On Evan Frazier’s last official day as president and CEO of the Hill House Association, his co-workers threw him a farewell party. And in true Christmas spirit he gave something back, announcing the agency had reached a new fundraising goal with the help of the largest corporate gift ever received.

FAREWELL—Left: Dr. Jeannette South-Paul of UPMC talks to Evan Frazier. At right: Tika Hemmingway talks with Evan Frazier.

“We have reached our $10 million mark in our capital campaign, thanks in part to EQT Corp. making the largest corporate donation in Hill House’s history,” he said, Dec. 18.

Hill House board chair Greg Spencer called the $500,000 gift “historic.”

Last week, approximately 80 percent of the faculty at Indiana University of Pennsylvania voted they have no confidence in IUP President Tony Atwater. The results of the vote were released Dec. 18 by IUP’s chapter of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties who called for the vote in November.

“This development is unfortunate but not surprising,” said Atwater. “I earlier extended an invitation to IUP APSCUF’s leadership to meet and pursue possible ways of resolving differences. However, the faculty union chose not to respond to my invitation.”

TONY ATWATER

Of the 777 faculty members who were eligible to vote, 672 participated with 568 expressing no confidence, 64 expressing confidence, and 40 abstaining.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania has begun a new initiative to increase the number of African-American students pursuing post-secondary education. In a partnership with the Pittsburgh Public School district, the Promise Plus initiative will help ensure more students take advantage of the Pittsburgh Promise scholarship.

EAGER TO LEARN— Lincoln Elementary students surround David Lind, director for the Center for Video Technology, IUP Department of Communications Media, at the university’s television station.

“The IUP Promise Plus initiative is an example of IUP’s commitment to outreach educational attainment,” IUP President Tony Atwater said. “We take great pride in working with Heinz Endowment to build successful futures for elementary and high school students in the greater Pittsburgh region.”