking bans.

Utah had the lowest rate, with 9.3 percent of adults smoking, while California and Maryland had rates of 14.8 and 14.9 percent respectively.

While 30 different localities and cities in Indiana have various types and levels of smoking bans, there is not a statewide ban to prohibit smoking in all places of employment.

Indiana is covered by the 1993 federal Clean Indoor Air Law, which prohibits smoking in schools and childcare and healthcare facilities.

Liza Sumpter of the Marion County Tobacco Control Program has criticized the law for not being effective enough in the efforts to lower the smoking rate.

“Putting laws here and not there is just not good enough,” Sumpter said. “It needs to be everything, because it’s not people of one county [who are] affected by secondhand smoke. The side effects impact people everywhere.”

A statewide ban would lower the rate in Indiana because it would be more inconvenient for Hoosiers to smoke, Sumpter said.

“When you have a ban, you find that people are less likely to smoke,” she said. “It’s not fun and it’s not cool to have to go out and smoke in the rain or in the snow, and a ban would make that a requirement if you wanted to smoke.”

In Marion County, smoking is prohibited in places of employment, but does not cover bars, taverns, bowling alleys, hotels and tobacco bars.

Of the 60 biggest cities in America, Indianapolis is one of 16 without a complete smoking ban in all places of employment.

A bill in the works

State legislators have introduced bills that would ban smoking in public areas and workplaces every year for the past three years.

The senate or the house has killed every one of those bills.

Rep. Charlie Brown (D-Gary) authored the bill presented in the most recent general assembly session. House Bill 1131 passed in the House 73-26, but died when it reached the senate in early February.

Brown, who has been working for five years to pass the bill, said he is hopeful it will eventually pass.

“The issue has a strong possibility of passing in the senate than it did in the past,” Brown said in a recent interview with the Indiana Economic Digest.

Sumpter said she remains positive that Brown’s next attempt will be successful.

“I think if we just keep pushing it, it will get in the hands of the governor,” Sumpter said.

Advocates on both sides of the fence

Graphic by Jillian McCarter. Statistics from Centers for Disease Control.

In the United States, secondhand smoke is responsible for almost 50,000 deaths from heart disease and lung cancer.

In Indiana, secondhand smoke is responsible for 9,700 deaths annually, according to statistics released by the Centers for Disease Control.

Secondhand smoke costs $47 million in health care, loss of life and absenteeism costs every year.

“[Absenteeism] is a [cost] that is often overlooked, but someone has to pay the wages of those who miss work due to smoke-related illnesses,” Sumpter said.

Bruce Hetrick advocates a smoking ban. He said he thinks one should have been in place to avoid the effects of secondhand smoke.

“Quite frankly, the state of Indiana is killing people by allowing people to smoke in public areas,” Hetrick said.

Hetrick became an advocate after his wife, Pam Klein, died at age 49. She was diagnosed with a lung cancer usually found in smokers.

“She was around people who smoked all the time,” Hetrick said. “She had never smoked a day in her life. But she got cancer and it killed her.”

While some people are in favor of a statewide smoking ban, others fear that a ban would damage the livelihood of businesses across the state.

“Of course a ban would hurt my business,” Hal Yeagy, owner of the Slippery Noodle Inn in downtown Indianapolis, said. “We’re a tavern. We have live music. People come to drink, to socialize and to relax. If we take away any of those things, we lose part of what we are.”

Hal Yeagy, owner of The Slippery Noodle Inn is one advocate against a statewide smoking ban. (Photo courtesy of slipperynoodle.com.)

The government’s involvement in the issue is what bothers Yeagy and other advocates for not passing a ban, he said.

“Who are they to tell me what I can and cannot do in here?” Yeagy said. “I pay the bills, I pay the taxes. It’s mine.”

The decision to come into the bar is in the hands of the consumer, and Yeagy said the other decisions should be in their hands, too.

“I’m sympathetic to people who have suffered because of smoking and the problems it might have caused,” Yeagy said. “But as far as I am concerned, you have a choice if you want to come into my bar. We don’t force anyone to come in here and we don’t force anyone to work here.”

The unclear future of a smoking ban

Brown plans to propose a statewide ban again in January when the Indiana General Assembly convenes.

Sumpter said she is hopeful this time will be the last.

“Indiana’s never really been really innovative as far as getting into things quickly, but I just know it will be taken care of,” Sumpter said. “I have a good feeling that we’re moving in the right direction.”

What do you think?

Share your thoughts and keep updated on Indiana laws on Twitter!

Tell the author what YOU think about a possible smoking here!

Additional readings and resources

Northwestern Indiana Times covered the possible statewide ban in a recently-published article.

The Indianapolis Business Journal examined the possible affects on businesses across the state in an article published in November.

WANE, a news channel out of Fort Wayne, Ind. covered the story before the bill died in the senate.

An article published on heartland.org presented a case against the ban and provides links to further readings against smoking bans.

Watch a video version of this story below

Dec 09, 2010 | 1 comment | View Post

Merit Pay Stirs Debate

Tony Bennett

By Anne Carpenter

Seventy percent of Indianapolis high school students do not graduate. The national average is 30 percent. In order to bridge the gap, Tony Bennett, the state superintendent of public instruction, is fighting for merit-based pay for teachers.

At its core is a notion that everyone seems to agree on: better pay for better teachers. However, it is the finer details that seem to call in to question the future of merit pay in Indiana.

What is TAP?

A federally run and nationally recognized program, TAP is designed to motivate teachers who perform well in the classroom. The system will test students annually in order to determine growth and achievement. Based on these scores, teachers will have the opportunity to receive bonuses.

