USG eClips

UNIVERSITY SYSTEM – VALUE

ProjectENGAGE: A Year of Opportunity
http://www.wabe.org/post/projectengage-year-opportunity
WABE
June 25, 2013
Finding paths into the so-called STEM fields – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics – remains especially challenging for minorities. But a first-of-its kind program between Georgia Tech and two single-gender Atlanta high schools is working to change the trend. Twelve teenagers from Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy and BEST Academy have just begun a year-long journey as inaugural ProjctENGAGE Research Scholars. And throughout the year, I’m dropping in from time-to-time to check on their progress.

UNIVERSITY SYSTEM – NEWS

UGA Foundation elects new board members, trustees
http://onlineathens.com/uga/2013-06-25/uga-foundation-elects-new-board-members-trustees
Athens Banner Herald
June 26, 2013
The University of Georgia Foundation today announced changes in leadership and board positions voted upon at its recently concluded annual meeting. Most notable among the actions is that its board voted unanimously to elect John P. Spalding as chairman effective July 1, 2013 and running through June 30, 2015.

UGA Foundation names chairman, board positions
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2013/06/25/uga-foundation-names-chairman-board.html
Atlanta Business Chronicle
June 25, 2013
By Jacques Couret
The University of Georgia Foundation named John P. Spalding chairman through June 30, 2015. He succeeds Bill Young Jr. who served the foundation in two separate terms from 2007 to 2009 and 2011 to present.

University of Limerick expands US partnership
http://www.limerickpost.ie/2013/06/25/university-of-limerick-expands-us-partnership/
Limerick Post
June 25, 2013
The University of Limerick (UL) has announced a major expansion of its partnership with the Georgia Institute of Technology which is ranked as one of the top research universities in the United States. Seven aerospace engineering students from Georgia Tech arrived at UL’s Department of Mechanical, Aeronautical and Biomedical Engineering to begin a 10 week Semester Abroad programme at the University of Limerick.

UNIVERSITY SYSTEM – RESEARCH

AT&T to launch innovation center in Atlanta
http://onlineathens.com/local-news/2013-06-26/att-launch-innovation-center-atlanta
Athens Banner Herald
June 26, 2013
[from the Associated Press] ATLANTA — AT&T has announced it will open an innovation center near Georgia Tech in Atlanta. Company officials said Tuesday that the innovation center is expected to help AT&T speed development of new applications and platforms.

Cisco, Georgia Tech collaborate on AT&T’s Atlanta Innovation Center
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/blog/atlantech/2013/06/att-collaborates-with-cisco-georgia.html
Atlanta Business Chronicle
June 25, 2013
AT&T will collaborate with networking giant Cisco Systems Inc. at its new Atlanta innovation center. On June 17, Atlanta Business Chronicle reported AT&T’s (NYSE: T) plans to make Atlanta the site for its fourth Foundry innovation center — a development that could seed dozens of technology startups in the area. The center is expected to be located on the ground floor of the Centergy building at Georgia Tech’s Technology Square.

AT&T Launches New Innovation Centers in Atlanta, Plano
http://www.cio.com/article/735439/AT_T_Launches_New_Innovation_Centers_in_Atlanta_Plano
CIO
June 25, 2013
AT&T Tuesday announced plans to open new innovation centers in Atlanta and Plano, Texas, to open in coming months, giving it a total of five such centers worldwide. The Atlanta center, located next to the Georgia Institute of Technology, better known as Georgia Tech, is sponsored by Cisco in collaboration with the university and state and local governments. It will focus on developing home automation and security services and products around AT&T’s Digital Life services, as well as connected car technologies, said John Donovan, senior executive vice president for AT&T technology in a blog post.

Tech Analyst Cheers AT&T Decision to Locate Newest Foundry in Atlanta
http://www.gpb.org/blogs/georgia-works/2013/06/25/tech-analyst-cheers-att-decision-to-locate-newest-foundry-in-atlanta
Georgia Public Broadcasting Blog
June 25, 2013
Technology Industry Analyst, Jeff Kagan, says the new Atlanta Foundry Center created by AT&T will be a catalyst for jobs and innovation. “The process of new ideas becoming real products and apps has really sped up over the last few years. Companies like AT&T were always overwhelmed with so many great ideas. That’s what the AT&T Foundry is all about. The AT&T Foundry is about speeding up the process from new idea to real product or app.” Says Kagan. The Foundry will be located on the campus of Georgia Tech and will be created in conjunction with Cisco Systems.
AT&T Launches New Innovation Centers in Atlanta, Plano
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9240330/AT_T_launches_new_innovation_centers_in_Atlanta_Plano?source=rss_latest_content&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+computerworld%2Fnews%2Ffeed+%28Latest+from+Computerworld%29
Computer World
June 25, 2013
Computerworld – AT&T Tuesday announced plans to open new innovation centers in Atlanta and Plano, Texas, to open in coming months, giving it a total of five such centers worldwide. The Atlanta center, located next to the Georgia Institute of Technology, better known as Georgia Tech, is sponsored by Cisco in collaboration with the university and state and local governments. It will focus on developing home automation and security services and products around AT&T’s Digital Life services, as well as connected car technologies, said John Donovan, senior executive vice president for AT&T technology in a blog post.

