University System News:
www.onlineathens.com
Former UGA alumni director’s actions not criminal, says lawyer for Regents
http://onlineathens.com/mobile/2016-02-09/former-uga-alumni-directors-actions-not-criminal-says-lawyer-regents
By LEE SHEARER
Accusations that former University of Georgia Alumni Association Executive Director Deborah Dietzler committed actual crimes should be stricken from a whistleblower lawsuit filed by fired UGA employee Sallyanne Barrow, according to the state Board of Regents. In a lawsuit against the state Board of Regents, Barrow says she was fired in retaliation after bringing Dietzler’s questionable accounting of her time and use of alumni association travel funds — arranging her UGA travel schedule so she could compete in marathons on the same trip, for example. After Barrow met with University of Georgia police chief Jimmy Williamson and other officials in 2013, an internal UGA audit found evidence of “substantial misconduct and policy violations,” according to state documents.
www.onlineathens.com
Weapon-carrying rights should extend to state Capitol
http://onlineathens.com/opinion/2016-02-10/weapon-carrying-rights-should-extend-state-capitol
By DICK YARBROUGH
Son of a gun. Rep. Rick Jasperse, R-Jasper, is at it again. Georgia’s version of Wyatt Earp was the chief gunslinger in getting a bill passed in 2014 that was intended to let us lock-and-load most anywhere we want — libraries, churches, bars, airports — but he and his posse couldn’t talk the University System of Georgia Board of Regents into letting students in our colleges and universities pack heat.
www.northwestgeorgianews.com
GUEST EDITORIAL: Campus Carry is expensive and dangerous
http://www.northwestgeorgianews.com/rome/opinion/editorials/guest-editorial-campus-carry-is-expensive-and-dangerous/article_7a275cac-cee0-11e5-b6b5-d3370a3ffdbb.html
By State Rep. Keisha Waites, Special to the Rome News-Tribune
As a member of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee, I found it difficult to watch supporters of House Bill 859 speak with such insensitivity and disrespect before the Bishop family, who are the parents of one of the victims from the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting. Similar legislation was proposed in 2014 with HB 512, but, in my opinion, HB 859 is far worse. At some point common sense should prevail.
HB 859 would force Georgia’s public colleges and universities to allow guns on campus, despite disapproval from stakeholders, including campus police chiefs, college presidents, students and faculty who voiced their disapproval during the lengthy debates on both HB 512 and HB 859. This is not a political argument. There is empirical data that shows the leading factors in teenage gun-related accidents are inexperience and underdeveloped decision-making skills. This is not conjecture: this is science.
www.mdjonline.com
Remedial math class gains support to count toward graduation requirement
http://www.mdjonline.com/view/full_story/27079315/article-Remedial-math-class-gains-support-to-count-toward-graduation-requirement–
by Richard Milby
MARIETTA — Students who struggle with math at Marietta City Schools may receive some much needed relief after Marietta’s Board of Education unanimously recommended approval of amendments to the district’s graduation requirements on Tuesday night. The proposal, introduced by Principal Forrestella Taylor in January, would give students the option to enroll in a support class that would take the place of a traditional fourth math credit in order to fill their graduation requirements. The revision was tabled for one month’s review, though the resolution is fully expected to pass unanimously in next month’s meeting. Superintendent Emily Lembeck saw this as an opportunity to provide assistance to those who need it most, saying of the proposal, “it has the opportunity to help certain students in specific situations.” With the change, the Board seeks to offer not only higher graduation rates from Marietta City Schools, but also higher matriculation rates from University System of Georgia colleges and other post-secondary institutions.
www.chattanoogan.com
Georgia Northwestern Is Top Technical College In Georgia For Dual Enrollment Students For Third Straight Year
http://www.chattanoogan.com/2016/2/10/317800/Georgia-Northwestern-Is-Top-Technical.aspx
For the third consecutive year, Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) has the largest number of dual enrollment students out of all of the technical colleges in the state of Georgia according to the “High School Collaborative Enrollment: Academic Year 2016” Report issued by the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG). …Dual enrollment provides high school students with the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school. While dual enrollment has been possible in the State of Georgia since 2009, major changes were made in July of 2015 with the introduction of the Move On When Ready (MOWR) dual enrollment program that expanded opportunities for students. …Many MOWR courses also offer students the opportunity to earn an industry certificate. This gives students the option of either entering the workforce upon graduation from high school or continuing their education at a TCSG or University System of Georgia college. Either way, they begin their selected career path with a head start.