Bennett said that current standards for teacher pay are fundamentally wrong and that education reformation should begin with rewarding teachers who have successful students.

“I have this fundamental belief that we have a sad system when the financial highlight of a teacher’s career is realized the last day they work,” Bennett said. “We should truly recognize when a teacher hits his or her marks.”

Turmoil Amongst Teachers

English teacher for 12 years and adjunct professor at Butler University, Jannine Campbell said that our education system is broken and reform is necessary. She is just not convinced testing and merit pay will solve the problem.

“We’re testing our kids to death to see if they can reach some magical number on a test,” Campbell said. “It’ll just be, ‘Can you do well on this test?’ and that in my opinion does not equate to learning.”

Currently, teachers can count on receiving higher paychecks if they have more years in the classroom and a higher education degree. Because of tenure and detailed evaluations, it is difficult to remove ineffective teachers from the classroom. In order for a true educational reformation to occur, there must be a system in place to remove an ineffective teacher, Bennett said.

Linda Rollings, English department chair at Pike High School, said that merit-based pay might force teachers to evaluate their own teaching styles and influence on students.

However, she also feels that they may be doing so for the wrong reasons.

“With merit-pay, I think they’ll [the students] get better instruction,” Rollings said. “But, I think it’s because the teachers have to look at how they’re doing things and not how the student is learning it.”

What Does the Future Hold?

The U.S. Department of Education made $437 million in funds available to support initiatives that reward teachers, principals and other school personnel who improve student achievement. Indiana will receive $37 million.

Bennett is hopeful this grant will help put Indiana back on track to bridge the achievement gap of its students.

“We believe that all schools should aspire to be the highest quality,” Bennett said.

Assistant Principal of Pike High School, Roy Dobbs said he understands the idea of rewarding those teachers who do a good job and go beyond, but at the same time, it is harder to gauge the merit.

Dobbs said, “I don’t think you can take a bad teacher, give them another $5,000 and they automatically become a better teacher.”

Should Indiana teachers receive merit pay?
yes
no

See Results

Dec 09, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

Hoosiers debate Central Time

By Lexie Beach

Dozens of students in Indiana are hurt or killed every year waiting for their school buses in the dark. Indiana State Representative Phil Hinkle has a plan to change that. He wants to move the entire state to Central Time. The proposed time zone change will give Hoosiers an extra hour of sunlight in the morning.

“The biggest reason we need to be put in the Central time zone is for the safety of the kids,” Hinkle said. “It is so dark, so pitch black at 6:15, 6:20 in the morning when the school buses are out, and it’s dark in the suburban areas so you can only imagine what it’s like out in the rural areas. That one hour of light will make a big difference.”

Victims of Morning Darkness

Ziang Ke, 15

• October 2, 2007 – Six-year-old Dynasty Wortham of Lafayette, Ind. was walking to school with her sister and brother at 7:00 a.m. She was hit by a car and died because the driver couldn’t see her.

• March 5, 2007 – A 15-year-old girl was abducted from her bus stop in Fishers, Ind. at 6:50 a.m. and raped

• March 23, 2007 – A 14-year-old Marshall Middle School student was abducted from her bus stop at 7:00 a.m. and raped.

• September 6, 2008 – A young Indianapolis boy was walking to school at 6:00 a.m. when he was hit by a pick-up truck and died.

• January 6, 2009 – 15-year-old Carmel High School student Ziang Ke was waiting for his school bus at 6:45 a.m. He was run over by the bus. The driver said he couldn’t see the student because it was so dark.

• October 7, 2010 – New Castle students Dalton Hatfield and Donald Wethington were walking to school at 7:30 a.m. in the dark. A car struck both of them. Eleven-year-old Hatfield died at the scene and 17-year-old Wethington was taken to a hospital with severe injuries.

Dalton Hatfield, 11

Support for Central Time

Supporters of Hinkle’s Central Time legislation include the Central Time Coalition, an organization that aims to educate Hoosiers and promote the benefits of moving the entire state to Central Time. Carmel resident Sue Dillon formed the coalition in April 2009 after hearing about Ke’s fatal accident.

“It’s a tragedy, all the way around, a tragedy—for the families, for the teachers, for the whole education community,” Dillon said. “When those tragedies happen they point out that it’s unsafe and we don’t want any more victims of morning darkness among our students.”

Studies show that Indiana currently has 120 days with sunrises before 7 a.m. However, if Indiana moved to Central Time, it would give the state 315 days of sunrises before 7 a.m. Research shows that earlier sunrises will not only increase safety for children in the morning but also improve their performance in the classroom.

Indiana Sunrise & Sunset Time Zone Chart

“Some kids’ schools start at 7:30. That means they’ve been there in their classrooms in their seats almost an hour before the sun rises,” Dillon said. “They’re not going to perform because their bodies aren’t awake. You might as well write off the first hour of school.”

Who Else Benefits from Central Time?

Thousands of farmers who work in Indiana could also benefit from the switch. The amount of morning darkness pushes working hours into the evening in spring, fall and winter. This reduces time for family and community involvement. The same can also be said for those who work in construction trades or landscaping.

Bill Rieber, an economics professor at Butler University, says many farmers never supported Eastern Time in the first place.

“Farmers were never really in favor of that because they go by the sun, not by the time,” Rieber says. “They’re still working at 8 in the evening because it’s light and everyone else is home relaxing, so they’re kind of on a different pace than the rest of the state.”

Central Time Critics

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce argues that from a commerce point of view, it is more effective for Indiana to be aligned with New York and Eastern Time.

Marcus Fehman, manager of business development for the chamber, is a proponent of Eastern Time.

