USG NEWS:
www.myajc.com
http://www.myajc.com/news/news/state-regional-govt-politics/report-georgias-employers-cant-find-qualified-work/njQDf/#4d623b4c.3566685.735578
Report: Georgia’s employers can’t find qualified workers in key fields
By Greg Bluestein and Janel Davis – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
An aging workforce is preparing to retire, and there are not enough skilled workers in Georgia to replenish it. A shortage of computer programmers and engineers is forcing firms to search outside the state for staffers. And there’s an alarming lack of basic “soft skills” demanded by employers. The state’s High Demand Career Initiative released findings Wednesday that highlighted trouble spots for Georgia’s job sector — and potential opportunities to bolster the state’s workforce. …‘Craftsmen that can craft an email’Leaders of the state’s University System and technical college network have also pledged to address the skills gap, mindful that only about 42 percent of Georgia’s young people have a degree or certification beyond a high school diploma. They have set a 2020 goal to increase the number of college graduates in the state by 250,000. University System Chancellor Hank Huckaby hired new deputies to retool economic development efforts. Higher education officials launched a summer campaign to encourage the 1.1 million residents with some college credits to finish their degrees. And the University System partnered with tech schools on a training center in Warner Robins to help veterans transition back into the workforce.
www.middlegeorgiaceo.com
http://middlegeorgiaceo.com/news/2014/12/real-estate-foundation-mgsc-purchases-former-scottish-inn-eisenhower-parkway/
Real Estate Foundation of MGSC Purchases Former Scottish Inn on Eisenhower Parkway
The Real Estate Foundation of Middle Georgia State College has purchased the former Scottish Inn, a motel and restaurant property located at the southeast corner of the Macon Campus, from Frank Walthall for $950,000 in a brokered transaction. The property, encompassing about 6 acres, is adjacent to the west side of the Eisenhower Parkway exit ramp off the southbound lanes of Interstate 475. “This acquisition, structured to ensure the college made the most efficient use of taxpayer dollars, is an investment in the future of Middle Georgia State and the region,” said Nancy Stroud, the college’s vice president for fiscal affairs. “As we move toward university status and work on a campus master plan, purchasing this property simply made sense.”
www.mdjonline.com
http://www.mdjonline.com/view/full_story/26215081/article-KSU-PayTrain-Fundamentals-course-OK-d-for-grant
KSU PayTrain Fundamentals course OK’d for grant
by MDJ staff
Kennesaw State University’s PayTrain Fundamentals course has been approved for the Workforce Investment Act Grant. WIA is a federal grant that covers training for those laid off from employment or whose household income is at or below the federal poverty level. The PayTrain Fundamentals course, offered by KSU’s College of Continuing and Professional Education, is designed for entry-level payroll professionals and those who support the payroll industry.
www.macon.com
http://www.macon.com/2014/12/10/3468851_education-briefs-houston-peach.html?rh=1
FVSU wants former students back
Fort Valley State University recently launched the Recruit Back program, a campaign to encourage former students who left campus or dropped out to return and complete their degrees.
The campaign is in line with Gov. Nathan Deal’s new “Go Back, Move Ahead” program.
www.dawsonnews.com
http://www.dawsonnews.com/section/1/article/15850/
Poverty simulation shows low income struggles
By Michele Hester Staff Writer
Several dozen local leaders and college students found themselves living on minimum wage salaries, wondering how to make ends meet from paycheck to paycheck. An “eye-opener,” is how Wayne Watkins, who was assigned the role of a homeless man, described the University of Georgia’s “Living in a State of Poverty” simulation held on Thursday at Veterans Memorial Park. “It takes so much to get a little help when in need,” he said.
