UNI Legislative Update
The Office of Governmental Relations provides legislative updates to the campus community through online communication and bimonthly campus presentations. These updates will inform faculty, staff and students of hot topics facing the legislature and legislative actions affecting UNI and the Regents institutions.
March 10, 2008
Gov. Culver and President Allen hold press conference
Governor Culver and President Allen held a press conference today at the Capitol to reiterate the importance of the Math and Science Initiative.
Here is the write-up from the Des Moines Register...
Gov. Chet Culver urged lawmakers Monday to pass two proposals that would give high school students more math and science training and greater access to college-level courses.
"It's critical that we make sure we have a talented and prepared work force to take on the new jobs coming to Iowa," Culver said. He said 7,000 jobs are being created in Iowa, 1,800 of which will be "green collar" or renewable energy jobs.
Pushing the education and training proposals with Culver were Tom Hobson, Rockwell Collins government affairs director; Robert Denson, president of Des Moines Area Community College; and Ben Allen, president of the University of Northern Iowa.
The governor seeks:
- $4.7 million to create an institute at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls to increase the number of math, science and technology teachers in Iowa. "The goal is to improve the performance of all Iowa students - every girl, every boy, of every race and ethnicity," Allen said.
- $3.5 million to give all Iowa high school students access to at least 30 hours of college courses.
Culver said about 70 Iowa high school districts fail to provide college courses to students, while students in districts like Des Moines can leave high school with two years of college credit. "This is an issue of fairness that needs to be addressed immediately," he said. "Thousands of high school students have zero access."
Culver, Hobson and Denson said Iowa needs to improve student instruction so the state can compete better. "We're not just competing state to state, we're competing worldwide," Hobson said. The fast-growing Cedar Rapids-based aviation electronics company seeks to fill dozens of engineering positions each year.
UNI's Allen said Iowa's statistics are worrisome: Half of students taking American College Tests are not ready for college algebra - "the gateway course for other math and science classes." Twenty-five percent of students take physics, and "even fewer take computer courses."
While students are struggling with math and science, the teachers for the subjects are dwindling. For example, about 100 physics teachers in Iowa are ready to retire but only 14 possible replacements are coming from regents universities, Allen said.
As Culver pressured lawmakers, The Des Moines Register reported that community colleges were becoming increasingly frustrated with the number of high school graduates who are unprepared for college.
Culver said exposing high school students to college-level classes forces an earlier assessment of skills and prompts remedial classes if necessary.