University System News
USG NEWS:
www.accessnorthga.com
http://www.accessnorthga.com/detail.php?n=276025
Merger of NGCSU, GSC foundations finalized
By Staff
DAHLONEGA – As of July 1, the University of North Georgia (UNG) will reach another milestone in the consolidation of North Georgia College and State University and Gainesville State College when its two philanthropic foundations merge. The result will be the University of North Georgia Foundation Inc. with combined assets of $52 million and a mission focused on fundraising.
www.gainesvilletimes.com
http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/section/6/article/100894/
Students still crowding into area colleges’ health programs
By Carly Sharec
Health care was one of the few career fields that not only remained steady during the recent recession but experienced growth. And as jobs continue to be added to the industry, colleges and universities are racing to keep up with the demand from prospective students. “We get in the vicinity of 100 to 150 applications for 30 prime spots,” said Kim Hudson-Gallogly, department head for nursing at the University of North Georgia. Those 30 spots are for the university’s master’s degree program. …Along with those four colleges, the externship program with Northeast Georgia Medical Center also has students from Truett-McConnell College, Georgia Regents University, Athens Technical College, North Georgia Technical College and Georgia Perimeter College.
www.wjbf.com
http://www.wjbf.com/story/25764940/georgia-regents-medical-center-university-hospital-file-certificate-of-need-for-columbia-county-hospital
Georgia Regents Medical Center, University Hospital File Certificate Of Need For Columbia County Hospital
By Randy Key
Augusta, GA – Georgia Regents Medical Center has filed an application for a Certificate of Need with the Georgia Department of Community Health to build a 21st-century community teaching hospital in Columbia County. GRHealth is one of three bidders vying for the new hospital, and the Columbia County Board of Commissioners voted in March to support any of the three that can successfully obtain a CON. …The proposed site for the campus is in the Grovetown area, and the hospital will cost about $195 million. The comprehensive plan would include the hospital, an open-staff model with the majority of providers being local, community physicians; and later expansion would include an associated medical office building with outpatient services; and a satellite teaching environment. In keeping with Georgia Regents University and Health System’s mission, the campus would provide opportunities to more effectively provide wellness, disease prevention, early detection and treatment to one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation, while offering our faculty, students and staff opportunities for investigation, training, and instruction, and to provide cutting-edge clinical care, Vincent said.
www.albanyherald.com
http://www.albanyherald.com/news/2014/jun/13/albany-state-interim-president-art-dunning-touts/
Albany State Interim President Art Dunning touts Albany’s educational collaborative
He urged the Albany Exchange Club to consider adopting a school to help stem the county’s drop out rate
By Terry Lewis
ALBANY — Albany State University Interim President Art Dunning had a simple message for the Albany Exchange Club Friday — “Albany is the economic engine of southwest Georgia. If we strengthen Albany we strengthen Southwest Georgia.” If Albany is indeed the economic engine that drives the region’s economy, then education is the fuel of that engine. “This nation is an extraordinary place, and I learned that by spending many years out of the country, ” said Dunning, who then began talking about the Albany educational collaborative made up of himself, Darton State College Interim President Paul Jones, Albany Technical College President Anthony Parker and Dougherty County School Superintendent Butch Mosely.
www.atlantaintownpaper.com
http://www.atlantaintownpaper.com/2014/06/mayor-appoints-emergency-advisory-group/
Mayor appoints emergency advisory group
By collin
The next time Atlanta is threatened by an ice storm, the Emergency Preparedness and Management Group formed by Mayor Kasim Reed will be available to offer recommendations. The 30-member group, which held its first meeting yesterday, brings together a variety of leaders and stakeholders in law enforcement, emergency response and preparedness, meteorology, utility companies, business, education and local, state and federal government agencies. The group will offer recommendations to ensure the City of Atlanta is prepare to handle any natural disaster or severe weather event and ensure the safety and security of its citizens. The group includes: …Mark Becker, President, Georgia State University,Bud Peterson, President, Georgia Tech, Marshall Shepherd, 2013 President, American Meteorological Society, University of Georgia
www.ajc.com
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/education/for-women-in-technology-a-little-support-goes-a-lo/ngG7J/
For women in technology, a little support goes a long way
By Laura Raines
For the AJC
Tanzania Adams saw few women in her classes while earning her engineering degree at the University of Alabama about 25 years ago. There weren’t many women co-workers at Southern Company either, but she’s seeing the numbers grow and doing what she can to support young women entering science, technology, engineering and math fields. Recently promoted to area manager of Statesboro for Georgia Power Co., Adams is one of the corporate advisory board members of the Women in Technology chapter at Gwinnett Technical College. The group launched last year as part of a pilot program to put WiT chapters at Gwinnett Tech, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State University, Kennesaw State University and Spelman College.
USG VALUE:
www.douglascountysentinel.com
http://www.douglascountysentinel.com/image_771bf126-f36d-11e3-9ac2-0017a43b2370.html?mode=nogs
Workshop helps teachers understand demands of science fairs
Chestnut Log Middle science teacher Steve Gainey was one of 31 local teachers who participated in a science fair workshop taught by University of West Georgia professors last week aimed at giving teachers a better understanding of how to create projects for science fairs by having them create their own science projects.
www.prweb.com
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/06/prweb11938036.htm
Georgia Southern & Willingway Co-Host Annual 21st Addiction Update Conference
Together with Willingway, Georgia Southern University’s Continuing Education Department is pleased to offer the 21st Annual Addiction Update Conference, June 26-27, 2014 at the Nessmith-Lane Conference Center on the campus of Georgia Southern University.
Statesboro, Georgia (PRWEB)
The 21st Annual Addiction Update Conference is a two-day program that will focus on the current treatment methods, designer drug update, adolescent treatment perspectives, cross cultural competencies in treatment and recovery for special population groups, addiction and recovery for the emerging adult/collegiate population and process addiction. This update is designed for the professionals in the addiction field, but is open to nurses, social workers, educators, law enforcement and students.
www.accessnorthga.com
http://www.accessnorthga.com/detail.php?n=276096
UNG supporting food service program
By Staff
DAHLONEGA – The University of North Georgia is participating in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Summer Food Service Program, and will be providing meals free of charge to eligible children in Lumpkin, Hall and Forsyth counties.
