On Aug. 21, a total solar eclipse will be visible from parts of the United States mainland for the first time in 38 years.

The University of Toledo’s Ritter Planetarium will host a free viewing event for the public from 12:30 to 4 p.m. on the campus lawn between Ritter and McMaster Hall.

“We will be able to see an approximately 80 percent eclipse from Toledo, weather permitting,” said Alex Mak, UT associate planetarium director. “This is a rare opportunity, and we want to celebrate with the community.”

UT astronomers will have several safely filtered telescopes set up outside looking at the eclipse. A limited supply of solar eclipse glasses will be for sale for $2 each.

“We also will have a couple dozen ‘Personal Solar Observatory Boxes’ people can use at no cost,” Mak said.

In the event of clouds, a web stream of the eclipse from other locations across the country will be playing in McMaster Hall Room 1005.

Ritter Planetarium’s next two Friday night programs will focus on the eclipse. Programs are at 8:30 p.m. Aug. 11 and 18. Admission is $7 for adults and $5 for members of the UT community. Children younger than 12 and senior citizens are free. For more information, go to ritter.utoledo.edu.

Mak also is giving free, public talks about the upcoming solar eclipse at branches of the Toledo Lucas County Public Library as part of a grant UT received from the American Astronomical Association. The workshops are primarily intended for children. Guests receive a pair of solar eclipse glasses, informational handouts and planetarium guest passes. The library events are:

• 3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 16 at Toledo Heights, 423 Shasta Drive; and
• 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18 at Birmingham, 203 Paine Ave.

“We want to get kids excited to watch the eclipse, make sure they do so in a safe manner and foster an interest in astronomy that can be maintained well after the eclipse,” Mak said.

Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority — TARTA — has been moving forward with the Toledo region since 1971. With over 30 interconnected routes carrying 3.1 million passengers per year in and around the Toledo area, TARTA serves the communities of Maumee, Ottawa Hills, Rossford, Sylvania, Sylvania Township, Toledo, and Waterville.

College students and faculty ride TARTA to connect with several different Toledo-area colleges and universities including the University of Toledo — all area campuses, Lourdes University, Mercy College of Ohio, Davis College, Heidelberg University at Arrowhead Park, Herzing University, Professional Skills Institute, and Stautzenberger College.

School route information for grades K-12 is available at TARTA.com/schools.

TARTA fare is $1.25 per person; 60 cents for persons with disabilities and senior citizens age 65 and over. Children under age 6 ride free with an adult.

With monthly, unlimited ride passes for just $50, TARTA riders can save on their transportation costs by using any of eight TARTA Park-N-Ride locations throughout the Toledo area. Households that take public transportation, and live with one fewer car can save hundreds — even thousands — of dollars per year.

All TARTA buses are equipped with lifts or ramps making them 100 percent wheelchair-accessible. TARTA also has bike racks mounted on the front of all of its buses holding two bicycles independently.

TARTA curb-to-curb Call-A-Ride service operates in Maumee, Ottawa Hills, Rossford, Sylvania, Sylvania Township, and Waterville. Passengers may connect to and from TARTA regular line service and other nearby Call-A-Rides.

For persons with disabilities preventing them from using regular TARTA buses, there’s TARPS. TARPS operates in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and covers the same service area as TARTA. Registered TARPS users may ride TARTA regular line and Call-A-Ride services free of fare.

TARTA Game Shuttles offer Park-N-Ride service from several area locations for all Mud Hens baseball games at Fifth Third Field and Walleye hockey games at Huntington Center. Fare is $1.25; no game ticket is required to ride. Return trips leave 20 minutes following each game’s conclusion.

TARTA Tracker uses predictive technology to help you locate nearby stops, access real-time route information. Service is available on desktop and laptop computers and mobile devices. TARTA Tracker is also accessible by calling TARTA customer support at 419-243-RIDE weekdays, 6 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; and holidays, 6:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Visit TARTAtracker.com for details.

Every year, public transportation reduces our nation’s carbon emissions by 41 million tons — equivalent to the electricity used by 4.9 million households. In fact, riding public transportation is one of the most significant actions one can take to reduce their household carbon emissions.

