University System News
CONSOLIDATION:
www.mdjonline.com
http://mdjonline.com/view/full_story/24100223/article-Implementation-team-tapped-for-SPSU-KSU-merger?instance=secondary_story_left_column
Implementation team tapped for SPSU-KSU merger
by Rachel Gray
MARIETTA — The 28 members of a group selected to offer suggestions for the merger of two local universities were announced Thursday. The University System of Georgia Chancellor Hank Huckaby appointed the members of the Consolidation Implementation Committee, 13 from Southern Polytechnic State University and 13 from Kennesaw State University. The group will have its first meeting at the USG System Office in Atlanta within the next two weeks, and provide regular updates to both campus communities.
USG VALUE:
www.ledger-enquirer.com
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2013/11/21/2813062/georgia-apply-to-college-month.html
Georgia Apply to College Month motivates high school students to seek their dreams
BY MARK RICE
Her parents and two older siblings didn’t go to college, so Jessica Bunting sensed the meaning of the moment as she applied Thursday to Columbus State University. “It’s pretty special,” said the Shaw High School senior, who plans to major in art and become a photographer. “Everybody has really doubted me, so this is kind of like, ‘I’m doing it.'” …Jessica is one of 115 Shaw students — about one-third of the senior class — who took advantage of the opportunity in the school’s media center. That’s where Shaw senior class counselor Lisa Cypert and volunteers from TSYS, the school’s Partner In Education, and Georgia Military College helped the students fill out their online applications through the GAcollege411.org website, capping a series of activities that celebrated Georgia Apply to College Month.
USG NEWS:
www.wfxg.com
http://www.wfxg.com/story/24040451/darton-community-gathers-to-welcome-interim-president
Darton community gathers to welcome interim president
By Josh Rhoden
ALBANY, GA (WALB) – Darton College faculty and staff and community leaders gathered Thursday night to welcome the college’s interim president.
www.chronicle.augusta.com
http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/metro/2013-11-21/protests-over-gru-dog-experiments-scheduled?v=1385084653
Protests over GRU dog experiments scheduled
By Tracey McManus
Staff Writer
Two protests have been scheduled in response to a Humane Society investigation that found questionable practices in a Georgia Regents University dental implant experiment on dogs. Both aim to raise awareness on unnecessary animal testing, specifically for cosmetic purposes, and to push GRU to discontinue the practice. The first will be held 11 a.m. Friday at the corner of Laney-Walker Boulevard and 15th Street, and is organized primarily by the local group Helping Animal Rights Through Education, or HART. …A second protest scheduled for Dec. 7 is being called “The Million Dog Walk on GRU Dental.
www.wsbtv.com
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/audit-uncovers-suspected-fraud-georgia-tech/nbz5K/
Audit uncovers suspected fraud at Georgia Tech
By Richard Belcher
ATLANTA — Channel 2 Action News has learned that Georgia Tech auditors have uncovered a suspected scheme involving bogus invoices, altered documents and suspicious companies. University investigators say purchases with the suspect companies total $1.5 million. Two employees have left the Georgia research institute because of the findings. A third is on leave.
Related article:
www.11alive.com
http://www.11alive.com/news/article/313406/40/GA-Tech-investigates-reports-of-credit-card-fraud
GA Tech investigates reports of credit card fraud
www.gwinnettdailypost.com
http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/news/2013/nov/21/ggc-student-reported-missing/?news
Georgia Gwinnett College student reported missing, later found safe
Michelle Aliev’s parents reported her missing
By Meghan Kotowski
LAWRENCEVILLE — A Georgia Gwinnett College student reported missing Wednesday was found safe, according to a college spokesperson. Michelle Aliev, who was last seen at a residence in Lawrenceville, was reported missing Wednesday by her parents. Demetrios Lambros with the college’s public affairs office said she was safe at home Thursday night.
Related article:
www.myfoxatlanta.com
http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/story/24038300/college-student-reported-missing-in-gwinnett-county
College student reported missing found OK
www.onlineathens.com
http://onlineathens.com/local-news/2013-11-21/uga-student-killed-athens-motorcycle-crash
UGA student killed in Athens motorcycle crash
By JOE JOHNSON
A 23-year-old University of Georgia student died Thursday morning from injuries he suffered two days earlier in a motorcycle crash. Yong Kyu “Kevin” Nam suffered severe head trauma Tuesday afternoon when his motorcycle collided with a car backing out of a driveway on North Peter Street in east Athens.
