Colleges and universities across the country are seeking ways to reduce their environmental impact and cut costs. One company helping institutions find and finance solutions to achieve both these objectives is AIKCU business partner Siemens Building Technologies.

Siemens recently held an Energy Savings Performance Contracting Workshop for AIKCU business officers and facilities personnel on the campus of Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond. EKU is in the second year of a $27 million energy savings performance contract with Siemens Building Technologies, the largest energy savings contract in the history of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

EKU President Doug Whitlock welcomed the independent college representatives and noted how pleased he was to collaborate with Siemens and the independent colleges. He called EKU’s energy performance contract the best type of “green” initiative, because EKU is seeing tremendous results “in both an environmental and economic sense of the word.”

As part of its business partnership with the association, Siemens periodically provides no cost, no obligation information and training sessions for AIKCU member campus staff. Siemens officials offered this workshop to show how energy savings performance contracting could benefit smaller private college campuses.

“All colleges and universities, regardless of size, have one thing in common,” said Michael Azzara, Business Development Manager for Siemens. “Each pays a monthly utility bill, and up to 30% of the monthly utility bill payment is wasted due to equipment age and inefficiencies. Energy savings performance contracting is simply a tool to make energy efficient facility improvements and pay for the improvements out of your existing utility budget.”

Under energy savings performance contracts, the energy savings generated over the life of the contract are guaranteed to meet or exceed the cost of the improvements to campus systems. Siemens and EKU officials project that when finished the improvements on the Richmond campus will result in a 40 percent annual savings in EKU’s utility costs.

During the workshop Siemens and EKU officials explained and answered questions about the processes involved in energy savings performance contracting - including planning, implementation, energy monitoring, equipment installation, financing, and more.

Gary Robinson, St. Catharine College Vice President for Finance and Administration , called the workshop beneficial and said the presentations “answered most everything I would have asked about energy performance contracting.”

The day concluded with a tour of selected EKU facilities so AIKCU staff members could get a close look at some of the energy efficiency technology improvements EKU has already completed in its heating, cooling, lighting, water, and air quality systems.

To learn more about AIKCU’s business partnership with Siemens Building Technologies, visit http://www.aikcu.org/partners/business-partners/siemens-building-technologies-inc/

To learn more about Eastern Kentucky University’s partnership with Siemens Building Technologies, visit http://www.ekuenergyproject.com/

Eight future math and science teachers recently learned that they would have an additional $5,000 this year to apply toward their independent college education. The students, representing eight different independent Kentucky colleges and universities, are the recipients of the first Gheens STEM Teacher Preparation Scholarships.

Improving STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education is a priority for Kentucky as it builds a globally competitive 21st century workforce.

“Producing highly skilled teachers in math and sciences is an area where independent colleges excel in meeting the needs of Kentucky’s K-12 schools,” said Gary S. Cox, president of the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities (AIKCU).

The Gheens Foundation granted AIKCU eight scholarships of $5,000 each to distribute to aspiring teachers studying at independent colleges through a competitive process.

“We approached the Gheens Foundation about funding these scholarships because of its shared commitment to education in Kentucky,” said Cox. “By selecting the best candidate from eight separate schools we felt the competition would focus even more attention on teacher preparation around the state…ultimately benefiting K-12 students throughout Kentucky.”

The Gheens Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in Kentucky. The Foundation’s support of Kentucky’s independent colleges and universities dates back to the 1950s.

The Gheens STEM Teacher Preparation Scholarships were open to students at any of Kentucky’s 20 independent colleges and universities studying to become K-12 teachers in a STEM discipline. Priority was given to minority, female, low-income, and first generation applicants, as well as to those planning to teach in high need school districts. The competitive selection process was developed and overseen by an independent third party.

