University System News

USG VALUE:
www.ledger-enquirer.com
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2013/12/11/2850262/5-georgia-alabama-public-colleges.html
5 Georgia, Alabama public colleges rank on list of ‘100 Best Values’
BY ADAM CARLSON
Five Georgia and Alabama schools are included on Kiplinger’s annual list of 100 “Best Values in Public Colleges” in 2014.. The University of Georgia (No. 13 for in-state value), Georgia Institute of Technology (No. 33), University of North Georgia (No. 94), Georgia College & State University (No. 95), the University of Alabama (No. 50) and Auburn University (No. 80) all made the list. …In descending order, the average debt at graduation for students at each of the five Georgia and Alabama schools is: $27,639 (University of Alabama), $26,690 (Auburn), $26,412 (Georgia Tech), $19,852 (Georgia College & State), $19,621 (University of Georgia) and $12,166 (University of North Georgia).

www.wsav.com
http://www.wsav.com/story/24193822/ga-tech-to-hold-job-placement-session-for-savannah-area-vets
Ga. Tech To Hold Job Placement Event for Savannah Area Vets
By Kim Blake
Savannah – Georgia Tech will hold a job placement event for Veterans and people transitioning out of the military. It will take place December 16 at 2pm at the Georgia Tech Savannah campus and is sponsored by the university’s Veterans Education, Training and Transition program. The goal is to help place Veterans and transitioning military personnel with local companies looking to hire. Participants will get help writing resumes, and job interview techniques.

GOOD NEWS:
www.times-herald.com
http://www.times-herald.com/closeup/20131212FOOD—Healthy-Cooking-Class-UWGWpic
UWG Students Learn Better Nutrition On A Budget
University of West Georgia students at the Carrollton campus are learning how to cook and eat healthily through cooking classes sponsored by the Cooking Matters program. The program, part of the Tanner Health System’s Community Transformation Grant from the Centers for Disease Control, is designed to help educate and assist certain populations with healthy cooking skills and knowledge. “I think the uniqueness of the program is how it exemplifies our goal of collaboration, both with the community and within our UWG community,” said Elizabeth Butts, UWG’s Health and Wellness promotions coordinator.

www.wsav.com
http://www.wsav.com/story/24192440/georgia-southern-awarded-grant-to-combat-alcohol-abuse-and-impaired-driving
GSU Receives Grant to Combat Alcohol Abuse and Impaired Driving
By Kim Gusby, Coastal Sunrise Anchor
STATESBORO, GA –
Georgia Southern University is receiving funding from the state to educate students about the dangers of alcohol abuse, underage drinking and impaired driving. According to information released by GSU, the Dean of Students Office has received an $8,350 grant through the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.

RESEARCH:
www.myajc.com
http://www.myajc.com/news/business/job-growth-to-pick-up-but-schools-a-worry/ncH6b/?icmp=ajc_internallink_invitationbox_apr2013_ajcstub1
Job growth to pick up, but schools a worry
BY GREG BLUESTEIN AND MICHAEL KANELL – THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION
Georgia’s economy will grow a little faster in the coming year, although the state still won’t regain all of the jobs lost in the Great Recession and housing bust, according to the University of Georgia’s annual economic forecast. Unemployment will dip slowly through 2014 as the state’s economy adds about 74,200 jobs – the lion’s share of them in metro Atlanta, said Charles Knapp, interim dean of UGA’s Terry College of Business.

www.savannahnow.com
http://savannahnow.com/exchange/2013-12-11/university-georgia-forecasts-states-economy-outpace-us?utm_source=Morris%20Digital%20Works&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlinesfromSavannahnow.com#.UqnOLCjGEeU
University of Georgia forecasts state’s economy to outpace U.S.
By WALTER C. JONES
ATLANTA — Georgia’s economy will grow by 3 percent next year, according to a forecast the University of Georgia released Wednesday. That’s better than the 2.3 percent growth the state will register for 2013 and better than the 2.3 percent rate the school predicts the national economy will expand next year. “On balance, Georgia’s economy will outperform the nation’s economy in 2014, which is a very nice change from what we’ve experienced for quite some time,” said Charles Knapp, interim dean of UGA’s Terry College of Business that prepared the forecast. “Georgia got hit very hard by the Great Recession, and so far, it has recovered more slowly.”

www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com
http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2013/12/solarworld-snags-2-million-plus.html
SolarWorld snags $2 million-plus in federal grants
By Andy Giegerich
Sustainable Business Oregon editor
SolarWorld Industries America Inc. has landed a tidy grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. The company will collect more than $2.4 million from the agency’s SunShot Solar Manufacturing Technology, often referred to as the SolarMat program. The initiative aims to fund manufacturing strategies that can achieve “a significant market impact” within four years… The largest of the DOE’s five grants went to Suniva Inc., a Norcross, Ga. outfit that snared $4.5 million. The company is working with the Georgia Institute of Technology on a low-cost (but highly efficient) silicon PV cell technology that could reach the market within three years.