For more information about TARTA and all its services, visit TARTA.com or call 419-243-RIDE.

The National Science Foundation awarded the University of Toledo a nearly $1 million federal grant to continue, expand and further evaluate its successful, innovative program that engages teachers and parents in supporting a young child’s natural curiosity through interactive, inquiry-based science lessons.

The University’s NURTURES Early Childhood Science program, which aims to improve the science readiness scores of preschool through third-grade students in the Toledo area, was originally supported with a $10 million, five-year NSF grant. The new $991,081 grant is part of a total of $2.25 million in federal funding for the second phase of the program that extends it through 2021.

NURTURES, which stands for Networking Urban Resources with Teachers and University to enRich Early Childhood Science, is a professional development program and collaboration between UT, local daycare centers and nursery schools, Toledo Public Schools, informal science centers and other community resources to create a complementary, integrated system of science education.

Project participants in the second phase of the project will include 120 teachers, 2,400 preschool through third grade children, and more than 7,200 family members in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan.

“We are pleased to receive additional funding from the National Science Foundation for the NURTURES program,” said Dr. Charlene Czerniak, professor emeritus of science education and research professor in the UT College of Engineering. “Building on our previous success, we will simultaneously target early childhood teachers, families and children to create a broad support system for powerful and effective science teaching and learning. This program will help close the gaps in science, mathematics, reading and literacy for young children.”

During the first phase of the NURTURES program, 330 teachers of preschool through third-grade and administrators participated in a total of 544 hours of professional development in the teaching of science inquiry and engineering design for early childhood classrooms.

According to research published recently in the Journal of Research in Science Teaching, every year that a student has a NURTURES program teacher adds on average 8.6 points to a student’s early literacy standardized test score compared to control students, 17 points to a student’s mathematics score and 41.4 points to a student’s reading score.

The program includes five primary components:

• A two-week summer institute for preschool through third-grade teachers in which they have access to both scientists and instructional coaches.
• Academic year professional development, including monthly professional learning community meetings and one-on-one coaching.
• Family science activity packets, sent home from school four times a year, that each include a newsletter with directions for the investigation, necessary materials for the activity and a journal sheet for children to record data or visually represent understanding.
• Family community science events, such as engineering challenge simulations, and observations and demonstrations at a park, zoo, science center, library or farm; and
• Public service broadcasts on television that promote family science activities.

According to the National Science Foundation, an important facet of this follow-up project is the research effort to understand how each component impacts student learning. Project leaders plan to use control groups and standardized tests to measure the effect of teacher professional development compared to family engagement activities.

“What a tremendous opportunity for the young children, their families and teachers in our region to participate in a project that will enhance their understanding of science and the natural world around them,” said Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur. “It is so important for the project team at the University of Toledo to continue to study the impact that family engagement has on a young child’s education. We know that spending time reading to child exposes them to 1.8 million words a year. What other things could families be exposing to their children to set them on a pathway for success in life? The NURTURES project at the University of Toledo aims to find that out.”

The additional grant award comes one week after the American Association of State Colleges and Universities honored UT with its Christa McAuliffe Award for Excellence in Teacher Education in recognition of the NURTURES program.

Czerniak oversaw the development of the NURTURES program along with Dr. Joan Kaderavek, professor of early childhood, physical and special education in the UT Judith Herb College of Education; Dr. Susanna Hapgood, associate professor in the UT Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the Judith Herb College of Education; and Dr. Scott Molitor, associate professor in the UT Department of Bioengineering in the College of Engineering.

Quentin T. Moore, M.PH., was recognized by the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) as a 2016 winner of the Jean I. Widger Distinguished Author Award and the Harold Silverman Distinguished Author Award, honoring the best of the peer-reviewed articles published in the ASRT journals during the past year.

Moore, who is director of the Bachelor of Science in Medical Imaging and Associate of Science in Radiologic Technology programs for Mercy College of Ohio, earned the Widger award for his article, “An Interdisciplinary Approach to Improving Radiation Protection in Digital Radiography,” which was published in the September/October 2016 issue of Radiologic Technology.