“We’re on time now with the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq. Even though we do commerce with the West Coast, it doesn’t really make much of a difference to them if we’re on Eastern Time or Central Time. Is California going to be that upset if we’re 3 hours behind them or 2 hours behind them? Not as much as New York or places on the East Coast that are doing business with us and waiting an hour for us to get out of bed and get to work.”

Fehman argues that many supporters of Central Time don’t understand how the switch might negatively affect the state’s commerce.

“It’s just more strategically advantageous to be in sync with the East Coast rather than the West Coast,” says Fehman. “That one hour doesn’t necessarily sound that significant to us on a day to day basis but when it comes to the commerce aspect of it, it does have a tremendous effect.”

The Debate Continues

Eighty counties are on Eastern Time. Twelve counties are on Central Time. So what time is it in Indiana?

County Divisions

“Daylight Saving Time, DST, eliminated confusion among the states as to what time Indiana was on,” said Hinkle. “The central time zone will eliminate among Hoosiers as to what time Indiana is on.”

Hoosiers are divided into two camps. Some prefer more morning sunlight while others prefer more evening sunlight.

“We think this is a public policy decision that needs to be based on health, safety and welfare, not personal preference, because the personal preferences are definitely split,” said Dillon. “I think we have to keep our priorities. I mean, how important is it for you to have evening sunlight if it means two New Castle kids are going to be hit by a car?”

Hinkle plans to present Central Time legislation to the Indiana General Assembly in January. It must pass both the state House and the Senate. Governor Mitch Daniels must also sign the law. The final decision, however, is up to the US Department of Transportation, which has the power to switch the state from Eastern Time to Central Time.

Meanwhile, Hinkle continues to urge Hoosiers to consider the time change and how it will help keep our children safe.

“Those who say ‘Leave it alone, don’t touch it, its fine the way it is,’ it’s not fine the way it is.”

Check out a video version of the story below

Poll

Do you think Indiana should be on Eastern Time or Central Time?
Eastern Time
Central Time
No preference

See Results

Dec 09, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

Indiana’s Unemployment

by Lydia Johnson

Indiana’s unemployment rate is higher than the United States.

The U.S. unemployment rate edged up to 9.8% this month.

At 9.9%, Indiana has the 10^th highest unemployment rate in the nation.

Local Area Unemployment Statistics

There are 309,637 unemployed people in the state, according to Indiana’s Department of Workforce Development.

The recession that began in the fall of 2007 caused many companies to shut down or lay off employees.

Biggest areas of job losses over the last 3 years include: education, construction, business, government and manufacturing.

Between August and October of this year, 12,300 government jobs were lost and 6,200 manufacturing jobs, according to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

Kekonna Watkins was a surveillance monitor for Marion County Department of Correction. She was laid off on Feb. 26, 2009. Since then Watkins has applied for multiple jobs but has not been hired yet.

“I’m still looking for a job,” she said. “Sooner or later my unemployment is going to run out, my last little bit. So I’m still looking.”

But competition is fierce.

“I’ve had so many interviews,” Watkins said. “When you don’t get hired after you’ve had your interview, you feel like ‘What are you doing wrong?’ ”

What the state is doing

The state partners with WorkOne, an agency that provides job services such as workshops, training and mock interviews. Many people use WorkOne’s computers, scanners and fax machines to apply for unemployment benefits and search for jobs.

As the unemployed population increases more people use the agency, according to Lisa McNeely, a training liaison for WorkOne.

“I can’t tell you what percentage, but with the unemployment rate as it is, there are a multitude of people that go through that had not gone through in the past,” she said.

McNeely said more than 14,000 people a month go through the WorkOne East site.

That means close to 700 people a day are in the facility, filling out forms, taking classes and using computers.

People’s excessive use of the computers causes the system to freeze and disrupts the filing process.

“I don’t like it when I have to come up here and then there’s a problem with the check or their computers are down,” said Travis Armes, a seasonal construction worker.

If a form doesn’t get sent correctly, no check or voucher will be received. That means some people don’t have the means to pay for rent and utilities.

“Delayed payments,” Armes said. “That’s the only problem I’ll probably have.”

Even with the assistance of WorkOne, people are still having trouble finding work. There are few open positions.

“Everybody’s kinda saying well, ‘We might be able to use people,’ but the way things are, you know, they’re kinda just hanging with what they have,” said Harry Turner, who used to do auto body work.

“I’ve never been in this position before,” he continued. “Never. Never in any kind of way.”

He went to WorkOne to turn in a list of places where he has looked for jobs. That’s part of the process to receive unemployment benefits.

In the state of Indiana, the minimum amount a person can receive weekly is $50, the maximum is $390. The amount received depends on how much money received depends on how much a person earned.

Until Turner finds a job, depending on unemployment checks from the state is something he will have to do.

“Well I’m pretty frustrated, but the thing of it is, you gotta deal with what’s out there, you know?” Turner said.

Assistance programs

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development has programs to help unemployed people.

“When you’re unemployed and you’re out there looking for work, it can be very hard,” said Valerie Kroeger, communications director.

Unemployment checks often do not cover all expenses, which include food, childcare and healthcare.

“A lot of people are unemployed for the first time in their life and they’re not really quite sure of the assistance programs that are available to them,” Kroeger said.

Assistance programs include Hoosier Healthwise, a state sponsored health program for children, and the Healthy Indiana Plan for adults. The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program provides cash assistance to families with children under the age of 18. They also offer food stamps and childcare.

“We just do our best, and every day we try to help as many people as we possibly can,” Kroeger said.

However, some people fall through the cracks.

“I don’t qualify, actually, for unemployment,” said Amy Jackson, who was laid off from her job in the field of education.