GOOD NEWS:
www.bizjournals.com
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/blog/capitol_vision/2014/06/georgia-lands-grant-to-keep-college-students-on.html
Georgia lands grant to keep college students on track
Dave Williams
Staff Writer- Atlanta Business Chronicle
The state will use a three-year, $1 million grant to help guide Georgia college students toward graduation without getting sidetracked by unnecessary courses, Gov. Nathan Deal announced Wednesday. Georgia was one of three states chosen to receive the money from the Lumina Foundation in partnership with Complete College America.
www.wabe.drupal.publicbroadcasting.net
http://wabe.drupal.publicbroadcasting.net/post/georgia-tech-gets-40-million-gift
Georgia Tech Gets $40 Million+ Gift
By LISA GEORGE
The Georgia Institute of Technology has just gotten one of the largest gifts in its history: $43.6 million. The money, most of which is an endowment, is going to Tech’s Renewable Bioproducts Institute. Until last month, it was called the Institute of Paper Science and Technology, but now the research focus on how to use trees, grasses, and all their components is changing. It is no longer just about pulp and paper.
www.hhjonline.com
http://hhjonline.com/middle-georgia-state-adds-bachelor-of-applied-science-p4824-90.htm
Middle Georgia State adds Bachelor of Applied Science
Middle Georgia State College’s School of Business is adding a bachelor of applied science – a pathway to a four-year degree for professionals in technical or industrial careers who want to move into management. The BAS, which will roll out this fall, is designed for students who have earned associate of applied science or associate of applied technology degrees from regionally or nationally accredited institutions, including technical colleges.
www.walb.com
http://www.walb.com/story/25770223/vsu-chamber-partner-to-offer-scholarships
VSU, Chamber partner to offer scholarships
VALDOSTA, GA (WALB) – As college graduates begin to enter the workforce, many entry-level employees lack necessary workforce skills, including effective communication, critical thinking, creativity, and ability to collaborate or work as a team. Valdosta State University and the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce are working to change that. Fundamental workforce skills are not often gained in a traditional classroom setting; however, they can be acquired through professional internships. According to a survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), approximately 50 percent of employers would like to see internship experience on a student’s resume. VSU’s office of Career Opportunities, in collaboration with the College of Arts and Sciences and the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce, is providing students with the opportunity to gain valuable work experience through internships in the local community.
Related article:
www.valdostadailytimes.com
http://www.valdostadailytimes.com/local/x1396890914/VSU-chamber-work-together-to-provide-internships
VSU, chamber work together to provide internships
www.gwinnettdailypost.com
http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/news/2014/jun/13/ggc-professor-wins-lifetime-achievement-award/
GGC professor wins lifetime achievement award
By Keith Farner
LAWRENCEVILLE — A Georgia Gwinnett College professor who has authored and co-authored more than 150 scientific articles on cell and molecular biology, was recently honored with a lifetime achievement award. David Barnes received the recognition from the Society for In Vitro Biology at the 2014 World Forum on Biology held in Savannah. Barnes, who has also co-edited nine books on the subject, earned a doctorate from Vanderbilt University and a National Institutes of Health postdoctoral research fellowship at the University of California at San Diego. …The SIVB focuses on biological research, development and applications of significance to science and society. The Lifetime Achievement Award honors scientists who have achieved academic excellence in their field of study, made significant contributions to the field of in vitro biology, or in the development of novel technologies that have advanced in vitro biology.
www.globalatlanta.com
http://www.globalatlanta.com/article/26933/four-georgia-schools-to-help-us-double-study-abroad-figures/
Four Georgia Schools to Help U.S. Double Study-Abroad Figures
by Trevor Williams
Four Georgia universities have joined a national effort to double the number of U.S. students who participate in international study programs by 2019. The New York-based Institute of International Education, which helps administer the U.S. government’s Fulbright program and publishes the annual Open Doors report tracking international student exchange, aims to sign up 500 institutions for its five-year Generation Study Abroad pledge. …The universities are not required to double their own study-abroad numbers, and the IIE has kept its requirements vague, but it has promised to award five high performers with $10,000 grants each to spur their efforts further. The four Georgia universities signed up so far include Dalton State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Spelman College and Oglethorpe University.
RESEARCH:
www.climatecentral.org
http://www.climatecentral.org/news/grass-as-future-of-biofuels-17562
Grass is Greener for the Future of Biofuels
By Tim Radford, Climate News Network
LONDON – Scientists in the U.S. claim they have developed a simple, one-step process that turns plant tissue into biofuel. A genetically-engineered bacterium can convert switchgrass into ethanol directly, without any expensive pre-treatment with enzymes to break down the cellulose fibers into something suitable for fermentation. Biofuel is already big business in the U.S., with 13.3 billion gallons of ethanol delivered for vehicle fuel in 2012. It represents a carbon-neutral form of fuel, which is good, but not so good is that much of it has been converted from maize, a food crop requiring vast tracts of agricultural land that may one day be better used to produce food. However, researchers at the University of Georgia at Athens report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that their new microbe, called Caldicellulosiruptor bescii, can not only convert biomass cellulose to sugars, but also turn the sugars to ethanol for fuel.
www.news.nationalgeographic.com
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/06/140613-ocean-trash-garbage-patch-plastic-science-kerry-marine-debris/
With Millions of Tons of Plastic in Oceans, More Scientists Studying Impact
A surprising amount of our garbage ends up in the sea. Can it ever be cleaned up?
