University System News

USG NEWS:
www.georgiatrend.com
http://www.georgiatrend.com/January-2015/Georgian-Of-The-Year-Higher-Education-Higher-Stakes/
GEORGIAN OF THE YEAR: HIGHER EDUCATION, HIGHER STAKES
Susan Percy
In 2006, after a long and distinguished career in public service and academia, Hank Huckaby retired. Or so he thought. Retirement didn’t seem to suit him, however, and in 2010, he ran successfully for the Georgia House of Representatives from District 113 in northeast Georgia and was just a few weeks into his first term when he was approached about taking on one of the toughest jobs in the state and perhaps the biggest challenge of his career: chancellor of the University System of Georgia. It was 2011, and the university system was dealing with drastic cuts to its budget – down $300 million in state funding from 2009 levels. The relationship between the chancellor’s office and the General Assembly was tense – the system’s tuition and fee hikes had not been well-received. Worse, some critics were actually questioning the value of the education provided. It was not exactly a comfortable spot made for coasting into one’s golden years. But Huckaby said yes.

www.georgiatrend.com
http://www.georgiatrend.com/January-2015/Political-Notes-January-2015/
POLITICAL NOTES: JANUARY 2015
Susan Percy
Shifts and Shuffles: Changes to the state government lineup as Gov. Nathan Deal begins his second term mean new leadership for some key agencies.
New BOR Officers: Atlanta businessman Neil L. Pruitt Jr. is the new chair of the Board of Regents, which governs the University System of Georgia. Kessel Stelling Jr., chairman and CEO of Synovus, is vice chair. Both will serve one-year terms.

Interim Leaders: The University System of Georgia chancellor has named interim presidents at three state schools where presidents have retired. Tom Hackett takes over for Tim Mescon at Columbus State University; Charles Patterson assumes the duties of Kendall Blanchard at Georgia Southwestern State University; and Margaret Venable succeeds John Schwenn at Dalton State College.

www.onlineathens.com
http://onlineathens.com/breaking-news/2015-01-04/uga-dorms-full-spring-semester-classes-begin
UGA dorms full as spring semester classes begin
By LEE SHEARER
University of Georgia residence halls are full up as students return to Athens for the beginning of spring semester classes today. As of Friday, when UGA dorms opened up, the university’s housing stock was about 99 percent full, said Stan Jackson, a spokesman for the university’s Division of Student Affairs, which includes the university’s housing operation. The university lists its housing capacity at 7,618 beds in residence halls and 580 more for graduate students and their families in 42 on-campus residence halls and apartment buildings.

www.bizjournals.com
http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2014/12/16/multifamily-projects-dominate-the-top-10-money.html
Multifamily projects dominate the top 10 Money Makers of 2014
Robert Ward
Print Editor-Jacksonville Business Journal
Multifamily construction projects dominated the top 10 Money Makers blog posts of 2014 by value. From apartments to student housing and a hotel, they filled eight of the 10 spots — and two Jacksonville Beach contractors, The FaverGray Co. (with five) and LandSouth Construction (two) dominated that category. …2. The FaverGray Co. of Jacksonville Beach won a contract to build a $30.7 million student housing community in Cobb County, Ga., near Kennesaw State University.

www.onlineathens.com
http://onlineathens.com/blotter/2014-12-31/uga-student-reports-burglary
UGA student reports burglary
A University of Georgia student reported to Athens-Clarke County police that her home on South Chase Street was burglarized while she was out of town between Dec. 20 and Monday.