Without a job or unemployment benefits, Jackson said she has little funds available.

“I have absolutely no money to pay for my mortgage, my utilities,” Jackson said, “and basically my parents pay everything for me until I can get a job.”

She benefits from food stamp assistance because she has a daughter, but does not qualify for TANF.

“I just need something full time to get insurance and get other things that I haven’t been able to get, especially being single,” Jackson said.

An uncertain future

Many people might be in the same situation as Jackson near the end of this year.

Congress made a decision in July of 2009 to extend unemployment benefits. The proposal is scheduled to end in November, which will leave people who have been unemployed for more than 6 months without any government assistance.

This will place even more Hoosiers in tough situations.

“We’re all in a bind right now,” Watkins said. “You gotta do what you gotta do.”

Should unemployment benefits be extended?

Vote Now!

hhtp://snappoll.com/poll/351820.php

Video-Indiana’s Unemployment

http://www.theindychannel.com/news/25978253/detail.html

http://www.wlky.com/r/25948793/detail.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/01/indiana-unemployment-offi_n_776971.html

http://www.npr.org/2010/12/01/131713002/millions-to-lose-unemployment-benefits

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/11/30/2010-11-30_protesters_march_against_unemployment_at_rockefeller_center_tree_lighting.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/04/us/04unemployed.html?ref=unemployment

Kekonna Watkins, Unemployed

Lisa McNeely, Training Liaison WorkOne

Travis Armes, Unemployed

Harry Turner, Unemployed

Valerie Kroeger, Program Director Dept. of Workforce Development

What changes have you made in your life because you’re unemployed?

Dec 08, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

Hoosier Families Endure Deployment

By Rachel Elsts

Nearly 15,000 Hoosier military families are affected by deployment. These families face frequent moves, long parental absence and the threat of a potential death.

The Hansel Family

Jen Hansel fully understands how a deployment affects her family. Her husband Jeff,a soldier, was deployed to Iraq twice. During his first deployment the couple were expecting their first child. When he left for the second time he left behind his wife and his 2-year-old daughter Cayce.

While he was gone, Hansel had to wear many hats.

“It was hard because I had to be both mommy and daddy to her, and also to Jeff’s brother,” she said ” I had to raise him and her by myself, and work a full time job, and coach. Dinners, pay bills and be the chauffeur.”

It was difficult to maintain regular communication. In Iraq, Jeff was 8 hours ahead of his family. With Hansel’s full time job and other activities they had hard time staying connected.

In between the loneliness and waiting, Hansel found solace when she was able to talk to her husband.

“It was very, very hard,” Hansel said, ” What’s tomorrow going to be like? What’s going to happen next?”

The Sharp Family

Staff Sgt. Paul Sharp was deployed in Iraq for two years. He and his wife, Janalene, have two children. When he was first deployed their daughter Courtney was 10, their son Cameron was 4.

It’s been five years since he came home. But the threat of re-deployment is ever-present for active service members.

Janalene Sharp said Courtney was forced to mature quickly due to her husband’s deployment.Courtney said she dealt with issues her friends weren’t exposed to.

“People don’t understand what you are going through.” Courtney said, “They’re still there, but there is nobody there who really understands.”

While her husband was gone, Sharp learned to take each day as it comes. Otherwise it would be too hard to bear. She said, “We didn’t know what to expect, so everyday was a challenge.”

Hoosier families like the Hansals and the Sharps fully realize the commitment it takes to serve. This commitment not only affects the service member but each family member as well. The normal demands of daily life are heightened.

“I made it through the grace of God.” Janalene Sharp said, “Luckily we had a ton of friends and family support.”

The National Guard provides support with the Family Readiness Group. The group’s goal is to help the family adjust when a soldier is deployed, and to ease the transition when the soldier returns. The group offers various programs for each member of the family,especially the children.

Operation Military Kids partners with the Family Readiness Group to help children before, during and after a deployment. Studies have shown military kids to be at high risk for long-term emotional distress.

One study, conducted by New England Journal of Medicine and American Academy of Pediatrics, showed children of deployed parents to have higher rates of anxiety, depression and behavioral difficulties.

There are ways to counteract the stress of growing up in a military family. Monique Spells, youth program specialist for the National Guard, gives insight based on her own experiences and training.

“Best thing to do is to keep kids busy, to keep them involved in activities and to engage them in conversations with other kids,” Spells said

The group also provides care packages for children with a deployed parent. The packages include:

stuffed bear
journal
lanyard
backpack

This helps in the short-term. But it serves as a distraction from the struggle that is always present. When the children are old enough and able to understand why their parent was gone, they may become resentful.

Hansal’s daughter was only two when her dad was deployed. Yet, his experiences while overseas will have a lasting affect on her childhood.

“I think just being in a military household will affect her long term,” Hansal said, “There are things that are going to be going on, that she will be old enough to realize that this is all because of Daddy being in Iraq.”

Even with support, military families suffer. “I try not to think about it because it was two years of hell that we had to go through,” Janalene Sharp said.

More on the Sharp family

“Hoosier Soldier, Wife React To Bush’s Troops Plan”

A soldier from Indianapolis and his wife watch intently as President George W. Bush announces a plan for more troop…

Informational Material

U.S. Troops Deployed (click to enlarge)

Number of wounded troops in Iraq per state (click to enlarge)

U.S. Troops Abroad (click to enlarge)

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Dec 08, 2010 | 1 comment | View Post

Demand for new nurses drops

By Kyle Inskeep

For the first time in years, there’s a surplus of newly-trained nurses who are looking for jobs in Indiana and across the country.

