University System News
www.myajc.com
Deal budget puts recession in rear-view mirror, but some face cuts
http://www.myajc.com/news/news/state-regional-govt-politics/deal-budget-puts-recession-in-rear-view-mirror-but/njsBc/#f61e5c44.3566685.735619
By James Salzer – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia legislators received the rosiest financial projections they’ve heard since the Great Recession on Tuesday, with the state’s fiscal economist predicting strong job growth and education officials using words such as “phenomenal” to describe extra money Gov. Nathan Deal wants to put into schools. The state’s reserves haven’t been this full since 2007, and Deal’s $21.8 billion budget plan would spend more on everything from colleges and ethics policing to economic development and schooling for prison inmates. …And then there were issues Deal’s budget may only partially address, such as the University System of Georgia’s concern that pay at top schools such as the University of Georgia is falling far behind salaries at other flagship institutions in states such as Alabama and Florida. System Chancellor Hank Huckaby said full professors, on average, made 26 percent more at the University of Alabama than they did at UGA in 2014. In 2001, he said, UGA’s salaries were ahead of Alabama’s. Deal included about $11 million in next year’s budget for raises in the system. Huckaby called salary increases the system’s top priority this session. “It is a critical need for us,” he said.
www.onlineathens.com
Chancellor asks Georgia lawmakers for funds to keep university faculty
http://onlineathens.com/uga/2015-01-20/chancellor-asks-georgia-lawmakers-funds-keep-university-faculty
By WALTER C. JONESMORRIS NEWS SERVICE – updated Tuesday, January 20, 2015 – 11:25pm
ATLANTA | The University System of Georgia needs more money for building maintenance, pay raises and new construction, Chancellor Hank Huckaby told members of the state House and Senate appropriations committees on Tuesday. Faculty have had just one raise in six years, leaving them behind what they could earn in neighboring states, and many professors have quit for better wages, he said. “We are faced with our most talented faculty having viable options elsewhere,” he said, recounting how a University of Georgia finance professor left for a 22 percent increase at Texas Christian University.
Related article:
www.world.einnews.com
Chancellor asks Georgia lawmakers for funds to keep university faculty
http://world.einnews.com/article__detail/245496568?lcode=ZNMPIpmpqFzErZyO6UKQOED4l5jl5oB3nIxRHl6PXYk%3D
www.savannahnow.com
GSU receives $8,000 grant from governor’s office
http://savannahnow.com/your-good-news/2015-01-20/gsu-receives-8000-grant-governors-office
Georgia Southern University has received an $8,000 grant through the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety to participate in the Georgia Young Adult Program. The program educates students about the dangers of alcohol abuse, underage drinking and impaired driving. The grant will allow the Office of Alcohol and Other Drugs Programs to promote the “Safe Rides Saves Lives” campaign, which discourages driving while under the influence of alcohol.
www.wjbf.com
Free Community College; President’s Big Proposal Could Affect CSRA Colleges
http://www.wjbf.com/story/27896954/free-community-college-presidents-big-proposal-could-affect-csra-colleges
By Nicole Snyder, WJBF Reporter
Augusta, GA – President Obama is expected to make several big proposals at Tuesday’s State of the Union Address. One of those proposals is giving every community college student a free ride. We took a look at how this proposal would affect students in the CSRA. A big question where the money is going to come from to cover tuition costs. Based on a release from the White House earlier this month, the plan for “America’s College Promise” is pretty vague. The plan is for 75% of costs to be covered by federal funding and states would pick up the rest of the tab, but how exactly that money will be generated is unclear. Students at Georgia Regents University won’t be part of the 9 million students who could benefit from “America’s College Promise.” But those who apply for a two-year degree at East Georgia State College will be included.
www.newtoncitizen.com
Georgia Perimeter College halts athletic recruiting pending consolidation with Georgia State University
http://www.newtoncitizen.com/news/2015/jan/20/georgia-perimeter-college-halts-athletic/
By Ryan McKenzie
COVINGTON — Georgia Perimeter College has suspended recruitment for all of its athletic programs and will likely not have any athletic teams next year. According to a news release from GPC, interim President Rob Watts made the decision to halt recruiting for GPC’s eight athletic divisions, which he announced at GPC’s town hall meeting on Jan. 13. The announcement came shortly after the University System of Georgia’s Jan. 6 decision to consolidate Georgia State University with GPC.
www.wtoc.com
Darton State College cuts several staff positions
http://www.wtoc.com/story/27897090/darton-state-college-cuts-several-staff-positions
By WALB News TeamCONNECT
ALBANY, GA (WALB) – Darton State College announced several staff reductions at the school early Tuesday evening. According to a release by the school, “less than eight” positions were eliminated through what was referred to as realignment of programs and services in student affairs, academic affairs, and institutional advancement.
www.ajc.com
Georgia State to allow co-ed dorm rooms
http://www.myajc.com/news/news/local-education/georgia-state-to-offer-co-ed-dorm-rooms/njsBH/#3071aab8.3566685.735619
Janel Davis
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia State University will offer students an option for co-ed dorm rooms beginning in the fall semester. The university plans to offer “gender inclusive housing,” in which students can request a roommate regardless of the person’s sex. The move comes after requests by siblings, opposite-sex friends and LGBT students wanting to live together, said Marilyn De LaRoche, Georgia State’s director of university housing.