www.cbs46.com
http://www.cbs46.com/story/27598508/underage-drinking-costs-ga-1-billion-but-students-not-charged
Underage drinking costs GA $1 billion, but students not charged
By Jennifer Emert
ATLANTA (CBS46) – Underage drinking is a top public health concern and costs Georgians a billion dollars a year. A CBS46 investigation uncovered that on some college campuses police aren’t citing students for the offense. In fact, a study nationwide found police cite students just a third of the time. As finals wrap up, Georgia Tech students will unwind and let loose. For some, that may include alcohol. “It’s a part of the college experience, I guess,” Alexandra Barnhill said. At fraternity houses on campus, members say there are rules to having fun. “In some circumstances we actually hire bartenders who check IDs. We also use wristbands to identify those old enough to drink legally,” Steven Kuckelman said. CBS46 found underage students who drink and are caught at Georgia Tech aren’t facing any criminal charges, at least on campus. Since Nov. 1, campus police have responded to a dozen underage drinking calls from the student center to residence halls and the library. Each case has been closed without prosecution. “College campuses can’t handle the problem in isolation, in a silo. They need the community that they’re sitting in to collaborate with them,” Dr. Gregg Raduka, of The Council on Alcohol and Drugs, said. The Council of Alcohol and Drugs is working with the University of Georgia to combat issues of underage drinking.
www.myfoxatlanta.com
http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/story/27588269/college-student-interning-at-school-steals-6-year-olds-ipad
College student interning at school steals 6-year-old’s iPad
By Travis Maurer, Digital Editor
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – A college student interning at an elementary school in Forsyth County is in hot water after reportedly stealing an iPad from a student and selling it online so she could have extra money for Christmas gifts. A spokesperson for the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office tells FOX 5 News that Kelsey Rose Salie, 21, of Flowery Branch, was arrested on Theft by Taking charges. Her bond was set at $1,150. The Forsyth County School District says Salie is a student at University of North Georgia and was interning at Chestatee Elementary School at the time of the incident. …Salie also could face disciplinary actions at her school.
www.redandblack.com
http://www.redandblack.com/uganews/campus-security-prepared-to-handle-emergency-situations/article_ab6cc644-7fe5-11e4-a63f-53295d9f6bdc.html
Campus security prepared to handle emergency situations
Mollie Simon
The incident at a Florida State University library, in which three students were shot, highlighted the importance of preparing for emergencies and responding seriously — something University of Georgia’s campus is equipped to handle. At UGA, security measures to process dangerous situations are in place, but because much of the planning is handled at the individual building level, there can be variation in preparedness across campus.
www.ajc.com
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local-education/georgia-leads-nation-in-school-shootings-report-sa/njQBg/
Georgia leads nation in school shootings, report says
Eric Stirgus
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In the two years since the horrific mass killings at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Georgia has had more school-shooting incidents than any other state, according to a report released Wednesday by gun control advocates. The report by Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense counted 12 incidents in Georgia schools and colleges since the Sandy Hook tragedy on Dec. 14, 2012. …Seven of the 12 incidents detailed in the report on Wednesday were at Georgia colleges; four were at high schools or middle schools; and one was at an elementary school. …The shootings, some were discharging weapons with no injuries, listed at Georgia schools included:
Sept. 21, 2013, Savannah State University
March 30, 2014, Savannah State University
Sept. 5, 2014, Savannah State University
Everytown.org also supplied the AJC with a list of states ranked by shooting incidents:
Georgia 12
Florida 8
Tennessee 8
North Carolina 6
California 4
Texas 4
www.wjcl.com
http://wjcl.com/2014/12/10/ga-southern-keeping-students-educated-about-sexual-violence/
Ga. Southern keeping students educated about sexual violence
By Dave Williams
STATESBORO, Ga. (WJCL) One in four college-aged women are sexually assaulted, and because of that, President Obama and other leaders in Washington have launched the “It’s on Us” initiative to help stop on campus sexual violence. Georgia Southern University has had a similar policy in place for sometime now. Incoming freshmen are first introduced to the topic during the orientation program for new students, where they’re taught how to protect themselves against potential sexual assaults.
www.statesboroherald.com
http://www.statesboroherald.com/section/1/article/64783/
Man arrested in connection with Friday’s ‘suspicious person’ incident at GSU
BY Jason Wermers
A man has been arrested in connection with the scare that led police to lock down portions of Georgia Southern University’s campus for a few hours Friday morning. Daniel Ambrose Cistola, 23, of South Main Street, was taken to the Bulloch County Jail on Tuesday evening on a charge of concealing identity by wearing mask, hood or other device. He was arrested a short time later, according to jail records released Wednesday.