The 2008 Gheens STEM Teacher Preparation Scholarship recipients are:

Lesley Boorman, a Spalding University junior from Louisville who is majoring in natural science and plans to enter Spalding’s graduate education program to become a high school science teacher. Boorman writes in her application that she feels called to help inspire young people: “I want to spark students’ interest in science, a vital discipline needed in pursuing a vast array of complex professions.”

Lindsay Michelle Dotson, a Bellarmine University junior from Louisville majoring in biology and secondary education. Dotson says she “always wanted to be a teacher. The only variables that I did not know for sure when I was younger, were what subject and what grade I wanted to teach… By the time I reached my senior year I knew that I wanted to be a high school teacher and I knew that I wanted to teach biology and chemistry.”

Valerie Flanagan, a Lindsey Wilson College senior from Russell Springs studying to become a middle school science teacher. A married non-traditional student, Flanagan writes: “When I began considering returning to college to finish my degree in what was biology at the time, I re-examined my career path and decided to pursue the necessary training for a career in the teaching profession.…As an admirer of every division of science, it was an easy decision to commit to becoming a proficient instructor of the subject area I am most passionate about.”

Teresa LoPiccolo, a non-traditional senior at Campbellsville University majoring in middle school education with an emphasis in mathematics and social studies. A married mother of two young children, LoPiccolo has juggled her family responsibilities and her studies because she “is determined to be a math teacher and feels that a lot of middle school students need a teacher that will not show them just one way to do something.”

Emily Marshall, a Georgetown College senior from Louisville majoring in biology and secondary education. Marshall, who in 2007 was named an All-American NIA Scholar Athlete and NAIA Champion of Character (soccer), plans to become a high school science teacher. “Personally, as a female in a male-dominated subject, I feel that I will be a role model for female students,” writes Marshall. “I plan to put my heart and soul into teaching my students and to try my best to help them learn something every time they walk into my classroom, whether it be science-related or just real-life advice.”

David Ramey, a non-traditional senior at Pikeville College from Elkhorn City majoring in mathematics and secondary education. Ramey writes that he is blessed to have a “second chance to become a college graduate and a teacher and role model for young people in eastern Kentucky.” Ramey says he has never forgotten how difficult high school can be. He feels that after spending the past twenty-three years in mining and mining-related occupations he “knows and understands the culture of mountain people and the coal miner” and “their unique problems and outlook on life.”

Charlotte Robinson, a Transylvania University senior from Bracken County who is studying to become a high school math teacher. A first-generation college student, Robinson writes in her application: “My high school math teacher inspired me to become a teacher….It is my dream that I will one day be a student’s inspiration.”

Brenda Woods, a University of the Cumberlands senior majoring in middle school education with emphases in mathematics and science. Woods believes that middle school is a crucial time in students’ educational progression, and hopes to inspire and connect with all of her students. She writes:  “I will give my students the same opportunities that I received from my teachers: a fair education, a new look into the future, and a passion for the content.”

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The Gheens Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in Kentucky. Trustees oversee the distribution of approximately four million dollars each year in support of education, economic development, medical, arts, social and health services, and other worthy causes. The Gheens Foundation’s support of Kentucky ’s independent colleges and universities dates back to the 1950s. Learn more at http://gheensfoundation.org.

The Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities (AIKCU) is a non-profit advocacy, fundraising, and member-services organization based in Frankfort.  AIKCU was founded in 1952 to promote the interests of Kentucky’s non-profit, independent colleges and universities and the students they serve.  AIKCU’s diverse members include Kentucky’s twenty nonprofit, non-tax supported, four year colleges and universities accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Learn more about AIKCU and its members at www.aikcu.org.

FRANKFORT, Ky - Independent colleges in Kentucky and their students, faculty and staff will soon have an opportunity to lower their wireless bills thanks to a new business partnership between AT&T Mobility and the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities (AIKCU).

AIKCU recently finalized an AT&T College and University Advantage Agreement (CAU) on behalf of its 20 member colleges and universities. The agreement provides each participating institution significant discounts on eligible mobile voice and data plans: a 20 percent discount to campuses for institutional use plans, a 15 percent discount for faculty and staff on personal plans, and an 8 percent discount for students.