USG Institutions:
www.ajc.com
Niche names Georgia Tech best public university in Georgia
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local-education/niche-names-georgia-tech-best-public-university-in/nqNB2/
Janel Davis, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Tech has earned another top ranking, this time for the best public university in the state, according to the school ranking and review site Niche.com. In addition to the top ranking in Georgia, Tech ranked seventh nationally in the site’s 2016 Best Colleges rankings. The Niche rankings are based on key factors such as the strength of the academic program, the aptitude of professors, the quality of campus amenities and the general character of student life, as well as student reviews. Georgia Tech scored at least an A rating in seven out of nine categories, and B ratings for campus quality and safety.
www.gainesvilletimes.com
UNG Foundation honored for leadership
Work in merging two schools cited
http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/section/6/article/115060/
Times staff reports
The University of North Georgia Foundation has received the John W. Nason Award for board service from the Association of Governing Board of Universities and Colleges for demonstrating innovation and exemplary leadership. The Foundation’s board was one of six boards selected from nearly 50 applicants across the country. The Foundation combined two foundations during the consolidation and merger of North Georgia College & State University and Gainesville State College. Work on that merger occurred in 2012 and the new foundation took effect July 1, 2013. The UNG Foundation was chosen unanimously because of “strong leadership in the face of significant challenges.”
www.wtoc.com
VSU program receives global recognition
http://www.wtoc.com/story/31180955/vsu-program-receives-global-recognition
By Caitlyn Chastain
Valdosta State University’s WebMBA program ranked 12th out of more than 300 MBA programs across North America, Europe, and Australia according to CEO Magazine. The dean of VSU’s business college says he isn’t surprised because students who leave the program have a lot of success.
www.mdjonline.com
Kennesaw State University upgraded to doctoral research institution
http://www.mdjonline.com/view/full_story/27079169/article-Kennesaw-State-University-upgraded-to-doctoral-research-institution
by MDJ staff
Kennesaw State University has been upgraded to a doctoral research institution with moderate research activity — designated “R3” — in The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Learning 2015 update. KSU was previously classified among larger Master’s Colleges and Universities or “M1” institutions. Under the Carnegie classifications, doctoral research institutions are those that awarded at least 20 research and scholarship doctoral degrees during the upgrade year. In FY 2015, KSU awarded 40 doctoral degrees, including the Ph.D. in International Conflict Management and doctorates in education, business administration and nursing science.
www.jacksonville.com
College of Coastal Georgia to offer 4-year degrees at Camden Center
Degrees programs in psychology, business, interdisciplanary studies to open in the fall
http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2016-02-09/story/college-coastal-georgia-offer-4-year-degrees-camden-center
By Terry Dickson
This fall, College of Coastal Georgia will begin offering four-year degrees at its Camden Center campus in Kingsland. Bachelor’s degrees will be available in business, psychology and interdisciplinary studies through a mix of classroom and online offerings, the college said in a release, and should save Camden County and other Southeast Georgia and North Florida students time and travel expenses. The College of Coast Georgia is committed to making educational opportunities more accessible for Camden County and North Florida,” said Tracey Pellett, vice president for Academic Affairs. “The expansion of these three degree offerings is a natural fit with student and employer demand and community need.”
www.americantowns.com
CSU Closing on March 31 for Investiture Ceremony
http://www.americantowns.com/ga/columbus/news/csu-closing-on-march-31-for-investiture-ceremony-25289458
From: Columbus State University
Friends, The Investiture Ceremony for Dr. Chris Markwood, Columbus State University’s fifth president, will be held on Thursday, March 31, 2016, 3:00 PM at the RiverCenter. Since all faculty and staff are invited and faculty will be invited to participate in the processional, Columbus State University Offices will be closed at 1:00 PM that day.