21st Century Scientists: Facundo Fernandez
http://news.science360.gov/obj/video/4e5c899f-274a-4870-8440-a0ee242ee28c/21st-century-scientists-facundo-fernandez
Science 360
June 26, 2013
In this 21st Century Chemist profile, Georgia Tech chemist Facundo Fernandez explains his efforts to detect worthless or harmful counterfeit medications — eventually using a hand-held device, he hopes. Worldwide, an estimated 700,000 people a year die from counterfeit malaria and TB drugs.

EDITORIALS/OPINIONS/COLUMNS/BLOGS/ESSAYS

Cuno: ‘Soft sciences’ matter as much as ever
http://onlineathens.com/opinion/2013-06-25/cuno-soft-sciences-matter-much-ever
Athens Banner-Herald
June 25, 2013
By James Cuno
A report released last week bears out what many educators have been predicting: Amid rising college tuition, increased global economic competition and a job market that disproportionately rewards graduates in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) fields, students are seeking degrees in what they and, indeed, many in our nation view as lucrative business and hard-science disciplines.

The Bipartisan Exception
http://www.insidehighered.com/views/2013/06/26/essay-why-colleges-need-rally-behind-senate-immigration-bill
Inside Higher Education
June 26, 2013
By Peter McPherson
…This bill deserves the full support of higher education because it presents an extraordinary opportunity for our nation, including colleges and universities whose missions to promote education, research and economic growth will be advanced with immigration reform.

Byers Brothers: Atlanta positioned well for higher ed and innovation
http://saportareport.com/blog/2013/06/byers-brothers-atlanta-well-positioned-for-higher-ed-and-innovation/
The Saporta Report
June 24, 2013
By Maria Saporta
…In a panel discussion after the Rotary meeting, Atlanta business leaders were able to ask more pointed questions about what the region can do to leverage its business and higher education resources. The panel discussion was organized by the Metro Atlanta Chamber’s Business-Higher Education Council and the Rotary Club of Atlanta. …Brook Byers said that before coming to Atlanta, he asked his peers in Silicon Valley their opinions about how they viewed Georgia and its capital city. “The response I got from everyone is that they (Atlanta) are doing just fine,” Brook Byers said. “They know about your universities and your start-ups. I know as Atlanta business leaders you never think you are doing enough.”
HIGHER EDUCATION NEWS — MORE ON US SUPREME COURT AFFIRMATIVE ACTION DECISION

‘Fisher’ Ruling May Open a ‘Wave of Litigation Against Colleges’
http://chronicle.com/article/Fisher-Ruling-May-Open-a/140015/?cid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en
Chronicle of Higher Education
June 26, 2013
The U.S. Supreme Court may have left colleges open to a flurry of legal attacks on their affirmative-action policies by ruling on Monday that lower courts should have given much stricter scrutiny to the race-conscious admissions policy used by the University of Texas at Austin. Having had a chance to closely read the court’s decision in Fisher v.University of Texas at Austin (No. 11-345), many higher-education leaders, legal analysts, and critics of affirmative action are predicting that the ruling will inspire legal challenges to race-conscious admissions policies that the courts had previously been inclined to give the benefit of the doubt. (Subscription required)

The Day After, In Texas
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/06/26/ut-austin-president-and-admissions-director-discuss-fisher-decision
Inside Higher Education
June 26, 2013
By Kevin Kiley
On Tuesday, William C. Powers Jr., president of the University of Texas at Austin, and Kedra Ishop, vice provost and director of admissions at the University of Texas at Austin, took time to answer a few questions about the Supreme Court’s decision Monday in Fisher v. the University of Texas at Austin.

Researchers vs. Clarence Thomas
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/06/26/new-research-mismatch-released-day-after-justice-thomas-cites-theory-criticize
Inside Higher Education
June 26, 2013
By Scott Jaschik
“Mismatch” theory is very popular with critics of affirmative action. It holds that beneficiaries of affirmative action who are admitted to more competitive colleges may do worse academically (and feel worse about themselves as a result) than if they enrolled at less selective colleges that wouldn’t have considered their race or ethnicity.