“We’re delighted to partner with AT&T Mobility to bring this savings opportunity to our campuses,” said Gary S. Cox, AIKCU President. “We live in a mobile world, and we see this partnership as a great opportunity for our members to benefit from the collective strength of the association. In economic times like these it’s more important than ever that we help our members and their faculty, staff, and students contain costs and maximize their buying power.”

This AT&T Mobility partnership is the latest in an extensive list of AIKCU business partnerships designed to help member institutions contain costs. Like all of the AIKCU partnerships, campus participation in the AT&T Mobility program is strictly voluntary. AIKCU campuses must sign a participation agreement in order to enroll in this new AIKCU-AT&T Mobility discount program. AT&T will provide a dedicated account representative to help campuses launch and promote the program at the institutional level.

Other AIKCU business partnerships cover fuel purchasing, office products, liability insurance, health insurance, printing services, library resources, textbooks, and a wide range of technology products and services, among other things. To learn more about AIKCU’s business partnerships, visit www.aikcu.org/partners.

Campuses interested in learning more about the AT&T Partnership should contact Bob Johnston at bob.johnston@mail.aikcu.org or 502-695-5007.

E.ON U.S. officials pose with E.ON Named Scholars at the AIKCU banquet. L-R: David Freibert, Director, External Affairs, E.ON U.S.; Cliff Feltham, Statewide Media Relations Manager, E.ON U.S.; E.ON Named Scholars; Ed Staton, Director, Transmission, E.ON U.S.; Jan Rose Coleman, Manager, Business Offices, E.ON U.S.

E.ON U.S. took center stage as the featured funding partner during AIKCU’s recent recognition banquet. The annual event brings together students, presidents, staff, friends, and supporters to honor AIKCU’s corporate and foundation partners.

E.ON subsidiary Kentucky Utilities was one of the founders of the Kentucky Independent College Foundation in 1952, one of two organizations that combined in the 1990s to form AIKCU. Since then E.ON U.S. has given nearly $1.4 million dollars to AIKCU in support of independent higher education.

“We’re extremely grateful for the continued support that E.ON U.S. has provided our students for more than half a century, through a number of corporate changes,” said AIKCU President Gary S. Cox. “The scholarships that E.ON and our other corporate partners fund truly is an investment in Kentucky’s future.”

E.ON has contributed $50,000 this year in support of the AIKCU Named Scholars program to fund student scholarships at member institutions located in areas served by E.ON and its subsidiaries. The Named Scholars program allows corporations and foundations to support multiple students attending AIKCU member institutions through a single gift to the association.

“Not only has E.ON been committed to turning on lights across our state, but they’ve been committed to turning on minds across the state,” said Evan Kuhl, a Bellarmine University freshman and E.ON Named Scholar.

E.ON US Chairman, CEO and President Vic Staffieri, who recently chaired the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce’s Task Force on Postsecondary Education, addressed the assembled crowd via recorded remarks.

“In today’s knowledge-based economy, a postsecondary education is of vital importance – not just to you, the individuals who benefit directly from higher wages – but to the economic well-being of the entire Commonwealth,” said Staffieri. “Nearly two-thirds of all high-growth, high-wage jobs created in the next decade will require a college degree – a degree only one-third of Americans and one-fifth of Kentuckians have.”

“This crucial connection between education attainment and economic development is why I volunteered my time over the past year as chair of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce’s Task Force on postsecondary education,” Staffieri continued. “It’s also why E.ON U.S. is proud to support the AIKCU Named Scholars Program – because helping you achieve your dreams will pay dividends for Kentucky businesses and for all of Kentucky.”

Kentucky Chamber of Commerce President David Adkisson praised E.ON for their commitment to postsecondary education in Kentucky and lauded Staffieri’s efforts as head of the Chamber’s task force.