www.clatl.com
http://clatl.com/atlanta/georgias-new-coast-courtesy-of-climate-change/Content?oid=9901611
Georgia’s new coast, courtesy of climate change
Now’s the time to start planning how to adapt to sea level rise
by Dana Habeeb and Larry Keating
Next time you visit Savannah and stroll along the river, imagine that the spot where you’re standing is underwater. River Street’s shops and restaurants are shuttered not because of a flood, but because this is the new normal. According to a recent student study we conducted looking at climate change’s effects on Georgia’s coast, this will be reality in the next century. It’s time to address the issue… The loss of life, homes, and other buildings, including historic structures and devastated infrastructure, are among the negative social and economic effects. There’s also the loss of important coastal wetlands and habitats. If coastal communities plan and develop strategies to adapt to these changes, they might mitigate future losses and construct sustainable communities. Funded by the Georgia Conservancy at Georgia Tech’s City Planning Program, the study examined the effects of sea level rise on coastal Georgia’s Chatham, Liberty, and McIntosh counties

www.healthcareinfosecurity.com
http://www.healthcareinfosecurity.com/interviews/how-flaw-in-va-software-was-found-i-2129
How a Flaw in VA Software Was Found
Researcher Describes ‘Adversarial Security Analysis’
By Marianne Kolbasuk McGee
Security analyst Doug Mackey says his discovery of a vulnerability in the Department of Veterans Affairs’ VistA electronic health record system highlights the importance of software security testing. “It’s very important to conduct proper adversarial security analysis of your software in addition to penetration testing,” he says. Mackey, a former security analyst for Australia’s Department of Defense, conducted his research on the VA’s open source software as part of his graduate work in information security at the Georgia Institute of Technology. The vulnerability he discovered in the VA’s Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture software was related to its remote messaging capabilities, he says. The flaw was introduced into the software in 2002 and remained undetected for more than a decade until Mackey identified it in June, he claims.

www.theatlantic.com
http://www.theatlantic.com/events/archive/2013/12/for-top-tier-universities-changes-in-higher-education-might-be-overblown/282180/
For Top-Tier Universities, Changes in Higher Education Might Be Overblown
There will be a “shake-out” determining which schools can actually survive, says University of Washington President Michael K. Young.
EMMA GREEN
Over the last few years, people who study and report on higher education have spent much time talking about the wave of revolution coming for colleges and universities. From MOOCs to student debt to reduced state funding, most people seem to agree that the structure of higher education is unsustainable. That’s why it was surprising to hear University of Washington President Michael K. Young say that he doesn’t think the core structure of top-tier universities is likely to change in the next couple of decades. “What goes on on the campus of one of the great public research universities in terms of teaching, in terms of student engagement—it’s going to be enhanced, it’s going to be different, it’s going to be better, but it’s not going away,” he said in an interview with The Atlantic’s Alexis Madrigal at an event in Seattle last week.

Editorials/Columns/Opinions
www.chronicle.com
http://chronicle.com/blogs/onhiring/ap-literature-vs-college-english/42547
AP Literature vs. College English
By Rob Jenkins
I had an interesting opportunity this semester to compare students who placed out of their first college English course based on Advanced Placement scores with those who didn’t. I’d like to share that experience, along with some of my conclusions, and see what you think. Like most colleges, mine offers two levels of first-year composition: ENGL 1101, in which students focus on the basics of college and professional writing—the writing process, sentence structure, paragraph development, organization, avoiding common errors—while writing mostly short essays on fairly generic topics; and ENGL 1102, where they’re supposed to put those “basics” to work writing more substantive essays, usually in response to texts and often incorporating secondary sources… That was something I noticed immediately after grading the first set of 1102 essays back in September, and I have to say I was surprised and a little disappointed. After all, these kids are supposed to be the cream of the crop. They’re among the best students at some of the best high schools in the state. They did well enough on the AP exam to skip a college-level class. Next fall, they’re all going to places like Georgia Tech, the University of Georgia, and Emory University.

www.online.wsj.com
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304477704579252280215613854?KEYWORDS=%22Higher+Education%22
Second Opinions: An Obama Plan to Grade U.S. Colleges
WSJ contributor Jeffrey T. Leeds debates former Department of Education official Ben Miller on ‘gainful employment’ rules for federal student aid.
Jeffrey T. Leeds co-authored a recent Journal op-ed opposing the Obama Administration’s plan to measure the performance of colleges and then restrict federal aid to those schools the government claims are not providing adequate value. Today Mr. Leeds is participating in an online debate with Ben Miller of the New America Foundation, a former senior policy advisor at the U.S. Department of Education. This page will be updated with the most recent post at the top of the page. Jeffrey T. Leeds: Mr. Miller suggests we need to “triage.” More than 85% of the post secondary students in this country attend public and private nonprofit institutions. If you are trying to help the most students, and you are dealing with finite resources, it doesn’t seem obvious why you would address challenges in the smallest sector.