www.northwestgeorgianews.com
GHC President Donald Green speaks to Kiwanis Club about upgrading Rome campus
http://www.northwestgeorgianews.com/rome/news/local/ghc-president-donald-green-speaks-to-kiwanis-club-about-upgrading/article_6a89c426-ceed-11e5-a6c2-632c3a97f3d1.html
by Doug Walker
Upgrading the Georgia Highlands College facilities in Rome is a priority for GHC President Donald Green.
“Much of the Rome campus is still circa 1970s to 1980s and we feel that there is a real need to renovate,” he said. “We’re starting to do it a little at a time, but we are also asking an architectural firm to look at the entire campus, because if we can do something bigger we would like to pursue it.” Green spoke to the Rome Kiwanis Club Monday about future plans for GHC — including the addition of two business-related bachelors degree programs, in healthcare management and logistics and supply-chain management. “We’re looking for other new ones and we would be interested in hearing from local industry about their needs,” he said.
www.savannahnow.com
Armstrong, Savannah Tech presidents to jump out of a plane
http://savannahnow.com/news/2016-02-10/armstrong-savannah-tech-presidents-jump-out-plane
By Dash Coleman
Fundraising is often mundane.
You can hold an oyster roast. Or a silent auction. Or a pledge drive. Or, if you’re Armstrong State University President Linda Bleicken, you can jump out of an airplane. A week from Friday, on Feb. 19, she’ll be skydiving with an elite U.S. Army team near Miami. But she wants to raise $2,000 for her school’s scholarship fund first. “I’ve walked in walkathons and done things like that, but nothing quite like this,” Bleicken said Wednesday. This one involves a 120-mph free fall from 13,000 feet above sea level. …Recently, Capt. Andrew Arbogast, who runs the Army’s recruiting office in Savannah, learned from his commander that he could offer two skydiving spots to the Golden Knights’ show at Homestead Air Force Base. The tickets had to go to community leaders. The two people who came immediately to mind, Arbogast said, were Bleicken and Savannah Technical College President Kathy Love. Both schools were ranked highly in Military Times’ Best for Vets list last fall: Armstrong at No. 7 among four-year schools and Savannah Tech at No. 4 among career and technical colleges. Among other military friendly initiatives, Armstrong has provided Army recruiters a space within its student union to work, Arbogast said.
www.onlineathens.com
Sole finalist named for UGA-Augusta University medical partnership dean
http://onlineathens.com/mobile/2016-02-09/sole-finalist-named-uga-augusta-university-medical-partnership-dean
By LEE SHEARER
University of Georgia and Augusta University announced a single finalist to become dean of the two school’s joint medical partnership in Athens. Dr. Michelle “Shelley” Nuss, already a administrator at the Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership, is the lone candidate. This is the third time the two universities announced finalists for the position, vacated when Dr. Barbara Shuster, the founding dean of the campus, unexpectedly resigned more than a year ago. Shuster left in May as a 15-member search committee chaired by Houston Davis, University System of Georgia executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer, and the search firm Parker Executive Search began looking for someone to succeed her.
www.georgianewsday.com
Parking ticket solution for Georgia Southern students
http://www.georgianewsday.com/news/savannah/386764-parking-ticket-solution-for-georgia-southern-students.html
STAFF WRITER
If you are a student or the parent of a student, the last thing you want is a forgotten parking ticket to keep you from registering for another semester – or from graduating and getting your degree. Now, students can take care of tickets through a cell phone app. Georgia Southern University has teamed with an app company called “Quickit.” You just download the app, and when you get a ticket, you scan it and pay it with one click. You can pay it through whatever method you want, whether it’s Applepay, Paypal, or a credit card. They believe it’s more secure than a third party website, and easier too.