“Just about the time you hear and are convinced that business leaders in the country are only interested in their quarterly returns and what Wall Street thinks and about what the stockholders are going to do at the next meeting, occasionally you see a glimpse of hope in someone like Vic,” said Adkisson. “He took this on as a civic chore…because he believes in the power of higher education and wanted to do something to contribute.”

Other AIKCU Named Scholars partners recognized during the event include Ashland, Inc., the Gheens Foundation, the Keeneland Foundation, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, and UPS. For more on AIKCU and all of its funding and business partners download the 2007 AIKCU Annual Report.

Dr. Denzil Edge, the president and founder of AIKCU business partner Learning House, Inc., is being honored by two AIKCU campuses for his contributions to the distance learning field.

The first honor comes from Edge’s alma mater, Brescia University. Brescia is a coeducational, private, Catholic university located in Owensboro, Kentucky. Edge attended the university as a member of the 1967 graduating class and received a Bachelor of Science in History and a minor in special education.

As part of the university’s esteemed alumni, Edge will be receiving the Distinguished Alumni Award on the evening of April 19. Presented by the Alumni Association, this award will be granted to Edge at the end of the Alumni Weekend festivities, which will conclude with the awards banquet.

Brescia established the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2000 as part of the university’s 50th anniversary. The award aims to honor valued alumni who have attained professional excellence while demonstrating a strong commitment to their communities, families and alma mater. The Alumni Association bases its selection upon the breadth and scope of a candidate’s life work and the magnitude of his or her impact nationally and internationally. Most importantly, award recipients are chosen due to their exemplary commitment to the “Brescia Difference: Respect for the Sacred; Devotion to Learning; Commitment to Growth in Virtue; Promotion of Servant Leadership.”

Edge is one of three recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Award. His fellow recipients include James E. Voyles, Ph.D., J.D. of the 1965 class and Tara Henderson Parker of the 1974 class.

Edge will also be recognized at this year’s Principle-Centered Leadership Program held at University of the Cumberlands. The Principle-Centered Leadership Program is the third annual program in the Lecture Series presented by the Forcht Group of Kentucky Center for Excellence in Leadership at the university. The center, developed in 2006, was designed to provide programs and activities that enhance the development of leadership, character and good citizenship.

Edge is one of four principle-centered leaders selected to be honored at the program. Honorees were chosen by their embodiment of the program’s elected ideals and involvement at the local, regional and national level.

Edge is an internationally known educator with extensive experience in distance education and distance learning technologies. He has been extremely active in the field of higher education in Kentucky, Florida, Alaska, Scotland, Germany and Australia as a teacher and academic contributor. At the age of 28, he was hired by the University of Louisville to develop teacher-training programs. In this position, he developed the Learning Improvement Center, which included the first built-in television system for use by teachers and students. Edge has taught more than 40 distance learning courses using a variety of distance learning technologies, and he has built more than 50 online campuses.

Edge is currently the president and founder of The Learning House, Inc., a comprehensive online education solutions partner that helps colleges and universities offer and manage their online degree programs.

Read Edge’s complete success story.

This article originally appeared in The Learning House, Inc. Newsletter.

Siemens presents check to Lindsey Wilson for career academy planning, originally uploaded by aikcu.

COLUMBIA, Ky. – Area high school students may soon have a chance to prepare for high demand careers in the energy field.

Siemens Building Technologies, Inc., in partnership with AIKCU, has awarded Lindsey Wilson College a $10,000 planning grant to develop a career academy focused on the rapidly growing field of energy and facilities management. Lindsey Wilson will partner with the Adair and Russell county School Districts to plan the career academy during this school year. Lindsey Wilson’s proposal was chosen from responses to a request for proposals offered to Kentucky’s twenty private colleges and universities.

“Siemens is delighted to partner in this one of a kind program in a rural area where demands for new energy technologies are just as important as in urban areas,” said Dr. Marc McCulloch, Director of Siemens’ K-12 Education Division. McCulloch met with local education officials throughout the proposal’s review process.