By Laura Parker
National Geographic
Consider this: The amount of global trash is expected to rise every year for the rest of the century. With no intervention, the growing garbage heap won’t even peak by 2021. Since most marine debris originates on land, that grim prognosis, say researchers at the University of Georgia, could spell disaster for the oceans, creating an environmental hazard often compared in scope with climate change. “We estimate we’re going to have millions of tons of plastic going into the ocean with, so far, unknown consequences,” says Jenna Jambeck, an environmental engineer at the university, who is among a group of scientists pursuing a new phase of research on ocean trash and measuring its impact on the environment and marine life. The University of Georgia group works as part of the University of California at Santa Barbara’s National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis.
www.smithsonianmag.com
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-fire-ants-build-rafts-there-are-no-free-loaders-180951738/?no-ist
When Fire Ants Build Rafts, There Are No Free Loaders
When fire ants form floating balls, not a single leg or antennae goes to waste
By Rachel Nuwer
Researchers have long been fascinated with ant rafts. These floating mats form during rain storms and floods and are composed of thousands of individual insects. Scientists have found that the living rafts possess their own unique material properties, displaying buoyancy and behaving, alternately, like a solid and like a liquid. How the ants manage to create such engineering masterpieces, however, has remained largely unknown. Now, researchers have discovered one architectural secret behind the ant rafts. The ants, it turns out, cling to one another using all six of their legs—a single ant can have up to 20 of its comrades’ legs grabbing its body. The Georgia Institute of Technology researchers found that 99 percent of ant legs are gripping another ant, meaning “there’s no free loaders” when it comes to hitching a ride on the rafts, they said in a statement.
www.scientificamerican.com
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/el-nino-could-make-u-s-weather-more-extreme-during-2014/
El Niño Could Make U.S. Weather More Extreme during 2014
Scientists report increased likelihood that El Niño will prevail
By Kevin Schultz
Unusual weather across the U.S. and other parts of the world just became more likely for this summer and autumn. That’s because the chances have gone up that El Niño—an atmospheric pattern driven by water temperature changes in the Pacific Ocean—will develop during that time, according to the nation’s leading climate experts. When El Niño settles in, it has major effects on weather conditions nationally and globally… Regardless of the pros and cons, El Niño events could strengthen further as global warming continues, climate experts say. Two studies published within the last year generally support the conclusion that El Niño is increasing in intensity due to global warming, according to Kim Cobb, associate professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
www.usnews.com
http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/articles/2014/06/13/what-online-students-need-to-know-about-automated-grading
What Online Students Need to Know About Automated Grading
Researchers are divided on whether automated essay grading is as effective as human grading.
By Devon Haynie
In many college programs, students have to wait days or weeks for their instructors to critique their written work. But it doesn’t have to be that way, experts say. Swap that human instructor with a computer, and students will have a grade within seconds… Georgia Tech, which is offering its own MOOCs for credit to students in its online master’s program in computer science, is planning on using similar technology as it expands its program.
www.walb.com
http://www.walb.com/story/25772697/georgia-tech-research-institute-aids-in-intelligence-data-collection
GA Tech researchers aid in U.S. intelligence data collection
By Stephanie Minor
ATLANTA (CBS46) – Researchers from the Georgia Tech Research Institute are working with U.S. military and security sectors to more accurately interpret data gathered from intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) sensors. The data surveillance operation is called the Multi-Disciplinary Intelligence (Multi-INT) system, also known as MINT. The main goal of Georgia Tech researchers is to uncover actionable intelligence, then bring their findings to a human analyst as soon as possible.
STATE NEEDS/ISSUES:
www.effinghamherald.net
http://www.effinghamherald.net/section/22/article/24926/
Office of Workforce Development realigned
Staff report
The Georgia Department of Economic Development announced that the Governor’s Office of Workforce Development has been repositioned under the umbrella of GDEcD as the new Workforce Division. This streamlined structure is intended to ensure that the state’s workforce development efforts are aligned with the economic realities of the marketplace and what businesses need to succeed in Georgia. “I am excited that the Governor’s Office of Workforce Development is now part of GDEcD. Their resources and knowledgeable staff will only enhance our economic development portfolio,” said Chris Carr, commissioner of the Department for Economic Development. “By aligning these entities, the state gains an enhanced ability to attract new business and to ensure that existing industry continues to thrive in a business-friendly climate.” …Earlier this year, gov. Gov. Deal announced the creation of the Governor’s High Demand Career Initiative to bring together the leadership of GDEcD, the University System of Georgia, the Technical College System of Georgia and key business leaders across the state. With decision makers from each of these entities at one table, GDEcD will get a clear picture of what Georgia businesses need and pair them with existing assets and/or collectively tackle any gaps.
www.peachpundit.com
http://www.peachpundit.com/2014/06/13/georgia-manufacturing-expo-highlights-the-need-for-an-educated-workforce/
Georgia Manufacturing Expo Highlights the Need for an Educated Workforce
by JON RICHARDS
Unknown to many, manufacturing is a fairly large source of Georgia jobs. Some 420,000 people are employed in manufacturing at more than 9,500 facilities around the state. And, according to Lt. Governor Casey Cagle, for each manufacturing job in the state, five additional jobs are created to support it. That’s the kind of information one would expect to hear at the second annual Georgia Manufacturing Expo, which is being held this weekend at the Gwinnett Center in Duluth. At this morning’s awards breakfast to kick off the event, the focus was on an educated workforce to fill these manufacturing jobs. It seems there are too few workers with the skills to fill all the positions that are opening up.
www.ajc.com
http://www.ajc.com/news/business/report-manufacturing-key-to-middle-class-health/ngK2r/
Report: Manufacturing key to middle-class health
By Michael Kanell
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The health of the American middle class depends on a revival of manufacturing, a commission headed by two former governors — one Republican, one Democrat — has concluded.
The sector has shrunk since the 1950s and some industries have gone entirely overseas, according to the report issued Friday by the University of Virginia Miller Center commission.
