9-4-98

Contacts:
Corly Peterson Brooke, Center for Teaching Excellence, (515) 294- 2906
Steve Sullivan, News Service, (515) 294-3720

ISU'S JISCHKE COMMITS $1.5 MILLION TO LEARNING COMMUNITIES

AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State University President Martin Jischke has allocated $1.5 million over the next three years to enhance the university's learning community program.

Jischke made the announcement Thursday, Sept. 3, at his annual fall convocation address.

Iowa State launched its learning community program in 1995. Students are offered the opportunity to join learning communities during freshman summer orientation. Learning community students take courses together, work with faculty and staff mentors, create their own study groups and, in some cases, live on the same residence hall floor.

Learning communities have grown in popularity at ISU. In fall 1995, 342 students signed up for learning communities. In fall 1998, approximately 1,350 students signed up for 59 learning communities.

A university study showed that learning team students earned slightly better grade-point averages, took a greater class load and were more likely to stay at Iowa State.

ISU colleges offering learning communities are agriculture, business, design, education, engineering, and liberal arts and sciences. ISU also offers a cross-cultural learning community, an honors program learning community and a Women in Science and Engineering learning community.

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Revised 9/4/98