17 May 2012

KOKOMO, Ind. — Indiana University Kokomo continues its growth trend into the first summer session, with increased enrollment of more than 12 percent.

Students walking the halls of the Main Building

Overall enrollment on Monday (May 14), the first day of the session, was up 12.5 percent from the first day of the 2011 session. The number of credit hours taken grew 14.4 percent.

Chancellor Michael Harris credits the increase to the quality of degree programs, the wide variety of classes offered, and the Student Success Tuition Discount program, which saves a student a year's worth of tuition and ensures degree completion.

IU President Michael A. McRobbie announced earlier this year that all IU campuses will offer a 25 percent summer school discount in an effort to provide financial relief to students, promote year-round college attendance, shorten the time it takes students to graduate, and make more effective use of campus facilities statewide.

"IU Kokomo is becoming a campus of choice for year-round education," Harris said. "We offer the degree programs our students need to graduate in order to be ready to compete in a global economy, as well as be prepared to move on to graduate and professional schools."

Norma Fewell, information management specialist, said the campus's newest students are enrolling during the summer as well.

"We are seeing a lot more of our incoming freshmen taking summer classes," she said. "Those students usually wait for the fall, so the tuition discount and the wider availability of summer classes is bringing them to campus earlier."

Overall, she said, preliminary data showed Kokomo to have the second-highest increase in summer enrollment among IU campuses.

IU Kokomo students who take a full academic load during the summer session can save about $700 with the summer tuition discount.

Jack Tharp, vice chancellor for student affairs, said most of the increase is junior- and senior-level students.

"Our upper-level students are seeing the value of making progress toward a degree, rather than taking the summer off from school," he said.

In the last two years, the campus implemented team sports and joined the NAIA, revised its academic advising center, reinvented recruitment strategies, enhanced financial aid, developed a stronger relationship with Ivy Tech Community College and area high schools, and emphasized campus beautification.

IU Kokomo students graduate with the least amount of debt compared to other IU regional campuses. The campus also earned the highest grade in the state, along with three private institutions, from the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, which is based on what is taught in the classroom.

Ninety-nine percent of the campus' students are Indiana residents, the highest number of any IU campus. Ninety percent of those students live and work in Indiana, while 80 percent reside in north central Indiana.

"Students in our area are recognizing the quality of education we provide here, and are choosing to earn their degrees on our campus," Harris said. "We are innovative and forward thinking. Our enrollment reflects the hard work and commitment of our faculty and staff to prepare our students to succeed."

Indiana University Kokomo serves north central Indiana.

17 May 2012

KOKOMO, Ind. — A partial solar eclipse will entertain the sky this Sunday (May 20) evening, and the Observatory at Indiana University Kokomo will provide a bird's eye view to the public.

The Observatory

Patrick Motl, assistant professor of physics, said the eclipse should begin shortly before sunset, around 8:20 p.m. The Observatory, 105 E. Rebecca Lane, will be open from 7 to 10 p.m. Motl said stargazers should be able to view Saturn when the sky is darker. There is no admission fee.

"People in the western two-thirds of North America will see the moon pass in front of the sun, creating a partial solar eclipse low in the western sky," Motl said.

Those watching from the southwest will see a rare annular eclipse, in which the moon appears entirely within the sun's disk, also describe as a "ring of fire."

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon gets directly between Earth and the sun. Sunday's event will be a partial solar eclipse across most of the United States and Canada, and a more compelling annular solar eclipse for a narrow swath of residents in the West and Southwest. The sun sets before any of it will be visible from the East Coast, however.

The Observatory features two telescopes mounted together – a six-inch Takahashi refracting telescope and a 16-inch Meade reflecting telescope. The Takahashi provides exceptionally sharp images of planets, while the Meade lets stargazers see fainter objects in the sky, due to its larger light collecting area.

Indiana University Kokomo serves north central Indiana.

09 May 2012

KOKOMO, Ind. – Stargazers can get a closer look at three planets on Sunday, May 13, when the Indiana University Kokomo Observatory hosts its monthly open house, from 8 to 11 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Patrick Motl peers into the telescope in the IU Kokomo Observatory

Patrick Motl, assistant professor of physics, said with the moon rising later in the evening, there should be good views of Venus, Mars, and Saturn during the open house.