The commission is chaired by former governors Haley Barbour of Mississippi, a Republican, and Evan Bayh of Indiana, a Democrat. Jennifer Clark, an associate professor in the School of Public Policy at Georgia Tech, is on the panel.
www.ajc.com
http://www.ajc.com/news/business/employment/two-ex-governors-propose-manufacturing-moves/ngKq2/
Two ex-governors propose rebuilding manufacturing
By Michael Kanell
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A commission headed by two former governors – one Republican, one Democrat – released a report Friday arguing that the health of the American middle class depends on a revival of manufacturing. Since the 1950s, the sector has suffered decades of decline in employment and some industries have gone entirely overseas, according to the report by the University of Virginia Miller Center commission. …In Georgia, manufacturing employment peaked in late 1997 at 556,700, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Currently, there are roughly 361,000 manufacturing jobs in Georgia. The University of Virginia commission is chaired by former governors Haley Barbour of Mississippi and Evan Bayh of Indiana. One of the panel members is Jennifer Clark, an associate professor in the School of Public Policy at Georgia Tech. In the report, titled “Building a Nation of Makers,” the commission proposed six ways to speed up innovation for America’s small and medium-sized manufacturing companies. They include: — Government-backed loans to companies for hiring and training workers. — Programs that give college credit for work experience, military training and other off-campus acquisition of skills. …— More intense training for high school students in technology and engineering and certification for acquiring those skills.
www.bizjournals.com
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2014/06/12/manufacturing-and-logistics-report-card-georgia.html
Manufacturing and Logistics Report Card: Georgia needs improvement
Staff
Atlanta Business Chronicle
Sluggish manufacturing growth and low levels of education if it is to be a successful producer, according to the 2013 “Manufacturing and Logistics Report Card” from Ball State University. “Georgia earned an ‘A’ grade in relative sector diversification, up from last year’s ‘B,’” said Michael Hicks, director of Ball State’s Center for Business and Economic Research. “This is a big improvement, but coming on the heels of a nearly full letter grade drop in human capital will not be sufficient to overcome that most important hurdle in manufacturing growth – low levels of educational attainment among workers… Georgia improved its global position category grade from ‘C+’ to ‘B’ due to increase in export growth.
Editorials/Columns/Opinions
www.evolllution.com
http://www.evolllution.com/distance_online_learning/audio-slashing-tuition-expand-access-online-education/
AUDIO | Slashing Tuition to Expand Access to Online Education
By Mike Rogers | Assistant Vice Chancellor for Faculty Development, University System of Georgia
—With Jon Sizemore | Assistant Vice Chancellor for Distance Education, University System of Georgia—
The following interview is with Mike Rogers, assistant vice chancellor for faculty development at the University System of Georgia (USG), and Jon Sizemore, USG’s assistant vice chancellor for distance education. This fall, the USG will be reducing the cost of its online core classes — offered through eCore — for students statewide. In this interview, Rogers and Sizemore discuss the mission and goals of the eCore program and the importance of the cost-reduction strategy, and explain how the institutions running eCore will cope with the reduced revenues.
www.myajc.com
http://www.myajc.com/news/news/opinion/100-years-of-women-at-uga/ngJmp/?icmp=ajc_internallink_invitationbox_apr2013_ajcstub1#fff3255a.3566685.735400
100 years of women at UGA
By Carrol Dadisman
This month marks the centennial of the first degree awarded to a woman at the University of Georgia. UGA became the nation’s first chartered state university in 1785, and classes began in 1801 on a wooded site overlooking the Oconee River in then-sparsely populated northeast Georgia. For more than a century, the university’s student body numbered only a few hundred — all male. A 1949 manuscript history of UGA by longtime registrar Tom Reed records, “It was not until 1889 that the movement to open the University of Georgia to women began to take shape,” in a spurned appeal to the school’s trustees. The effort was repeated — and again rejected — in 1892 and 1896. …In 1902, Georgia’s Daughters of the American Revolution joined Colonial Dames and Women’s Clubs in another petition. “By this time, every state except Georgia has permitted women to the higher State University of Learning,” the petition read. Chancellor Walter B. Hill, who had succeeded Boggs, said he supported coeducation but believed university buildings of that era were unfit for women.
www.m.albanyherald.com
http://m.albanyherald.com/news/2014/jun/15/arthur-n-dunning-leveraging-resources-to-assist/
ARTHUR N. DUNNING: Leveraging resources to assist farmers
GUEST COMMENTARY: Albany State has launched an initiative combining scholarship and research to boost economic development in the region
Story by Arthur N. Dunning
In the coming years, drones will play an increasingly important role in helping farmers in Southwest Georgia to manage their crops. The unmanned aerial vehicles are used to identify insect problems, address watering issues, assess crop yields and even track down cattle. Albany State University is excited about putting to work our resources in science, technology, engineering and math to assist farmers because of the huge impact I believe drones will have on agribusiness. The time is right to begin discussions about how the emerging technology can strengthen one of the major sectors of our regional and statewide economy.
www.crescentbizreport.com
http://www.crescentbizreport.com/content.cfm?StoryID=5712
Gwinnett County: creating tomorrow’s manufacturing trade pros
A message from Dr. Daniel J. Kaufman, president & CEO, Gwinnett Chamber
Georgia today faces the same challenges as many other states across our great country when it comes to unemployment. There are jobs available, yet Georgia employers are struggling to find qualified workers with both the technical skills and soft skills needed to fill them. According to a recent U.S. Department of Labor study, there are between 240,000 and 600,000 job openings nationwide in the manufacturing industry alone. Sadly, many of these jobs remain unfilled because they require specific science, technology, engineering, and math-related skills. …Gwinnett County, however, is taking a very proactive approach to help fill the technical jobs of the future. For instance, the Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology (GSMST) is a charter high school that affords students the opportunity to study in three areas of concentration: bioscience, engineering and emerging technologies, which reflect the fastest growing career fields in Gwinnett County. …Georgia’s system of technical colleges is also playing a pivotal role in preparing our citizens to become productive members of the workforce by offering flexible scheduling and opportunities for specialized training.
www.ledger-enquirer.com
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2014/06/15/3152126/georgias-highest-economic-hurdle.html
Georgia’s highest economic hurdle is low skills level
Call it coincidence or harmonic convergence. But Thursday, the same day Columbus Technical College was holding graduation ceremonies, Atlanta Business Chronicle published the results of a study that says what Georgia’s economy most desperately needs right now is more human capital like those grads crossing the stage at Columbus Tech. The state-by-state study, titled the “2013 Manufacturing and Logistics Report Card,” was conducted by the Center for Business and Economic Research at Ball State University. The short version, according to the Chronicle, is that Georgia must overcome “sluggish manufacturing growth and low levels of education if it is to be a successful producer.”