The recent economic downturn drastically reduced the demand for new nurses nationwide.

“There’s a perception out there that nurses will always have a position, and in today’s economy that is somewhat challenged,” said Donna Boland, dean of the Indiana University School of Nursing.

The recession caused baby boomer nurses who were considering retirement to continue working. Other nurses have picked up additional hours to make ends meet in these troubling economic times. Because of this, hospitals are reporting low nursing staff turnover, which means no job vacancies.

Often the only open nursing positions are in specialized units. To work in these units, hospitals typically require a nurse to have five or more years of experience in a hospital setting.

“The shortage areas continue to be critical and emergency care,” said Susan McRoberts, chief nursing officer at St. Vincent Hospital. “Those are tough positions to get into as a new grad.

Janette Kollros, Recently licensed nurse

Recently-licensed nurses like Janette Kollros realize the advantage veteran nurses have.

“If you have experience, you can probably go pretty much anywhere,” Kollros said. “But if you don’t, they don’t want to look at you.”

Kollros has been looking for a full-time nursing position for more than nine months.

“I have applied to numerous hospitals … and I’ve had a total of five interviews,” Kollros said.

She graduated from Anderson University in August 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in nursing. At the time, nurses could go anywhere and find a job, Kollros said. Instead of entering the workforce, she decided to start a family.

Six years later, Kollros returned to the nursing profession and quickly discovered how the 2007 recession directly impacted the healthcare industry.

Joint Statement from the Tri-Council for Nursing on Recent Registered Nurse Supply and Demand Projections

Healthcare Industry Blindsided by Nursing Surplus

Healthcare professionals say that no one expected that there would be a surplus of registered nurses. Reports from professional nursing organizations predicted the exact opposite.

“I don’t think that any of us could foresee this current nursing surplus,” said Beth Harrison, human resources business consultant at St. Vincent Hospital. “All of the predictions for the last 10 years or so have shown that we would be in a shortage for the next 20-plus years.”

Fifteen percent of the open nursing positions at St. Vincent are entry-level jobs, according to Harrison. Just a year ago, there were more than twice as many open entry-level positions at the hospital.

Recent nursing school graduates like Kollros are surprised by the low number of entry-level nursing positions available.

“I went into nursing school because I like taking care of people,” Kollros said. “But in the back of my mind I knew I could go anywhere and find a job because that’s how it’s always been.”

Kollros now works at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis as a patient care technician. She describes her job as a glorified nursing assistant, a position that helps to pay some of her family’s bills until she can find a full-time nursing job.

Because of her situation, Kollros is deferring repayment of her student loans from nursing school.

“I have a family, a young family, and my husband and I do what we can,” Kollros said. “But it’s frustrating to know that we’re eventually going to have to pay more because of this.”

Faculty Shortage

Another crisis facing the healthcare industry is the shortage of qualified nursing faculty across the country.

Indiana nursing programs rejected close to 2,500 qualified applicants in 2008 due to a lack of full-time nursing faculty, according to a survey by the Indiana Nursing Workforce Development Coalition.

These numbers are troubling for many healthcare professionals.

“It breaks my heart to have all the applications for nursing school go untended,” St. Vincent’s McRoberts said.

Nursing education isn’t a popular specialty among nurses. Practicing nurses often make more money than nurses who teach at local colleges and universities.

A registered nurse with a bachelor’s degree makes close to $65,000 a year, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. An assistant nursing professor with a master’s degree makes about $50,000 annually, while a professor with a doctoral degree can earn up to $74,000 a year.

Anne Thomas, Dean Uindy School of Nursing

“You have to really love teaching students, helping people launch their careers,” said Dr. Anne Thomas, dean of the University of Indianapolis School of Nursing. “Because the pay differential is going to be often times substantial.”

Thomas said that nursing programs across the country are beginning to focus more on pay equity between nurses in hospitals and those who are in the classroom.

She said she hopes that these programs can graduate more students, whom she believes are the key to preventing a possible recurrence of the nursing shortage once the recession ends.

Demand Expected to Return

Registered nurses who are older than 50 will soon be the largest segment of practicing nurses in the healthcare industry, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

When this group of nurses retires, they are expected to leave a large hole in the nursing workforce.

“We know we have a big glut of nurses nearing retirement age that will be interested in doing that,” McRoberts said. “So there will be jobs available very soon if you can just ride it out.”

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that by 2020 hospitals will need 800,000 additional nurses to continue operating effectively.

Despite the trouble some recent graduates are encountering finding nursing jobs, these figures are

the reason Boland still considers nursing to be one of the best career paths.

“If you look at the economics of today projected into tomorrow, we’re seeing that nursing is a good place if one is looking for job stability,” Boland said.

Exactly when the demand for nurses will return is hard to predict, but Kollros said she’ll be ready whenever the time comes.

“(The nursing surplus) will make me appreciate my job lot more than someone who graduated, passed their boards, and got a job,” she said. “I’ve had to work too hard so I will definitely appreciate it a lot more.”

Video: Indiana Nursing Shortage

Click here to see the full interview with Janette Kollros

Interested in learning more about the nursing surplus? Check out these links.