The Energy and Facilities Management Career Academy establishes a clear pathway for high school students interested in energy-related careers. Beginning in the sophomore year, the career academy will combine hands-on instruction with academics to prepare students for postsecondary studies in facilities management, engineering, and other areas related to energy use and efficiency.

The planning grant allows Lindsey Wilson administrators and faculty to work with leaders from Adair and Russell county high schools and local businesses to develop a career academy concept. Funding resources to implement the career academy are currently being identified. Pending the development of a successful career academy concept and adequate funding, the career academy will be implemented at the sophomore level at the participating high schools in an upcoming year.

“The energy field and the career academy model both have a lot of potential to benefit people across Kentucky, and we’re very pleased to partner with Siemens to provide this opportunity,” said AIKCU President Gary S. Cox. “We’re confident that Lindsey Wilson and these high schools will develop an outstanding program that can be replicated in other communities around the state.”

Energy/facilities management technology is a rapidly evolving profession with high growth potential for future careers. As organizations look to curb energy consumption and make buildings and workplaces more energy and cost efficient, the role of the energy/facilities manager will only grow.

“Last summer’s special energy legislation shows that that energy and stewardship of our resources have joined education as statewide priorities for Kentucky,” said AIKCU’s Cox. “We see this effort at Lindsey Wilson as another example of independent higher education’s commitment to meeting the needs of the Commonwealth.”

Career academies are an integrated approach to career and technical education with academic education, designed to simultaneously prepare students for career and postsecondary options.

“Career academies are organized as small learning communities in which students traditionally stay with a core group of teachers over the years they are in high school,” said Lindsey Wilson Vice President for Academic Affairs Bettie Starr. “Career academies help students connect what they learn in school with their career aspirations and goals.”

In addition to the two area high schools, Lindsey Wilson will also work with Green Mechanical Construction of Glasgow, Ky., and Wind Energy Corp. of Elizabethtown, Ky.

Green Mechanical Construction is one of Kentucky’s leading mechanical contractors in plumbing, heating, ventilating and air conditioning; and Wind Energy is a high-tech company that develops low-cost, high-yield wind turbines.

“Creative uses and creative sources of energy are two of our nation’s leading challenges, and these two companies are both on the cutting edge of their respective fields,” Starr said.

One of the major benefits of establishing a career academy is that it brings area high schools, businesses and local higher education together, Starr said.

“By working together, high schools, colleges and industry can better prepare students to compete and thrive in the new economy,” Starr said.

AIKCU is proud to announce an exciting new partnership with Cook Systems International to help develop Kentucky’s Information Technology workforce. Cook Systems International has partnered with AIKCU to strategically place AIKCU-affiliated college students in real-world situations through the COLLEGECAREERCORPS® program.

The COLLEGECAREERCORPS® is a program that integrates students into professional technology teams in entry-level positions. The students join a team that includes experienced information technology professionals working on actual I.T. projects on a long-term basis. Cook Systems International has developed technical and certified management professionals using COLLEGECAREERCORPS® project methodologies and procedures to ensure achieving the highest quality project results. Students typically work 20 hours per week and continue with the same client partner for up to two years. Cook Systems International is currently working with approximately 20 colleges and universities nationwide through COLLEGECAREERCORPS® efforts.

Information Technology jobs represent one of the fastest-growing sectors in the U.S. economy, with more than 1 million new jobs projected to be added through 2014. Six of the 30 occupations expected to grow the fastest are I.T.-related, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Students benefit in the COLLEGECAREERCORPS® program by receiving professional training as employees of a professional I.T. services firm working directly on projects for major regional corporations, giving them exposure to key leaders in the business community. This further provides the students the ability to learn to work in a corporate team environment and add practical and real-world work experience to their resume. Students earn money year round and receive possible internship/credit hours while gaining an inside track to jump-starting a career.