GOOD NEWS:
www.georgianewsday.com
http://www.georgianewsday.com/news/savannah/306875-armstrong-state-university-named-a-2015-stem-jobs-approved-colleges.html
Armstrong State University named a 2015 STEM Jobs Approved Colleges
STAFF WRITER
SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) – Armstrong State University has been designated a 2015 STEM Jobs Approved Colleges list by Victory Media and will be featured in the Winter 2015 issue of STEM Jobs magazine. Armstrong was one of only 123 schools nationwide to be named as a STEM Jobs Approved College. The inaugural list is the first of its kind to rate universities, colleges, community colleges and trade schools on their responsiveness and relevance to high demand, high growth science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) occupations. “The College of Science and Technology at Armstrong has a strong track record of providing students with research and internship opportunities that lead to employment in their field after graduation,” said Dr. Brent Feske, interim assistant dean of the College of Science and Technology. “We’re delighted that our efforts, on behalf of our students, have received national recognition.”
Related article:
www.savannahtribune.com
http://www.savannahtribune.com/news/2014-12-10/Social_%28and%29_Community_News/ASU_Named_To_2015_STEM_Jobs_Approved_Colleges_List.html
ASU Named To 2015 STEM Jobs Approved Colleges List
RESEARCH:
www.chronicle.augusta.com
http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/education/2014-12-09/grant-through-alexs-lemonade-stand-foundation-moves-gru-cancer-trials-kids
Grant through Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation moves up GRU cancer trials for kids
By Tom Corwin
Staff Writer
A big grant from a foundation fighting childhood cancer will help Georgia Regents University Cancer Center speed up the start of a clinical trial for kids with brain tumors who are out of good options for treatment. GRU researcher Theodore Johnson hopes his immunotherapy approach, which was first discovered at Medical College of Georgia in a lab he worked in, could become the beginning of what might be a unique program for children with cancer.
wwww.mnn.com
http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/blogs/lack-of-vitamin-d-linked-to-seasonal-affective-disorder
Lack of vitamin D linked to seasonal affective disorder
Research suggests that a vitamin deficiency might be the culprit behind the winter blues.
Jenn Savedge
Winter weather got you down? You’re not alone. Research shows that up to 10 percent of Americans experience a condition called seasonal affective disorder, a form of depression that often begins in the fall and continues through the winter months. Shortened days and limited access to daylight are often listed as the causes for this condition. But now researchers think they may have found another culprit: low levels of vitamin D. A new study led by researchers from the University of Georgia, the University of Pittsburgh, and Queensland University of Technology in Australia found that people with low vitamin D levels were at greater risk for developing seasonal affective disorder, or SAD.
www.sciencecodex.com
http://www.sciencecodex.com/uga_study_finds_low_weight_gain_in_pregnant_women_reduces_male_fetal_survival-147299
UGA study finds low weight gain in pregnant women reduces male fetal survival
Athens, Ga. – The amount of weight a woman gains during pregnancy can be vitally important–especially if she’s carrying a boy–according to a study by researchers at the University of Georgia released today in PLOS ONE, an open access peer-reviewed journal published by the Public Library of Science. Research by associate professor Kristen Navara in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences found that male fetuses are more likely to die if their mothers don’t gain enough weight during pregnancy.
www.insurancenewsnet.com
http://insurancenewsnet.com/oarticle/2014/12/11/researchers-from-georgia-institute-of-technology-report-findings-in-healthcare-m-a-577472.html#.VIn9xSivIeU
Researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology Report Findings in Healthcare Management (Balancing investments in federally qualified health…
Researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology Report Findings in Healthcare Management (Balancing investments in federally qualified health centers and Medicaid for improved access and coverage in Pennsylvania)
By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Health & Medicine Week — Current study results on Health and Medicine have been published. According to news originating from Atlanta, Georgia, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “Two common health disparities in the US include a lack of access to care and a lack of insurance coverage. To help address these disparities, healthcare reform will provide $11B to expand Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) over the next 5 years.”
