Community College Week articles from June 2009

Community College Week archives from June 2009

Instructional staff.(Figuring it Out: A look at statistics shaping the higher education landscape)
June 1, 2009... Community colleges rely on non-tenured instructors more than any other sector of higher education. The following is breakdown of instructional staff at two-year colleges by category in 2007: Part-time faculty: 69% ...

Ivy Tech Mulls capping enrollment as state budget cuts loom.
June 1, 2009... BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) -- Rapidly growing Ivy Tech Community College could consider capping enrollment statewide during the next school year because of budget worries. Ivy Tech-Bloomington Chancellor John Whikehart said the school must...

Recession, green jobs fuel enrollment increase at Salt Lake CC.
June 1, 2009... SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -Salt Lake Community College officials say summer enrollment is booming, up by 12 percent, or 1,200 students, over last year. College spokesman Joy Tlou said students are rushing to sign up for health science programs...

Index to news around the nation.(around the nation)
June 1, 2009... 1 PORTLAND, Ore. Portland Community College is leading the way in going green. Page 4 2 FREDERICK, Md. A college professor takes a holistic approach to studying the Civil War. Page 5 3 BATON ROUGE, La. The...

Drastic budget cuts feared after Calif. voters nix ballot measures.(around the nation)
June 1, 2009... LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The state's community colleges could be hit hard by funding cuts after voters overwhelmingly rejected ballot measures intended to close a $21.3 billion state budget gap. In the wake of the voting, community college...

At Portland Community College, the school color is green.(point of view)
June 1, 2009... How important are a school's colors? Very important, so long as the color is green. At least that's what we believe at Portland Community College. Like other community colleges across the country, PCC, together with the state of Oregon...

Md. College Studies Civil War Regionally, holistically.
June 1, 2009... FREDERICK, Md. (AP) -At Frederick Community College's Catoctin Center for Regional Studies, Dean Herrin and others began a research project on the Civil War era. Intended to mark its war's sesquicentennial in 2011, the project, which began...

Boosting high school graduation rate is goal of La. Senate bill.
June 1, 2009... BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- Louisiana could improve its high school graduation rate of 65 percent by allowing students who are not college-bound to focus more of their classroom time on technical skills, under a bill approved by a Senate...

Off the track: Kentucky campuses roiled by decision to end tenure for new hires.
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The tenured and tenure-track professor are gradually disappearing from the campuses of the nation's community colleges. A recent study by the American Federation of Teachers shows that even as the overall number...

State pension fund to study Alabama's Prepaid' Tuition Plan.(money tree)
June 1, 2009... MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) -- The state Legislature wrapped up its 2009 session without solving the financial problems in Alabama's prepaid college tuition plan, but it did agree to have the state pension fund conduct a detailed study of the...

Ariz. Board of Regents investigating lower-priced college education.(money tree)
June 1, 2009... PHOENIX (AP) -- Under pressure from the state and the governor, the Arizona Board of Regents is looking at creating a lower-priced college education. The plan could include starting a fourth state university or transforming an existing...

Colorado Gov. signs bill bolstering job training programs at colleges.(money tree)
June 1, 2009... DENVER (AP) -- Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter signed two of the top-priority bills for job creation and business development from this session of the state Legislature. The bills will strengthen job-training programs with industry and community...

Ken. College brings mining training program behind bars.
June 1, 2009... HARLAN, Ky. (AP) -- Jerry Elliott hopes to trade his jail jumpsuit and slippers for a hardhat and work boots when he comes up for parole later this year. Mining is one of the few bright spots in Kentucky's otherwise dismal economy, and...

Miss. working on school stimulus dollars rules.
June 1, 2009... JACKSON, Miss. (AP) -- The governor's office is working on guidelines on how to distribute the $321 million in federal stimulus money set aside for education. Mississippi received approval in April on its plans to spend the money on public...

Industrial maintenance students produce working robot in class.
June 1, 2009... HENDERSON, Ky. (AP) -- It looked unfinished, with the nuts and bolts spread out on a nearby table and the wires curling out and around in apparent disarray. But for a group of students at Henderson Community College, their assignment...

Wash. community colleges cut budgets, hike tuition.
June 1, 2009... SEATTLE (AP) -- Washington's 34 community and l technical colleges decided to raise tuition by 7 percent to help them deal with the most significant budget cuts they've seen in more than a decade. The State Board for Community and...

Bill to OK guns on La. college campuses gets nod.
June 1, 2009... BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- A House committee has voted to allow concealed firearms on college campuses in Louisiana, continuing a contentious dispute that pits the National Rifle Association against university administrators and law enforcement....

