Oak Ridge Today

UCOR donates $50,000 for UT faculty fellowship

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UCOR UT Check Presentation

Pictured at the check presentation ceremony, from left, are J. Wesley Hines, head of the UT Department of Nuclear Engineering; Wayne Davis, dean for the UT College of Engineering; Matt Marston, UCOR chief operating officer; fellow Jason Hayward; and Jimmy Cheek, UT chancellor. (Photo courtesy UCOR)

 

UCOR, the federal government’s cleanup contractor in Oak Ridge, presented the University of Tennessee with a $50,000 check this week for a faculty fellowship in the university’s College of Engineering.

This check was the latest installment of a $250,000 commitment UCOR, a partnership between URS and CH2M Hill, has made to the university, a press release said.

“As a cleanup contractor of a nuclear site, UCOR is committed to ensuring continued excellence in nuclear education,” said Matt Marston, UCOR chief operating officer. “This fellowship is an important step to fulfilling that commitment.”

The recipient of the fellowship, Jason Hayward, is an assistant fellow in the College of Engineering’s Department of Nuclear Engineering. Since arriving at the University of Tennessee in 2008, Hayward has focused on research in the areas of detector science and development of gamma ray and neutron imaging for applications in nuclear security, neutron scattering science, and medical imaging, the press release said. [Read more…]

ORAU hosts Graduate Student Recruitment Fair

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Neil Brown at ORAU Graduate School Recruitment Fair

Neil Brown, right,, a senior majoring in chemical and biomolecular engineering at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, discusses his research during the 15th annual ORAU Graduate School Recruitment Fair. (Photo courtesy ORAU)

 

Following a full day of poster sessions where they presented the outcome of summer research projects completed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, more than 200 students from across the United States gathered at ORNL Thursday for the 15th annual ORAU Graduate Student Recruitment Fair.

Each year, the event is timed to correspond with the ORNL poster session to leverage the students’ excitement over their summer research achievements and to encourage enthusiasm for further expanding their education.

With representatives from the nation’s premier research graduate programs available in one room, the fair provided students the ability to explore possible future educational opportunities, as well as compare and contrast graduate programs. [Read more…]

School board restores bus service this year

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Oak Ridge School Bus Protest

A small group of parents and students protest the expanded “parent responsibility zone,” where bus service is not provided, before an Oak Ridge Board of Education meeting on Monday. The board agreed during the meeting to restore bus service to last year’s levels. Pictured above from left are Michelle Doka, Melanie Heiberg, Oak Ridge City Council member Trina Baughn, protest organizer Laurie Paine, and her daughter Kaitlan Paine.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 11:15 a.m. August 12.

After hearing impassioned pleas from parents and grandparents, the Oak Ridge school board on Monday temporarily restored bus service to about 1,300 students who had been affected by an expanded but controversial “parent responsibility zone.” Parents of students who lived within that zone were responsible for getting their children to and from schools; bus service was not provided.

The parent responsibility zone, or PRZ, was expanded to 1.5 miles in June as part of a move to reduce a $1.25 million budget deficit. But parents of elementary and middle school students, in particular, objected to having students as young as five years old cross busy four-lane roadways like Oak Ridge Turnpike or Illinois Avenue to get to school, or walk past the homes of registered sex offenders or down roads with no sidewalks.

Parents, including single mothers, also expressed concerns about losing their jobs because they have to leave work early to pick up their children. They also said the expanded parent responsibility zone, which some call a “walk zone,” had a disproportionate impact on low-income families and elementary school children. They were disappointed by a lack of crossing guards near their schools, where their children or grandchildren cross busy roads. (City officials say they are accepting applications for crossing guards.)

“This is too dangerous,” resident Regina Wood said. “The safest way to get these kids to school is a bus,” resident Bill Dodge said.

On Monday, after a series of protests that started in July, the Oak Ridge Board of Education agreed in a 4-1 vote to use $300,000 in one-time money from the school system’s fund balance to restore the bus routes this year and then study the issue comprehensively before the next school year—or try to obtain more funding. The Monday night vote essentially reverses the June decision.

