Latest news with #JamesTipton
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
EKU breaks ground on new Model Laboratory School: ‘New era in education'
RICHMOND, Ky. (FOX 56) — Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) marked Teacher Appreciation Day with two major milestones for education in Kentucky: the groundbreaking of a state-of-the-art Model Laboratory School and the official formation of EKU's School of Education within the College of Education and Applied Human Sciences (CEAHS). President David McFaddin hailed the day as a defining moment for EKU and the future of educator preparation. 'This new facility will be a hub of innovation and research—one of the most distinctive environments in the nation for post-secondary teacher preparation,' McFaddin said. 'We're celebrating the impact of immersive learning and shaping tomorrow's educators.' LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: The new Model Laboratory School, Kentucky's only public P–12 teaching lab, will enhance EKU's reputation as a leader in teacher education by offering hands-on, interdisciplinary experiences to both undergraduate and graduate students. Through its unique integration of research, instruction, and real-world practice, Model Lab plays a vital role in preparing students for a variety of educational careers. 'Innovation is key to solving Kentucky's teacher shortage,' said State Representative James Tipton, chairman of the Kentucky House Higher Education Committee. 'This new facility redefines how we prepare future educators and underscores the importance of investing in the teacher pipeline.' Backed by $149.1 million in funding from the Kentucky General Assembly during the 2021–22 and 2023–24 sessions, the new Model Lab will rise on EKU's south campus, near the Leslie Leach Driving Range on Kit Carson Drive. Its proximity to the Kentucky Center for School Safety and the Department of Criminal Justice Training paves the way for interdisciplinary partnerships, particularly in school safety innovation. LATEST KENTUCKY LISTS AND RANKINGS: The campus will include Model Lab's elementary, middle, and high school facilities, as well as EKU's early childhood development center. It will also feature college classrooms, faculty offices, an auditorium, a lecture hall, and a professional learning center, creating a fully immersive environment for EKU education students. Kentucky leaders and EKU alumni see the investment as a powerful force for community and statewide transformation. 'As a proud EKU alumna and parent of a Model Lab graduate, I know the impact this new school and the School of Education will have for generations,' said State Rep. Deanna Frazier Gordon. 'This is a win for our students, educators, and Madison County.' 'This project cements Madison County as a model for educational advancement,' added State Sen. Jared Carpenter. 'It brings resources, talent, and prestige to our region.' In tandem with the groundbreaking, EKU formally launched its new School of Education. Housed within CEAHS, the School of Education will provide a more visible identity for EKU's longstanding commitment to preparing high-quality educators. 'The School of Education is more than just a new name—it's a recommitment to our mission,' said Dr. Elizabeth Smith, dean of CEAHS. 'It strengthens our identity and expands our impact across Kentucky and beyond.' Latest central Kentucky weather forecast A new pilot program beginning this fall will allow first-year education majors to integrate directly into the Model Lab environment. Students will take core courses co-taught by EKU and Model faculty, blending theory with immediate application in a P–12 setting. John Williamson, superintendent of Model Lab and dean of P–12 education, emphasized the significance of the collaboration. 'As the only lab school in the state, this partnership reflects a deep and renewed commitment to preparing quality educators for Kentucky.' Construction of the new Model Laboratory School is expected to be completed in time for the 2027–28 academic year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
KY House committee broke open meetings law but attorney general can't rule on procedural question
Rep. James Tipton speaks to students after chairing a Mach 4 meeting of the House Committee on Postsecondary Education that became the subject of an open meetings challenge. (Kentucky Lantern photo by McKenna Horsley) Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman's office has ruled that a House committee violated the state open meetings law but the attorney general does not have the authority to determine if the committee also violated legislative procedures. The opinion is a response to an open meetings complaint filed by James Orlick, a graduate student at the University of Louisville, who opposed a bill ending diversity, equity and inclusion in Kentucky higher education. Orlick, who presented his complaint to House Speaker David Osborne and committee chair Rep. James Tipton, questioned the legality of a vote on a title amendment to House Bill 4. At the end of a contentious committee meeting on March 4, Tipton, a Taylorsville Republican, adjourned the House Committee on Postsecondary Education before it had taken the necessary procedural step of approving a title amendment to the measure. Tipton called for the dispersing lawmakers to vote on the title amendment, which they did. Title amendments are required to ensure the title of a bill approved by a committee accurately reflects the contents of the legislation. The attorney general's opinion released Wednesday said the committee violated the open meetings law by not responding to Orlick's complaint within three business days as required by state law. Orlick took the issue to the attorney general's office after not receiving a response. 