www.universitybusiness.com
http://www.universitybusiness.com/news/gop-plank-denying-immigrant-tuition-unworthy
GOP plank denying immigrant tuition is unworthy
Submitted by Tim Goral
Houston Chronicle
At the recent Republican state convention of 7,000 delegates the GOP rejected in-state tuition for immigrants who are in the U.S. without permission. One of the principal arguments for this rejection is that these immigrants displace native-born Americans. The facts suggest otherwise. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board reported in 2011 that Texas colleges and universities enrolled some 1.4 million students. The number of immigrants in public four-year colleges and universities who entered the U.S. illegally totaled some 4,000, while the number in community colleges totaled some 12,000. Sixteen thousand students out of a total of 1.4 million – slightly over 1 percent – is hardly excessive. With 35 universities in Texas, 4,000 immigrants would mean an average of 114 students per university – hardly displacive.
www.insidehighered.com
http://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/world-view/investing-international-students#sthash.vrgi2T4R.dpbs
Investing in International Students
By Liz Reisberg
Universities wish to enroll international students for many reasons, not the least of them, the significant revenue international students provide to many institutions struggling to balance budgets. Sadly, many of these institutions pursue international students without making the corresponding investment required to insure sustainable enrollment success or international student satisfaction.
www.universitybusiness.com
http://www.universitybusiness.com/news/student-debt-can-be-stifling
Student debt can be stifling
Submitted by Tim Goral on Sun, 06/15/2014 – 9:33am
The Fresno Bee
Late spring is commencement season, a happy time when college graduates throw off the yoke of academics, free to pursue the next chapter of their lives — and their parents breathe a sigh of relief. That is, until they begin to realize the extent of debt they’ve incurred to earn a degree. The average student loan debt nationwide for the 71% of graduates who relied on student loans is nearly $30,000. Things are slightly better in California, an average of $20,000, thanks to our excellent public university system and a historic, if waning, commitment to public higher education.
www.chronicle.com
http://chronicle.com/article/The-Overworked-Bachelors/147105/?cid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en
The Overworked Bachelor’s Degree Needs a Makeover
By Jeffrey Selingo
The 1.7 million students who graduated from American colleges and universities last month, their newly minted bachelor’s degrees in hand, face bleak prospects. Their average student-loan debt is some $33,000. The underemployment rate for recent graduates is 44 percent, meaning the jobs many get won’t require the bachelor’s degrees they just earned. And since many jobs offer low pay or are only part time, the age of financial independence for college graduates these days is 30. …What’s desperately needed is a bachelor’s-degree makeover, one that isolates the liberal-arts education everyone needs in a fast-changing global economy and is flexible enough to accommodate the demand for skills training throughout one’s life.
www.ajc.com
http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/get-schooled/2014/jun/14/learner-beware-college-professor-analyzes-trigger-/
Get Schooled with Maureen Downey
Learner beware: A college professor analyzes trigger-warning phenomenon.
Rosemary Haskell is a professor of English at Elon University. In this essay, she discusses trigger warnings — the practice of cautioning college students that material in a course could be upsetting.
By Rosemary Haskell
After students earlier this spring at a handful of American colleges and universities formally requested that faculty warn them in syllabi about course content that might “trigger” difficult, dangerous or traumatic feelings, an intriguing educational-cultural debate has been bubbling along nicely — and the battle lines over “trigger warnings” have been drawn in fairly predictable ways.
www.insidehighered.com
http://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/provost-prose/long-term-needs#sthash.NZdS0YVT.dpbs
Long Term Needs
By Herman Berliner
At the time that I stood for tenure, I was the only untenured person in the economics department. Early on in the review of my candidacy, the discussion changed from a comprehensive look at my qualifications to a more impersonal discussion regarding long term needs and whether there should ever be 100% tenure in any department. As an economist, I clearly understood long term needs and that ultimately, regardless of how well a tenure candidate meets the standards for teaching, scholarship and service, these cannot be the only determining factors. The deliberations on this issue took many months but ultimately the need was clear and I was awarded tenure.
www.insidehighered.com
http://www.insidehighered.com/views/2014/06/16/essay-negative-role-being-played-too-many-trustees-colleges#sthash.jrHwxHfr.dpbs
The Trouble With Trustees
By Patrick Sanaghan
Over the past couple of years we have experienced several difficult and high profile situations regarding trustees Most notably, Pennsylvania State University’s board appeared to know too little as a horrific scandal broke, the University of Virginia’s board moved to oust a president over the objections of most of the campus, and the University of Texas board has been consumed over whether to get rid of the president at Austin, who so far has survived. Time will tell if these boards actually learn something from these challenging situations and become much better at governing their institutions but I have my doubts.
www.insidehighered.com
http://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2014/06/16/essay-rejecting-job-candidates-and-those-who-dont-apply#sthash.oB2kPXPw.dpbs
Rejections
By Terry McGlynn
Last year, I had the dubious honor of chairing a search committee for two positions in my department. The specialty was open. I learned about my department and my university by seeing it through the eyes of applicants and would-be applicants. There’s a lot I’d like to say about the process that I can’t, or shouldn’t, say. But I do have some observations to share.
www.savannahnow.com
http://savannahnow.com/opinion/2014-06-15/editorial-credit-gulfstream-gift-will-keep-giving#.U57roigRseV
Editorial: Credit Gulfstream for gift that will keep on giving
Education isn’t just a job for educators. Employers have a major role to play, too. That’s why Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. should be applauded for its recent donation of a Gulfstream G100 aircraft and several other items to Savannah Technical College. The aircraft, which was retired from the Savannah company’s fleet in May 2013, will be used as a training tool in the college’s aviation programs. Talk about a first-class visual aid.
www.vnews.com
http://www.vnews.com/home/12319873-95/editorial-fixing-the-dartmouth-brand
Editorial: Fixing the Dartmouth Brand
All things considered, we much preferred the days when branding was something done to cattle rather than something colleges did to themselves in an effort to market their educational wares to impressionable young people and their parents. That no doubt reflects the archaic view that higher education is not a commodity but a calling for those privileged enough to teach and learn in that environment. Nowadays the market rules, on campus as everywhere else. So it is at Dartmouth, where the college’s extended community in Hanover and across the country is wondering whether the turmoil of recent years has inflicted severe reputational damage and tarnished the college’s “brand.”
www.blogs.wsj.com
http://blogs.wsj.com/cio/2014/06/13/is-a-college-education-still-worth-it/
Is a College Education Still Worth It?