His study aimed to determine which improvement approaches can be incorporated in digital radiography to ensure radiation protection practices are based on current equipment capabilities. Through a literature review, Moore found that the transition from film screen to digital radiography has resulted in confusion in applying appropriate techniques. Moore recommends that radiologic technologists and others working in medical imaging continually review and incorporate clinically effective research into practice. He argues that increasing interdisciplinary quality and implementing practice improvement projects will help facilities improve imaging practices. Moore’s study will hopefully inform other educators and healthcare professionals as they provide high quality care and training to those in the radiologic technology field.

For Mercy College students, faculty members like Moore are putting effective research into practice and providing the next generation of healthcare professionals with a strong foundation for success. Mercy College offers state of the art laboratory facilities and in-depth online learning across a multitude of healthcare programs.

Mercy College graduates choose from dozens – if not hundreds of unique settings and applications. Their education provides them with confidence to work in any healthcare setting. Mercy graduates are known for their ability to quickly start solving problems and making decisions for the greater good of those in need.

Mercy College of Ohio is a Catholic institution sponsored by Mercy Health with a campus in Toledo and a location in Youngstown, Ohio. It focuses on healthcare and health science programs in both on-campus and online formats. Mercy College offers a Master of Science in Nursing; Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology, Healthcare Administration, Medical Imaging, and Nursing; Associate of Science degrees in General Studies, Health Information Technology, Nursing, and Radiologic Technology; and Credit Certificates in Community Health Worker, Emergency Medical Technician, Medical Coding, Ophthalmic Technology, Paramedic and Polysomnographic Technology. More information is available at mercycollege.edu.

Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority — TARTA — has been moving forward with the Toledo region since 1971. With over 30 interconnected routes carrying 3.1 million passengers per year in and around the Toledo area, TARTA serves the communities of Maumee, Ottawa Hills, Rossford, Sylvania, Sylvania Township, Toledo, and Waterville.

College students and faculty ride TARTA to connect with several different Toledo-area colleges and universities including the University of Toledo — all area campuses, Lourdes University, Mercy College of Ohio, Davis College, Heidelberg University at Arrowhead Park, Herzing University, Professional Skills Institute, and Stautzenberger College.

School route information for grades K-12 is available at TARTA.com/schools.

TARTA fare is $1.25 per person; 60 cents for persons with disabilities and senior citizens age 65 and over. Children under age 6 ride free with an adult.

With monthly, unlimited ride passes for just $50, TARTA riders can save on their transportation costs by using any of eight TARTA Park-N-Ride locations throughout the Toledo area. Households that take public transportation, and live with one fewer car can save hundreds — even thousands — of dollars per year.

All TARTA buses are equipped with lifts or ramps making them 100 percent wheelchair-accessible. TARTA also has bike racks mounted on the front of all of its buses holding two bicycles independently.

TARTA curb-to-curb Call-A-Ride service operates in Maumee, Ottawa Hills, Rossford, Sylvania, Sylvania Township, and Waterville. Passengers may connect to and from TARTA regular line service and other nearby Call-A-Rides.

For persons with disabilities preventing them from using regular TARTA buses, there’s TARPS. TARPS operates in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and covers the same service area as TARTA. Registered TARPS users may ride TARTA regular line and Call-A-Ride services free of fare.

TARTA Game Shuttles offer Park-N-Ride service from several area locations for all Mud Hens baseball games at Fifth Third Field and Walleye hockey games at Huntington Center. Fare is $1.25; no game ticket is required to ride. Return trips leave 20 minutes following each game’s conclusion.

TARTA Tracker uses predictive technology to help you locate nearby stops, access real-time route information. Service is available on desktop and laptop computers and mobile devices. TARTA Tracker is also accessible by calling TARTA customer support at 419-243-RIDE weekdays, 6 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; and holidays, 6:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Visit TARTAtracker.com for details.

Every year, public transportation reduces our nation’s carbon emissions by 41 million tons — equivalent to the electricity used by 4.9 million households. In fact, riding public transportation is one of the most significant actions one can take to reduce their household carbon emissions.