For Admissions Offices, Supreme Court’s Ruling Prolongs ‘Fuzziness’
http://chronicle.com/article/For-Admissions-Offices/140003/
Chronicle of Higher Education
June 24, 2013
By Eric Hoover
…The court’s long-awaited ruling in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austindelivered neither victory nor defeat to proponents of the use of race and ethnicity in admissions evaluations. By remanding the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit for further consideration, the justices sidestepped—for now—a ruling on the constitutionality of race-conscious admissions policies. Instead of a broad, far-reaching decision, admissions officers got the judicial equivalent of the pause button: They must wait for more clarity.

HIGHER EDUCATION NEWS

Barrow schools, Lanier Tech break ground on joint campus
http://onlineathens.com/local-news/2013-06-25/barrow-schools-lanier-tech-break-ground-joint-campus
Athens Banner Herald
June 25, 2013
By Lee Shearer
WINDER — Officials with the Barrow County School District and the Technical College System of Georgia broke ground on a new joint campus Tuesday morning. … Construction will begin in about a week on the $27 million complex, scheduled to open in time for the 2014-15 school year. An $11-million, 80,000-square-foot structure will house Barrow County’s new career academy, with room for about 750 to 800 students in half-day sessions. Next door, a building of about 67,000 square feet will house Lanier Technical College’s Barrow County campus, with space for about 1,000 students.

‘Amplifying’ Education’s Value
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/06/26/oecd-education-glance-report-considers-relationship-between-recession-education-and
Inside Higher Education
June 26, 2013
By Elizabeth Redden
…On average across the OECD member countries, the proportion of postsecondary degree holders who were unemployed increased by 1.5 percentage points from 2008 to 2011, to 4.8 percent, while it increased by 3.8 percentage points for individuals without a secondary degree, to 12.6 percent. In the United States, the situation for lower-skilled workers is particularly stark. Unemployment rates for those without a secondary education climbed 6 percentage points from 2008 to 2011, to 16.2 percent, while the proportion of postsecondary-educated individuals who were unemployed increased 2.5 percentage points, to 4.9 percent.

Survey Finds Only Limited Public Awareness of MOOCs
http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/survey-finds-only-limited-public-awareness-of-moocs/44549?cid=wc&utm_source=wc&utm_medium=en
Chronicle of Higher Education
June 26, 2013
Many people outside of higher education have never heard of massive open online courses, according to a new survey of public attitudes toward the free offerings. While an overwhelming majority of respondents to the survey said they were familiar with online education in general, only 22 percent said they were familiar with MOOCs, and only 4 percent said they were very familiar with them.

Skipping Campus
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/06/26/survey-online-learners-are-starting-resemble-campus-learners
Inside Higher Education
June 26, 2013
By Ry Rivard
Students seeking online degrees might soon resemble traditional on-campus students, according to a new survey sponsored by two companies involved in online education consulting. The survey, in its second year, continues to show the typical student seeking a degree or certification online is a married middle-aged white woman, but the new results suggest the overall population of online learners is beginning to include more students who are of traditional college age, but not going to a college campus.

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/06/26/early-colleges-positively-impact-students-study-says
Inside Higher Education
June 26, 2013
By Lauren Ingeno
…Students who attend “early college” high schools — which partner with colleges and universities so students can earn up to two years of college credit toward a degree at little or no cost, while still in high school — are more likely to graduate, enroll in college and obtain associate degrees than their peers, says a new study.

An Interest Rate Compromise?
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/06/26/senate-said-be-near-compromise-interest-rates
Inside Higher Education
June 26, 2013
By Libby A. Nelson
WASHINGTON — With only a few days remaining to reach a legislative deal before the interest rate on new, federally subsidized student loans doubles July 1, the Senate appears to be inching closer to a bipartisan compromise. But given deep divisions between Senate Democrats and House Republicans in particular on what to do about student loans, there is still no guarantee that Congress will manage to avert the rate hike in time.

Colleges Make Slow Progress in Gauging Nontraditional Students’ Success
http://chronicle.com/article/More-Colleges-Track/140013/?cid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en
Chronicle of Higher Education
June 26, 2013
More colleges are keeping track of retention and graduation rates for nontraditional students and are trying to understand the factors that often prevent those students from earning a degree, according to a new new report. The findings, slated to be published on Wednesday, are based on a survey of 75 public and private institutions that belong to the University Professional and Continuing Education Association, or are clients of InsideTrack, a student-coaching firm. This is the second year the two groups have administered the survey. (Subscription required)

