University System News:
www.myajc.com
President Obama talks college affordability, loan repayment during speech at Ga. Tech
http://www.myajc.com/news/news/national-govt-politics/president-obama-talks-college-affordability-loan-r/nkSXm/#69f4e426.3566685.735668
By Janel Davis and Katie Leslie – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
President Barack Obama on Tuesday laid out an ambitious plan to reform the student loan industry, unveiling on his visit to Atlanta a “student aid bill of rights” that he says will help the growing number of young borrowers. In a rousing speech to roughly 9,500 people at Georgia Tech, Obama said having the world’s most educated and skilled workforce is critical to democracy and competing in a global economy. But while education is important, Obama said, it’s never been more expensive.
www.whitehouse.gov
President Obama Launches TechHire
https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/03/10/president-obama-launches-techhire
Megan Smith and Jeff Zients
Yesterday, speaking to nearly 2,000 local leaders at the National League of Cities annual meeting, President Obama announced his TechHire initiative, a new campaign to work with communities to get more Americans rapidly trained for well-paying technology jobs … And the President’s visit to Georgia Tech today builds on the key themes he outlined yesterday with the launch of his Tech Hire initiative. We need to keep adapting our training options as new innovative models emerge which can reduce training time, costs, accessibility. The online Computer Science degree at Georgia Tech is a great example: it’s reducing cost and has the potential to do so without reducing quality.
USG Institutions:
www.dailyreportonline.com
GSU Gains Most, Mercer Drops in U.S. News Law School Rankings
http://www.dailyreportonline.com/id=1202720119606/GSU-Gains-Most-Mercer-Drops-in-US-News-Law-School-Rankings?kw=GSU%20Gains%20Most%2C%20Mercer%20Drops%20in%20U.S.%20News%20Law%20School%20Rankings&et=editorial&bu=Daily%20Report&cn=20150310&src=EMC-Email&pt=Afternoon%20News&slreturn=20150210152058
Meredith Hobbs, Daily Report
The U.S. News & World Report law school rankings are out—and of Georgia’s five law schools, Georgia State University gained the most ground while Mercer University fell on the list—both shifts possibly related to their graduate job placement rates. GSU jumped up eight places, from No. 64 last year to No. 56. Mercer dropped 14 places—to No. 118 from No. 104. The highest-ranked Georgia law school was Emory University at No. 19—the same as its ranking last year. The University of Georgia, at No. 31, was the second-highest ranked law school in the state, down from No. 29 last year.
www.onlineathens.com
Kennesaw State University to host conference for female veterans
http://onlineathens.com/breaking-news/2015-03-11/kennesaw-state-university-host-conference-female-veterans
ASSOCIATED PRESS
KENNESAW, Ga. (AP) — Kennesaw State University officials say the school is hosting an annual conference for female veterans. Officials say the Women Veteran Social Justice Veterans Reunion and Empowerment Conference is scheduled for March 27 and 28. Organizers say the WVSJ helps female veterans find resources to transition into civilian life after military service and has 100,000 members in Georgia.
www.nbc26.tv
GRU asking Augusta city leaders for funds to improve campus
http://www.nbc26.tv/story/28359163/gru-asking-augusta-city-leaders-for-funds-to-improve-campus
Written by Uyen Le, Reporter
AUGUSTA, Ga. – After years of talks, the city of Augusta and GRU have reached a compromise on what to do to make Laney-Walker Boulevard more campus friendly. On Tuesday, school leaders asked commissioners for $100,000 to go towards a road enhancement project. The school wants to make the area more pedestrian and bicycle friendly to the nearly 10,000 students and staff that are on the campus each day.
“This street is in the heart of Georgia Regents University’s campus and we have many faculty, staff, students, employees, visitors that are constantly crossing the roads,” says Jennifer Smith, GRU’s VP of planning and design.
Higher Education News:
www.insidehighered.com
Next Phase for Gates’s Completion Agenda
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/03/11/gates-foundation-announces-four-priority-policy-areas-college-completion-data-system
By Paul Fain
After spending roughly half a billion dollars on the college completion agenda during the last seven years, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is ready to be more assertive about what it thinks should happen in four key areas of higher education policy. The foundation lays out what an official there calls its “strategy reboot” in a newly released document. It describes a focus on data and information, finance and financial aid, college readiness, and innovation and scale.
www.chronicle.com
Yale Announces ‘Blended’ Online Master’s Degree
http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/yale-announces-blended-online-masters-degree/56003
by Steve Kolowich
Yale University is creating a master’s program that will hold many courses online, continuing the Ivy League institution’s foray into “blended” learning. The online program, to be offered by the Yale School of Medicine, would aim to replicate its residential program for training physicians’ assistants.
www.diverseeducatin.com
Forgoing Two-Year Institutions Better for At-Risk Students
http://diverseeducation.com/article/70469/?utm_campaign=Diverse%20Newsletter%203&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elq=5430f386bc6d4b65b5f76c975571465f&elqCampaignId=415&elqaid=88&elqat=1&elqTrackId=7167d5dc64cf44c3aade08d403106dc9
by Jamaal Abdul-Alim
Low-income students who are academically marginal are more likely to complete college when they forgo two-year institutions and choose higher-quality four-year institutions than they do ordinarily, according to a new study released recently by the National Bureau of Economic Research. The authors of the study—titled “College Access, Initial College Choice and Degree Completion”—say their research is consistent with prior research that found students suffer a graduation rate “penalty” that reduces their chances of graduation when they go to a two-year instead of a four-year college.