As part of its partnership with AIKCU, Cook Systems International will actively identify corporate and government partners that can benefit from the COLLEGECAREERCORPS® program. Because partners contract directly with Cook Systems International, projects don’t have to begin and end during a single semester like a traditional internship. The COLLEGECAREERCORPS® program provides real and critical services to partners and long-term employment opportunities as well as professional level experiences to participating students.

Colleges and universities benefit by using Cook Systems International’s COLLEGECAREERCORPS® for several reasons, including improving student recruiting. Colleges and universities have seen computer science-related degree enrollment drop by as much as 70% nationwide. The COLLEGECAREERCORPS® program gives colleges and universities a better ability to attract more students to the field and increases their students’ chances of landing jobs by offering more intense, hands-on experiences.

“The Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities supports our member institutions and students by providing partnerships to enhance both their quality of education and the contribution they make to their community and our state,” said Gary Cox, AIKCU President. “This unique partnership with Cook Systems International’s COLLEGECAREERCORPS® to provide students with real IT work experience is a win-win for AIKCU’s member schools and students as well as for the communities and businesses in Kentucky.”

“We at Cook Systems International are excited about introducing our COLLEGECAREERCORPS® model to the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges & Universities and the entire Commonwealth of Kentucky area,” said Ben Bryant, President of Cook Systems International. “This has been a tremendous success in other regions of the country and we know it will be here as well. In addition to providing I.T. students with real-life project experience, this model serves as a significant I.T. workforce development initiative and globally cost-effective alternative to off-shore outsourcing for the corporate and government partners who support this.”

Corporate and government partners benefit with the COLLEGECAREERCORPS® by receiving Cook Systems International’s unique expertise with the model, leading edge research services from colleges and universities, and the ability to partner with students and faculty to address critical business challenges. Services are delivered at globally competitive rates while developing a future workforce.

Unlike traditional internship models, the student teams support real, operationally budgeted activities. Under the guidance through the COLLEGECAREERCORPS® program, the risk of using students is greatly reduced and ensures the success through Cook Systems International’s delivery accountability. Corporate and government partners further benefit by retaining the best and brightest students in the local area and by finding and managing students with fewer corporate resources.

About Cook Systems International, Inc.
Cook Systems International is a well-established firm headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, providing information technology resources and solutions to customers throughout the United States. With a strong focus on the mid-west and southeast, Cook Systems International currently has active initiatives in Tennessee, Arkansas, Florida, Nebraska, Texas, Colorado, South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, and North Carolina with offices in Charlotte, Atlanta, Frankfort, and Colorado Springs.

Cook Systems International offers several types of services including: Program and Project Management, Professional Staffing, Managed Services, Outsourced Software Development and Maintenance Projects, Software Testing, Change Management and Business Process Consulting, and the COLLEGECAREERCORPS®.

Cook Systems International is the number one rated vendor in the Memphis area having a proven track record of providing unsurpassed I.T. consulting services to Fortune 1000 companies, as well as state and local governments. Cook Systems International currently is a major provider of I.T. Professional Services to the Commonwealth of Kentucky as well as to other states and Fortune 1000 companies.

For more information please visit cooksys.com or collegecareercorps.com.

Ed. note:  This article originally appeared in the November 2007 eLearningEdge Newsletter, a publication of AIKCU business partner and eLearning solutions provider Learning House, Inc. 

This fall, student enrollment levels for online degree programs at the University of the Cumberlands will reach their highest numbers yet.  And the students couldn’t be prouder.

Since the inception of the University’s distance learning program in 2003, numbers have risen quickly due to the steady implementation of new courses.  After beginning their online course offerings with the Learning and Behavioral Disorder certification program in 2003, the University began to offer MAT certifications, administration certifications degrees, and business degrees online in 2005.  For the 2006 school year, administrators decided to bolster the online degree program by introducing a brand-new Reading and Writing certification program with a new course entitled “Diagnosis of Reading and Writing Problems.”  Many students have elected to enroll in online courses at the University of the Cumberlands in order to pursue their Rank I, which enables students to receive the credentials necessary to increase their chances of earning higher wages in the workplace.