RESEARCH:
www.globalatlanta.com
http://www.globalatlanta.com/article/26610/monte-jade-banquet-to-honor-taiwanese-and-chinese-american-students/
Monte Jade Banquet to Honor Taiwanese and Chinese-American Students
By Phil Bolton
Fourteen Southeast U.S. Taiwanese and Chinese-American high school students are to be honored at the Monte Jade Southeastern Science and Technology Association’s annual conference to be held Saturday, Nov. 23, in Norcross. The original chapter of the association was founded in 1990 in Silicon Valley, Calif., named after the highest mountain on Taiwan, which is renowned for inspiring achievement and integrity… Professors from Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Savannah College of Art and Design, and the University of North Carolina at Asheville selected the students who are to be honored for their academic achievement, leadership qualifies and community service.
www.gainesvilletimes.com
http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/section/6/article/91964/
Georgia agriculture experiencing exciting times, commissioner says
By Sarah Mueller
The Peach State is producing far more blueberries than peaches, said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black. Black spoke Thursday in Gainesville at the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce board of directors meeting. The commissioner gave an overview on the agriculture in the state and said this was an exciting time in the industry and for Georgia. He also said Gainesville was an important part of poultry exports to other countries from the Savannah port. Blueberries are a $250 million industry in the state, and Georgia is close to leading the nation in production, Black said. …“I think the real selling point on that part of the story is we wouldn’t have been able to do that without research from the University of Georgia,” Black said. “We had to develop and breed our own plant varieties that would work well in Georgia.”
www.nextgov.com
http://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2013/11/googles-secretive-research-lab-working-human-dolphin-communication/74273/
IS GOOGLE’S SECRETIVE RESEARCH LAB WORKING ON HUMAN-DOLPHIN COMMUNICATION?
By Alexis Madrigal
The Atlantic
It started innocently enough, as rumors do: A friend of a friend and I were chatting about Google and he said that his buddy said that Google’s secretive research lab, Google X, was working on communicating with dolphins… One of its close affiliates, wearable computing pioneer Thad Starner, who is a Technical Lead/Manager on Project Glass, is also working with dolphins. Let’s say that again: Starner, a Project Glass manager, is also working on human-dolphin communication in his academic role at Georgia Tech.
Editorials/Columns/Opinions
www.times-herald.com
http://www.times-herald.com/opinion/20131122-Friday-Editorial
An Educational Mecca
There’s been lots of talk about how Newnan and Coweta County are becoming a bigger player in the medical arena. We have a new hospital building for Piedmont Newnan, the Cancer Treatment Centers of America just celebrated its one-year anniversary, and there’s a proposed mental health complex anticipated for the old hospital location. Coupled with that are new rehabilitation centers and other big support facilities. …And probably the biggest move is the $15 million renovation of the old Newnan Hospital into a satellite campus for the University of West Georgia. The school is adding several new programs and classes with a planned January 2015 opening.
www.chronicle.com
http://chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/use-google-drive-to-keep-your-online-class-schedule-up-to-date/53581?cid=wc&utm_source=wc&utm_medium=en
Use Google Drive to Keep Your Online Class Schedule Up-to-Date
by Ryan Cordell
Early last year I wrote about using Scholarpress Courseware + WordPress to manage class websites. While I’m still a big fan of WordPress Multisite for my class websites, I have in recent semesters moved away from using Courseware. For one, Courseware hasn’t been updated in awhile, and doesn’t seem to work as smoothly with recent versions of WordPress. More practically, however, I found myself getting frustrated when making changes to a class schedule in Courseware. …This semester, then, I’ve turned to Google Drive, adapting Jason Mittell’s process for using Google Docs to publish his CV to the web to instead publish a live, easily-updatable course schedule to my course websites (you can see an example on my “Deep Maps” class site).
