About Vanderburgh County, IN

The University of Evansville says it welcomed its largest freshman class in more than a decade this morning. UE says the class of 701 is the largest in 13 years and the overall full-time student body is up 6 percent over last year. The university says it experienced increased enrollment from students in Vanderburgh and surrounding counties and saw its number of transfer and adult students grow this fall.

The University of Evansville began fall classes this morning with an increase in overall student enrollment, including the largest freshman class in more than a decade.

UE's freshman class of 701 is the largest in 13 years, and the full-time student body is up 6.0 percent over last year. The new class also ranks among the strongest in the last decade, with higher SAT scores and a larger percentage of students who ranked in the top 10 of their high school graduating classes.

"We are extremely pleased to see such strong growth of full-time students on campus," said Thomas Bear, UE vice president for enrollment services. "Seeing this kind of increase, especially in these difficult economic times, is an endorsement to the quality of education UE provides. Our recent rankings in U.S. News & World Report as a top 10 Masters-granting institution in the Midwest, #6 strong commitment to teaching, and #2 Best Value in the region has prompted more students locally to consider UE."

The University experienced increased enrollment from students in Vanderburgh and surrounding counties. Additionally, UE saw its number of transfer and adult students grow this fall.

"There continues to be a strong desire for many local students and residents to obtain a University of Evansville education. Several local veterans who served in either Iraq or Afghanistan have embraced UE's participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program. This financial award provides these servicemen and women a full-tuition scholarship," stated Bear. "To support the enrollment of these students, the University opened an Office of Veterans' Affairs on campus."

As in past years, diversity is a hallmark of the UE student body for the 2009-10 academic year, with students representing 44 states and 48 countries. Ten percent of the entering class are domestic minority students, meeting another University strategic goal.

Source: University of Evansville & Inside INdiana Business http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?ID=37379

The University of Evansville will provide an open discussion next week about health care issues. The forum, which will be held September 10 at UE's Schroeder Family School of Business Administration, will address America's health care system, some of the plans for change and possible ramifications of various ideas. UE says it wanted to create a non-political event to discuss the system and various options for changes.

With Congress preparing to return to work, and health care the topic on every American's tongue, faculty from the University of Evansville are looking to provide an open discussion about the issues.

The forum, which will be held Thursday, September 10 at 7:00 p.m. in Harkness Hall (room 162) of UE's Schroeder Family School of Business Administration, will be a discussion of America's health care system, some of the plans for change, and possible ramifications of various ideas.

The event is free, and open to the public.

"Obviously, health care is always an important issue for quality of life. Currently, there is considerable controversy surrounding the best way to provide quality and access while managing cost," said Lynn Penland, dean of UE's College of Education & Health Sciences. "With all of the attention being paid to the issue, we wanted to create a non-political event where we can discuss our system and various options for changes."

The forum will begin with brief comments from Penland, who will serve as the moderator, and the three panelists. They then will open the floor for questions and comments.

The panel will include:

· Dr. Amy Hall, chair of the UE Department of Nursing
· Dr. William Stroube, UE Professor and Director of Health Services Administration
· Mary Kessler, chair of the UE Department of Physical Therapy
· Dr. Robert Clark, dean of the UE Schroeder Family School of Business Administration

The Core Purpose of the University of Evansville is to provide life transforming educational experiences that prepare students to engage the world as informed, ethical and productive citizens.

Source: University of Evansville & Inside INdiana Business

http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?ID=37458

The University of Evansville's Ridgway University Center is the second Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified building in Vanderburgh County - and the second on the UE campus.

The building, located on Walnut Street across from the Carson Center, opened in November 2008. It was designed by Hafer Associates and Mackey Mitchell Associates and built by Industrial Contractors as an environmentally friendly building, and was registered with LEED before construction began in mid-2007.

"At the University of Evansville, we are proud of our commitment to sustainable, 'green' living," said UE President Stephen Jennings. "As a university, we have made it one of our goals to reduce our carbon footprint in any way we can, and by building the county's first two LEED-certified structures, we are backing up that commitment with action. These campus facilities have been constructed so they require less energy, use less water, and adhere to all of the standards laid out by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design."

The Alcoa Foundation also provided generous financial support to the LEED components of the Ridgway University Center.

Buildings must earn points in six categories set forth by the U.S. Green Building Council in order to achieve LEED certification. Those six categories are: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design.

Construction was completed on Ridgway University Center in late summer 2008. The center opened in November 2008. After opening, all LEED-registered buildings must go through several months of use and testing before being officially LEED-certified.

- Mark Wilson

Source: http://www.courierpress.com/news/2009/aug/30/evansville-ue-widens-its-lead-in-green/

Consumer Reports magazine advises home owners not to put off important maintenance projects, noting that waiting until the economy rebounds could end up making the repairs more costly while putting a family's health at risk.

The magazine identifies five crucial maintenance issues:

• Check the gutters: Clogged gutters, broken fasteners and separations where the gutters meet the fascia board will lead to roof leaks if they haven't already.
• Inspect the roof: Cracked, curled and mussing shingles mean a roof is nearing the end of its useful life. Cracks around chimneys, skylights, and roof valleys can also suggest the roof might be leaking.
• Look for bugs: Termites and carpenter ants can bore through a home in a few short years. Probe the sill plate on top of the foundation with a screwdriver to check for rotten wood. Also look for carpenter ants and termites along windowsills and walls.
• Avoid mold: Mold and mildew can cause musty odors, dank air, and make residents sick. Check under carpets and around windows for visible mold or mildew.
• Don't ignore cracks: Foundation cracks wider than 3/16 of an inch can be a problem. These require examination by a structural engineer.

Source: Consumer Reports (05/04/2009)

Source: http://www.indianaishome.com/2_3_Selling_Tips.asp

(EVANSVILLE, IN) - The City of Evansville, in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce of Southwest Indiana and the Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana, have formed a rapid response team to assist employees who will be effected by the closure of Whirlpool Corporation's Evansville, IN manufacturing facility. The team will also work to retain the Product Development Center currently located in Evansville, which serves as the North American center for all refrigeration technology within Whirlpool.

"First and foremost, our hearts go out to the hard-working men and women who have to cope with what this decision will mean to their lives and the lives of their families. This is devastating news for them," said Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel. "I want to assure the workers and their families that our team will be working with Whirlpool, the State and the Federal Government over the coming months to help them through this difficult transition."

The rapid response team will immediately assemble all of the resources at its disposal to support employees as they work through the closure process. The team will also put together a competitive proposal to keep the Product Development Center and its jobs here in Evansville, and identify reuse opportunities and potential partners for redevelopment of the Whirlpool facility.

"Whirlpool Corporation has been a valued partner in our community for more than 50 years," said Matt Meadors, President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Southwest Indiana. "Even though the Company has assured us that there was nothing that the City or the State could have done to prevent this morning's announcement, we need to do whatever is possible to retain the remaining pieces of Whirlpool's footprint in our City."

The Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana, which acts as the umbrella economic development organization for Gibson, Posey, Vanderburgh and Warrick Counties, will take the lead on crafting a competitive proposal to keep Whirlpool's Product Development Center in Evansville. "As difficult as the impact of the closure of Whirlpool's manufacturing facility will be, we must also focus on how to retain the 300 technical jobs associated with the Product Development Center," said Greg Wathen, President and CEO of the Coalition. "In spite of this morning's announcement, the Evansville economy is still strong. We are confident that, with the State's help, we'll be able to keep the Product Development Center here and continue to attract new business and industry to the area."

Source: http://www.evansvillegov.org/Index.aspx?page=9&recordid=680&returnURL=%2findex.aspx