California State University, Fresno President John D. Welty pledged to increase the number of quality mathematics and science teachers prepared at the university as part of a nationwide Science and Mathematics Teacher Imperative.

The university is one of 121 public research universities involved in the program, 41 of which joined in a letter Jan. 6 to President Obama, pledging their institutions to train 10,000 math and science teachers by 2015.

The imperative reflects the goals of President Obama's Educate to Innovate campaign to elevate science and mathematics education in order to make the U.S. more competitive in the world.

The imperative program was initiated in November 2008 under sponsorship of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, of which Fresno State is a member. The university's own Mathematics and Science Teacher Initiative has been praised by the state Teacher Credentialing commission for doubling the number of math and science teachers since 2006.

The initiative offers free or low-cost courses and workshops to elementary and middle school teachers who wish to expand their teaching credential to embrace science and math. Financial support is also available for prospective teachers in those fields.