Student-Loan Rates Appear Set to Double
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324637504578568162409956382.html?mod=ITP_pageone_1
Wall Street Journal
June 25, 2013
Interest rates on some new federal student loans appear increasingly likely to double next week, according to senators who say their chamber remains divided over how to prevent the jump before the July 1 deadline. With the Senate’s attention largely focused on the effort to complete a major immigration bill before Congress leaves Friday for a weeklong recess, the prospects of a quick deal on the student-loan issue are bleak, the lawmakers said. “If I were a betting person I would say it’s unlikely it gets done this week,” said Sen. John Thune (R., S.D.), a member of the Senate Republican leadership team. (Subscription required)

New Paper on Student Loan Borrowers
http://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2013/06/26/new-paper-student-loan-borrowers
Inside Higher Education
June 26, 2013
More than half of all student loan borrowers are concerned they will be unable to repay their debt, according to a paper released today by the Urban Institute …

http://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2013/06/26/nate-silver-college-majors
Inside Higher Education
June 26, 2013
Have enrollments in traditional liberal arts fields dropped? Debates over the issue turn up everywhere, and Nate Silver — the popular New York Times analyst of polling and statistics — has taken up the issue.

As More Attend College, Majors Become More Career-Focused
http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/25/as-more-attend-college-majors-become-more-career-focused/
New York Times
June 25, 2013
A popular article by Verlyn Klinkenborg last week in The New York Times Sunday Review lamented the decline of English majors at top colleges and universities. Mr. Klinkenborg is worried about the “technical narrowness” of some college programs and the “rush to make education pay off”– which, he writes, “presupposes that only the most immediately applicable skills are worth acquiring.” I am sympathetic to certain parts of Mr. Klinkenborg’s hypothesis: for instance, the potential value of writing skills even for students who major in scientific or technical fields, and the risks that specialization can pose to young minds that are still in their formative stages.

Dropping Out of College, and Paying the Price
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/26/business/economy/dropping-out-of-college-and-paying-the-price.html?ref=todayspaper
New York Times
June 25, 2013
David Beltrán has a solid understanding of the benefits of a college education. The 22-year-old from Queens — a journalism major at Brooklyn College — has seen too many friends drop out only to find themselves working at a fast-food counter or at a construction job. “They are getting by, but they are not very happy.” And yet Mr. Beltrán says he probably wouldn’t have gone to college full time if he hadn’t received a Pell grant and financial aid from New York State to defray the costs. He has also heard too many stories about people struggling under an unbearable burden of student loans to even consider going into debt. “Honestly, I don’t think I would have gone,” he said. “I couldn’t have done four years.” And that would have been the wrong decision. (Subscription may be required)

OCR: Colleges Must Support Pregnant and Parenting Students
http://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2013/06/26/ocr-colleges-must-support-pregnant-and-parenting-students
Inside Higher Education
June 26, 2013
Colleges have special responsibilities to support young parents and pregnant students under Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972, the U.S. Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights said in a “Dear Colleague” letter Tuesday.

AAU Selects 8 Universities for STEM Education Effort
http://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2013/06/26/aau-selects-8-universities-stem-education-effort
Inside Higher Education
June 26, 2013
The Association of American Universities on Tuesday announced that eight of its members would serve as project sites for a five-year effort to improve the quality of undergraduate education in science, technology and engineering and mathematics.
Underpaid Coaches?
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/06/26/universities-spend-more-professor-coach-salaries-study-says
Inside Higher Education
June 26, 2013
By Allie Grasgreen
There’s a new study out comparing the paychecks of head coaches to those of faculty members, but its findings are not the standard condemnation of the fact that athletics staff are making way more – and faster – than professors.

OTHER NEWS

Georgia Lottery turns 20
http://www.myajc.com/news/news/state-regional-govt-politics/georgia-lottery-turns-20/nYT58/
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
June 25, 2013
By Laura Diamond and Kristina Torres
On June 29, 1993, former Gov. Zell Miller bought the first lottery ticket ever sold in Georgia. Twenty years later almost to the day, Miller, Gov. Nathan Deal and host of other dignitaries will gather Wednesday to celebrate how far the Georgia Lottery has come.

Georgia Lottery marks 20 years on June 26
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2013/06/25/georgia-lottery-marks-20-years-on-june.html
Atlanta Business Chronicle
June 25, 2013
By Jacques Couret
Georgia Lottery Corp. will celebrate its 20th anniversary on Wednesday. Ever wonder who’s won the most money, which games have paid the most or how much the lotto took in each year?

Lottery milestone to be celebrated today on UGA campus
http://onlineathens.com/local-news/2013-06-25/lottery-milestone-be-celebrated-today-uga-campus
Athens Banner-Herald
June 25, 2013
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal and other state officials are planning to celebrate the Georgia Lottery’s 20th anniversary today on the University of Georgia campus, according to the Associated Press.