“Forecasts Show Healthcare Reform Will Contribute to Severe Nursing Shortage” http://madduxpress.com/2010/10/19/forecasts-show-healthcare-reform-will-contribute-to-severe-nursing-shortage-12825″Hawaii’s Nursing Surplus”

“Hawaii’s Nursing Shortage Turns to Nursing Shortage” http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=13615287

Nursing 2000 Website http://nursing2000inc.org/

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Dec 07, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

Health care provides options for struggling Hoosiers

Health care by numbers

687,000: The number of uninsured Hoosiers; 13 percent of Indiana’s population.
39: The number of community-based health centers in Indiana.
340,000: The number of Hoosiers served annually by community-based health centers.
2.5: The rise of percent in 2008 of patients treated at community-based health centers.
9 in 10: The number of community-based health center patients who have incomes elow 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
473,000,000: The dollars Indiana has saved in health care because of community-based health centers.
2/3: The number of uninsured patients Wishard Hospital serves in Marion County, Ind.
7: The number of Wishard Community Health centers in Indianapolis, Ind.
1 in 7: The number of Hoosiers served by Medicaid.
2,000,000: The dollars the state is cuting from the funding of Planned Parenthood Indiana.
5: The number of central Indiana Planned Parenthood clinics that are closing.

Health clinics come to the rescue

by Olivia Ingle

oingle@butler.edu

Health clinics provide options

by Olivia Ingle

oingle@butler.edu

Because more than 687,000 Hoosiers are uninsured, Indiana is offering health care options beyond hospital emergency rooms.

Unemployment and expensive insurance rates have urged Hoosiers to seek assistance from health care clinics.

According to the Indiana Department of Health, Indiana has 39 community-based health centers that provide care to more than 300,000 patients.

Clinics provide primary medical care

The Jane Pauley Community Health Center opened on Sept. 1 in Eastside Indianapolis and is one of the 39 clinics.

“Certainly the Eastside here has had its challenges,” Pat Donnelly, site manager at the Jane Pauley center, said. “Certain [medical] practices have closed, but others remain solid. I think the number of patients that don’t have the resources they may have once had is definitely increasing as the economy struggles.”

Health centers offer some of the same services that hospitals do, but they stress primary care and offer more options for uninsured patients.

Emily Twichell, a physician’s assistant at the health center, said primary care is important because it gives someone his or her basic health care maintenance.

“They [people] are very grateful just to have a place to go for primary care that is available, easily accessible, and affordable,” Twichell said.

The health center does wellness checks, well-child checks, and physical exams. The center treats people who are ill, as well as people with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol.

The center charges patients fees based on their annual income.

“We don’t want people not to come because they feel like they can’t pay,” Donnelly said.

According to the Indiana Department of Health, nine out of 10 community health center patients are 200 percent below the poverty level and are uninsured.

Donnelly said about 80 percent of the patients seen at the clinic have been uninsured.

“Certainly from a cost perspective with health care, it’s better for them [patients] to come to a clinic like this than an emergency room,” Donnelly said. “It’s certainly better to do that and use the emergency room for truly serious health matters.”

Hospitals discourage use of emergency rooms

Emergency rooms get their fair share of business.

“Over 100,000 patients come through our emergency room every year,” Collette DuValle of Wishard Health Services said. “So, right now we’re trying to stress that people should see physicians at our clinics.”

Coalition fights for health care

Carl Ellison, vice president and chief operating officer of the Indiana Minority Health Coalition, agrees that clinics provide a lot of help to individuals.

“Without sliding fees based on one’s income, a lot of people will wind up in the emergency rooms, which are not a very effective or efficient vehicle for receiving care,” Ellison said.

According to the Indiana Department of Health, Indiana has saved $473 million because of care given by clinics instead of hospitals.

“Community health centers are a safety net,” Ellison said. “They’re the next to the last resort for the poor.”

The Indiana Minority Health Coalition not only tries to address the problem of patients not having insurance, they also try to help minorities receive equal health care.

“As an advocacy organization, the only way to eliminate health disparities is to make sure everyone has the same access to common care,” Ellison said. “Universal health care is just a fundamental, societal commitment we have to achieve … We can reduce disparities if everyone can see the doctor without really worrying about it.”

Ellison said society’s objective should be to reach a point where everyone’s cup is full, meaning that everyone has a 10 out of 10 chance of receiving health insurance.

“We need to be a society where the uninsured rate is zero,” Ellison said.

President Barack Obama is currently working with Congress on a health care reform bill to move the United States in the direction towards universal health care.

“It’s a fascinating area,” Ellison said. “Only in America can the richest society have a conversation that goes on about its poorest citizens not getting what they need to achieve greater health.”

The Obama Plan

Polls

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FIND HEALTH CLINICS IN THE INDIANAPOLIS AREA

Nov 12, 2009 | 0 comments | View Post

Hoosiers Stepping Up to Volunteer in Tough Economic Times Locally and Abroad

Photographs from Building Tomorrow Schools

Before the recession hit last year, Sally Schrock’s Carmel-based non-profit, Second Starts, made an average of 13 deliveries a week, bringing blankets, pillows, kitchenware and other items to families who had been homeless but now have a place to live.

In the last year, that number has jumped to more than 20.

As unemployment rates have skyrocketed, so has the need for help from organizations such as Second Starts.

Filling that need requires more than just the donations Schrock receives at her office in the United Methodist Church rectory basement; volunteers become the driving force behind organizations and their ability to weather a bad economy.

“We’ve always had a strong base of volunteers,” Schrock said.

The United States has a long history of dedicated volunteers. According to volunteeringinamerica.gov, in 2007, 60.8 million Americans, or 26.2 percent of the adult population, gave 8.1 billion hours of volunteer service worth $158 billion.

Indiana ranks 19^th in the country for the percentage of residents who volunteer.

For some Hoosiers, the desire to volunteer comes naturally.

“It’s hard to call it work when it’s what you love doing,” Schrock said.

The recession has led others who ordinarily might not volunteer to start lending a hand.

Alan Witchey, volunteer coordinator for United Way of Central Indiana, conducted a study among United Way organizations about their growing need for volunteers.