For more information about TARTA and all its services, visit TARTA.com or call 419-243-RIDE.

With the awarding of grants from the Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation & Affiliates and the Sisters of Notre Dame, Mercy College funding is available for Mercy College of Ohio students who may experience an unforeseen financial obstacle.

The Dash emergency grant is available through funding from the Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation & Affiliates and the college. Students who experience an unexpected bill or expense can now apply for up to a $1,000 one-time Dash emergency grant. Great Lakes awarded $7.2 million in Dash Emergency Grants to 32 four-year colleges in six states.

Mercy College of Ohio students are eligible if they are enrolled in at least six credit hours during the semester in which the Dash emergency grant is requested, are an undergraduate with an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $7,000 or less, and in a degree-seeking program. Students must apply for the grant. If approved, funds are distributed to the third-party within 48 hours.

For students whose needs might include gas and food, Mercy College is able to offer assistance thanks to a $5,000 grant from the Congregational Fund Committee of the Sisters of Notre Dame (SND). The grant funds will be used to provide immediate assistance of gas and food gift cards to Mercy College students in need.

Sister Sally Marie Bohnett, SND, Director of Campus Ministry and Service Learning at Mercy College, submitted the college’s application for the grant. “One of the College’s core values is to serve and that means serving our students, our community, and each other,” she said. “This grant allows us to serve by helping in some of the most basic ways while contributing to the long-term success of our students.”

In 2015, with $3,000 in support from SND Congregational Funds, Mercy College set up a restricted fund solely for gift cards to buy groceries and gas. Cards were purchased valuing $50 each, and were given one or two at a time, depending upon the level of need. The same structure is planned for the recent $5,000 grant. Students who may be in need of assistance are referred by Mercy College faculty and staff.

Mercy College of Ohio is a Catholic institution sponsored by Mercy Health. It focuses on healthcare and health science programs in both on-campus and online formats. Mercy College offers a Graduate degree, Bachelor’s degrees, Associate degrees, and Credit Certificate programs. More information is available at mercycollege.edu.

When the William S. Carlson Library opened at the University of Toledo more than four decades ago, it was a repository for more than one million volumes of printed reference materials with card catalogs to direct students to the resources they needed.

Today the space looks much different thanks to a recently completed $6 million upgrade that features more open spaces, additional group study rooms and a new veterans lounge. The east wall also has been replaced with a curtain of windows to let in more sunlight.

“Modern libraries are no longer just a vault of books and reference materials. They are environments where students want to come and are inspired to learn,” said Beau Case, dean of University Libraries. “Librarians continue to provide students with the resources they need to succeed, and we are excited to engage our students in discovery in our new facility.”

A ribbon cutting to celebrate will take place at 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12, on the library’s second floor with UT President Sharon L. Gaber, Student Government President Jimmy Russell, Case, and Jason Toth, associate vice president for facilities and construction.

The ceremony is part of the university’s celebration of Founder’s Day, which marks the 145th anniversary of when UT was established with Jesup W. Scott’s donation of 160 acres of land to found what was then the Toledo University of Arts and Trades.

UT is holding its first Day of Giving, Rocket Forward: You Launch Lives, on Oct. 12 to encourage alumni, students, faculty, staff, volunteers and members of the community who support the institution to follow in Scott’s footsteps and invest in the university’s future.

Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, tours will be provided to see the library’s new features.

In addition to the new glass wall spanning the entire height of the building, the renovations include an expanded and landscaped concourse that greets guests when they enter the library and an added mezzanine area on the second floor.

The renovated library also features a variety of seating and study space options to accommodate all learners, collaborative workspaces, conference rooms, an endowed technology classroom, and 47 group study rooms and 16 active learning areas.

The new LTC Thomas J. Orlowski ’65 Veterans Lounge on the second floor named for the UT alumnus and Army veteran provides a space for military veterans and current service members to relax, study and enjoy the camaraderie they experienced while serving their country.