By IRVING WLADAWSKY-BERGER
Guest Contributor
New York Times editor David Leonhardt recently wrote a column with the provocative title: Is College Worth It? The question has been raised by articles which note that college graduates are still struggling to find meaningful work and often end up accepting jobs for which they feel overqualified. Then we have the student debt crisis. The average student debt for college graduates is over $25,000, and the aggregate debt for student loans now exceeds $1 trillion. “The decision not to attend college for fear that it’s a bad deal is among the most economically irrational decisions anybody could make in 2014,” is Mr. Leonhardt’s succinct answer to his question. He cites a recent article by MIT economist David Autor which points out that a college-educated worker can expect an additional lifetime earning of over $500,000 compared to one whose highest degree is a high school diploma.
www.insidehighered.com
http://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/technology-and-learning/4-questions-educauses-diana-oblinger#sthash.CtC0OdFS.dpbs
4 Questions for EDUCAUSE’s Diana Oblinger
By Joshua Kim
Diana G. Oblinger is president and CEO of the nonprofit association EDUCAUSE. After a decade leading the association, first as vice president then as president, Diana announced this year she will be retiring in 2015. I connected with Diana to discuss her career and the evolution of information technology in higher education she has witnessed and guided over the past few decades.
www.ajc.com
http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/get-schooled/2014/jun/14/nathan-deal-state-school-boards-governance-matters/
Get Schooled with Maureen Downey
Nathan Deal to state school boards: Governance matters
Both candidates for Georgia governor, Republican Gov. Nathan Deal and Democratic state Sen. Jason Carter, were scheduled to speak to the Georgia School Boards Association at its Savannah conference this weekend. Carter delivered his remarks Friday, and I am waiting for a transcript to share here. Weather prevented Deal from getting there, but here is the speech he would have given: By Nathan Deal Doubtless many of you enjoy your jobs and see a sense of purpose in them, as I do with mine. And much like my own, you get your greatest publicity in your communities when something is perceived as having gone wrong. In those moments, you have concerned parents and invasive news outlets on your doorsteps wanting to know every detail.
Education News
www.times-herald.com
http://www.times-herald.com/local/20140613-CRCT-scores-released-by-the-state
8th-Graders Excel On State’s CRCT Scores
by CELIA SHORTT
More eighth-graders in Georgia are exceeding standards in all areas of the CRCT, according to the test results released by the state Department of Education. The CRCT is the Criterion Referenced Competency Test, which third through eighth grade students take to measure their progress from the previous school year. According to statewide results released by the Department of Education Thursday, eighth-graders showed an eight percentage point increase in reading, a two point increase in English/Language Arts, a three point increase in math and in science, and a 2 percent increase in social studies.
ww.myajc.com
http://www.myajc.com/news/news/local-education/minorities-other-groups-gain-academic-ground-in-ge/ngLBK/#486ee9f4.3566685.735400
Minorities, other groups gain academic ground in Georgia
By Ty Tagami – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Across Georgia, the pernicious educational gap between white children and other key student groups has been narrowing, according to new test scores released by the Georgia Department of Education. Hispanic eighth graders tested this spring, for instance, scored 26 percentage points higher than eighth graders in 2009 on the social studies exam. The math pass rate among black sixth graders was 12 percentage points higher than five years ago, and among third grade students for whom English is a new language, it was 87 percent in reading versus 76 percent. In each case, the gains on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests by distinct groups outpaced academic growth among whites.
www.insidehighered.com
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2014/06/16/stem-graduate-programs-place-too-much-emphasis-gre-scores-physicists-say#sthash.BB9rrlrJ.dpbs
Is the GRE Too Influential?
By Charlie Tyson
The low numbers of female and minority students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields has been fodder for much debate. A new analysis argues that the GRE, a standardized test that most U.S. graduate schools require, is in part to blame.
www.insidehighered.com
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2014/06/16/idaho-faculty-weigh-options-campus-gun-law-goes-effect#sthash.BLTW9NWC.dpbs
Outgunned, for Now
By Charlie Tyson
“When may I shoot a student?” A Boise State professor’s satirical question, posed in the pages of The New York Times in February, brought national attention to a bill – then under consideration in the Idaho Legislature — allowing guns on the state’s college and university campuses. The bill revoked the authority of college and university governing boards to regulate or prohibit “the otherwise lawful possession, carrying or transporting of firearms or ammunition.” Idaho Governor Butch Otter signed the bill into law March 12, roughly two weeks after Greg Hampikian’s piece appeared. The law goes into effect July 1. The bill passed over cries of opposition from many academics, including every public-college president in the state. But some Idaho faculty, although outgunned at the legislature, continue to combat the law, even now that the legislative session has ended.
www.usnewsuniversitydirectory.com
http://www.usnewsuniversitydirectory.com/articles/community-colleges-help-veterans-achieve-their-hig_14059.aspx#.U58ckSgRseU
Community Colleges Help Veterans Achieve Their Higher Education Goals
By Chris Hassan
Community colleges help veterans achieve their higher education goals.