New Ala. partnership lets students earn degree online.
June 1, 2009... MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) -- Community college students who want to earn a four-year university degree without having to leave home will have that chance under a partnership between Troy University and Alabama's two-year college system. Troy...

Oregon offering free college classes to elderly students.
June 1, 2009... SALEM, Ore. (AP) -- A bill unanimously passed by the state House would allow people 65 and older to audit courses at all of Oregon's public higher education institutions for free. Oregon universities already allow students 65 and older to...

La. lawmakers approve tuition increases at state colleges.
June 1, 2009... BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -Public colleges across Louisiana will raise their tuition by as much as 5 percent for students next year. The increases will raise $29 million to help offset state budget cuts proposed for the schools next year. ...

Wyoming likely to halt practice of matching gifts to state colleges.
June 1, 2009... CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) -- Gov. Dave Freudenthal is likely to freeze disbursements from a state fund that matches financial gifts to the University of Wyoming and the state's community colleges. That's according to the governor's chief of...

Mississippi law enforcement plans training center at college.
June 1, 2009... CORINTH, Miss. (AP) -- Law enforcement agencies in Alcorn County and Corinth are seeking grant money to operate a training center at Northeast Mississippi Community College. The Corinth Board of Aldermen recently agreed to apply for...

N.M. community college offering degrees earned totally online.
June 1, 2009... HOBBS, N.M. (AP) -- New Mexico Junior College has offered online courses before, but now the college will give students the opportunity to obtain associate degrees online. The Higher Learning Commission approved the change for the Hobbs...

E-commerce continues growth, but all is not well for digital merchants.(technology today)
June 1, 2009... Electronic commerce, or e-commerce, is becoming more and more mainstream for more and more people. Ordering products online for many consumers is just another way of shopping. E-commerce took off in 1995 about a year after the Web took off,...

Astronaut and Oakland Community College (Mich.) graduate Andrew Feustel took a memento from his alma mater into space on his mission to service the orbiting Hubble Telescope.(around campus)
June 1, 2009... Astronaut and Oakland Community College (Mich.) graduate Andrew Feustel took a memento from his alma mater into space on his mission to service the orbiting Hubble Telescope. The memento was a custom-designed t-shirt with a likeness of Feustel,...

Gabrielle LeFlore didn't think study abroad would be an option at Tennessee's Pellissippi State Technical Community College.(around campus)
June 1, 2009... Gabrielle LeFlore didn't think study abroad would be an option at Tennessee's Pellissippi State Technical Community College. But now the public relations student is leaving to study in France. The overseas trip makes LeFlore's second taken...

At 13 years old, Caleb Kumar is the youngest person ever to graduate from North Hennepin Community College in Minnesota.(around campus)
June 1, 2009... At 13 years old, Caleb Kumar is the youngest person ever to graduate from North Hennepin Community College in Minnesota. This ambitious middle school student, along with more than 800 other graduates, walked across the stage May 15 to receive...

On the anniversary of the earthquake in Sichuan Province, China on May 12, 2008, Monroe Community College in Rochester, N. Y., dedicated a dogwood tree on campus to the three students from China who attended Monroe through the SUNY China 150 Program.(around campus)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] On the anniversary of the earthquake in Sichuan Province, China on May 12, 2008, Monroe Community College in Rochester, N. Y., dedicated a dogwood tree on campus to the three students from China who attended Monroe...

Administrators from nine colleges and universities from across the state of Idaho joined together for the announcement of a $16.5 million grant, the largest in Idaho history, from the National Institutes of Health to continue efforts in biomedical research.(grants & gifts)
June 1, 2009... Administrators from nine colleges and universities from across the state of Idaho joined together for the announcement of a $16.5 million grant, the largest in Idaho history, from the National Institutes of Health to continue efforts in...

Western Wyoming College Foundation recently received $100,000 from The International Society of Automation.(grants & gifts)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Western Wyoming College Foundation recently received $100,000 from The International Society of Automation. This gift will establish an endowment for students majoring in Instrumentation and Automation Technology at...

SRC, an independent, not-for-profit research and development organization and its subsidiary, SRCTec, announced on the campus of Onondaga Community College (New York) a $1 million gift to the college's Reach Beyond capital campaign.(grants & gifts)
June 1, 2009... SRC, an independent, not-for-profit research and development organization and its subsidiary, SRCTec, announced on the campus of Onondaga Community College (New York) a $1 million gift to the college's Reach Beyond capital campaign. The gift,...