The multiyear library renovation project was funded by state capital dollars. A gift from the estate of Dorothy MacKenzie Price, a UT alumna and patron of many university programs, also supported the new state-of-the-art model classroom in the building.

Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority — TARTA — has been moving forward with the Toledo region since 1971. With over 30 interconnected routes carrying 3.1 million passengers per year in and around the Toledo area, TARTA serves the communities of Maumee, Ottawa Hills, Rossford, Sylvania, Sylvania Township, Toledo, and Waterville.

College students and faculty ride TARTA to connect with several different Toledo-area colleges and universities including the University of Toledo — all area campuses, Lourdes University, Mercy College of Ohio, Davis College, Heidelberg University at Arrowhead Park, Herzing University, Professional Skills Institute, and Stautzenberger College.

School route information for grades K-12 is available at TARTA.com/schools.

TARTA fare is $1.25 per person; 60 cents for persons with disabilities and senior citizens age 65 and over. Children under age 6 ride free with an adult.

With monthly, unlimited ride passes for just $50, TARTA riders can save on their transportation costs by using any of eight TARTA Park-N-Ride locations throughout the Toledo area. Households that take public transportation, and live with one fewer car can save hundreds — even thousands — of dollars per year.

All TARTA buses are equipped with lifts or ramps making them 100 percent wheelchair-accessible. TARTA also has bike racks mounted on the front of all of its buses holding two bicycles independently.

TARTA curb-to-curb Call-A-Ride service operates in Maumee, Ottawa Hills, Rossford, Sylvania, Sylvania Township, and Waterville. Passengers may connect to and from TARTA regular line service and other nearby Call-A-Rides.

For persons with disabilities preventing them from using regular TARTA buses, there’s TARPS. TARPS operates in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and covers the same service area as TARTA. Registered TARPS users may ride TARTA regular line and Call-A-Ride services free of fare.

TARTA Game Shuttles offer Park-N-Ride service from several area locations for all Mud Hens baseball games at Fifth Third Field and Walleye hockey games at Huntington Center. Fare is $1.25; no game ticket is required to ride. Return trips leave 20 minutes following each game’s conclusion.

TARTA Tracker uses predictive technology to help you locate nearby stops, access real-time route information. Service is available on desktop and laptop computers and mobile devices. TARTA Tracker is also accessible by calling TARTA customer support at 419-243-RIDE weekdays, 6 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; and holidays, 6:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Visit TARTAtracker.com for details.

Every year, public transportation reduces our nation’s carbon emissions by 41 million tons — equivalent to the electricity used by 4.9 million households. In fact, riding public transportation is one of the most significant actions one can take to reduce their household carbon emissions.

For more information about TARTA and all its services, visit TARTA.com or call 419-243-RIDE.

Earlier this fall the U.S. Department of Education released the official Fiscal Year 2014 three-year student loan default rates. This rate reflects borrowers from Oct. 1, 2013 to Sept. 30, 2016 who defaulted on their student loans. Mercy College’s official default rate is 3.7 percent well below the Ohio average of 13.7 percent and the national average of 11.5 percent. Mercy’s rate is half that of private institutions with an average rate of 7.4 percent and nearly half of four-year private schools with an average default rate of 7 percent (See chart).

Lori Edgeworth, Vice President of Enrollment and Strategic Planning, explains the importance of a low loan default rate and how Mercy College is committed to an affordable education.

“We take great pride in this incredibly low student loan default rate as it reflects how in-demand Mercy College graduates are,” Edgeworth said. “Our students find employment and can repay their loans. Additionally, we are committed to keeping tuition affordable. Mercy College’s tuition is among the lowest of Ohio’s private colleges and universities and often comparable to public universities. The low loan default rate demonstrates the value that an investment in a Mercy College education provides.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare continues to be a leading job creator in the United States (bls.gov). Currently Mercy College does not have any waiting lists for nursing and allied health programs beginning in both the spring (January) and fall (August) 2018 semesters. Amy Mergen, Director of Enrollment Management says, “Being a part of Mercy Health, we have premier access to clinical sites throughout Mercy Health’s facilities and sometimes to more clinical spaces. Students are often surprised that they can get started so quickly. Programs are competitive, so students are encouraged to apply soon for consideration.”