Due to the ongoing scandal involving the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the resignation of Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki, former service members have been in the news. While many of the stories that have surfaced are on the darker side, there has been positive news involving veterans, especially in the realm of higher education. …Many colleges and universities have taken steps to make their institutions more welcoming to former service members looking to take their education to the next level. The Community College of Vermont (CCV) is among these schools. According to The Associated Press, CCV offers veteran students a course that helps ease them back into academia, among other services.
www.post-gazette.com
http://www.post-gazette.com/business/2014/06/13/Rising-college-costs-push-students-to-technical-schools/stories/201406130014
Rising college costs push students to technical schools
By Tim Grant / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
While most high school students still plan to go the traditional route of attending four-year colleges and universities when they consider educational options after graduation, a significant number say they are open to the idea of attending community colleges and technical schools. The Washington, D.C.-based College Savings Foundation’s fifth annual “How Youth Plan to Fund College” survey of high school students across the country found many are broadening their perception of what higher education means. One-in-five, or 21 percent, said they think of vocational or career schools in the same way they think of public or private college.
www.newstimes.com
http://www.newstimes.com/business/article/Student-loan-debt-is-serious-business-5552010.php
Student loan debt is serious business
The size, scope and growth of student loan debt is a big deal. Student loan debt is the highest form of household debt after mortgages, according to a report issued by the White House, “Taking Action: Higher Education and Student Debt.” More than 42 million people have student loans, a total of more than $1 trillion of outstanding debt. About a decade ago, the total stood at $250 billion. The cause? An increase in enrollment and in tuition, according to the report. During the past 30 years, costs have tripled at public four-year colleges. From 1999-2000 to 2012-2013, costs increased by 87 percent. On a state-by-state level, the average outstanding federal student loan balance ranges from a low of $20,625 (Wyoming) to a high of $29,087 (Georgia).
www.chronicle.com
http://chronicle.com/article/The-6-Solution/147125/?cid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en
The $6 Solution
Getting needy students with great grades to apply to elite colleges won’t fix higher education. So why is everyone talking about it?
By Beckie Supiano
A White House summit on college opportunity in January featured more than one Cinderella story. A young man named Troy Simon told the invited group of educators and advocates how he lived for a year in an abandoned building in New Orleans and did not learn to read until he was 14, but made his way to Bard College, where he was a sophomore studying American literature. He introduced Michelle Obama, whose journey from her modest Chicago neighborhood to Princeton University serves as the emotional core of the administration’s campaign to broaden college access. …At the White House, David Coleman, president of the College Board, described its efforts to expand options for top students from less-privileged backgrounds. “We must be committed to propelling them into the opportunities they have earned,” he said.
www.chronicle.com
http://chronicle.com/article/Starbucks-Will-Send-Thousands/147151/?cid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en
Starbucks Will Send Thousands of Employees to Arizona State for Degrees
By Goldie Blumenstyk
Starbucks is teaming up with Arizona State University on an exclusive program that could send thousands of its baristas, store managers, and other employees to ASU Online for their undergraduate degrees, with the coffee company picking up about three-quarters of the tuition tab. The unusual program, the Starbucks College Achievement Plan, will be available to more than 100,000 of its employees, as long as they enroll as full-time students. The partnership, which could cost Starbucks hundreds of millions of dollars a year, is likely to add luster to the company’s reputation for corporate social responsibility. It could also be a welcome enrollment jolt to ASU Online, which has about 10,000 distance-education students and aspires to enroll 10 times that many.
www.blogs.wsj.com
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/06/16/udacity-att-team-up-in-online-ed/?KEYWORDS=%22Higher+Education%22
Udacity, AT&T Team Up in Online Ed
By ROLFE WINKLER
Technology companies often say that U.S. higher education is failing to prepare students for the jobs of the future. Now AT&T, working with online education company Udacity, is trying to make a difference. Udacity is one of the companies that helped popularize what are called MOOCs–massive online education courses–that are designed to bring college-level education to a global audience without going to a campus. The effort with AT&T is its first degree program that could teach students the kinds of skills needed to win jobs at the telecom giant.
www.nytimes.com
Iran Eases Constraints on Academic Contacts With West
By AISHA LABI | THE CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION
WASHINGTON — After almost a decade of harsh limits on higher education and international exchanges, Iran is undergoing something of an academic spring. Hassan Rouhani, the relatively moderate cleric who was elected president last year, has lifted some restrictions on the country’s universities and encouraged greater collaboration with foreign professors. At the same time, as a sign of somewhat improving relations between Iran and America, the United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has eased economic sanctions to allow American colleges to establish partnerships with Iranian counterparts.
www.chronicle.com
http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/mexico-gets-serious-about-rd/33941?cid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en
Mexico Gets Serious About R&D
by Marion Lloyd
After years of paying lip service to the importance of science and technology, Mexico is finally committing itself financially to the priority. And universities in the United States should take note.
www.nytimes.com
Graduates Cautioned: Don’t Shut Out Opposing Views
By RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA
Commencement speakers made news this year mostly by their absence. Protesters on the left assailed speakers who had been invited by colleges and universities, and in some cases, they got their wish, driving away the intended guests. …This topic of scuttled speakers was on the minds of many of those who did speak, including some who addressed colleges where the protests succeeded. Some approached the issue humorously and others seriously, some obliquely and others head-on. Mostly, they expressed disapproval, warning against political orthodoxy, and insisting that the principle of airing opposing views should have trumped whatever objections there were to the speakers.
www.insidehighered.com
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2014/06/16/aaup-votes-censure-northeastern-illinois-u-over-academic-freedom-dispute#sthash.zDvEfKo8.dpbs
Sending a Message
By Colleen Flaherty
WASHINGTON – Members of the American Association of University Professors voted unanimously Saturday to censure Northeastern Illinois University for alleged violations of academic freedom in a controversial tenure case.
www.lasvegassun.com
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2014/jun/15/why-so-many-higher-ed-professors-get-lower-level-p/
Why so many higher ed professors get lower-level pay
By Paul Takahashi
William Donati has a master’s degree from UCLA and a doctorate from UNLV. He makes less than $25,000 a year. For the past 12 years, Donati has taught English composition and world literature to undergraduate students at UNLV. He typically teaches eight courses a year, reviewing at least 24,000 pages of student papers. Between preparing for class, teaching, grading, holding office hours, attending departmental meetings and writing recommendation letters, Donati estimates he works about 30 hours a week. For this, UNLV pays him $24,456 a year. That’s about $10,000 less than the average starting salary for a first-year public K-12 schoolteacher in Las Vegas. …At a growing number of universities nationally, adjunct professors like Donati have become the face of higher education, as colleges increasingly rely on part-time, non-tenure-track faculty for cheap and abundant labor. Last year, nearly 4 out of every 10 professors at UNLV were adjuncts. Nationally, adjuncts constitute a little more than three-quarters of higher education faculty.
www.insidehighered.com
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2014/06/16/winthrop-board-moves-fire-president-days-after-report-about-her-husband-being-paid#sthash.f8ogg044.dpbs
Spousal Pay Backlash?
