The University of Utah has launched the Utah College Advising Corps (UCAC), a statewide initiative designed to increase college enrollment in Utah.

The effort, funded by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, builds on successful partnerships with Utah System of Higher Education institutions to help all high school students, including minorities and students facing financial barriers, navigate the often difficult process of preparing, applying, and finding financial aid for college.

Fourteen full-time college-access advisers will be placed in high schools throughout the state over the next four years. The advisers will work directly with students, teachers, parents and administrators to help students gain access to the colleges throughout the state.

College-access advisers already have begun work in eight area high schools - Taylorsville, Hunter, Granite, Kearns, East, Cottonwood, West and Granger.

For more information, call Aretha Minor, UCAC director at 585-5994, or visit http://www.outreach.utah.edu.

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Utah State: Kiger's tenure as humanities dean comes to a close

Utah State University's new academic year marks the final year for Gary Kiger's term as the dean of the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. He steps down in July 2008 after five years at the helm of the Logan university's largest college.

Kiger accepted the position in 2003 as a five-year term appointment. Following a sabbatical leave beginning next July, he will return to his faculty position as professor of sociology.

During his administration, the College of HASS built a world-class performance hall, established a religious studies program and developed a new master's of social work program, among other accomplishments.

Outstanding BYU faculty, staff get recognition

Brigham Young University's outstanding faculty and staff members were honored by President Cecil O. Samuelson during the annual university conference last week.

Mathematics professor Kening Lu received the Karl G. Maeser Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Award. This honor, BYU's most prestigious faculty award, is provided through the Karl G. Maeser Scholarship Society. Recipients must demonstrate clear superiority in both scholarship and teaching.

Lu is an internationally recognized expert in infinite-dimensional dynamical systems.

R. Berrey Parker, director of benefits services, earned the Ben E. Lewis Management Award, while Jeanine Broxton, who recently retired from the Office of the General Counsel, received the Fred A. Schwendiman Performance Award.