Lipscomb certified teachers among state’s best, report says

Teachers certified through Lipscomb are fairing well in their positions according to the latest state report card. Ranked third below Teach for America Memphis and Teach for America Nashville, Lipscomb graduates outshone more traditional colleges throughout the state. For the last four years, the state has done a report card on teacher preparation programs across the state. The state looks at those teachers’ impact on their particular students. The report looks at students’ scores on standardized tests – TCAP here in Tennessee – to see how much, if any, the students improved because of a graduate’s teaching ability. Once that is done, the results are then linked to the university that the teacher came from. “The connection is between the teacher prep program and how many of your graduates have some kind of statistically positive impact on students,” said Dr. Candice McQueen, dean of the education department at Lipscomb. Now a law within the state, the schools must report their “completers” to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. That means that everyone who graduates with a teaching degree must be reported to the commission so the reports can be filed. Lipscomb is fortunate enough to report several graduates as well. McQueen says the school’s placement rates are usually 95 percent or above. However, because of last year’s budget cuts, that rate was closer to 80 percent, which was still fairly high for the area. “We have school districts that really love our graduates,” McQueen said. “They will call us and recruit them, in a sense.” For this particular report, though, the state only looks at students that are in public...
Local journalism community backs Meador after arrest

Local journalism community backs Meador after arrest

Bad news travels fast — especially when one of your own gets arrested downtown. That was the case on Oct. 29 when Brett Flener was arrested along with 26 others at Legislative Plaza as a part of Occupy Nashville. One of the others arrested was Nashville Scene reporter Jonathan Meador. Meador was on the scene covering the protests, an assignment given to him by his editor. Once the Tennessee Highway Patrol started approaching, they did not recognize Meador as a member of the media…even though he was exclaiming the fact as they pushed him to the ground before cuffing his wrists. You’ve heard that story, though. Everyone in Nashville has. When the Middle Tennessee Pro chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists learned of the story, they decided to take action against the governor and the Department of Safety and Homeland Security. On Saturday, SPJ learned of his arrest, prompting a chain of emails sent by the society’s president Deb Fisher and the other 11 members on the board. One of those members is Lipscomb Associate Professor of Communication Dr. Jimmy McCollum. “The deck was stacked against [Meador],” McCollum said. “It was dark, there were people all around and the troopers probably lumped everyone together.” McCollum says the board feels that the troopers should have paused when Meador said he was a member of the media and tried to verify that. The reports say that Meador never produced any press credentials during the time of his arrest. However, the THP never asked for credentials either, sparking outrage from the journalism community. The THP’s report says they smelled alcohol on...

Lowry announces $10 million gift to Lipscomb community

In a letter to the Lipscomb community, University President Randy Lowry announced a major overhaul of the campus school. Thanks to donors Bill and Neika Stephens, the middle school will be moved from its current location to the site where the elementary school currently sits. The school will be a two-story K-8 building. In addition to the relocation of the middle school, a new campus school will be built on the property located between Granny White and the high school’s athletic complex. The buildings that the high school currently uses will be renovated and used by the university. The $10 million donation is the largest ever presented to the campus school and the third largest to the Lipscomb community. The letter reads as follows: I am pleased to share with you an announcement we made last night to our friends and supporters at the Associates Gala. The Stephens Christian Trust, an entity founded by Bill Stephens, has challenged us in our Lipscomb:Next effort by making a $10 million gift for Campus School. This represents the largest gift ever made to the Campus School and the third largest gift ever made to Lipscomb University. The gift has been given to support the activities and programs of the Campus School, the largest K-12 independent school in Middle Tennessee. In addition to announcing that gift last evening, I shared a vision for the Campus School that includes a renovated elementary school to be joined at Harding and Granny White by a new middle school on that site. The vision also includes a new high school on property already a part of the institutional overlay...

Lumination Newscast, Nov. 3

This week, anchors Kelly Dean and Hunter Patterson give you the latest on everything Lipscomb. Also, have you heard about Kim Kardashian’s split? Jessica Burke will fill you in on that and everything entertainment. Michael Fox brings you the latest sports news this week, and Anne Paquin has this week’s weather. Please upgrade your...

Men’s basketball opens season tonight versus Freed Hardeman

Scott Sanderson and his team will open up the season tonight with an exhibition game against the Freed Hardman Lions in Allen Arena. You can follow all of the action here with our live blog. “We want to learn what our guys can and can’t do in a game setting,” Sanderson said. “I know what they can and can’t do in practice. I want to see what they can do with people in the stands.” Expected starters for the Bisons are four familiar faces in Justin Glenn, Jordan Burgason, Jacob Arnett and Robert Boyd. The fifth start is yet to be known, but all signs are pointing to a freshman getting the nod tonight. Sanderson stresses he will be watching all of his players, but he will be taking a long look at the play of forward Malcolm Smith and power forward Marvin Williams, both freshmen. “The two news guys that I really want to see what they can do with people in the stands are probably Marvin Williams and Malcolm Smith,” Sanderson said. “I want to see in a game setting if they can think and play the game the way we have practiced.” The two teams have not met since Nov. 5, 2009. The tip is at 6:30 p.m.  ...