GOOD NEWS:
www.millercountyliberal.com
http://www.millercountyliberal.com/news/2014-12-31/Community/Area_residents_graduate_from_Georgia_Southwestern_.html
Area residents graduate from Georgia Southwestern State University
The following area residents were among 338 students who graduated from Georgia Southwestern State University during the Fall 2014 Commencement Ceremony held on Saturday, Dec. 13 in Convocation Hall of the Student Success Center. The commencement speaker was Hank Huckaby, Chancellor of the University System of Georgia.

www.georgiatrend.com
http://www.georgiatrend.com/January-2015/100-Most-Influential-Georgians/
100 MOST INFLUENTIAL GEORGIANS
2015 Georgia’s Power List
Edited by Karen Kirkpatrick Kennedy & Christy Simo
Georgia Trend’s 2015 list of 100 Most Influential Georgians includes, as always, some new names and some old ones, as leadership changes and recent achievements combine with resignations, retirements, course corrections and shifts in power to shake the list up. … Ricardo Azziz, President, Georgia Regents University; Mark Becker, President, Georgia State University; Tim Hynes, President, Clayton State University; Brooks Keel, President, Georgia Southern University; Kyle Marrero, President, West Georgia University; Jere W. Morehead, President, University of Georgia; Dan Papp, President, Kennesaw State University; G.P. “Bud” Peterson, President, Georgia Institute of Technology; Kessel D. Stelling Jr., Chairman and CEO, Synovus; T. Rogers Wade,Executive Director, Governor’s Defense Initiative; Philip A. Wilheit Sr., President and CEO, Wilheit Packaging

www.georgiatrend.com
http://www.georgiatrend.com/January-2015/2015-Notable-Georgians/
2015 NOTABLE GEORGIANS
Ben Tarbutton III
Assistant Vice President, Sandersville Railroad Co.; Board of Regents Member, Sandersville
Dr. Bonita Jacobs
President, University of North Georgia, Dahlonega

RESEARCH:
www.savannahnow.com
http://savannahnow.com/news/2014-12-26/research-provides-fishs-eye-view-wassaw-sound
Research provides a fish’s eye view of Wassaw Sound
By Mary Landers
Researchers from the University of Georgia Skidaway Institute of Oceanography have produced a detailed picture of the bottom of Wassaw Sound, the bay bounded by Little Tybee to the north and Wassaw Island to the south. Knowing the depth and character of the bottom is a boon to fisheries managers and hurricane storm surge modelers, said Skidaway Institute scientist Clark Alexander, the team leader. His team used a high-tech swath-sounding side-scan sonar system to map nearly every inch of the 15-square-mile sound, along with the portions of the Wilmington River and other connected waterways. Along the way they discovered forgotten barges and other vessels — none of which pose a threat to boaters — and even a 75-foot-deep hole where the Half Moon River is joined by a smaller tidal creek. That could prove to be important habitat.

www.onlineathens.com
http://onlineathens.com/local-news/2014-12-29/athens-orianne-society-hopes-become-global-leader-reptile-and-amphibian
Athens’ Orianne Society hopes to become global leader in reptile and amphibian conservation
By APRIL BURKHART
An Athens-based nonprofit organization is hoping that an affiliation with the University of Georgia will help it become a global leader in reptilian and amphibian conservation and a source of experts in both classes of creatures. The Orianne Society, founded in 2008 as a private family foundation with a focus on studying and conserving the Eastern indigo snake — whose range is limited to Southeastern Georgia and peninsular Florida — now works to conserve reptiles and amphibians in the wild and in habitats through scientific research, education and applied conservation. …The society relocated to the University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources earlier this year, and will be able to take advantage of a range of the university’s resources. In addition to working with the forestry school, The Orianne Society now can work in partnership with UGA’s ecology and veterinary schools.

www.agfax.com
http://agfax.com/2014/12/26/crop-tech-ag-robot-research-toxic-weed-benefits-wheat-app-dtn/
Crop Tech: Ag Robot Research; Toxic Weed Benefits; Wheat App — DTN
AG ROBOTS RAKE IN DOLLARS
Four universities received a total of $3 million in grants from the USDA to pursue research on agricultural robots. The grants are part of the National Robotics Initiative, which works to further development of robots that work alongside humans in the U.S. The University of Georgia received $900,498 to develop robots that can collect leaves and soil samples by themselves.

