University System News
www.myajc.com
Unanimous Senate vote sends dual-enrollment bill to Georgia’s House
http://www.myajc.com/news/news/state-regional-govt-politics/unanimous-senate-vote-sends-dual-enrollment-bill-t/nj37c/#9506c615.3566685.735633
By Kristina Torres – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia high school students could jump-start their future by completing college courses and having the credit count toward their high school diploma under a bill passed unanimously Tuesday by the state Senate. The bipartisan Senate Bill 2 would allow high school students to enroll in a college or university if they can pass a college entrance exam and have completed freshman- and sophomore-level high school course work. When they complete a degree or certificate program, their college-level courses would satisfy 11th- and 12th-grade requirements and allow them to also receive a high school diploma. …The bill, which was part of the Senate majority agenda, has been championed by Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and has the support of university and technical colleges leaders, as well as state schools Superintendent Richard Woods.
Editorials/Columns/Opinions:
www.northwestgeorgianews.com
Sen. Jeff Mullis: Update from the Gold Dome
http://www.northwestgeorgianews.com/catwalkchatt/opinion/columns/sen-jeff-mullis-update-from-the-gold-dome/article_61f19606-abb5-11e4-a37b-9fcff8bba113.html
By Sen. Jeff Mullis, Republican, Chickamauga
The General Assembly took a break from the regular legislative schedule during the week of January 19 – 23 to attend budget briefings and review the funding requests presented by state agencies. While the Governor’s budget recommendations are certainly a guiding framework, it is up to the House and Senate to finalize the general FY 2016 and the amended FY 2015 appropriations bills—right down to the very last line item. While the amended FY 2015 bill has already passed the House and is now undergoing review in the Senate, the general FY 2016 budget will take much longer to evaluate. …Every year, the Georgia General Assembly must also revise the current fiscal year budget to account for unexpected expenses or revenue shortfalls. The Governor has recommended that the Amended FY 2015 Budget include an additional $134 million to cover school enrollment growth, $4.8 million for Georgia Regents University to conduct clinical trials for the use of cannabidiol oil to treat children with severe seizure disorders, and $15.4 million for the improvement and expansion of child welfare services.
www.diverseeducation.com
Lack of Diversity in Graduate Biomedical Research Education
http://diverseeducation.com/article/69330/?utm_campaign=020415Diverse%20Newsletter%203specialsend&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elq=030133ba9b7547b79d6fed85fc2476b4&elqCampaignId=505
by Andrew Bean and Marenda Wilson-Pham
Biomedical research has played an integral role in improving health and life expectancy. These research accomplishments depend on talented trainees and investigators attacking scientific problems from multiple perspectives. Unfortunately, the diversity of the scientific workforce has not kept pace with our understanding of its importance. While progress has been made toward closing the gender gap, biomedical research continues to have a lackluster record with regard to the diversity of trainees and principal investigators and we lose many underrepresented minority (URM) trainees early in the ‘pipeline’ from student to investigator.
USG Institutions:
www.ajc.com
College art project shut down Downtown Connector
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/georgia-state-student-project-closed-downtown-conn/nj3xc/
Janel Davis, Alexis Stevens and Steve Visser
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Was it a bomb? A booby trap? Something else designed to cause harm? The answer: D. None of the above. The device duct-taped to the side of the 14th Street Bridge that forced the Downtown Connector to be emptied for more than two hours Monday was actually a college art project, officials said Tuesday. Nothing suspicious about that, but instead one obvious question: Why the heck was it there? Those who initially blamed the students at nearby Georgia Tech should offer apologies to the Yellow Jackets. Georgia State University students — one in particular, who wasn’t identified — are to blame for the major disruption in normal Atlanta travel Monday afternoon.