Washington's Bellevue College theatre arts playwriting instructor Dennis Schebetta, of Seattle, has won the national John Gassner New Play Competition for his work, "Albatross.".(faculty lounge)
June 1, 2009... Washington's Bellevue College theatre arts playwriting instructor Dennis Schebetta, of Seattle, has won the national John Gassner New Play Competition for his work, "Albatross." The Gassner award is an annual prize intended to encourage the...

Bryant Evans, a Houston Community College geography professor, will travel with thirteen other academics from across the country to the Middle East this summer as a recipient of the Fulbright-Hays Scholarship.(faculty lounge)
June 1, 2009... Bryant Evans, a Houston Community College geography professor, will travel with thirteen other academics from across the country to the Middle East this summer as a recipient of the Fulbright-Hays Scholarship. The Fulbright-Hays travel seminar...

Mohave Community College.(honors & awards)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Three Mohave Community College (Ariz.) nursing graduates were honored during a recent pinning ceremony. Selected from among their classmates for critical thinking, priority-setting and delegating abilities, teamwork,...

William S. Rodner.(honors & awards)
June 1, 2009... William S. Rodner, a Tidewater Community College history professor, has been named the chancellor's commonwealth professor for 2009-2111. He is one of three chosen from the state's 23 community colleges. A program of the Virginia Community...

Mary G. Locke, vice president/provost of instructional services at Indian River State College, was recently recognized with the national 2009 Administrator Award of Distinction from the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.(honors & awards)
June 1, 2009... Mary G. Locke, vice president/provost of instructional services at Indian River State College, was recently recognized with the national 2009 Administrator Award of Distinction from the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. The award was presented to...

Calendar: event listings are free!(faculty lounge)(Calendar)
June 1, 2009... JUNE June 11, 2009 NCCET Free Webinar: New insights into budget management www.nccet.org June 11-12, 2009 NCPR THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF SOCIAL NETWORK MARKETING Albuquerque, NM; www.ncmpr June 14-17, 2009...

Community Colleges of Spokane.(APPOINTMENTS)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Community Colleges of Spokane (Wash.) have announced the appointment of two new administrators. Carol Riesenberg is Spokane Community Colleges's new vice president of learning, a position she's held on an interim...

St. Louis Community College.(APPOINTMENTS)
June 1, 2009... The St. Louis Community College Board of Trustees appointed Donna Dare as vice chancellor for academic and student affairs. Dare has served as acting vice chancellor for education since May 2008. Dare will serve as the college's chief academic...

Hudson County Community College.(APPOINTMENTS)
June 1, 2009... Hudson County Community College in Jersey City, N. J., has appointed Michael Reimer as its associate dean for student services. Reimer, who has been at the college since 2005, has served as coordinator of transfer services and as director of...

Bossier Parish Community College.(APPOINTMENTS)
June 1, 2009... Jim Henderson has been appointed chancellor of Bossier Parish Community College. The Louisiana Community and Technical College System Board approved the appointment of Henderson as the fifth chancellor of the college. Henderson joined the...

The first five.(Figuring it Out: A look at statistics shaping the higher education landscape)
June 15, 2009... The top associate degree producers in 2007-08 were: College Number 1. University of Phoenix Online 12,119 2. Miami Dade College 7,047 3. Broward College ...

Wis. legislative panel approves tuition break for immigrants.
June 15, 2009... MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Some illegal immigrants would qualify for in-state tuition at Wisconsin universities and technical colleges under a plan adopted by the Legislature's budget committee. The Democratic-controlled committee voted 12-4...

Third college in West Virginia adopts new name.
June 15, 2009... MONTGOMERY, W.Va. (AP) -- Another West Virginia community college has renamed itself ahead of a July deadline for schools that were once linked to four-year institutions. The Community and Technical College at WVU Tech in Montgomery is now...

Audit says Iowa college program spent millions on failed job projects.(around the nation)
June 15, 2009... DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- State auditors say a taxpayer-funded program that pays job training costs for new companies has put millions of dollars into projects that failed. State auditors released a report on the Iowa Industrial New Jobs...

The 'rogue trustee' must not make own rules.(Letter to the editor)
June 15, 2009... To the Editor: I t has been interesting to read first Terry O'Banion's article concerning the "rogue trustee" (Community College Week, May 4, 2009) and Robert Getz' response (Community College Week, May 18, 2009). In short, I would...

