Education Briefs | NASA team visits NTU

CROWNPOINT

On March 23 to 24, NASA’s Institutional Research Opportunity Team visited Navajo Technical University.

The group met with President Elmer Guy, Provost Colleen Bowman and Associate Professor Monsuru Ramoni.

The NASA group did an on-site review of NTU’s research abilities to help strengthen partnerships for future opportunities.

In 2019, team awarded NTU with a $3 million grant for the Additive Manufacturing Education and Research Project, headed by Ramoni.

NTU students made presentations about the projects they’ve been working on.

Winter Morgan, an NTU lab intern, said she worked with her partner, Joel Yazzie, and said, “We have our first joint published paper together.”

Morgan and Yazzie’s presentation was titled “Surface Metrology of DED Lens AM Part: Contact Surface Profilometer.”

Their project was based on collecting surface data using a 3D cube tool called a “surface profile meter” that is dragged over the surface of the 3D cube.

Their paper was published in the American Society for Precision Engineering (www.vnmglobalsolutions.com/publications).

The second presentation, given by Nyala Murphy and Deidra Deswood, was titled “SUM 2021 NASA AM Metal Internship.”

Their research was based on 3D printing applications for aerospace companies and the material they used is a nickel-based superalloy.

Murphy, an NTU lab intern, said, “I felt confident and was not worried. I’ve done enough presentations since I started working in the Fab Lab that I’ve gained the experience and understanding of my work.”

Murphy, describing working with her partner, Deswood, said, “We work as a team, we continue to teach each other with collaboration and trust in one another, and we accomplished our goal together.”

Information: Monsuru Ramoni, mramoni@navajotech.edu.

Tuition increases OK’d for Arizona’s 3 public universities

PHOENIX (AP) — The board that oversees Arizona’s three public universities on Thursday approved modest tuition increases for incoming freshmen students who are state residents and larger boosts for non-residents.

Only Arizona State University increased basic tuition rates for current in-state students, increasing tuition by 2.5%. Non-residents will see tuition rise by 4% and international students by 5%.

That same increase will also hit incoming freshmen, bringing tuition for the 2022-23 school year to $10,978 for resident undergrads and $12,014 for graduate students who are Arizona residents.

Northern Arizona University and the University of Arizona stuck with their promise not to impose tuition increases for most students during their four years of undergraduate studies.

Tuition for incoming NAU freshmen is increasing by 3.5%, bringing tuition to $11,024. Graduate students will also see a 3.5% boost at NAU and pay $11,390 a year.

At the UofA, resident undergrad tuition is going up by 2% to $11,525 per year. Graduate students will also see a 2% boost to $12,348 a year.

The Arizona Board of Regents also approved changes in mandatory fees at all three universities and increased housing costs by 3% to 3.5% at all three universities. All but the UofA also increased meal plan costs.

Housing and meal plan costs vary, but they can exceed the cost of tuition.

NAU’s housing plans range from $6,000 a year to above $8,000, while meal plans can exceed $6,000 a year.

At ASU’s Tempe campus, housing starts at over $10,000, and meal plans are more than $5,000 a year.

University of Arizona housing options start at $6,400 a year and can be near $9,000 in shared dorm rooms and well above $10,000 in some housing. Meal plans vary but can exceed $5,000.

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