The bus routes likely won’t be restored immediately however, and possibly not until October. Among other things, up to three school bus drivers might need to be hired for an additional six routes, and buses will have to be made “road ready.” Still, advocates of restoring bus service were pleased for now. [Read more…]

Roane State has Sept. 5 ribbon-cutting for new health, sciences building

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Goff Health Sciences and Technology Building

The ribbon-cutting for the new Goff Health Sciences and Technology Building at Roane State’s Oak Ridge campus will be Friday, September 5, at 8:30 a.m. The public is invited. (Submitted photo)

 

Roane State Community College will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, September 5, for the new Goff Health Sciences and Technology Building at the college’s Oak Ridge campus.

The event begins at 8:30 a.m. The public is invited.

“We would love for the community to see the new building and to meet our faculty and students,” said Melinda Hillman, Roane State vice president of advancement and community relations. “Students will have wonderful learning opportunities in the new building, all thanks to the community’s support for this project. We are deeply appreciative and invite everyone to celebrate with us.”

The 64,000-square-foot, three-story building will help ease overcrowding at the Oak Ridge campus at 701 Briarcliff Avenue. Originally designed for 1,800 students, the campus has 2,500 students. The building will accommodate 500 students and give Roane State the space to offer new programs in health care and technology. [Read more…]

Fired football coach files $1.1 million lawsuit

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Don Colquitt

Don Colquitt

A former football coach and teaching assistant has filed a $1.1 million lawsuit against Oak Ridge school officials alleging that his firing in February was based upon a single “false complaint” from a student who alleged inappropriate contact—and he never had a chance to respond to the charges.

Coach Donald Colquitt suggested his reputation has been sullied by the unspecified complaint of “inappropriate contact with an Oak Ridge High School student,” and his local football career has been ruined. He filed a wrongful termination lawsuit in Anderson County Circuit Court on August 4.

“The ‘unanswered’ cloud of secrecy over the vague complaint allegedly filed against the plaintiff by an Oak Ridge High School student has caused him to effectively lose his career as a football coach in the Oak Ridge community, where he has engaged in that activity for some 19 years, and has further affected his reputation and character as a civic leader and football coach in the Oak Ridge school system,” the lawsuit said. “He will be unable to engage in such activity in the future and has sustained damages for loss of his career and future as a football coach, with damages resulting from the adverse imputation to his name, as well as his reputation in the community.”

The defendants are Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers and the Oak Ridge Board of Education.

Colquitt said he has never acted inappropriately or made any inappropriate contact with an ORHS student while employed by Oak Ridge Schools, but both the superintendent and school board have denied his right to be heard, including through a grievance hearing before the board. [Read more…]

ORPD: Operation Safe Start starts Monday, first day of school

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The Oak Ridge Police Department will begin Operation Safe Start on Monday, the first day of school.

The ORPD asked motorists to drive safely in and around school zones, especially during arrival and dismissal times. Every division of the Police Department will be used to strictly enforce traffic ordinances in and around school zones, a press release said.

“The beginning of the school year is a time when there is a greater risk of transportation-related injuries to children,” the press release said. “When it comes to the safety of our youth, there can be no margin for error. The well-being of our children is one of the highest of priorities at the Oak Ridge Police Department.” [Read more…]

Roane State to offer extended business hours beginning Aug. 18

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Roane State Community College Harriman Campus

The main Roane State Community College campus in Harriman. The college also has a branch campus in Oak Ridge.

Roane State Community College will offer extended business hours to help students get ready for the start of fall classes, which begin August 25.

Extended hours for the Roane County and Oak Ridge campuses will be:

  • Monday, August 18-Thursday, August 21, from 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m.,
  • Saturday, August 23, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., and
  • Monday, August 25-Thursday, August 28, from 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

The Roane County and Oak Ridge campuses will maintain usual business hours (8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.) on Fridays, a press release said. [Read more…]

Roane State welcomes first Middle College students

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Roane State Middle College Students

Roane State Community College’s first Middle College students enjoyed their orientation during their first day on campus. (Submitted photo)

 

More than 30 students from Roane County schools will have a chance to graduate from high school with a diploma and a two-year associate degree through Roane State Community College’s first Middle College, which is launching this fall at the main campus in Harriman.

For years, Roane State has offered dual studies courses, which allow high school students to earn some college credit while in high school. Middle College, created in partnership with Roane County Schools, offers students an opportunity to complete 60 hours (four semesters) of college credit, more courses than most students can typically take through dual studies alone.