www.cbsnews.com
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/georgia-tech-lab-programming-social-robots-to-be-servants-companions/
Georgia Tech lab turning computers into companions
In Disney’s animated movie “Big Hero 6,” teenage genius Hiro finds a friend in robot Baymax. But researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology want to make computer companions like Baymax into a reality. That’s why they’re programming robots for the home, both as servants and companions, reports CBS News correspondent Mark Strassmann. Simon is a robot at the Socially Intelligent Machines Lab at Georgia Tech. The focus is human-robot interaction. Aluminum skin covers Simon’s electronics systems and emerging personality. “We’re interested in thinking about robots that are going to be in human environments and how those robots are going to interact with people and what that should be like,” Georgia Tech Interactive Computing associate professor Andrea Thomaz said. She runs the lab working on robots like Simon.

www.beckershospitalreview.com
http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/healthcare-information-technology/georgia-tech-to-launch-healthcare-big-data-research-lab.html
Georgia Tech to launch healthcare big data research lab
Written by Akanksha Jayanthi
The Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta is developing a virtual and physical laboratory for health IT. A recent $40,000 donation from national security solutions provider Leidos will help the university develop and launch the lab. The Interoperability & Integration Innovation Lab is also in partnership with the Georgia Department of Public Health and the University of Georgia Public Health Department. The I3L’s efforts are largely focused on the triple aim of healthcare.

www.sustainablebrands.com
http://www.sustainablebrands.com/news_and_views/waste_not/mike_hower/internet_things’_grows_so_do_e-waste_concerns
As ‘Internet of Things’ Grows, So Do E-waste Concerns
by Mike Hower
The Internet of Things (IoT) will include some 30 billion connected devices by 2020, according to analyst firm Gartner. Although the IoT holds promise for promoting global sustainability, there is a growing concern of what becomes of these devices when they reach end of life. Many end up in landfills because, when they are embedded in objects and technologies, it is almost impossible to recycle them. In 2013, around 53 million tons of e-waste were disposed of worldwide, while around 67 million tons of new electrical and electronic equipment were put on the market, according to the United Nations University (UNU). The Stopping the E-waste Problem (StEP) initiative, a joint effort from UN organizations, grassroots groups and industry, predicts that by 2017 the total annual volume of e-waste will have risen by a third, to 65.4 million tons—nearly 11 times the weight of the Great Pyramid of Giza. IoT researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology claim that a standardized GPS tracking capability and a universal identification system for devices, similar to the ISBN code used on books, could help to facilitate better end-of-life management. This could help to overcome the cost challenges of collection and recycling, and create new opportunities for the private sector, such as the recovery of rare-earth metals. It would also facilitate the enforcement of regulations restricting the use of certain hazardous substances.

Editorials/Columns/Opinions:
www.georgiatrend.com
http://www.georgiatrend.com/January-2015/Neely-Young-Picking-The-100/
NEELY YOUNG: PICKING THE 100
Neely Young
This year marks the 23rd year since Georgia Trend began offering our readers a list of the 100 most influential Georgia citizens. Our pick for the No. 1 Most Influential Georgian this year is Hank Huckaby, chancellor of the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents, the organization that manages our state’s public colleges and universities. Huckaby earned this honor because of the wide-ranging changes he’s made to the way our colleges are funded and the ways they operate.

www.georgiatrend.com
http://www.georgiatrend.com/January-2015/Rising-Tides/
RISING TIDES
As the port expansion finally moves forward, the Georgia Ports Authority is seeing record growth.
Don Sadler
First proposed more than 20 years ago, the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project has been studied and delayed more times over the past two decades than anyone can count. So it’s no surprise that the big news at the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) this year has been the approval of the massive project to deepen the Savannah River and harbor to expand the Port of Savannah’s capacity. …The ports of Savannah and Brunswick contribute $39 billion a year to the Georgia economy, according to the University of Georgia, and 100,000 jobs in metro Atlanta alone are related to the port. The Port of Savannah is the fourth-busiest container port in the country and the second busiest on the East Coast, while the Port of Brunswick is the No. 1 port in the country for automobile imports.