Mo. Gov. presses colleges to spend more on health education.(money tree)
June 15, 2009... JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The money legally is theirs to spend as they choose. But Gov. Jay Nixon is delivering a message to Missouri's colleges and universities that he expects them to use $40 million in next year's budget to expand the...

Squeezed in the sunshine state: top degree producers in Florida struggle with reduced funding, spiraling enrollments.
June 15, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Miami Dade College rests uneasily atop several of the categories covered by Community College Week's annual Top 100 Associate Degree Producers rankings and analysis. In 2007-08, the college of 170,000 students,...

Associate degrees: all disciplines.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREE PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... ASSOCIATE DEGREES: ALL DISCIPLINES 2008 RANK INSTITUTION STATE TOTAL Two-Year Institutions 3 Broward College Fla. 4715 5 Valencia Community...

Two-year certificates: all disciplines.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREE PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... TWO-YEAR CERTIFICATES: ALL DISCIPLINES 2008 RANK INSTITUTION STATE TOTAL Two-Year Institutions 1 Universal Technical Institute- Automotive Motorcycle & Marine ...

One-year certificates: all disciples.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREE PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... ONE-YEAR CERTIFICATES: ALL DISCIPLINES 2008 RANK INSTITUTION STATE TOTAL Two-Year Institutions 2 Charles A Jones Skills and Business Education Center ...

New mix of numbers: like students they serve, top degree producers are growing in diversity.(ANALYSIS)
June 15, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Like the students attending them, postsecondary institutions conferring associate degrees and one- and two-year certificates are growing in diversity. We noted in past years' analyses that many community colleges are...

Associate degrees: all disciplines--non minority.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREES PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... ASSOCIATE DEGREES: All Disciplines--Non Minority 2006- 2008 2007 RANK INSTITUTION STATE TOTAL Two-Year...

The 'voice' of Michigan's Delta College retires.
June 15, 2009... UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. (AP) -- He's no Ernie Harwell, the Hall of Fame Detroit Tigers play-byplay broadcaster, but the instant Terry Rock opens his mouth, a familiar sound comes out. Anyone who's lived in the Saginaw, Mich., in the last...

Associate degrees: all disciplines--African American.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREES PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... ASSOCIATE DEGREES: All Disciplines--African American 2006- 2008 2007 RANK INSTITUTION STATE TOTAL ...

Associate degrees: all disciplines--American Indian.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREES PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... ASSOCIATE DEGREES: All Disciplines--Non Minority 2006- 2008 2007 RANK INSTITUTION STATE TOTAL ...

Associate degrees: all disciplines--Asian American.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREES PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... ASSOCIATE DEGREES: All Disciplines--Asian American 2006- 2008 2007 RANK INSTITUTION STATE TOTAL ...

Associate degrees: all disciplines--Hispanic.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREE PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... ASSOCIATE DEGREES: All Disciplines--Hispanic 2006- 2008 2007 RANK INSTITUTION STATE TOTAL 2 ...

Top 50 associate degrees: agriculture, agricultural operations, and related sciences.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREES PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... TOP 50 ASSOCIATE DEGREES: Agriculture, Agricultural Operations, and Related Sciences 2006- 2008 2007 RANK...

Top 50 associate degrees: business, management, marketing, and related support services.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREES PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... TOP 50 ASSOCIATE DEGREES: Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services 2006- 2008 2007 RANK...

Top 50 associate degrees: liberal arts and sciences, general students, & humanities.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREES PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... TOP 50 ASSOCIATE DEGREES: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Students, & Humanities 2006- 2008 2007 RANK...

Top 50 associate degrees: communication, journalism & related programs.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREES PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... TOP 50 ASSOCIATE DEGREES: Communication, Journalism & Related Programs 2006- 2008 2007 RANK INSTITUTION ...

Top 50 associate degrees: communication technologies/ technicians & support services.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREES PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... TOP 50 ASSOCIATE DEGREES: Communication Technologies/ Technicians & Support Services 2006- 2008 2007 RANK...

Top 50 associate degrees: computer and information sciences & support services.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREES PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... TOP 50 ASSOCIATE DEGREES: Computer and Information Sciences 2006- 2008 2007 RANK INSTITUTION ...

Top 50 associate degrees: criminal justice.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREE PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... TOP 50 ASSOCIATE DEGREES: Criminal Justice 2006-2007 2008 RANK INSTITUTION STATE TOTAL Two-Year Institutions 7 Ohio...

Top 50 associate degrees: engineering-related technologies/technicians.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREE PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... TOP 50 ASSOCIATE DEGREES: Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians 2006-2007 2008 STATE TOTAL RANK INSTITUTION ...