Related articles:
www.bizjournals.com
Georgia State to allow males and females to share dorm rooms
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/morning_call/2015/01/georgia-state-to-allow-men-and-women-to-share-dorm.html
www.cbs46.com
Georgia State to offer co-ed housing for students next year
http://www.cbs46.com/story/27900985/georgia-state-to-offer-co-ed-housing-for-students-next-year
www.13wmaz.com
College students get access to free campus food pantry
http://www.13wmaz.com/story/news/local/2015/01/15/middle-georgia-pantry/21829827/
Elise Brown
Middle Georgia State College is doing all it can to keep students coming to class and without grumbling stomachs.. The school opened a new food pantry. It’s small in size, but can make a big difference. “It’s not an ‘end-all, be-all,’ but it’s just something to get the students over a hump,” said Dee Lindsey, director of student life. An obstacle Lindsey hears about all too frequently, “I’ve had students say do you know where I can get food? Do you know how I can apply for aid?” Students say with the high cost of tuition a food pantry reduces some of the financial pressure. …”Sometimes we have to skip meals, so this is a really good way to get food when we need it,” said David Futral.
www.busbyway.com
Students give leading competency-based education college high marks in independent survey
http://www.busbyway.com/2015/01/20/students-give-leading-competency-based-education-college-high-marks-in-independent-survey/
An independent survey of students commissioned by the Bill & Melissa Gates Foundation revealed remarkably high levels of student satisfaction and learning outcomes from College for America at Southern New Hampshire University, including 99 percent recommending the school and 100 percent stating it is a good or very good value. …The survey was conducted by Georgia Institute of Technology and WestEd for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
www.sciencedaliy.com
Scientists invent system to improve effectiveness of cancer surgery
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150120142555.htm
With the goal of making it easier for surgeons to detect malignant tissue during surgery and hopefully reduce the rate of cancer recurrence, scientists have invented a new imaging system that causes tumors to “light up” when a hand-held laser is directed at them. “A surgeon’s goal during cancer surgery is to remove the tumor, as well as enough surrounding tissue to ensure that malignant cells are not left behind,” said Aaron Mohs, Ph.D., assistant professor of regenerative medicine at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and a co-inventor of the system. “But how do they know when they’ve removed enough tissue? Our goal is to provide better real-time information to guide the surgery.” …The system, invented by Mohs, Michael C. Mancini at Spectropath Inc., and Shuming Nie with Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, combines two types of imaging.
Editorials/Columns/Opinions:
www.kmimediagroup.com
Credit Where Credit Is Due
http://www.kmimediagroup.com/military-advanced-education/428-articles-mae/credit-where-credit-is-due-1
Written by Kent Seaver
I have had the opportunity to see all types of students during my 16 years of community college experience: from new-to-college 18 year olds to 15-year-old “dual credit” students to returning students who would rather not divulge their ages. All bring with them the sum of their life experiences. But one group that brings a set of experiences and skills like no other is our returning student veterans. Because of the nature of the service, these men and women are arriving on our college campuses with more technical knowledge than most generations that came before them. This knowledge can be measured via prior learning assessments, commonly referred to as PLAs. “Prior learning” has been defined by various colleges to mean learning achieved outside of the traditional classroom, but Trish Paterson, executive director for College Access Initiatives for the University System of Georgia, has a more concise and clear interpretation.
www.educationnext.org
Can an Online College Course Live Up to Students’ Expectations?
Can an Online College Course Live Up to Students’ Expectations?
By Anna J. Egalite and Paul E. Peterson
The Washington Post reports that a New York philanthropist has made a $1 million donation to EdX—an online course provider established by MIT and Harvard University— and proposed that it offer the first year of college online for free. But will students be happy with such courses? We got our first glimpse at an answer to this tough question by teaching “Saving Schools: History, Politics and Policy in U. S. Education,” our first Massive Open Online Course. You can still take the course (actually 4 mini-courses) online, free of charge. And until January 25, you can take the second offering of the course for credit at Harvard Extension School by following the registration information at the bottom of this blog post.
www.chronicle.com
Why Colleges Are Like Cable Companies
http://chronicle.com/article/Why-Colleges-Are-Like-Cable/151205?cid=megamenu
By Ben Miller
Comcast might be the most-hated company in America. Even in an industry that generally rates poorly with consumers, it still regularly fares worse on consumer-satisfaction measures than any other company except Time Warner Cable, which it is in the process of trying to acquire. One reason people hate cable companies is unpredictability. When the statement arrives each month, the amount owed can be a total mystery. That’s because the companies lure in customers with low teaser rates, which later shoot up without notice. What starts as a good deal can quickly become a burdensome financial commitment. But if consumers dislike the pricing games played by cable companies, why are people giving a pass to the colleges doing the same thing across the country? …There’s just one problem. All the net price information is focused on what first-year students pay—the introductory rate. There is, however, no guarantee that money a college offers a freshman will be there again the next year. Much like that artificially low introductory rate from the cable company, the bill that shows up 12, 24, or 36 months later could be thousands of dollars higher.