www.seattlepi.com
http://www.seattlepi.com/business/press-releases/article/Georgia-State-CDC-Study-U-S-Taxpayers-Bear-5948107.php
Georgia State/CDC Study: U.S. Taxpayers Bear Financial Burden of Smoking-Related Disease
Atlanta, GA (PRWEB)
Cigarette smoking generates as much as $170 billion in annual health care spending in the United States, according to a new study co-authored by researchers at Georgia State University’s School of Public Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and RTI International. Dr. Terry F. Pechacek, a professor of health management and policy at Georgia State, was the senior author of the study, “Annual Healthcare Spending Attributable to Cigarette Smoking (An Update),” which was published Wednesday by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
www.paddocktalk.com
http://paddocktalk.com/news/html/story-269062.html
GM Foundation Contributes $2.875 Million To Higher Education
The General Motors Foundation today announced grants totaling $2.875 million to support 29 leading universities and organizations across the country in 2014 through its University/Organization Partner Program. The initiative provides funding to advance secondary education curricula in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, also known as STEM, information technology and other fields important to the automotive industry. …This year’s list of GM Foundation grant recipients is comprised of: Art Center College of Design, Brigham Young University, University of California-Berkeley, Cleveland Institute of Arts, University of Cincinnati, College for Creative Studies, Duke University, Georgia Institute of Technology,
STATE NEEDS/ISSUES:
www.myajc.com
http://www.myajc.com/news/news/state-regional-govt-politics/deal-needs-to-find-315-million-in-budget-to-keep-u/njPYC/#18d53ce5.3566685.735578
Deal needs to find $315 million in budget to keep up school spending
By James Salzer – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With the economy improving, a lot of people are tugging at Gov. Nathan Deal’s sleeve trying to get him to include spending for them or their agency in next year’s budget. But after years of fiscal austerity, no number may be bigger, at least symbolically, than $315 million. That’s about what Deal put in his election-year budget this year to allow school districts to increase school days, cut furloughs and, in some cases, give teachers raises. And that’s about the amount of money the governor will need to find for next year’s budget to make sure the state doesn’t backslide on what he did this year.
Editorials/Columns/Opinions:
www.getschooled.blog.ajc.com
http://getschooled.blog.ajc.com/2014/12/10/new-report-georgia-leads-nation-in-school-shootings-with-12-since-newton/
Get Schooled with Maureen Downey
New report: Georgia leads nation in school shootings with 12 since Newtown
With the two-year anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting four days away, Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America released a report and video today documenting nearly 100 school shootings since Newtown. The report says Georgia — with 12 school shootings since the murder of 26 children and staff at Sandy Hook on Dec. 14, 2012 — leads the nation. Everytown for Gun Safety is a violence prevention organization with more than 2.5 million supporters and more than 40,000 donors. Since forming in response to the Sandy Hook tragedy, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense has established a chapter in every state and, along with Mayors Against Illegal Guns, is part of Everytown for Gun Safety. Here is the release on their report:
Education:
www.realclearmarkets.com
http://www.realclearmarkets.com/articles/2014/12/08/hey_congress_college_students_can_balance_the_budget_101422.html
Hey Congress, College Students Can Balance the Budget
By Jeffrey Dorfman
Politicians in Washington, D.C. would like Americans to believe that balancing the federal budget is difficult. President Obama is proud of having reduced the budget deficit back to a number that would be an all-time record high if it wasn’t for his first six years in office. Proponents of big government claim there is no fat left to trim. Even supposed fiscally conservative Republicans like Rep. Paul Ryan generally propose budget plans that have a balanced budget many years into the future, if at all. The reality, however, is that balancing the budget really is not all that hard.
www.diverseeducation.com
http://diverseeducation.com/article/68341/?utm_campaign=Diverse%20Newsletter%203&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elq=d3f3c88377f84fa1b8a8499a6c019877&elqCampaignId=415
Report: Campus-Based Child Care on Decline
by Jamaal Abdul-Alim
When Sbeidy Dominguez got pregnant during her senior year in high school, her school counselor didn’t give up on her college dreams. “Her school counselor, Rita Guerra, insisted that she was college material,” first lady Michelle Obama recounted during a speech earlier this year. Guerra helped Dominguez find medical care, complete her FAFSA and make up her AP exams after she gave birth. Dominguez ultimately graduated in the top 1 percent of her class and is currently finishing her senior year at the University of California, Riverside, where she is majoring in psychology. But beyond encouragement for young mothers to pursue their college dreams, there’s something else that plays a critical role in making those dreams a reality: campus-based child care. …Despite the growing number of college students with children, campus-based child care has been on the decline in recent years, according to a new report from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research.