Those interested in preparing for a career in healthcare are encouraged to visit mercycollege.edu or call 419-251-1313 to learn more.

For the first time, astronomers have mapped the surface of a massive hot star, proving a decades-long theory that hot spots on the star’s surface affect the behavior of stellar winds. A University of Toledo astronomer was a member of the international research team that made the groundbreaking discovery.

“We’re now better able to understand how massive stars send out material into space through their winds,” said Dr. Noel Richardson, postdoctoral research associate in the UT Department of Physics and Astronomy, who was a member of the research team. “This research gives us a better understanding of how stars lose material, which then forms new stars and planets.”

The team’s research appears in a paper recently published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, one of the world’s leading astronomy journals.

For decades, astronomers have theorized that there were hot spots on the surface of massive stars that affected stellar winds, but they didn’t know how those spots behaved or how they impacted the winds.

To test that theory, the research team chose as its test subject a supergiant called Zeta Puppis, a massive star 60 times larger than the sun and seven times hotter at the surface. Massive stars are rare and usually travel in pairs. But Zeta Puppis flies solo — and it flies fast. The star hurtles through space at 37 miles per second, 60 times faster than a speeding bullet.

Using a network of nanosatellites from the “BRIght Target Explorer” (BRITE) space mission, researchers monitored the surface brightness of Zeta Puppis every 100 minutes for six months in 2014. They simultaneously monitored the behavior of its stellar winds over time from several ground-based observatories.

After correlating the two sets of data, the team found that Zeta Puppis rotates at tremendous speed — once every 1.78 days. In comparison, our sun, which is 60 times smaller, takes almost a month to rotate once.

Astronomers in the past had never had enough data to verify their claims about hot spots and their effects on stellar winds. The new data allowed them to map the surface of Zeta Puppis. It proved what the astronomers suspected: The structures on the star’s surface were indeed there, and these hot spots did affect the star’s winds.

Astronomers have mapped the surfaces of cooler stars, Richardson said, but this is the first time they’ve mapped a hot star. They learned that a brighter, hotter spot creates huge spiral structures in stellar winds that scatter more material into space.

A team of more than 40 astronomers participated in the research. The group included six amateur astronomers in Australia, New Zealand and Brazil, who spent three to four hours every night for six months peering into their telescopes and collecting data.

Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority — TARTA — has been the “Ride of Toledo” since 1971. TARTA has 30 routes and carries 3.1 million passengers each year in and around the Toledo metropolitan area. TARTA currently serves the communities of Maumee, Ottawa Hills, Rossford, Sylvania, Sylvania Township, Toledo, and Waterville.

TARTA fare is $1.25 per person; 60 cents for persons with disabilities and senior citizens age 65 and over. Children under 6 ride free with adult, limit of two. TARTA tokens are sold in quantities of 25 for $28.25. Weekly and monthly passes are available for $12.50 and $50, respectively; reduced fare senior/disabled weekly passes are $6.25; monthly passes are $25 to persons with disabilities and senior citizens age 65 and over.

All TARTA buses are equipped with lifts and ramps making them 100 percent wheelchair-accessible. TARTA also recognizes the role of bicycles in riders’ commutes and has bike racks mounted on the front of all of its buses. Each rack holds two or three bicycles (adult or child) independently.

For persons with disabilities that may prevent them from using regular TARTA buses, there’s TARPS — TARTA’s paratransit service. TARPS operates in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and covers the same service area as TARTA. Applications are available by calling TARTA at 419-243-7433. TARPS is available to qualified riders only.

Other TARTA innovations include a Call-A-Ride service in Maumee, Ottawa Hills, Rossford, Sylvania, Sylvania Township, and Waterville. Fare is $1.25 per person; 60 cents for persons with disabilities and senior citizens age 65 and over. Call-A-Ride passengers may also connect to and from TARTA regular line service.

TARTAtracker.com is a website accessible from any computer or mobile device allowing users to track TARTA line service buses for arrival times to stops throughout TARTA’s service area. Alert notifications are available letting riders know when their bus is getting close to their current location. TARTA users may also use Google Maps or Bing Maps when planning their trips.

