University professors rev up efforts to commercialize research, launch startups
More and more of the work done by university researchers is being spun off into companies and commercial applications that they or the universities own or are a part of.
Education & Workforce Development
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Q&A: IPS superintendent talks masks, social distancing and educating kids
IBJ reporter Samm Quinn talked with Superintendent Aleesia Johnson about how returning has gone so far and other impacts COVID-19 has had on the state’s largest public school system.
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Orr Fellowship grows effort to eliminate brain drain
Since its 2001 founding, the program that connects high-caliber college graduates with high-growth companies has had an immense impact on central Indiana, particularly the tech industry.
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Gubernatorial candidates largely stay away from pandemic discussion during first debate
The three candidates answered questions Tuesday night about education, economic development and the role of government, but spent little time discussing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
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Indiana University ends Bicentennial Campaign with nearly $3.9 billion
In announcing the final totals for the campaign Thursday evening, the university said more than 320,000 alumni and other donors from all 50 states and more than 100 countries contributed to the effort.
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Articles
NASA awards $2.8M to Indiana space program
The grant will support NASA student internships and fellowships, student STEM experiences, faculty STEM projects and public STEM engagement throughout Indiana through 2024.
IPS superintendent calls out public policy decisions neglecting Blacks, Latinos
Indianapolis Public Schools Superintendent Aleesia Johnson on Wednesday pushed new initiatives to promote equity and called out Indiana decision-makers for asking district officials to accept scarcity and to “do more with less.”
Charter backers battle to preserve edge on IPS school board
With four seats on the seven-member board up for election, the outcome could easily shift the balance of power in the district.
IPS board candidate resigned from previous post after financial questions
A candidate for the Indianapolis Public Schools board resigned from his position as president of the Indiana Young Democrats this spring amid a controversy over his unauthorized withdrawal of $3,800 from the group’s account.
Judge slams Education Department for rejecting 94% of loan-relief claims
The Education Department said many claims were submitted by borrowers who attended ineligible programs or who failed to make a valid claim for loan forgiveness.
JPMorgan Chase to invest $7 million in Indianapolis career readiness initiatives
The funding is part of the firm’s $75 million global commitment to better prepare young people for jobs and a new $30 billion commitment “to advance racial equity and drive an inclusive economic recovery.”
Political groups give more than $200K to charter-friendly IPS board candidates
Deep-pocketed political action committees have thrown their support into four races for Indianapolis Public Schools board seats, helping candidates who back partnerships with charter schools to far outraise their competitors.
Science classes at Indiana’s schools adapt during pandemic
Teachers and students have had to adapt to the guidelines put in place due to the pandemic, but social distancing and not sharing supplies can pose a unique challenge for classes like science that have labs typically done with partners or in groups.
Video-email firm has signed 70 deals with colleges
Covideo’s platform allows users to send 60- to 90-second video clips embedded in email and text messages and to track if, when and how many times the videos are viewed.
Next big challenge for NCAA is restructuring Division I
A survey of college sports leaders by the academic watchdog Knight Commission found strong support for reforming the way Division I is governed (74%) and restructuring D-I altogether (73%). NCAA Division I is comprised of 351 schools.
City, Mind Trust to spend $88,000 to extend virtual learning pods
The additional funding—$24,000 from the city and $64,000 from the Mind Trust—will keep three of the 14 community learning sites open through the fall semester.
Washington Township using pandemic relief funds to provide free job training
Available courses through the program will be offered online and in-person, depending on the field of study. The $1 million in funding comes from the money the city received from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.
When school is home and home is school, which rules prevail?
In the learn-from-home world, educators are encountering friction when extending regular classroom discipline and decorum into young people’s previously private spaces.
Report on Indiana teacher pay on hold until after election
A spokeswoman for Gov. Eric Holcomb said the pandemic substantially altered plans, but the commission is still working on a final report to be released before the end of 2020.
Indiana officials give some districts flexibility on length of school days
With the changes approved Wednesday, a few districts can offer longer school days to take advantage of in-person learning and cut back on e-learning days to help with planning.
Report calls for Indiana school funding changes to close equity gaps
The gap is driven by charter schools, according to the report, since they serve a greater percentage of students of color than does the average Indiana district and do not receive local property tax revenues.
Indiana’s school COVID-19 dashboard missing critical information, officials say
The webpage offers only a partial picture because it lacks data from 1,067 schools, nearly 40% of those in the state. The state does not require schools to submit data for the dashboard.
McCormick criticizes Holcomb as she campaigns for his Democratic challenger
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick, a frequent critic of her fellow Republicans, took several swipes at Gov. Eric Holcomb in an online event Monday night for Dr. Woody Myers.
Marian University plans new engineering school with $24 million gift
The Indianapolis university said it was halfway to its $50 million fundraising goal for the school after a $24 million gift from the Witchger family and other donations.