By Scott Jaschik
Just under a year after Jamie Comstock Williamson became president of Winthrop University, the board suspended her on Friday and announced its intent to fire her. The board did not say why it took its action, except to say that it was “for cause.” Under the terms of Williamson’s contract, she must be given an opportunity to respond to that cause before she can be fired, and the board’s action Friday set up that opportunity for Williamson. The action against Williamson came days after The Rock Hill Herald revealed that the university had hired Williamson’s husband, Larry Williamson, as a part-time employee to work on government and external relations for nine months. A day after that news report, the Williamsons announced that they were returning the $27,000 that he had been paid, although they also defended his hiring. The repayment did not quiet criticism of the arrangement.
www.montgomeryadvertiser.com
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/local/alabama/2014/06/13/tuskegees-new-president-brings-along-gift/10501779/
Tuskegee’s new president brings along $100,000 gift
Alvin Benn
TUSKEGEE – Tuskegee University’s new president brought along a $100,000 gift Friday. Brian Johnson, 40, also told students and faculty that social media interaction will be fine with him. “You will probably find me on Facebook and Twitter and that’s okay,” Johnson said, adding he’ll be too busy to start answering them right away and will rely on his staff to help him with that assignment. Accompanied by his wife and two sons, Johnson quickly won over the large crowd at the TU chapel during his speech, especially when he said he would be promoting an “outcome-based” program available to the public under his “transparent administration.” During a news conference following his speech, Johnson, who begins his tenure Monday, was asked about the $100,000 family gift that will take the form of an endowed student scholarship spread over five years.
www.diverseeducation.com
http://diverseeducation.com/article/64883/?utm_campaign=Diverse%20Newsletter%203&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elq=6c4b1c4d595f441b8fc9efe3440a7bf5&elqCampaignId=173
HBCU Education Deans Hope Brainstorming Proves Fruitful
by Jamal Watson
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — For the third year in a row, education deans from historically Black colleges and universities across the nation gathered at Rutgers University to strategize on how best to strengthen teacher education programs at their respective institutions. Amid deep financial cutbacks and mounting challenges over graduation and retention rates within higher education in general, the deans spent two full days last week engaged in discussions over how to improve academic standards, generate outside funding to support new programs and initiatives, and find ways—when necessary—to collaborate with each other.
www.denverpost.com
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_25965505/colorado-community-colleges-face-enrollment-dip-tighter-budgets
Colorado community colleges face enrollment dip, tighter budgets
By Zahira Torres
The Denver Post
During the economic recession, Colorado community colleges benefited from an unprecedented uptick that is beginning to dip, forcing higher-education leaders to trim their budgets.
The economic downturn contributed to a spike in enrollment of about 40 percent at community colleges in Colorado as people sought to hone their skills and become more marketable. But a rebounding economy and a decision by the Colorado Community College System to restructure developmental programs for students who need remedial work contributed to a reduction in enrollment of 3 percent last school year. Another drop of up to 5 percent is expected this year.
www.spokesman.com
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2014/jun/15/washington-community-colleges-universities-face/
Washington community colleges, universities face more budget cuts
KENNEWICK – Community college and university officials have been told to plan for more budget cuts to balance the state’s 2015-17 budget. The Office of Financial Management is expecting the state to need at least another $1 billion in revenue to meet its needs for the next biennium. Before Gov. Jay Inslee develops his budget proposal, colleges as well as other state agencies have been told to make requests that include up to 15 percent reductions, the Tri-City Herald reported.
www.insidehighered.com
http://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2014/06/16/revocation-ccsfs-accreditation-be-reconsidered#sthash.9i2a2xdB.dpbs
Revocation of CCSF’s Accreditation to Be Reconsidered
An independent panel on Friday instructed City College of San Francisco’s accreditor, the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, to reconsider its decision last year to terminate the college’s accreditation. The commission appointed a five-member panel to rule on the college’s appeal of the termination decision. While City College may have deserved that decision when it was made, the panel ruled, the college’s efforts to fix its problems during the last six months deserve a look by the commission.
www.siouxcityjournal.com
http://siouxcityjournal.com/ap/state/south-dakota-campus-construction-projects-advance/article_9f313383-71c1-5859-a670-50772666f0f9.html
South Dakota campus construction projects advance
SOUTH DAKOTA CAMPUS CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS ADVANCE
Nora Hertel Associated Press
PIERRE, S.D. | The growth and construction at South Dakota universities reflects two of the schools’ recent ascent to NCAA Division I athletics status and the Board of Regents’ 10-year plan, said Board of Regents Executive Director Jack Warner. Officials will break ground Tuesday on a $66 million arena at the University of South Dakota. South Dakota State University will open a new practice facility next fall and may start construction on a $65 million stadium by August. The two universities joined Division I, which is the top level of major colleges in athletics, within the last decade.
www.bloomberg.com
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-13/pennsylvania-must-face-ncaa-lawsuit-over-sandusky-abuse-fine-1-.html
Pennsylvania Must Face NCAA Lawsuit Over Sandusky Abuse Fine
By Sophia Pearson
Pennsylvania lost a bid to throw out a National Collegiate Athletic Association federal lawsuit over the control of a $60 million fine levied against Pennsylvania State University after the Jerry Sandusky sex-abuse scandal. Pennsylvania passed a law last year requiring the NCAA penalty be used in the state on child abuse programs. The association sued claiming the law violates the U.S. Constitution and can’t be enforced.