For more information, visit TARTA.com or call 419-243-RIDE today. Service updates, route detours, and all TARTA schedule and route maps are available online.

“Lineups all day, every day.” On Sunday, January 7, 2018, the TARTA winter route schedule will begin. Most routes will be affected by routing and time changes; new timetables and maps are available at TARTA.com/Winter2018.

The University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University have announced a collaboration in foreign language education that will expand opportunities for students at both universities, while saving resources by reducing duplicative academic programs.

The programs are among those identified by the Ohio Department of Higher Education in response to the Governor’s Task Force on Affordability and Efficiency’s recommendation that universities in the same region offering duplicative programs look for opportunities to collaborate.

On Nov. 15, UT President Sharon L. Gaber and BGSU President Mary Ellen Mazey led the signing of a memorandum of agreement supporting the foreign language course exchange in advance of the rivalry football game.

Also signing the agreement were Andrew Hsu, UT executive vice president and provost; Rodney Rogers, BGSU provost and senior vice president; Charlene Gilbert, dean of the UT College of Arts and Letters; and Raymond Craig, dean of the BGSU College of Arts and Sciences.

“This foreign language partnership builds on the existing culture of collaboration between UT and BGSU to better serve our students and the community in the most efficient ways possible,” Gaber said. “By sharing resources, we will be able to provide our students access to more foreign language education opportunities to better prepare them for success in the global marketplace.”

“We are pleased to enter into this partnership with the University of Toledo, which will provide exceptional educational experiences for both BGSU and UT students,” Mazey said. “As one of BGSU’s core values, we welcome opportunities to collaborate. This agreement combines the strengths of both universities, resulting in efficiencies that support students’ degree completion.”

The universities are already collaborating at the course level. This fall, UT students have been taking an online BGSU Italian course, and in the spring, BGSU students will be able to take a UT Arabic course. Sharing course offerings in French and German is also planned to begin as early as spring. Opportunities for collaboration in additional languages will be explored by a joint task force under the direction of the two college offices.

The universities have worked to ensure the process is as seamless as possible for students.

BGSU recently merged its romance and classical languages department with the German, Russian and East Asian languages department to better prepare undergraduate students to be engaged global citizens. The new Department of World Languages and Cultures promotes linguistic and cultural competence as a bridge to achieve intercultural understanding of global issues ideas and values.

UT also is in the process of renaming its foreign languages program to the Department of World Languages and Culture to better reflect the curriculum that also includes culture and literature instruction to prepare students to thrive in the global world.

Students at Mercy College of Ohio are using equipment unlike any other to prepare for careers in healthcare and beyond. The most recent addition includes the Anatomage Table, an eight-foot, state-of-the art virtual cadaver table with advanced touch-screen 3D technology.

The digital platform allows each student to experience dissection, gross anatomy and clinical cases and skills application from the same starting point. The Anatomage Table builds on the traditional anatomy experience by allowing students to revert back to a previous view of a structure, layer or system in an environment where students can take a discovery approach knowing that they can make a mistake without concerns of damaging the cadaver. Each new student starts with the same view and perspective, which makes learning from any point of knowledge possible.

Trevor Bates , DHSc, AT, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty at Mercy College, provides insight into the advantages provided by the Anamotage Table for the Mercy College community.

“Faculty and academic staff will use the Anatomage Table in many of our current programs to provide a structural foundation, to supplement anatomical models and to provide a perspective for many of the procedures students will perform during their clinical education and in their future professional careers,” Dr. Bates explained. “The Anatomage Table allows students to view the cadaver at any angle and both lying flat and standing to replicate potential positions they will find their patients in when they are providing care.”

The addition of the Anatomage Table at Mercy College allows students on all levels to have access to human and animal cadaver anatomy dissection. The Anatomage Table complements existing programs at Mercy College including helping Radiologic Technology and Medical Imaging students visualize the structures they will be imaging on patients in the hospital setting. Nursing students are able to view the path of injections they will give to patients and gain an appreciation for the need for accuracy and depth. The detailed, intense learning provided through the Anatomage Table will impact Mercy College students for years to come. The Anatomage Table will not only supplement the learning experience for Mercy College students, but will also be used by Mercy Health Toledo in the graduate medical education and Mercy Sports Medicine programs.