'In this appeal, the Appellant (Orlick) asks the Office to determine whether the Committee may reconvene a meeting — immediately after the chairman announced the meeting was adjourned — to complete the Committee's business it inadvertently had not finished,' the opinion said. 'Thus, in effect, the Appellant asks the Office to determine the legality of the procedures used by a standing committee of the General Assembly. This the Office cannot do.' The opinion also says that if the Attorney General did have jurisdiction over the matter, its ruling would be moot as the title amendment was later added during the legislative process. The Senate added the title amendment when it debated the bill. The General Assembly ultimately put HB 4 into law after overriding a veto from Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear. Attorney general opinions do carry the weight of law and can be appealed to the appropriate circuit court. Orlick told the Kentucky Lantern Wednesday afternoon that he was considering other legal options. Orlick said he feels 'some relief' that the opinion noted the legislature violated the open meetings law, but was concerned about the office's opinion that it lacked jurisdiction over the matter. 'I think this is a very interesting and concerning issue that now the attorney general is saying that (he) doesn't have jurisdiction,' he said. 'So who's going to hold them accountable? Just trust the Kentucky legislature to police themselves and they violate laws? I think this is a dangerous and a slippery slope for any kind of democracy, even on the state level, too.' Laura Leigh Goins, a spokesperson for the House Republican Caucus, said in a statement 'the committee failed to adopt a title amendment, but afterward recognized that its attempt to fix the oversight did not comply with its rules.' Thus, the Senate added the title amendment, which was adopted by both chambers, 'ensuring that it was done in compliance with the legislative rules and the Open Meetings Act.' 'Ultimately, as the opinion recognizes, the issue was identified early by lawmakers and staff and addressed immediately with an appropriate remedy,' she said. 'The Speaker's Office is taking additional steps to ensure members, particularly committee chairs and vice chairs, avoid similar situations in the future.'
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
KY lawmakers will ban trans folks from the bathroom but won't stop real child predators
Some Kentucky legislators puffed up their chests last week because they called the cops on a transgender woman who used a restroom at the Capitol. What big men they are, so intent on keeping our children safe from predators in our midst. Except they don't actually care about keeping our children safe from predators in our midst. For the third year in a row, an omnibus bill to address teacher sexual abuse failed in the General Assembly. Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, took up the issue after the Lexington Herald-Leader found that a majority of teachers who lose their licenses do so because of sexual misconduct. Guess what? The vast majority of cases are not about gay or transgender people. Instead, they involve male teachers and teenage girls. The legislation has been tinkered with a lot over the past three years, and it has broad bipartisan and teacher organization support. House Bill 36 would stop problem teachers from being shipped from one district to another and banning nondisclosure agreements between teachers and school districts about teacher misconduct involving minors, including sexual misconduct. The bill also would increase disclosure requirements about past misconduct and improve current training. Right now, teachers get some training, but not about inappropriate relationships between teachers and students. Incredible as that sounds, they still need it. The legislature did pass two piecemeal bills: Senate Bill 120, which would make it clear that coaches have to report abuse and neglect, including sexual misconduct, and Senate Bill 181 would make it clear that students and adults can only communicate via already-approved communication means. These are good steps, but they don't do enough. Tipton told my colleague Beth Musgrave that some people were still worried about false accusations. But there is plenty of due process to deal with that. Right now there aren't enough ways to stop bad actors from floating around school districts. Tipton's bill needs to become a top priority for next session. Kudos to him for his diligence and patience on this matter. But in this session, a lot of lawmakers went after after the things they think are dangerous, such as Black history, clean water and transgender folks, who are, by the way, a tiny percent of the population just trying to live their lives. What if instead they tried to stop the verifiably bad people who traumatize and abuse our children? Once again, it is the height of hypocrisy to target a man wearing a dress in the Capitol while, as we speak, a man wearing pants somewhere is sexting with one of his students.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill professors fear might erode tenure at Kentucky universities passes House
Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, speaks on the House floor about a bill that would give universities and colleges the ability to remove faculty members and presidents for not meeting 'performance and productivity requirements." (Kentucky Lantern photo by McKenna Horsley) FRANKFORT — A bill that some Kentucky academics argue could erode faculty tenure in the state's public universities passed the House Tuesday. House Bill 424 from Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, would give universities and colleges the ability to remove faculty members and presidents for not meeting 'performance and productivity requirements' set by the institutions' boards. The bill would require faculty and presidents to be evaluated at least once every four years. House members voted 78-17 on the bill mostly on party lines. Rep. Scott Lewis, of Hartford, was the only Republican to join most of the chambers' Democrats in voting against the measure. The House also passed in a voice vote a floor amendment to the bill from Tipton that removed the limit on universities' employment contracts. 'This is so we have a more efficient, more effective system of public education for students across the commonwealth,' Tipton said. Tipton repeated past comments he's made about the bill on the floor, again saying the bill was 'not about tenure.' While presenting the bill in the House Committee on Postsecondary Education last week, Tipton said the bill was 'about employment contracts' and not tenure in higher education. Tipton is the chair of that committee and had introduced similar legislation last session. During the committee, a few professors expressed opposition to the bill. Julie Cyzewski, an associate professor at Murray State University, told the committee Tipton's bill 'would deeply complicate and confuse the process of teaching and running the university' and the process laid out in the bill was 'very arbitrary,' which could jeopardize student learning. Michael Frazier, the executive director of the Kentucky Student Rights Coalition, was the only public citizen to support the bill in the committee. He said the coalition supports the bill because it 'does closely protect academic freedom' while ensuring that the 'status quo of higher education does not remain' in the state. On the House floor, Rep. Rachel Roarx, D-Louisville, said she was voting against the bill because it would add 'extra burden to our universities and professors.' She had previously passed her vote in the committee last week. The bill now goes to the Senate for further consideration this session.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
KY professors say bill could erode academic tenure. Sponsor says it's ‘not about tenure.'
Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, says his bill is not about tenure. Kentucky academics disagree. (LRC Public Information) FRANKFORT — A Kentucky House committee forwarded a bill that academics warn could erode faculty tenure at the state's public universities and colleges. Meanwhile, the Republican sponsor repeatedly said the bill 'is not about tenure.' If it passes the General Assembly this year, House Bill 424 would give universities and colleges the ability to remove faculty members and presidents for not meeting 'performance and productivity requirements' set by the institutions' boards. The bill would require faculty and presidents to be evaluated at least once every four years. The House Committee on Postsecondary Education adopted a committee substitute version of the bill during its Tuesday meeting. The bill now reads that 'no person shall receive an employment contract' for more than four years at an institution of higher education. It previously said no employment contracts could be offered for more than four years 'except full-time faculty members may, in lieu of receiving tenure if offered by the public postsecondary institution, receive an employment contract for up to six years.' The sponsor of the legislation, committee Chair James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, introduced a similar bill last year though he did not seek a committee vote on it. During Tuesday's meeting, he testified that he had gotten a suggestion to include a definition of tenure in the bill, but 'I really could not come up with a good definition for tenure that I felt comfortable putting in statute.' 'I felt like it was best to leave that definition up to each individual public postsecondary institution to define tenure on their own campus, because this bill is not about tenure,' Tipton said. 