Higher Education:
www.diverseeducation.com
Researchers Find ECO Intervention Project Paying Off for Select Low-Income Students
http://diverseeducation.com/article/68912/?utm_campaign=012115Diverse%20Newsletter%203&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elq=03792506c14445e39f4d67d190c9cef1&elqCampaignId=493
by Jamaal Abdul-Alim
The more that high-achieving, low-income students know about financial aid and quality at a given college, the less likely they are to base their decisions about where to go to college on what they hear from friends and family. That is one of the key findings of a new study that provides a deeper look at the effects of the Expanding College Opportunities project, an intervention known as ECO. The project includes providing students help with their college applications, customized information about financial aid and net costs, application fee waivers and parental guidance.
www.diverseeducation.com
California Community Colleges to Offer Bachelor’s Degrees
http://diverseeducation.com/article/68918/?utm_campaign=012115Diverse%20Newsletter%203&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elq=03792506c14445e39f4d67d190c9cef1&elqCampaignId=493
by Lisa Leff, Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO — Fifteen California community colleges received preliminary approval Tuesday to start offering career-oriented bachelor’s degrees, a step that represents a first for the nation’s largest college system and that supporters said is needed to ensure residents are prepared for jobs that in the past may have required only two years of training.
www.customwire.ap.org
Campuses arming officers as parents, others seek assurances
http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CAMPUS_POLICE_FLOL-?SITE=FLPET&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-01-20-10-21-28
By CAROLYN THOMPSON
Associated Press
Nearly all campus police officers at public universities now carry guns, pepper spray and other weapons, according to a new Justice Department report, and experts say more private schools are looking to arm police. Overall, about two-thirds of public and private campuses used armed officers during the 2011-12 school year, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics survey of 900 four-year colleges with at least 2,500 students. Officers at public universities were more than twice as likely as those at private schools to carry guns. Despite the increase, schools aren’t required to report weapon use to federal authorities.
www.diverseeducation.com
China Says its Colleges Must Champion Core Socialist Values
http://diverseeducation.com/article/68925/?utm_campaign=012115Diverse%20Newsletter%203&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elq=03792506c14445e39f4d67d190c9cef1&elqCampaignId=493
by Jack Chang, Associated Press
BEIJING — China’s leadership has issued guidelines requiring universities to strengthen ideological controls in classrooms and telling professors to champion Marxism, traditional culture and socialist core values. The orders come as President Xi Jinping tightens his grip on political power and cracks down on the encroachment of supposed Western values such as press freedom and civil society groups.
www.insidehighered.com
Middle-Class Economics for Tuition
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/01/21/obama-pitches-free-community-college-higher-education-tax-credits-state-union
By Michael Stratford
WASHINGTON — Addressing the nation on Tuesday evening, President Obama highlighted what he called his “bold” plan to make community college free for some students. He also called for an overhaul of the tax code that redirects benefits away from wealthy Americans in order to extend tax credits for college. As has been the case with other key speeches throughout his presidency, Obama’s latest State of the Union address framed higher education in economic terms, casting it as vital to national competitiveness.
www.chronicle.com
6 Years in and 6 to Go, Only Modest Progress on Obama’s College-Completion Goal
http://chronicle.com/article/6-Years-in6-to-Go-Only/151303/
By Kelly Field
Washington
Six years ago, in his first address to a joint session of Congress, President Obama set a bold, if daunting, goal: to lead the world in college completion by 2020. At the time, the United States was tied for 12th place worldwide in the percentage of young adults with at least an associate degree. To get to No. 1, the country would have to raise its attainment rate from 39 percent to 56 percent. Today, as Mr. Obama prepares to deliver his next-to-last State of the Union address to Congress, the nation has moved up only slightly, into a tie for 11th place, and the president’s ambitious goal looks unachievable.
www.chronicle.com
State Spending on Higher Education Inches Up, but Fiscal Pitfalls Remain
http://chronicle.com/article/State-Spending-on-Higher/151251/
By Eric Kelderman
An annual report on state spending on higher education is mostly good news, at least for the fiscal year just past. But widen the lens, and the focus muddies: Half of the states are still appropriating less for higher education than they did five years ago. And the prospects for future spending are clouded by falling oil prices and state lawmakers’ resistance to raising taxes. Over all, states increased appropriations for higher education by more than 5 percent from the 2014 to the 2015 fiscal years.