The $80,000 plus purchase of the Anatomage Table was completely funded through private donations and grants. Key contributors were the Ruth Kelly Foundation, Frederick Douglass Foundation, Mercy Health Foundation and the Mercy College Auxiliary among others.

For more information about programs at Mercy College visit mercycollege.edu.

New students to the University of Toledo will be able to pay the same undergraduate tuition from their first day of college through graduation under the new Toledo Tuition Guarantee plan.

The Toledo Tuition Guarantee, approved by the UT Board of Trustees, establishes a fixed tuition rate for four years to provide price transparency and consistency for families, while also encouraging students to complete their bachelor’s degree in four years.

“I’m glad to be able to offer this price certainty to our students and their families as we continue to strengthen our efforts that encourage students to succeed in their studies, graduate and go on to pursue successful careers,” UT President Sharon L. Gaber said.

“UT for many years has provided an exceptional value to our students with one of the lowest tuition rates among public universities in Ohio. This tuition guarantee plan aligns our commitment to providing a high-quality education at an affordable price with efforts to support student success and raise retention and graduation rates,” said Larry Kelley, UT executive vice president for finance and administration, and chief financial officer.

UT’s tuition guarantee plan begins fall semester 2018 for new degree-seeking undergraduate students who enroll at the university for the first time as first-year students or transfer students. It establishes a fixed rate for tuition, the general fee and select miscellaneous fees, such as for library information and career services. On-campus housing and meal plan rates also are guaranteed. The out-of-state surcharge is not included in the Toledo Tuition Guarantee. Graduate students also are not part of the guarantee program.

Undergraduate students are guaranteed the fixed rate for four academic years, which includes eight consecutive fall and spring semesters, four summer semesters and any intersessions within that period. Students who take classes beyond their four-year guarantee period will pay the tuition rate set for a subsequent cohort.

Students who complete their undergraduate degree within the guarantee period are eligible for a new $500 scholarship toward continuing their education in a UT graduate program if they enroll within three semesters of graduating with their bachelor’s degree.

The Toledo Tuition Guarantee does not impact students already enrolled at UT who will continue under the traditional tuition model.

A collaborative team of administrators, faculty and staff from across the university had worked since April to put together the Toledo Tuition Guarantee plan. The plan has been submitted to the Chancellor of the Ohio Department of Higher Education, who approves requests to adopt guarantee programs.

For additional information on the Toledo Tuition Guarantee, visit utoledo.edu/admission/freshman/tuition/guarantee.

Mercy College of Ohio invites high school students with a love for science to attend Sci Fri on Friday, February 23 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mercy College’s Toledo campus. Sci Fri is a half-day science event exploring the journey of food through the digestive system. Students will have the opportunity to participate in hands-on activities and experiments involving digestive track dissections and the study of the chemical reactions associated with digestion in Mercy College’s newly renovated science labs. All science activities will be led by experienced science faculty.

Amy Mergen, Director of Enrollment Management at Mercy College of Ohio, explained one of the unique aspects of Sci Fri.

“Participants will work with the new Anatomage Table, a virtual cadaver, that is the most technologically advanced anatomy visualization system on the market,” Mergen said. “The Anatomage Table is unlike anything else available and we are excited for high school students to experience this cutting edge technology.”

While the students are up to their elbows in science, parents will have the chance to attend an information session regarding what to expect as the parents of a college student. Students and parents will come back together for lunch and learn more about their students’ science discoveries.

Biology and the sciences are integral to all programs available at Mercy College of Ohio. Through Sci Fri, students will experience the foundation of the strong healthcare and health science programs available.

Sci Fri is $20 per student and there is no charge for parents. Lunch will be provided to all guests. Space is limited. To register or for more information visit www.mercycollege.edu/scifri or call 419-251-1313.