"We will be losing Jupiter as a nighttime object, but gaining Saturn," he said, adding that Venus is heading for its transit in June. During this rare alignment, Venus passes directly between the earth and the sun, and can be seen as a small dot gliding slowly across the face of the sun.

Motl will begin the evening at 8 p.m. with a brief talk on the transit of Venus, which explorers in the past used in an attempt to measure the size of the solar system and objects beyond.

He plans to have the observatory open afternoon hours on Tuesday, June 5, for people to see the transit, which is a once-in-a-lifetime event.

"The next one is in 2117, so I'm not so optimistic to plan on seeing that one," Motl said.

For more information about the transit of Venus, go to www.transitofvenus.org.

The Observatory at IU Kokomo features two telescopes mounted together – a six-inch Takahashi refracting telescope and a 16-inch Meade reflecting telescope. The Takahashi provides exceptionally sharp images of planets, while the Meade lets stargazers see fainter objects in the sky, due to its larger light collecting area.

The Kokomo Astronomy Club will also be present on Sunday to set up their own personal telescopes, which will allow for a variety of views.

The Observatory, 105 E. Rebecca Lane, opens its doors to the Kokomo community on the second Sunday of each month during the spring and fall semesters. Free parking is available.

Indiana University Kokomo serves north central Indiana.

08 May 2012

KOKOMO, Ind. — The Class of 2012 began a new Indiana University Kokomo tradition Tuesday (May 8), celebrating Commencement in the campus’ new pavilion.

Commencement 2012 View Flickr gallery.

Sunny skies and 70-degree weather prevailed for the outdoor ceremony, and many graduates wore sunglasses along with their caps and gowns. Family members cheered and took pictures as the graduates processed to the pavilion, smiling and ready to celebrate.

IU President Michael A. McRobbie called the day a celebration of accomplishment, and congratulated the class on reaching the important milestone of graduation.

“All of your accomplishments are a measure of the spirit of achievement and opportunity that pervades this growing campus,” he said.

He urged the graduates to embrace change.

“Your accomplishments reflect the world of the 21^st Century, a world vastly different from the one in which your parents grew up, and one that your great-grandparents likely would not even recognize,” McRobbie said. “It is a world where you should expect to change careers multiple times, and, with the increasing globalization of our economic system, you should also be ready to work overseas for a period of your career.”

Chancellor Michael Harris said the pavilion is just one of the many changes the 493-member graduating class has embraced during their academic careers at IU Kokomo.

“We are an engaged campus, on the move, and the Class of 2012 actively participated in our ongoing transformation toward being a world class regional campus, part of a world-class university,” Harris said.

That change has included the addition of teams sports and joining the NAIA, 15 new degree programs, offering of classes online and on Fridays, opening a nursing simulation center, a next generation classroom and a digital media center.

“We appreciate that you took ownership of your education, and worked with faculty and staff toward these successes, “he said. “Change is not easy, yet you embraced it. You have earned my immense respect.”

Student speaker Geny Studebaker, from Rossville, also talked of the change the class has seen, and wished them “the courage to pursue change” in the future.

“With an open mind, accepting change will become easier,” she said. “Our generation is in a unique position to start a new path for those behind us to follow. This is our world. We should be the ones to decide which path it should follow.”

Each of the graduates crossed the stage to accept his or her diploma and a handshake or hug from Harris. Whole classes cheered as Harris presented them to McRobbie for conferral of degrees. Applause broke out in sections of the audience as Registrar Stacey Thomas read individual names.

Student vocalist Courtney Shively ended the ceremony by leading singing of Hail to Old IU. Some of the graduates began blowing bubbles, then burst into cheers as it concluded.

Harris encouraged the graduates to be forward thinking, intentional, and optimistic in planning their lives beyond IU Kokomo, “despite what may look like challenging economic times.

“With an IU degree in hand, you have a world of opportunities.”

Indiana University Kokomo serves north central Indiana.