www.myajc.com
http://www.myajc.com/weblogs/biz-beat/2013/dec/10/atlanta-firms-looking-hire-more-it-professionals/
Atlanta firms looking to hire more IT professionals
BY CHRISTOPHER SEWARD
Sandy Springs-based UPS knows about the challenge of finding qualified information technology professionals to join the package delivery company. At any given time, UPS has an average of 70 to 90 IT positions that need to be filled in Atlanta and several other cities, according to spokeswoman Laurie Mallis. “It is fair to state that at UPS we always have a consistent IT hiring need and it is always a challenge,” Mallis told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Tuesday.

www.myajc.com
http://www.myajc.com/news/news/opinion/chinese-thirst-for-knowledge/ncGMc/?icmp=ajc_internallink_invitationbox_apr2013_ajcstub1
Chinese thirst for knowledge
BY JORGE FERNANDEZ
I was honored recently to spend a month at China Jiliang University as a guest instructor, teaching students what I called, “A Flight Plan for International Business Development.” In our growing international economy, it has become important for all students to grasp global business fluency. I also visited with key business partners in China. The Metro Atlanta Chamber and partners such as the city of Atlanta, the Georgia Department of Economic Development and Georgia Power, have long targeted China. Whether for the attraction of Foreign Direct Investment or as a destination for Atlanta-based companies, China remains a priority. China tourism into Georgia has one of the highest growth rates. More than 25 Chinese companies call Atlanta home, and several of our companies have been growing steadily in that vast market.

Education News
www.onlineathens.com
http://onlineathens.com/k-12-schools/2013-12-11/georgia-high-school-graduation-rate-increases
Georgia high school graduation rate increases
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ATLANTA— Georgia education officials say the graduation rate for the state’s public high schools increased nearly two percentage points over the previous year. The Georgia Department of Education released the 2013 graduation figures Wednesday morning. Education officials say the rate increased from 69.7 percent in 2012 to 71.5 percent in 2013.

www.accessnorthga.com
http://www.accessnorthga.com/detail.php?n=268776
Georgia high school graduation rate increases

www.hhjonline.com
http://hhjonline.com/tcsg-caravan-makes-stops-in-houston-county-p3645-117.htm
TCSG Caravan makes 3 stops in Houston County
Special to the Journal
Ron Jackson, commissioner of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), made three stops in Houston County Tuesday, Nov. 19, as part of the TCSG Caravan in Central Georgia Technical College’s (CGTC) service delivery area. The TCSG Caravan is an effort on behalf of the Commissioner’s office to travel across the state to meet the stakeholders in technical education and to discuss future initiatives and goals with education and community leaders.

www.bizjournals.com
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2013/12/10/atlanta-job-market-improving-for-start.html
Atlanta job market improving for start of 2014
Jacques Couret
Senior Online Editor and Social Engagement Manager-Atlanta Business Chronicle
Metro Atlanta can look forward to a “robust” job market at the start of 2014, the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey says. From January to March, 22 percent of metro Atlanta companies interviewed told Manpower they plan to hire more employees, while 4 percent expect to cut jobs. Another 70 percent expect to maintain their current workforce levels and 4 percent are not certain of their hiring plans. This yields a net employment outlook of 18 percent.

www.foxbusiness.com
http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2013/12/09/income-analysis-shows-widening-gap/
Income Analysis Shows Widening Gap
By Judy Martel
As Americans continue to climb out of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, many experts are taking note of a widening gap between the “haves” and the “have-nots.” Federal income data over the past 20 years show a growing divide in income among all age groups. Bankrate’s analysis of the data reveals that the 65-plus age group has the widest income gap. But the income gap is growing fastest among 35- to 44-year-olds.

www.nytimes.com

U.S. Colleges Finding Ideals Tested Abroad
Members of the Wellesley College faculty reacted strongly when word spread that Peking University might fire Prof. Xia Yeliang, a critic of the Chinese government. Professor Xia, an economist, had visited Wellesley over the summer after the college signed a partnership agreement with Peking University. In September, 130 Wellesley faculty members sent an open letter to Peking University’s president, warning that if Professor Xia was dismissed for his political views, they would seek reconsideration of the partnership. The next month, Professor Xia was fired. Peking University said it was because of his teaching, not his politics, but many at Wellesley doubted that. Still, after much debate, the faculty voted to keep the partnership, as the college president preferred. Like American corporations, American colleges and universities have been extending their brands overseas, building campuses, study centers and partnerships, often in countries with autocratic governments.