Dr. Gary Pate, Coordinator of Online Learning, reveals where some of the new numbers are coming from. “We now have many foreign students from around the world, as well as a large quantity of military personnel currently serving in Iraq.” However, Dr. Pate wants students to know that the additional growth does not affect the courses’ quality. “Even though the University has begun several new programs,” he remarks, “we’ve managed to keep the courses at a very manageable level of around 25 students per class. We hope to expand our course offerings while continuing to accommodate our current students.” 

According to Dr. Pate, marketing for the University’s programs is still extremely important.  He states, “We’ve installed posters for our programs at different institutions around the country, but word of mouth has been the most important part of our enrollments.”

In addition to the bevy of new student enrollments and available courses at the University of the Cumberlands, almost 95 percent of the university’s students receive some form of financial aid.  With an average award of nearly $13,000 to each student qualifying for financial aid, an increasing number of prospective students will be able to obtain the degree they desire and move forward to higher earning potentials in exciting occupations.

The University of the Cumberlands is affiliated with the Kentucky Baptist Convention, the Kentucky affiliate of the Southern Baptist Convention.  In addition to online programs in business and administration, it is also accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to award online degrees including Bachelor’s degrees in General Studies, Science, Arts, and Music, as well as a Master of Education Degree.  Through the advantages of continually evolving coursework, creative marketing, and financial aid, the University of the Cumberlands represents an outstanding choice for any prospective student interested in pursuing his or her education online.

To learn more about University of the Cumberlands’ distance education programs, please visit their website or request more information by clicking here.

AIKCU is pleased to announce that it has partnered with international printing and marketing services company St Ives US Division (http://www.st-ives-usa.com). Along with competitive pricing on St Ives’ extensive print and marketing services - including alumni magazines, development and recruitment publications, variable data printing, and other printing, mailing and marketing needs - this partnership provides AIKCU campuses with training opportunities and evaluation services to help campuses maximize the efficiency and impact of their print communications and marketing efforts.

AIKCU’s office of Business Services develops partnerships with a variety of companies – from office products to insurance to technology to recycling providers – that draw on the collaborative purchasing power of the Association and help campuses maximize operating efficiencies. Participation in the St Ives partnership, like all AIKCU business partnerships, is optional for individual campuses.

The St Ives partnership offers the following benefits for member campuses:

• Competitive pricing on print, variable data marketing, mailing, and web-to-print solutions tailored to campus needs and targeted to provide savings over current solutions.
• The development of additional graduated group-buy discount opportunities based on total AIKCU volume purchases for planned, programmatic projects to be developed (like a collaborative quarterly alumni magazine printing schedule or a collaborative promotional campaign).
• A personal customer service representative who will, on request, evaluate current printing and/or direct mail marketing practices to help campuses develop strategies to both control costs and create efficiencies in the workflow and production of printed materials.
• A secure online portal connecting participating campuses to St Ives’s online project management and proofing solutions.
• Informational/training opportunities for AIKCU membership groups that may include: printing technologies, prepress design and file preparation, variable data marketing, maximizing mailing efficiencies/new postal regulations, and other areas of St Ives expertise.

The development of free training opportunities is one of the key components of the St Ives partnership that adds value for all AIKCU member campuses, regardless of whether or not they choose to do business with St Ives. St Ives has agreed to develop a series of training events focused on a variety of topics related to campus communications and marketing efforts, including: design and prepress, printing, variable data printing, direct mail marketing, and other related areas.

The first training session, open to all AIKCU member staff with responsibilities for or interest in print communications, will be held Thursday, November 1st, at noon at the Kentucky Broadcasters Association building in Frankfort (across the street from the AIKCU office). The training will focus on developing design and prepress techniques to improve workflows and production.