Iona College unveils audit results
Iona College last week unveiled the findings of an internal investigation into irregularities in student performance data that had been reported to outside agencies.
The audit, which was conducted by outside legal counsel with assistance from an independent auditing firm, confirmed that inaccurate data related to incoming freshman acceptance rates, SAT scores, graduation rates and the percentage of alumni annual donors were reported to external agencies.
Among the notable findings was that reported SAT scores for incoming freshmen were overstated by an average of 6.5 percent over the actual scores.
The college first revealed the suspected irregularities Aug. 30 when it also announced that Provost Warren Rosenberg had been suspended. Rosenberg has since resigned.
A full report of the audit”™s findings has been made available by Iona at www.iona.edu
Optimum awards local schools
Optimum Lightpath, a division of Cablevision Systems Corp., has awarded five Westchester County schools with $10,000 grants to help them in the development of educational technology.
The five schools to receive the grants were the Biondi School of Leake and Watts in Yonkers, Corpus Christi-Holy Rosary in Port Chester, Mount Pleasant Blythedale UFSD in Valhalla, Thornton High School in Mount Vernon and Westlake High School in Thornwood.
The winning schools were selected from among 44 applicants. The grant program, which was open to public and private elementary and secondary schools in Westchester, evaluated applicants based on how the school would use technology to improve classroom instruction and promote the use of technology to improve the overall educational experience, among other qualifications.