After earning an associate degree in high school, students who attend a university could start as juniors and finish their bachelor’s degree just two years after high school. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge School Board meeting calendar for FY 2015

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Here is the Oak Ridge Board of Education meeting schedule for Fiscal Year 2015, starting August 11 and ending June 22, 2015.

See the calendar here: Oak Ridge Board of Education FY15 Meeting Calendar.

Guest column: ORS made gains on most of Seven Keys to College, Career Readiness

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Bruce Borchers

Bruce Borchers

In any transition year in which the state’s standards and/or tests change, it is difficult to make meaningful comparisons with the results on those tests from previous years. Comparisons within the year can be meaningful, such as the fact that the percentage of students in Oak Ridge Schools that were at or above proficiency is higher than the state average on nearly every test administered; or that the state said that “strong gains” were made on the high school tests, and our data shows that ORS continues to far outperform the state on every high school End of Course examination.

That being said, ORS did find areas for growth and also celebration within our results. Our overall student population did not achieve as highly as we had hoped. However, we did see significant increases in some of our subgroups. In fact, ORS closed the achievement gap in 10 of the 16 areas monitored by the state. For instance, our English Language Learners had a nearly 8 percent increase in the number of students who were proficient on the state’s mathematics examination.

So what do we do when the state changes the standards and tests? Is there a way that we can continue to monitor our progress to ensure the success of our students? Yes! We can look to the measures that we know indicate the success of our students—ORS Seven Keys to College and Career Readiness. These Keys were developed collaboratively with the community and focus on the steps needed to prepare students for the rigors of life after high school. In our Keys, we see positive gains on the majority of measures. [Read more…]

Wounded veteran finds new way to serve by training for career in 3D printing

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Joseph Grabianowski

Joseph Grabianowski

New training program prepares veterans, others to enter advanced manufacturing workforce

While 26-year-old wounded veteran Joseph Grabianowski has inspired Americans with his harrowing war story, someday he may be nationally known for building highly efficient exhaust systems for cars and trucks using 3D printing technology.

Grabianowski—pictured at left at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in front of a 3D printer holding a 3D-printed DOE seal and the plastic material from which it was made—is part of the Energy Department’s inaugural Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Advanced Manufacturing Internship. The pilot program is designed to provide accelerated, hands-on career training for veterans and next-generation engineers to prepare them to immediately enter the workforce of the growing advanced manufacturing industry.

Grabianowski stepped on an IED while deployed with his Army unit in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, in May 2012. Damage from the blast required a rare, radical amputation of his lower body. He had long dreamed of being a U.S. Marshal but knew his path would now lead in a new direction. In a December 2013 interview with USA Today, Grabianowski said, “I still love my country…even though I can’t go be a marshal now, I can still go do something that would be a good service to my country.”

Barely two years later, his successful recovery is a testament to his personal will and determination. This self-proclaimed techie now envisions a career for himself in what he calls the “future of manufacturing,” which is additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing. Through this pioneering program offered by the Energy Department’s Advanced Manufacturing Office, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Pellissippi State Community College, and ORNL, Grabianowski is receiving the training needed to make his career goals a reality and prepare him to succeed in the additive manufacturing world.

“Where this industry is going to boom is right here in Oak Ridge,” Grabianowski said, “and the best engineers in the field are available through this program to teach me.” [Read more…]

Fee deadline is Aug. 11 for registered Roane State students

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Roane State Community College Harriman Campus

The main Roane State Community College campus in Harriman. The college also has a branch campus in Oak Ridge.

Registration is under way for the fall 2014 semester at Roane State Community College.

Students need to be aware when they register that the college has an August 11 fee deadline. Students who have registered must pay their fees by August 11 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern to keep their class schedules.

Students can pay fees at www.roanestate.edu. They need to log in to RaiderNet and click “Your Account” to get started.

Students can pay by phone using major credit or debit cards. The number is (865) 882-4515. Students may also pay by personal check, money order, or major credit or debit cards at any Roane State campus or by mailing payments to the Business Office, 276 Patton Lane, Harriman, TN 37748-5011. Students are advised to please not mail cash and to include their student ID number (called their “R number”) with their mailed payment. [Read more…]