CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (Jan. 14, 2015) - The following student(s) are named to the Fall 2014 Dean's List at Mount Mercy University. Students with a semester grade point average of 3.60 or better, and who are graded (letter grade, not pass/fail) for six or more semester hours, are eligible for inclusion on the Dean's List.

Dana Ewan from Bettendorf, Human Resourses Mgmt

Katelyn Bishop from Davenport, Marketing

Megan Lewis from Davenport, Nursing AP

Founded in 1928, Mount Mercy University offers students a personal, practical and faith-inspired education that distinctly blends professional career preparation and liberal arts with a strong curriculum grounded in leadership and service. Located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Mount Mercy University is sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy and a member of the Conference for Mercy Higher Education.

In more than 85 years, Mount Mercy has grown in size and reputation, adapting to meet the changing educational needs of the Cedar Rapids community. Mount Mercy offers baccalaureate and graduate education to nearly 1,800 students. Popular undergraduate majors include business, nursing, criminal justice, education and social work. Graduate programs are offered in business, education, nursing, marriage and family therapy, strategic leadership and criminal justice. For more information on Mount Mercy, visit www.mtmercy.edu.

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Located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Mount Mercy University is the regional Catholic, Mercy University that promises students of diverse backgrounds, ages and faiths a challenging, practical education that inspires them to discover knowledge, build community and lead courageous lives. Mount Mercy offers baccalaureate and graduate education to nearly 1,800 enrolled students and uniquely blends our outstanding liberal arts education with equally outstanding professional preparation.

DES MOINES, IA (01/13/2015)(readMedia)-- The Iowa State Education Association's (ISEA) priorities for Iowa students have always been clear. Every student, regardless of ZIP code is entitled to a secure, healthy and robust educational environment so they are able to learn. This means funding must be adequate, equitable and sustainable and 6 percent State Supplemental Aid (SSA) for the FY 2016-17 and FY 2017-18 school years is absolutely necessary to meet this goal.

While we applaud the Governor for making anti-bullying legislation a priority, we deeply regret he has ignored the details in how he is proposing to fund Iowa's K-12 public education system. Currently, Iowa ranks 35th in the nation in educational funding per student which is $1,612 below the national average.

Iowa's schools cannot function on a wing and a prayer. We have seen the results of a slight-of-hand approach when the Governor claims he wants our public schools to be the best, yet still underfunds them. It seems to us that he can only tout our 1:1 technology schools and their opportunities for advanced student learning if he funds them properly so they have up- to-date equipment; he can only support our STEM program if he provides the program with enough tools in the labs to teach; and he can only brag about our Advanced Placement classes if he provides the funds for new text books which reflect the current world around us. Our leaders must realize that many Iowa classrooms are operating with outdated equipment, with history books that are over a decade old, technology that predates our students, and crowding with not a desk or square inch of space to spare.

We simply must fund our schools with adequate cost of living adjustments if we want to be competitive. Our hope today was that the Governor would not play politics and claim to support our schools with too little funding. Unfortunately, that is exactly what he has done.

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The ISEA is a professional organization made up of more than 34,000 educators who are dedicated to supporting and protecting a quality education for all Iowa students.