Education News
www.online.wsj.com
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304607104579212420716860930
Tuition Crunch Takes Big Toll
Net Revenue at Nearly Half of Colleges Loses Ground to Inflation in New Survey
By DOUGLAS BELKIN
Nearly half of the nation’s colleges and universities are no longer generating enough tuition revenue to keep pace with inflation, highlighting the acceleration of a downward spiral that began as the recession ended, according to a new survey by Moody’s Investors Service. The survey of nearly 300 schools reflects a cycle of disinvestment and falling enrollment that places a growing number at risk.
www.bizjournals.com
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/print-edition/2013/11/22/parents-have-investment-options-for.html
Parents have investment options for college
Doug DeLoach, Contributing Writer
The cost of attending college keeps going up, which means implementing an investment strategy that supports the future education of a son or daughter is more important than ever. …“The best overall investment strategy for meeting the goal of college tuition is one that increases the probability of meeting that goal as your child ages,” said Christopher M. Trokey, family investment officer at GenSpring Family Offices LLC. Among the top investment vehicles recommended by Trokey and other experts is a 529 College Savings Plan, named after a section of the Internal Revenue tax code. These plans are flexible, tax-advantaged accounts offered by individual states.
www.insidehighered.com
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/11/22/3-white-students-san-jose-state-charged-tormenting-black-roommate#ixzz2lNj0LKTD
Outrage at San Jose State
By Scott Jaschik
Three white students at San Jose State University have been charged by authorities with battery and misdemeanor hate crimes in the tormenting of a black roommate that allegedly went on for months before anyone intervened. The details of the alleged attacks stunned the campus, where black students rallied Thursday to protest what happened to one of their peers.
www.insidehighered.com
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/11/22/online-learning-conference-preparing-faculty-online-education-dominates-agenda#ixzz2lNjAzpiK
Teaching to Teach
Carl Straumsheim and Doug Lederman
ORLANDO — “A Universe of Opportunities” — the tagline for the Sloan Consortium’s International Conference on Online Learning — is also an apt description of the glut of different faculty development models presented here so far. Over the course of three days, attendees at the Sloan-C conference face a series of dilemmas when deciding which of the almost 500 sessions — most of which run concurrently — to attend. In addition to sessions belonging to the broadly defined technology and emerging learning environments track, instructional designers and other conference-goers have flocked to the more than 100 sessions on how to prepare faculty members to teach online.
www.insidehighered.com
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/11/22/should-faculty-senate-votes-be-public#ixzz2lNjMEU4c
Voting in Secret
By Colleen Flaherty
Should elected members of faculty bodies be able to cast their votes by secret ballot? Faculty senators at the University of Kansas recently reviewed a provision allowing for that option, ultimately deciding to preserve it. But some faculty members are unhappy with that result.
www.chronicle.com
http://chronicle.com/article/Saudi-Limits-on-Online-Courses/143193/?cid=wc
Saudi Restrictions on Online Courses Leave U.S. Colleges Guessing
By Karin Fischer
The Saudi government is taking a tougher line on whether students in its vast scholarship program can enroll in online or hybrid courses, but American colleges have been left confused about how the rules are being interpreted. Some 44,570 Saudis are studying in the United States, according to the latest figures from the Institute of International Education, making Saudi Arabia the fourth-largest source of foreign students and one of the fastest-growing. Almost all Saudi students are in the United States through the country’s generous King Abdullah Scholarship Program, which pays the full cost of a graduate or undergraduate degree as well as for English-language study, if needed.
www.jbhe.com
African American College Students Are Increasingly Studying Abroad
African American College Students Are Increasingly Studying Abroad
Historically, African American college students have been far less likely than their White peers to spend a semester or two studying abroad. Financial considerations are undoubtedly a major reason for the shortfall. But over the past decade, African Americans are increasing their share of the pool of students who travel abroad to take classes at colleges and universities across the globe. In 2005-06 academic year, 3.5 percent of all American college students who studied abroad were Black. Since that time the percentage of Blacks in the study abroad pool has increased each year.
www.insidehighered.com
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/11/22/2-democrats-plan-legislation-promote-competency-based-ed-and-rate-colleges#ixzz2lNjViEW0
Competency Gains More Traction
By Michael Stratford
Two Democratic U.S. senators are giving a boost to the growing interest from members of both parties in Congress to make it easier for alternative models of higher education — such as competency-based education — to gain access to federal funding.