Indiana lawmakers on the House Education Committee have unanimously approved a Senate bill designed to lower college debt and expand educational opportunities statewide.

State Sen. Jean Leising - R-Oldenburg - told the committee that she authored Senate Bill 8 to mandate state universities re-examine their degree programs, to see if they could be accomplished in less time.

"That they have to look at four-year bachelor programs and see if any of them could be completed in three years," said Leising. "Wouldn't it be nice for kids, like I represent in my rural counties, to be able to complete a bachelor's degree in three years and hold down the cost of education?"

The committee introduced a few amendments to offer smaller schools more implementation flexibility, and requiring universities to disclose foreign financial gifts - including a five-year look-back period.

Leising's bill garnered bipartisan support.

It also would create a statewide "reverse transfer" policy for Ivy Tech Community College and Vincennes University, to award associate degrees to eligible former and current students.

Leising said in drafting the bill, she drew from personal experiences and program successes like Indiana's College Core - which is a block of 30 credit-hours that are transferable between all public colleges and universities in the state.

"I liked the looks of it when they first approached me, because I saw the benefits to my own granddaughter," said Leising. "When she graduated from a small private high school with about 200 kids, and she had 37 college credits to transfer directly to Purdue with the letter grades."

The legislation is a cornerstone of Gov. Eric Holcomb's 2024 "Next Level Agenda," which proponents say could revolutionize Indiana's education landscape for students and families grappling with costs.




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A North Carolina university student is breaking new ground in math education.

Megan McAnany is an elementary and special education major at William Peace University.

She is making history as the first student from her school to win the North Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics Outstanding Mathematics Education Student award.

McAnany said her achievement highlights her dedication to math education, and the value of her university's personalized teaching approach.

"I felt very honored to be able to be the one that's recognized for my school," said McAnany. "And I think part of that is because I had such great classmates, and a teacher that focused really on that one-on-one."

The NCCTM began recognizing college students in 2012, with winners typically coming from larger institutions - such as East Carolina, North Carolina State, and Elon University.

McAnany is set to begin student teaching this spring, following her successful placement at Green Elementary in Raleigh.

She said her goal is to make math engaging and approachable, something that played a key role in earning the award. She also credited her student-centered approach for its impact on young learners.

"You have to see your student - who they are, who their interests are, what their strengths are, and what their needs are," said McAnany. "And instead of teaching everybody the same and giving them the same strategies, you have to look at it as an individualized student and help them find different strategies. "

As North Carolina grapples with a shortage of teachers, McAnany said she is ready to bring fresh energy and innovative strategies to the classroom, inspiring the next generation of learners.

Despite pushback, Idaho is again targeting diversity and inclusion efforts on college campuses.

Over the holiday break, the Idaho State Board of Education passed the "Resolution on DEI Ideology in Higher Education," which prevents "central offices, policies, procedures or initiatives" on diversity, equity and inclusion.

Francisco Salinas, who currently works at Spokane Falls Community College, has worked at the University of Idaho and Boise State University, including as director of student diversity and inclusion. He said he worked with students and student groups that welcomed and supported peers with similar backgrounds and experiences.

"I got to see it be transformational in the lives of students, and it was heartwarming," Salinas recounted. "That's why it's so heartbreaking to see these things taken away."

The board said DEI efforts in higher education are not welcoming for every student but the board acknowledged at the Dec. 18 meeting where the resolution passed it received feedback from nearly 700 students, about 80% of whom were against the resolution.

Many Idaho universities have already closed or renamed offices and positions associated with diversity and inclusion, including Salinas, who had his job title changed to assistant to the vice president for equity initiatives at Boise State University before he left in 2022. He stressed students and staff are likely to reconsider coming to or staying in Idaho.

"This kind of thing makes it less likely that the state of Idaho not only will see a diverse population of students in higher education but it's a real signal for faculty that might consider employment in the state of Idaho that the state of Idaho is actually hostile to diversity efforts," Salinas contended.

Higher education institutions are required to comply with the resolution by June 30 but Salinas hopes students in particular feel it is an ongoing discussion.

"Because there was a decision made does not mean that the conversation is over, and that's the way that power works," Salinas asserted. "It's an ongoing negotiation, but they need to know that they have a place in that negotiation."


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A New Mexico professor who was once encouraged to pursue a "more ladylike" career is now featured in a book about high-achieving women in STEM fields.

STEM is the acronym for science, technology, engineering, and math.

Adriana Romero Olivares, assistant professor of biology at New Mexico State University, said she did not excel in the classroom until high school, when a few teachers and a family acquaintance spotted her potential. And despite the rarity of seeing women or people of color working as scientists, she decided to study biology.

"They always show you your stereotypical scientist, which in most cases is a man, which in most cases is white," Romero Olivares observed. "All of those things do not mean that you're not going to be good in science."

Her childhood story and career are included in the book: "Determined to be Extraordinary: Spectacular Stories of Modern Women in STEM." She is one of 27 women interviewed from a range of backgrounds, ethnicities, classes and cultures. The book won a 2024 Moonbeam Children's Book Award, and also the 2024 NYC Big Book Award.

Romero Olivares, who grew up in Mexico, joined the biology faculty at the university in 2020. She and her students are researching long-standing questions on microbial ecology and how it relates to climate change projections.

"I do have a specific interest in fungi," Romero Olivares explained. "We study how the fungi are responding to global climate change -- things like environmental stress, drought, higher temperatures, physical disturbance -- those sorts of things."

Romero Olivares joined a think-tank organization last year to produce a report underscoring the importance of microbes in developing climate change projections. The reports are given to policymakers, members of Congress, the National Science Foundation and other agencies deciding on research funding.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.


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