www.washingtonpost.com
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/u-va-students-challenge-rolling-stone-account-of-attack/2014/12/10/ef345e42-7fcb-11e4-81fd-8c4814dfa9d7_story.html?wpisrc=nl-headlines&wpmm=1
U-Va. students challenge Rolling Stone account of alleged sexual assault
By T. Rees Shapiro December 10 at 9:24 PM
It was 1 a.m. on a Saturday when the call came. A friend, a University of Virginia freshman who earlier said she had a date that evening with a handsome junior from her chemistry class, was in hysterics. Something bad had happened. Arriving at her side, three students —“Randall,” “Andy” and “Cindy,” as they were identified in an explosive Rolling Stone account — told The Washington Post that they found their friend in tears. Jackie appeared traumatized, saying her date ended horrifically, with the older student parking his car at his fraternity, asking her to come inside and then forcing her to perform oral sex on five men. In their first interviews about the events of that September 2012 night, the three friends separately told The Post that their recollections of the encounter diverge from how Rolling Stone portrayed the incident in a story about Jackie’s alleged gang rape at a U-Va. fraternity. The interviews also provide a richer account of Jackie’s interactions immediately after the alleged attack and suggest that the friends are skeptical of her account.
www.diverseeducation.com
http://diverseeducation.com/article/68354/?utm_campaign=Diverse%20Newsletter%203&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elq=d3f3c88377f84fa1b8a8499a6c019877&elqCampaignId=415
FDA Gives Approval for Marijuana Oil Study
by Kim Chandler, Associated Press
MONTGOMERY, Ala. ― The Food and Drug Administration has given the University of Alabama at Birmingham permission to study the use of a marijuana derivative to treat seizures. Parents of children with seizure disorders persuaded the Alabama Legislature last year to pass a bill authorizing UAB’s Department of Neurology to do a study of the marijuana derivative cannabidiol, or CDD oil, as a potential treatment for seizures. UAB spokesman Bob Shepard said the university received FDA letters on Wednesday authorizing the two studies, one for children and one for adults.
www.jbhe.com
Tuskegee University Scientists Receive a U.S. Patent
Researchers at historically Black Tuskegee University in Alabama have received a United States Patent for a method to screen food for potential contamination by pathogens. The new procedure will significantly reduce the time it takes to determine which pathogens have contaminated the food. The new procedure can also be used in national security settings as several of the bacteria that can be identified by the new procedure can possibly be used in a biological terror attack.
www.diverseeducation.com
http://diverseeducation.com/article/68352/?utm_campaign=Diverse%20Newsletter%203&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elq=d3f3c88377f84fa1b8a8499a6c019877&elqCampaignId=415
Tech Summit Addresses Industry’s Lack of Diversity
by Michael Liedtke, Associated Press
SANTA CLARA, Calif. ― Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson spent most of this year pressuring the technology industry into facing up to the glaring scarcity of women, Blacks and Latinos at companies renowned as great places to work. Now comes Diversity 2.0 ― finding ways to reverse a deep-rooted problem that isn’t going to be as easy to fix as writing new lines of code for a computer bug. The challenges, along with some of the potential solutions, were explored Wednesday at a Silicon Valley summit organized by Jackson and his group, Rainbow Push.
www.jbhe.com
Sub-Saharan Nations Sending the Most Scholars to Teach at U.S. Colleges and Universities
Sub-Saharan Nations Sending the Most Scholars to Teach at U.S. Colleges and Universities
According to new data from the Institute on International Education, in the 2012-13 academic year, there were 122,059 foreign scholars teaching at American colleges and universities. The number of foreign scholars was up 4.4 percent from the previous year. The vast majority of these foreign scholars are from either Europe or Asia. In the 2012-13 academic years there were 2,132 scholars from sub-Saharan African nations teaching at U.S. colleges and universities. This is up nearly 13 percent from the 2011-12 academic year but down from 2,750 just five years ago.