MM
Madison Meier
  • Elementary Education
  • Class of 2018
  • Marion, IA

Madison Meier will be attending Upper Iowa University this fall! #upperiowa

2014 Aug 11

Upper Iowa University is excited to welcome Madison Meier to the Peacock family!

Meier, whose UIU major is Teacher Education (Elementary), is from Cedar Rapids, IA.

The 2014-15 academic year is an exciting one for Upper Iowa. In addition to gaining a superior student in Meier, the private, not-for-profit university has redesigned its academic offerings across university to better meet student demands and the needs of the job market that graduates will be entering.

UIU Provost Kurt Wood said the deans of each of the four UIU schools assessed enrollments in current majors to determine demand, researched academic programs against benchmarks and best practices, and proposed changes that were then approved by the university's curriculum committees and the Board of Trustees.

"The evaluations done by each of the University's schools were evidence-informed and driven by data," Wood says. "These data show that we offered about 20 percent more majors than our peers. While some 50 major fields of study may be the right number for UIU to offer, the associated costs must be balanced with the value derived by our students. It's not all about the spreadsheet, but today's higher education environment demands that attention be paid to the bottom line. We have to be responsive to the marketplace and align workforce preparation expectations with the University's program offerings to ensure that our graduates can compete and have the opportunity to succeed. Upper Iowa remains committed to providing accessible, affordable and well-regarded higher education with employment rates for its graduates that meet or exceed national averages."

UIU President William R. Duffy, Ed.D., Ed.S., added that the academic redesign is not only about adding or deleting majors but is, more importantly, about expanding opportunities for UIU students around the world.

"Many UIU majors and programs will now reach more students than just those who sit in classrooms here in Fayette or at one of our centers. We have expanded the offerings available through the UIU online learning program, making these opportunities accessible to everyone," Duffy said. "We also refreshed and updated programs to add specific skills that can be taken into the 21st century workplace, and help UIU students stand out as exceptional students, employees and professionals."

Realignment of majors will continue as needed as part of the University's ongoing quality improvement process, he added.