Valparaiso University is offering faculty and staff “early retirement incentives,” commonly known as buyouts, in a continuing effort to reduce spending in light of declining enrollment.
Faculty and staff are eligible for the plan if they are 55-YEARS or older and have been working at the university for AT LEAST 20 years as of June 30th, or if they are 62-YEARS or older and have been working at the university for AT LEAST 10 years as of June 30th, ACCORDING TO THE TIMES.
V-U said it needs to cut costs and wants to do voluntary separations instead of layoffs and program discontinuances. President Jose Padilla consulted with the Board of Directors regarding the voluntary separations.
UNIVERSITY officials told the Times approximately 15% of Valparaiso University employees are eligible. There is no unique number of employees accepting the program that is needed for budget planning.
Tenured faculty will receive two-year base salary payouts, and all other eligible employees will receive one-year base salary payouts.
---
The Indiana Dunes National Park will soon be charging an entrance fee. Starting March 31st, it'll cost 15-dollars per person or 25-dollars per vehicle to enter the park.
The National Park Service says the money will be used to help fund the Marquette Greenway Trail, along with improvements to parking, transportation, and visitor services. In a statement, Park Superintendent Paul Labovitz calls it "a positive step to keep the park accessible, safe and vibrant for all," while meeting visitors' increasing needs. Attendance has almost doubled at the Indiana Dunes National Park since its official name change three years ago.
Park passes will be available for purchase at the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center, the Paul H. Douglas Center, and the West Beach Entrance Station. There are also plans to make them available at local gas stations and other retailers.
Those who pass through the park without stopping -- on roads, bike trails, or by water -- will not have to pay.
---
Gas prices went back up Tuesday afternoon. GasBuddy reports that the average price for gas across Indiana is $3.19 per gallon. That's up six cents from where it was Monday. The cheapest gas in the state is in Brownsburg where it's $2.85.
---
An Indianapolis man accused of opening fire at a Chicago veterans hospital in 20-19 has pleaded guilty to a federal gun charge. The Chicago Sun-Times report that 43-year-old Bernard Harvey Jr. pleaded guilty Tuesday to illegal possession of an assault rifle. Lawyers in the case say he now faces a likely prison sentence of three to five years. Harvey admitted during Tuesday’s hearing that he was armed with an assault rifle when he “fired the firearm several times while outside” the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center. No one was hit by the gunfire. A judge set Harvey's sentencing hearing for early May.
---
IN SPORTS:
TONIGHT IN THE NBA:
THE BULLS, FIRST PLACE IN THE CENTRAL, HOST THE TORONTO RAPTORS AT 7 P-M.
THE PACERS, FOURTH PLACE IN THE CENTRAL, HOST THE CHARLOTTE HORNETS AT 6 P-M.
IN THE NHL:
THE BLACKHAWKS TRAVEL TO DETROIT TO TAKE ON THE RED WINGS AT 6:30.
Ryan Poles has been hired as Chicago’s general manager almost 15 years after the former offensive tackle signed with the team as an undrafted free agent and then failed to make the final roster. Poles spent the previous 13 seasons in the Chiefs’ front office, the past year as executive director of player personnel. He was the team’s director of college scouting in 2017 when Kansas City drafted Patrick Mahomes with the No. 10 overall pick — after Chicago took Mitchell Trubisky at No. 2. Poles succeeds Ryan Pace as the Bears' GM, and the team has yet to hire a coach to replace Matt Nagy. Poles interviewed Jim Caldwell for the coaching job on Tuesday.
---
LOOKING AT YOUR LAKESHORE WEATHER FORECAST...
TODAY: THE COLD CONTINUES THROUGH THE REGION WITH A DAYTIME HIGH NEAR 9 DEGREES, WITH WINDCHILLS AS LOW AS NEGATIVE 12.
TONIGHT: CLOUDY SKIES AND WINDCHILLS NEAR NEGATIVE 10. THOUGH, TEMPS WILL RISE TO ABOUT 16 DEGREES BY EARLY TOMORROW MORNING.
THURSDAY: EXPECT CLOUDY SKIES WITH A HIGH NEAR 31.
THURSDAY NIGHT: A FIFTY PERCENT CHANCE OF SNOW AFTER MIDNIGHT WITH CLOUDY SKIES AND A LOW NEAR 12 DEGREES.
FRIDAY: A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF SNOW WITH A HIGH NEAR 20.