“This is an opportunity for people to really make a difference in people’s lives,” Witchey said.

According to the study, 55 percent of United Way agencies have seen an increase in volunteers.

United Way of Central Indiana conducted a study of United Way organizations and how they were effected by the economy. This chart shows that nearly 30 percent of volunteers reported losing their jobs in the last year.

(Chart courtesy of Alan Witchey, United Way of Central Indiana)

Not everyone volunteers for the same reasons.

“Some people are, themselves, going through a major transition,” Witchey said. “Loss of job, loss of hours, loss of income, all those things. So they’re trying to find ways to network, find jobs, to connect, build new skills. But they’re a little bit more ambiguous. They don’t necessarily want to commit to long-term volunteer projects.”

The increase of both demand for resources and bodies to volunteer has forced non-profit organizations to restructure internally. In the last year, United Way eliminated 13 of its 100 staff positions.

“As the economy goes south, you’re forced to think of things differently and you consider different options,” Witchey said. “You think of how you can use volunteers in ways you might have used staff, about how you get people engaged at a time when they’re nervous and scared that their income is decreasing.”

Organizations that do service locally are not the only ones suffering.

George Srour of Indianapolis has made changes to his non-profit, Building Tomorrow, which raises money to build schools in rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Building Tomorrow Academy of Bembe in Uganda

“We’ve really branched out and tried to diversify our funding sources so we’re not depending on the same people, which we had done for a few years,” Srour said.

The organization also coordinates trips for students to travel to Uganda to see their fundraising at work.

“We’ve had a trip the last three Januaries,” Srour said, “but I don’t think we’ll have one in 2010 simply because students are feeling a bit more pinched in terms of their resources to be able to travel.”

For Building Tomorrow, students are essential to the mission.

“It’s rewarding to be on different college campuses and to see the enthusiasm for the cause, not just for Building Tomorrow, but for philanthropy in general,” Srour said. “Students really have the power to create social change.”

Srour said he is occasionally criticized, particularly in times of a bad economy, for focusing Building Tomorrow’s mission on Uganda instead of the United States, where thousands of children in Indianapolis need help as well.

Butler University graduate Beth Kristinat traveled to Uganda to work at a Building Tomorrow school in the city of Kampala.

“It’s been our experience that someone who travels to Uganda and sees what they see, and works with our students, and works with our communities, comes back much more energized 20 times over what it cost them to get there,” Srour said. “I think by seeing what they do through our work in Uganda, it makes them more socially conscious and more aware even in their local community.”

There’s also the cost factor, Srour said. “The $45,000 Building Tomorrow spends on a school in Uganda wouldn’t pay for four walls around a classroom in the United States.”

But Srour encourages Americans to volunteer in any capacity, no matter the location.

“A lot of us have something we can give, even if it’s just time, that can help a family, that can help anyone who’s in need,” he said.

Witchey said he encourages people to volunteer during tough times by telling them to think about what they will say to their children years down the road about how they made it through the recession.

“Do you want to look back and be able to tell your kids, your grandkids, people you know, that you were actively stepping up to be part of the solution, or do you want to say, ‘I was scared, I took care of myself?’” Witchey said. “I think most people, when they think about it in those terms, they know. ‘This is a difficult time. I want to step up and make a difference.’”

For Schrock and her Second Starts volunteers, there is the opportunity to make a difference every day.

“This morning we delivered to a family that had five children,” Schrock said. “And that’s just so gratifying.”

Second Starts volunteer Paula Barbour agreed. Barbour worked as a counselor at Brebeuf High School, linking students with various volunteer projects. Now retired, she spends every Wednesday in the basement of the church.

“It’s just a joy to help people,” she said.

Video: Volunteers and Non-Profit Organizations

How Volunteering Can Benefit You As the Volunteer

-Résumé building

-Acquire skills you can’t get in a job

-Meet new people

Ways to get involved:

Second Starts

United Way of Central Indiana

Building Tomorrow

Nov 12, 2009 | 0 comments | View Post

Students transfer to avoid college expenses

photo credit: ivanx

Government aid for college students has increased for the 2009-2010 school year. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid will provide more grants to those considered low income. According to the application policies, families are considered low income when they have at least three family members, with a total household income of $30,000 or less per year. In 2007, every low income student received $4,087 in aid; in 2008 the budget increased to $4,731; this year shows the biggest increase to $5,350.

While more money is being granted to students this year, those not considered low income are not on the receiving end. Sophomore IUPUI transfer student Ingrid Scott falls in that category.

“I was forced to transfer. I was paying full tuition at Butler,” Scott said. “I didn’t receive financial aid or loans, so I decided instead of being in debt to transfer.”

Scott’s situation is much like many students who fall right above the low income line. Scott, along with sophomore IUPUI transfer student Ashley Hammond, says Butler didn’t offer her any financial aid. However, when they transferred, most of their college was paid for.

“It was more my choice,” Hammond said. “My parents didn’t pressure me into it. But I felt the tension on their side, so I felt bad for going to a school where they’re paying full tuition without any help.”

The need for change

Each year, more than 3,000 students apply to transfer to IUPUI from other leading schools across the nation. Although Butler is taking steps to help more students financially, it still isn’t enough. Butler’s vice president of enrollment management, Tom Weede, said Butler reallocated $1 million this year to help more students.

“We knew going into this year, based on what was happening in the economy, that our families would probably show greater need, and we wanted to help to the extent that we could,” he said. “And that certainly happened.”

Weede said financial aid is a “touchy topic,” because nobody receives the amount they think they deserve.

“It becomes a question of what we’d like to do and what we’re able to do, because we don’t have a magic pot of money that’s simply available to give out more financial aid,” he said.

