Education

The Chronicle of Higher Education has again named Murray State University as a “Great College to Work For.” Murray State earned excellence in three categories, Professional/Career Development Programs, Respect and Appreciation, and Teaching Environment.

Illinois’ U.S. Senator Dick Durbin is calling on his colleagues to pass his Know Before You Owe Act, a measure that would help college students understand the range of educational loan options before they borrow.  Durbin says most undergraduates with private loans didn’t know they were eligible for safer, and cheaper, federal loans.  Federal student loans have fixed interest rates and offer a range of consumer protections and favorable terms to make repayment more manageable.  By contrast, private loans often have uncapped variable interest rates and few, if any, customer protections.

Henry County, Tenn., school officials begin a new texting tip program this school year.  According to the Paris Post-Intelligencer, the sheriff’s office will give the Henry County High School resource officer a cell phone so students can text him with tips about crime. Henry County Sheriff Monte Belew says young people will communicate more readily in a text than they will face-to-face.  Belew says that means students can quickly alert the resource officer if someone brings a weapon or drugs to school or if they overhear someone planning to harm students or faculty.

College students in much of Kentucky move into dorms later this week.  Many will be greeted by the sounds of construction.  Residence halls are under construction at the University of Kentucky, Berea College and Eastern Kentucky University. And those new buildings will be some of “greenest” ever built in the Commonwealth.

The residence hall or dormitory projects, if you prefer, at Berea College, EKU and UK will be built with energy efficiency in mind.  At Berea College, Vice President Steve Karcher says a new 122-bed green dorm will be sealed against the elements…

During a meeting this morning of faculty and staff at Eastern Kentucky University, President Doug Whitlock announced his retirement.  Whitlock, who's spent his higher education career at EKU, says his administration will end at the conclusion of this academic year. 

The Kentucky Historical Society is releasing a smartphone app so users can find out more about the Commonwealth's historic sites.  The Explore Kentucky History app connects historical markers, related items in the Historical Society's collections and user-submitted images and stories to points of interest on a map. The information is then grouped together into tours, with a Civil War-themed tour the first available.  The KHS says it hopes Kentuckians and local history groups will participate, submitting images and stories.  The app is available for free.