'This is about employment contracts.' However, multiple professors — both who testified Tuesday with United Campus Workers of Kentucky and spoke to the Kentucky Lantern ahead of the meeting — warned that Tipton's proposal could erode tenure at Kentucky universities. Down the road, the bill could make it harder to recruit and retain faculty who are seeking benefits that tenured positions offer, they say. According to the American Association of University Professors, a tenured position 'is an indefinite appointment that can be terminated only for cause or under extraordinary circumstances such as financial exigency and program discontinuation.' Julie Cyzewski, an associate professor at Murray State University, told the committee that the tenure process is a 'rigorous one' that requires feedback from colleagues and administrators — and she had just completed that process herself. She said Tipton's bill 'would deeply complicate and confuse the process of teaching and running the university' and the process laid out in the bill was 'very arbitrary,' which could jeopardize student learning. 'Removing tenure protections removes protections for faculty to conduct research and teach free from outside influence. This risks undermining the reputation of Kentucky's public higher ed system and puts student success at risk,' Cyzewski said. 'Murray State in particular, as all of our institutions, need to recruit and retain high quality faculty in order to continue to offer our students an excellent education that prepares them for their future.' Bills to pave the way for new graduate programs at Murray State, as well as Western Kentucky University and Eastern Kentucky University, have been filed in both the House and Senate. A study by Deloitte Consulting reviewed by lawmakers in November highlighted that the universities would have to make some hires or rely on existing faculty for the new programs, depending on the degrees planned. Bernadette Barton, a professor at Morehead State University, told the committee that the bill could establish 'a process of eroding tenure' and give university boards and presidents the power to 'terminate faculty for possibly ideological reasons.' She said tenured faculty, including herself, at Morehead State go through annual reviews. Ahead of the meeting, Karen Petrone, a professor and president of the American Association of University Professors chapter at the University of Kentucky, told the Lantern said that the chapter shares a goal of Tipton's — making education in Kentucky the best that it can be. However, the chapter is opposed to centralizing the faculty review process. Petrone said that the bill does not outright eliminate tenure, but 'there's a danger of erosion of tenure.' 'To know what is actually the proper way to evaluate somebody, you need to be close to them to understand what the norms are in their particular fields,' Petrone said. 'And I think that the danger of a bill like this is to go at the flyover level, where the board of trustees or the president doesn't even necessarily know how to evaluate the faculty, whereas the faculty who are alongside those faculty in that same field do understand how to evaluate them.' UK's administration and faculty members are already at odds over a change in shared governance at the university that took effect over the summer. The Board of Trustees voted to replace the University Senate with a faculty senate that professors argued stripped them of power over academic decisions. Petrone said a bill like Tipton's could raise anxiety on campus about faculty evaluations if it passes because an 'adequate faculty voice' may not be able to articulate how the new evaluations should be carried out and the guard rails for due process have recently changed. Katy Varner, the executive director of American Federation of Teachers Local 1360, which represents Kentucky Community and Technical College System employees, wrote in an email before the meeting that the bill is 'dangerous legislation' as it could pave the way for faculty members to be fired for not meeting productivity standards that would be hard to define because their mission is not mass production but educating students. 'The idea that a tenure track professor has a job for life is a myth,' Varner said. 'Higher ed professors can and do lose their positions for various reasons; the failure to execute the terms of their contract, non-compliance with federal or state laws and conviction of a crime are some examples. Tenure protects a professor's right to free speech and to question the status quo if necessary. Tenure should protect a professor against racial, ethnic, gender, and age discrimination. Tenure helps ensure the right to due process. Tenure helps students learn about and think about ideas that may not be currently politically popular.' Nevertheless, the bill does have some supporters. Michael Frazier, the executive director of the Kentucky Student Rights Coalition, told the committee on Tuesday that the coalition supports the bill because it 'does closely protect academic freedom' while ensuring that the 'status quo of higher education does not remain' in the state. He argued that low income and minority students had been 'disproportionately impacted by the stagnation of higher education.' Eleven Republicans on the committee, including Tipton, voted Tuesday in favor of the bill. Two Democrats, Reps. George Brown Jr., of Lexington, and Sarah Stalker, of Louisville, voted against it. Rep. Rachel Roarx, D-Louisville, passed. If the bill receives a favorable vote on the House floor, it could go to the Senate for further consideration. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