www.dining.savannahnow.com
http://dining.savannahnow.com/column/2014-12-30/linda-bleicken-make-new-years-resolution-lasting-impact
Linda Bleicken: Make a new year’s resolution with lasting impact
By LINDA BLEICKEN
The New Year traditionally is a time for reflection, offering the opportunity to adjust course and to make improvements in the year ahead. This year, one only needs to glance at newspaper headlines to understand that many of us are seeking changes in 2015 that go far beyond the typical pledges for personal enhancement. Leaders of local and national groups are calling for needed change to stem a growing trend toward hopelessness and violence by creating broad-based opportunity. …Locally, collective impact is the vehicle that our three institutions of public higher education — Savannah Technical College, Savannah State University and Armstrong State University — have used to double the number of Latino students seeking and earning college degrees during the past three years. We’re already expanding this model with a new Lumina-funded grant, which will significantly increase post-secondary degree completion in Savannah and enhance our local workforce.

Education:
www.diverseeducation.com
http://diverseeducation.com/article/68661/?utm_campaign=Diverse%20Newsletter%203&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elq=d31d3e85b95b4b3f86c908381dd03fe8&elqCampaignId=415
Initiative in California Clearing Path to Law School for Underrepresented
by Lydia Lum
…Known as “Pathway to Law School,” the new partnership targets students at 24 community colleges such as Rio Hondo, which is about 70 percent Hispanic and 90 percent minority, to try improving racial diversity in the legal profession. Six law schools statewide are providing mentoring and financial aid counseling and help preparing for Law School Admission Test (LSAT) exams and waivers on application fees for community college students who subsequently earn a bachelor’s degree at the respective undergraduate institutions where the law schools are housed.

www.diverseeducation.com
http://diverseeducation.com/article/68640/?utm_campaign=Diverse%20Newsletter%203&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elq=bbd90fa280af4deeb7847c76b42b0b07&elqCampaignId=415
Professor Boxill Among 4 Fired in University of North Carolina Academic Fraud
by Emery P. Dalesio, Associated Press
RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina’s flagship public university says it’s firing a professor who once headed the faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for her role in the academic fraud scandal that’s rocked the school. University Chancellor Carol Folt said in a letter Wednesday that philosophy professor Jeanette Boxill was notified of her termination on the same day last October a scathing report was released. She is appealing. …The university also says that African studies lecturer Tim McMillan resigned effective Wednesday and that two lower-level staffers lost their jobs.

www.diverseeducation.com
http://diverseeducation.com/article/68634/?utm_campaign=Diverse%20Newsletter%203&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elq=bbd90fa280af4deeb7847c76b42b0b07&elqCampaignId=415
For City College of San Francisco, New Year a Matter of Survival
by Lekan Oguntoyinbo
In the last two years, City College of San Francisco, one of the nation’s largest community colleges, has seen its student enrollment shrink by more than 20 percent, from more than 100,000 students to fewer than 80,000, according to college officials. Several top administrators have also departed, according to a board member. ­The California Federation of Teachers, the union that represents the college’s faculty members, says the size of its collective bargaining unit has shrunk from more than 1,800 to fewer than 1,600.

www.diverseeducation.com
http://diverseeducation.com/article/68664/?utm_campaign=Diverse%20Newsletter%203&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elq=d31d3e85b95b4b3f86c908381dd03fe8&elqCampaignId=415
Bat Signal for Blind Example of Campus Innovations
by Emery P. Dalesio, Associated Press
RALEIGH, N.C. — Put together a professor who knows how bats fly in the dark, a computer scientist with a special-needs child looking for technologies that help people with disabilities adapt and students looking for real-world experience and you have one example of the inventions pouring out of American universities. The $60 device developed at Wake Forest University to help blind people navigate obstacles may succeed as a commercial product or be forgotten, but it’s a reminder that thousands of innovations are emerging from college classrooms and labs around the country.