MUNCIE, Ind. - Ball State University received a record $11 million in funding for research, teaching and service last year, exceeding the previous record set in 1995 by $1.5 million.

Two of the grants are for more than $1 million each, five are for more than $500,000 each and 15 are for more than $100,000.

"The grants that were funded represent a significant accomplishment in the breadth of what was funded and in the potential for future development," said Jim Pyle, executive director of the Office of Academic Research and Sponsored Programs.

One of the million-dollar awards is for Building Employment Skills Together (B.E.S.T.), administered by Joanna Wallace, associate dean of continuing education. The grant's aim is to train workers in building trades and computer skills. The ultimate payoff is providing local people with marketable job skills.

"Computer training makes up 75 to 80 percent of our program," Wallace reports. "And we are barely able to keep up with the demand. It's been unreal. All our classes fill and we have waiting lists."

The grant comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and is in partnership with various community organizations including the Urban Enterprise Association, East Central Opportunities Inc. and the Chamber of Commerce.

A grant from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources will allow Assistant Professor Tom Lauer to continue the work begun by Tom McComish, retired professor of biology, evaluating the perch population in southern Lake Michigan.

"Fifteen years of ongoing sampling of this valuable commercial and sport fishery has produced data that has greatly assisted DNR biologists in the management of the perch population," Lauer said.

Funds built into the grant will pay for two graduate students and two or three undergraduate students to work on the project.

Another grant will help Shelby County and the City of Shelbyville set up a Geographical Information System. According to David Schoen, professor of urban planning, "GIS is a very powerful, flexible tool that can perform services and reduce costs. It will help the local government record map data, plan for transportation, manage taxation and prepare for emergencies."

In addition, local government could provide GIS information via the Web so that homeowners can get property information in a few minutes that used to take up to three days to track down.

By Marie Aquila, Communications Manager

(Note to Editors: For more information about this story or how to reach the source, contact James Pyle at (765) 285-1600 or jpyle@bsu.edu.)