Students’ options for help

Students who face such problems have several choices to help afford tuition. Some colleges offer the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, which is reserved for students with the greatest need. The school makes a professional judgment to determine eligibility. Several factors go into the formula. These include the student’s income, parents’ income and assets, household size, number of family members attending postsecondary institutions and the expected family contribution. The school then looks at the student aid report and decides if the family is deserving of the grant. The maximum amount one can receive is $4,000 per year.

Although the supplemental grant helps many students, it has some drawbacks. Not all schools participate in this grant and it is given on a first come, first serve basis.

Loans, as well as grants, also present challenges with limits. Loan provider Sallie Mae allows students to borrow a subsidized loan, which means students do not have to pay interest. The amount for which students can apply increases with each year of school. Freshman can apply for up to $3,506; sophomores $4,500; juniors $5,500 and seniors $6,500.

Like the supplemental grant, subsidized loans have stipulations. The maximum amount to borrow is $31,000. For some students, like those attending Butler, these loans barely make a dent in the $28,460 tuition (not including room and board).

“I really miss the one-on-one attention with the professors,” Scott said of Butler. “None of my professors know my name or what I look like or anything like that.”

Hammond said she’s not alone in her decision to transfer. “There’s so many people that transferred just because it’s too expensive.”

Butler students struggling with tuition can visit the financial aid office to talk about their individual situations. Weede said the advisors will talk to anybody about their financial aid package.

“We will do the best that we can,” he said. “At the same time, the best that we can often doesn’t mesh with what a family thinks it should be.”

Weede said the reallocation has helped tremendously with retention this year. But he also recognizes that it cannot affect all students.

“It works better on the wide scale than it does the individual level,” he said.

Related Links

FAFSA application

Financial Aid Finder

Butler University Financial Aid Homepage

IUPUI Financial Aid Homepage

Ivy Tech Financial Aid Homepage

Scholarships

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Twitter

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Filling out a FAFSA?

Click here to view the documents and records you’ll need to fill out the application.

Click here to calculate your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The results are only an approximation of the Federal EFC figure that is calculated when you file the FAFSA form.

“The Five Minute FAFSA”

Acronyms on the FAFSA Student Aid Report (SAR)

EFC	Expected Family Contribution
TI	Total Income
ATI	Allowances Against Total Income
STX	State and Other Tax Allowance
EA	Employment Allowance
IPA	Income Protection Allowance
AI	Available Income
CAI	Contribution from Available Income (Independent Student)
DNW	Discretionary Net Worth
APA	Education Savings and Asset Protection Allowance
PCA	Parents’ Contribution from Assets
AAI	Adjusted Available Income
TPC	Total Parents’ Contribution
TSC	Total Student’s Contribution
PC	Parents’ Contribution
SIC	Dependent Student’s Income Contribution
SCA	Dependent Student’s Contribution from Assets

Butler University Tuition and Expenses

Cost of Attendance	$41,836
Tuition and Fees	$29,246
Room and Board	$9,740
Books and Supplies	$800
Other Expenses	$2,050
Payment Plans	Credit card, installment plan, prepayment discount

**Profile of Butler’s 2008-2009 Financial Aid**Freshmen
Financial Aid Applicants	866 (92.7%) of freshmen
Found to Have Financial Need	585 (67.6%) of applicants
Received Financial Aid	585 (100.0%) of applicants with financial need
Need Fully Met	135 (23.1%) of aid recipients
Average Percent of Need Met	Not reported
Average Award	$21,260
Need-Based Gift	Received by 579 (99.0%) of aid recipients, average amount $16,381
Need-Based Self-Help	Received by 414 (70.8%) of aid recipients, average amount $4,652
Merit-Based Gift	Received by 144 (24.6%) of aid recipients
Merit-Based Gift	Average amount $12,476

All Undergraduates
Financial Aid Applicants	3,455 undergraduates
Found to Have Financial Need	2,417 applicants
Received Financial Aid	2,417 (100.0%) of applicants with financial need
Need Fully Met	464 (19.2%) of aid recipients
Average Percent of Need Met	Not reported
Average Award	$19,880
Need-Based Gift	Received by 2,297 (95.0%) of aid recipients, average amount $15,109
Need-Based Self-Help	Received by 1,816 (75.1%) of aid recipients, average amount $5,704
Merit-Based Gift	Received by 457 (18.9%) of aid recipients
Merit-Based Gift	Received by 918 undergraduates without need, average amount $11,401

Borrowing
2008 Graduates Who Took Out Loans	62%
Average Indebtedness of 2008 Graduates	$24,000
Parents Borrowing PLUS Loans	Not reported
Parents of Students Receiving Aid	Not reported
Parents of Students Not Receiving Aid	Not reported

Nov 12, 2009 | 0 comments | View Post

Category: News

What the state is doing

Assistance programs

An uncertain future

Should unemployment benefits be extended?

Video-Indiana’s Unemployment

Similar stories

http://www.theindychannel.com/news/25978253/detail.html

What changes have you made in your life because you’re unemployed?

Healthcare Industry Blindsided by Nursing Surplus

Faculty Shortage

Demand Expected to Return

Video: Indiana Nursing Shortage

Interested in learning more about the nursing surplus? Check out these links.

Share this story on

Health care by numbers

Health clinics come to the rescue

by Olivia Ingle

Health clinics provide options

by Olivia Ingle

Polls

Ask the health experts!

Ask about any of your health issues and where to seek treatment!

Related Links

Photographs from Building Tomorrow Schools

Video: Volunteers and Non-Profit Organizations

Butler University Tuition and Expenses