Top 50 associate degrees: education.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREE PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... TOP 50 ASSOCIATE DEGREES: Education 2006-2007 2008 Rank INSTITUTION STATE TOTAL Two-Year Institutions 1 Brookdale...

Top 50 associate degrees: family & consumer sciences/human sciences.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREE PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... TOP 50 ASSOCIATE DEGREES: Family & Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences 2006-2007 2008 RANK INSTITUTION STATE TOTAL Two-Year...

Top 50 associate degrees: health professions & related clinical sciences.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREE PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... TOP 50 ASSOCIATE DEGREES: Health Professions & Related Clinical Sciences 2006-2007 2008 RANK INSTITUTION STATE TOTAL Two-Year...

Top 50 associate degrees: natural resources & conservation.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREE PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... TOP 50 ASSOCIATE DEGREES: Natural Resources & Conservation 2006-2007 2008 RANK INSTITUTION STATE TOTAL Two-Year Institutions ...

Top 50 associate degrees: multi/interdisciplinary studies.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREE PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... TOP 50 ASSOCIATE DEGREES: Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies 2008 RANK INSTITUTION 2006-2007 Two-Year Institutions STATE TOTAL 1 Pasadena City...

Top 50 associate degrees: nursing.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREE PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... TOP 50 ASSOCIATE DEGREES: Nursing 2006- 2007 2008 INSTITUTION STATE TOTAL 3 ...

Top 50 associate degrees: parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREE PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... TOP 50 ASSOCIATE DEGREES: Parks, Recreation, Leisure, and Fitness Studies 2006- 2008 2007 RANK INSTITUTION...

Top 50 associate degrees: precision production.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREE PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... TOP 50 ASSOCIATE DEGREES: Precision Production 2006- 2008 2007 RANK INSTITUTION ...

Top 50 associate degrees: security & protective services.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREE PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... TOP 50 ASSOCIATE DEGREES: Security & Protective Services 2006- 2007 2008 Rank INSTITUTION ...

Top 50 associate degrees: science technologies/technicians.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREE PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... TOP 50 ASSOCIATE DEGREES: Science Technologies/Technicians 2006- 2008 2007 RANK INSTITUTION ...

Top 50 associate degrees: general sales, merchandising and related marketing operations.(TOP 100 ASSOCIATE DEGREE PRODUCERS: 2009 EDITION)
June 15, 2009... TOP 50 ASSOCIATE DEGREES: General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations 2006- 2008 2007 RANK INSTITUTION...

La. panel approves $200m construction plan for colleges.
June 15, 2009... BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)--A $200 million financing plan for construction projects at state community and technical college campuses has been approved by the State Bond Commission, despite concerns the borrowing will edge the state closer to its...

Arizona governor seeks to apply stimulus cash to education.(money tree)
June 15, 2009... PHOENIX (AP)--Gov. Jan Brewer said she has formally applied for more than $1 billion in federal stimulus money, most of which will prop up education spending in the face of the state's budget crisis. But Brewer is keeping lawmakers guessing...

N.D. college forges partnership with high school to train welders.(tracking trends)
June 15, 2009... HALLIDAY, N.D. (AP) -- When Duane Hart came to Halliday in 1999 to teach high school welding classes, he never dreamed that the program in the town of just 230 residents would someday offer college degrees. But under a new partnership,...

Oregon unemployed turning to education, but jobs remain scarce.(tracking trends)
June 15, 2009... PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Out of work at age 51, Jim Thompson is counting on Portland Community College and the solar industry to pull him through the recession. At last count, he has applied for about 100 jobs with little response since he...

New Colorado law clears way for high school students to earn community college degrees.(tracking trends)
June 15, 2009... DENVER (AP) -- Colorado is making it easier for schools to offer teens a chance to earn an associate degree while still in high school, a move backers say could help lower the dropout rate and help the state win millions in extra federal...

Home-schooled siblings earn college degrees before turning 16.
June 15, 2009... HOBBS, N.M. (AP)--At an age when most students are just starting to think about going to college, John McGraw, 15, and his sister, Jessica, 14, graduated with associate degrees from New Mexico Junior College last month. The siblings, who...

Maryland college artist finds inspiration in pop culture figures.
June 15, 2009... FREDERICK, Md. (AP)--When asked how long she's been drawing, Keight Kramer laughed and said she began when she was "little-little." But she didn't get really serious until sixth or seventh grade. "I've been drawing since I was 3 or 4 years...