Related articles:
www.onlineathens.com
GSU apologizes for art project that prompted freeway closure
http://onlineathens.com/local-news/2015-02-03/gsu-apologizes-art-project-prompted-freeway-closure
www.usatoday.com
Art-project camera shut down Atlanta interstate
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/02/03/atlanta-freeway-shutdown/22803059/
www.mypalmbeachpost.com
Bomb squad detonates student art project
Device that stopped traffic for over 2 hours found to be student camera
http://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/news/news/national/georgia-state-student-project-closed-downtown-conn/nj3y2/
www.wsbtv.com
Device that caused traffic gridlock was GSU student project
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/ga-state-says-suspicious-device-was-student-projec/nj3xD/
www.nbc12.com
‘Suspicious package’ detonated on Midtown bridge was student art project camera
http://www.nbc12.com/story/28003897/suspicious-pacakge-shuts-down-downtown-connector
www.wrbl.com
‘Suspicious package’ a work of art
http://www.wrbl.com/story/28014370/suspicious-package-a-work-of-art
www.wjcl.com
Suspicious package was camera, Georgia State apologizes
http://wjcl.com/2015/02/03/suspicious-package-was-camera-georgia-state-apologizes/
www.wsbradio.com
College art project shut down Downtown Connector
http://www.wsbradio.com/news/news/georgia-state-student-project-closed-downtown-conn/nj3xc/
www.downtown.11alive.com
GSU: Downtown Connector shutdown caused by art project
http://downtown.11alive.com/news/news/1835392-gsu-downtown-connector-shutdown-caused-art-project
www.accessnorthga.com
GSU says camera on the interstate was part of art project
http://www.accessnorthga.com/detail.php?n=284783
www.atlantaintownpaper.com
Report: Suspicious device that closed Connector was student art project
http://www.atlantaintownpaper.com/2015/02/report-suspicious-device-closed-connector-student-art-project/
www.journal-news.com
Bomb squad detonates student art project
Device that stopped traffic for over 2 hours found to be student camera
http://www.journal-news.com/news/news/national/georgia-state-student-project-closed-downtown-conn/nj3y2/
www.therepublic.com
Georgia State University apologizes for student art project that caused freeway bomb scare
http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/a2713bab19e44fa3a32a29ca4b5353ad/GA–Freeway-Suspicious-Package
www.businessinsavannah.com
Ga. Power donates $20K to Armstrong State
http://businessinsavannah.com/bis/2015-02-03/ga-power-donates-20k-armstrong-state
Business in Savannah
Armstrong State University has received a $20,000 grant from the Georgia Power Foundation to benefit the university’s College of Science and Technology and ongoing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) initiatives. “Georgia Power is proud to support STEM initiatives at Armstrong, which prepare students for high-demand jobs,” said Cathy Hill, vice president of Georgia Power’s coastal region and a past chair of the Armstrong Foundation.
www.wataugademocrat.com
ASU among U.S. News’ most efficient colleges
http://www.wataugademocrat.com/news/asu-among-u-s-news-most-efficient-colleges/article_95c179a4-abc6-11e4-8381-b38ab2e48f56.html
by Anna Oakes
Appalachian State University is among the top five “most efficient” top-ranked Southern regional universities in a ranking developed by U.S. News & World Report. …In the Southern regional universities category, Appalachian State spent the lowest amount per student for each point of its 78-point overall “Best Colleges” score, at $162.96. Next was James Madison, at $173.94 for each point of its overall score, followed by the University of North Georgia, $200.98; UNC-Wilmington, $206.30; and Belmont University, $206.78.
www.wgxa.tv
Middle Georgia State College Offering Free Textbook Alternatives
http://www.wgxa.tv/home/Middle-Georgia-State-College-Offering-Free-Textbook-Alertnatives-290707361.html
By Angie Ragle
MACON, Ga– It’s out with the old and in with the new when it comes to textbooks. “Anything that we can do to save our students money, we’re going to do it,” says Dr. Kevin Floyd, Program Chairman of the School of Informational Technology at Middle Georgia State College. Some textbooks costing a couple hundred dollars each are being replaced with a web-based system. Starting fall 2015, the School of Information Technology at MGSC is replacing textbooks with web-based tutorials and applications for three courses. This will include much more than just online text resources. “Online forums to allow students to ask questions,” explains Floyd. “We also expect to have video-based materials. It provides an avenue for students and IT professionals to interact and test their codes.”
www.redandblack.com
GSU policy prompts LGBT students’ interest in co-ed roommates
http://www.redandblack.com/uganews/gsu-policy-prompts-lgbt-students-interest-in-co-ed-roommates/article_a799d266-ab21-11e4-ac73-1b9f0f824657.html
Mollie Simon
For students in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, even extensive searches on social media and sifting through profiles on University Housing’s Dawg House tool may not result in locating the perfect roommate at the University of Georgia. At Georgia State University though, LGBT students may soon be able to truly find their best match.
www.wjcl.com
State legislation considers law inspired by GSU student’s death
http://wjcl.com/2015/02/03/state-legislation-considers-law-inspired-by-gsu-students-death/
By Alicia Patterson
The focus on underage drinking ramped up last year after the death of Georgia Southern University student Michael Gatto, now his parents are fighting to make sure this same thing does not happen again. A bill inspired by his death is now at the state capitol.
www.wfxg.com
UGA study finds high marine debris, need for standardized reporting along Georgia coast
http://www.wfxg.com/story/28014367/uga-study-finds-high-marine-debris-need-for-standardized-reporting-along-georgia-coast
By WTOC StaffCONNECT
SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) – University of Georgia researchers are hoping to find a consistent way to record the marine debris—particularly pieces of plastic—crowding Georgia’s beaches as part of an effort to find a solution for the growing problem.
Higher Education:
www.diverseeducation.com
Corinthian Students Lured by Job Prospects Get Loan Break
http://diverseeducation.com/article/69320/?utm_campaign=020415Diverse%20Newsletter%203specialsend&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elq=030133ba9b7547b79d6fed85fc2476b4&elqCampaignId=505
by Josh Boak, Associated Press
WASHINGTON — A federal regulator says Corinthian College students will be forgiven a total of $480 million in loans because the for-profit school used “bogus” job prospects to persuade them to pay tuition with expensive private loans. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says tens of thousands of students received the loans, though it’s unclear how many will benefit from the forgiveness. More than 60 percent of Corinthian students with those loans defaulted within three years after being subject to interest rates that were roughly twice the rates for federal loans.
www.bostonglobe.com
Finishing college a growing divide between rich, poor, study says
Lower-income rates near static; For the well-off, graduations soar
http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2015/02/04/study-finishing-college-growing-divide-between-rich-poor/jurAZkGdtIEg6VwnozPPKI/story.html
By Christine ArmarioASSOCIATED PRESS
LOS ANGELES — There is a growing divide between those who earn a bachelor’s degree by age 24 and those who don’t, with the gap between the richest and poorest students doubling in the last four decades, according to a report released Tuesday. The percentage of students from the lowest-income families — those making $34,160 a year or less — earning a bachelor’s degree inched up just three points from 1970 to 2013, rising to 9 percent from 6 percent. College completion for students from the wealthiest families rose dramatically, though, climbing to 77 percent from 44 percent.
www.diverseeducation.com
Ohio University Settles Students’ Free Speech Lawsuit
http://diverseeducation.com/article/69328/?utm_campaign=020415Diverse%20Newsletter%203specialsend&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elq=030133ba9b7547b79d6fed85fc2476b4&elqCampaignId=505
by Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio University will revise its student conduct code and pay $32,000 to a student and his attorneys to settle a lawsuit challenging that code. The lawsuit filed last summer on behalf of Isaac Smith alleged administrators violated constitutional free speech rights by telling students not to wear T-shirts bearing a sexually suggestive double entendre. The slogan had been used by a campus group that provides free help for students facing the school’s judicial process. Members at an involvement fair wore shirts with “We get you off for free” emblazoned on them.
www.diverseeducation.com
Budget Troubles Slow Grambling State Presidential Search
http://diverseeducation.com/article/69326/?utm_campaign=020415Diverse%20Newsletter%203specialsend&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elq=030133ba9b7547b79d6fed85fc2476b4&elqCampaignId=505
by Melinda Deslatte, Associated Press
BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana’s budget problems are making Grambling State University’s presidential search more difficult, with possible job applicants apparently worried they’d be walking into a financial mess. University of Louisiana System President Sandra Woodley released a letter this week from the search firm hired to recruit candidates that says the threat of deep budget cuts has stymied efforts to find a new Grambling leader. The Hollins Group said some potential candidates won’t consider applying until the financial future of the historically Black college is clearer. The search firm said candidates want to make sure Grambling has a “positive future” before they’d accept a job offer.