www.gwinnettdailypost.com
Georgia Gwinnett College physicist develops innovative black hole research
http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/local/education/georgia-gwinnett-college-physicist-develops-innovative-black-hole-research/article_d38f3540-e5bd-5f84-bbd9-af97f77969a1.html
By Keith Farner
A new model to help researchers better understand black holes was recently developed by a team of physicists led by a Georgia Gwinnett College professor. The research found unexpected support of a popular science fiction scenario about black holes. Instead of being crushed by the increasing gravity, objects approaching a rotating black hole would remain intact. The research team included a professor from UMass-Dartmouth and a science coordinator from the University of Maryland. They developed a new computer simulation approache that will further the study of rotating black holes. Lior Burko, associate professor of physics at GGC, led the team whose work appeared on Tuesday in a peer-reviewed publication of the American Physical Society, Physical Review D. The research was supported by the National Science Foundation.
www.nytimes.com
National Security Agency Merging Offensive, Defensive Hacking Operations
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2016/02/08/technology/08reuters-usa-cyber-nsa.html?_r=1
By REUTERS
WASHINGTON — The U.S. National Security Agency on Monday outlined a reorganization that will consolidate its spying and domestic cyber-security operations, despite recommendations by a presidential panel that the agency focus solely on espionage. The NSA said the reorganization, known as “NSA21,” or NSA in the 21st century, will take two years to complete, well into the first term of whoever is elected president in November… “I hope the NSA will explain its strategy for continuing to rebuild trust with the private sector,” Peter Swire, a professor of law at the Georgia Institute of Technology, who served on the five-member review group, said on Monday.
www.onlineathens.com
Second suspect arrested in kidnapping and shooting of UGA student
http://onlineathens.com/mobile/2016-02-09/second-suspect-arrested-kidnapping-and-shooting-uga-student
By JOE JOHNSON
Authorities Tuesday afternoon arrested a second suspect in the kidnapping and shooting last week of a University of Georgia student who they allegedly robbed at gunpoint while the student was making a delivery for Papa John’s Pizza. Termedric Faust, 32, was booked into the Clarke County Jail at 1:35 p.m. on charges of armed robbery, aggravated assault and kidnapping.
www.ajc.com
Death of missing UGA student believed to be a suicide
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/crime-law/missing-uga-student-found-dead-in-athens/nqMtF/
Lauren Foreman, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A preliminary investigation into the death of a University of Georgia international student revealed he may have committed suicide, according to notes in an university incident report. Lei Wang, 35, was found dead about 4 p.m. Tuesday, a day after his wife told police Wang was missing. Police said there was no indication of foul play. Wang’s wife, Huiling Wei, told police her husband had earlier threatened to commit suicide, according to the incident report university police spokesman Bob Taylor forwarded The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Wednesday. Wei said her husband, who worked in a veterinary lab in Athens, had been depressed for years and often said he would kill himself, according to the report.
Higher Education News:
www.myajc.com
Bill would fully fund tuition for tech college HOPE recipients
http://www.myajc.com/news/news/local-education/bill-would-fully-fund-tuition-for-tech-college-hop/nqMSF/
By Janel Davis – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A bill making its way through the state House would tie the HOPE grant award to the cost of tuition at Georgia’s technical colleges. House Bill 22, by Rep. Stacey Evans, would restore funding for tech college students that had been cut from the state’s scholarship program in 2011. Evans, D-Smyrna, says the bill is a workforce-development tool that has gotten the support of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. …This latest proposal would eliminate the Zell Miller Grant distinction and pay full tuition for all HOPE tech college recipients. …Evans’ bill does not affect the HOPE scholarship, which serves students in the University System of Georgia and also fell under tighter restrictions as part of a 2011 restructuring.
www.insidehighered.com
6 Women Sue Tennessee Over Assaults by Athletes
https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2016/02/10/6-women-sue-tennessee-over-assaults-athletes?utm_source=Inside+Higher+Ed&utm_campaign=c4136a15ca-DNU20160210&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1fcbc04421-c4136a15ca-197515277
Six women filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday alleging that the University of Tennessee at Knoxville has created a campus culture that enables sexual assault and protects athletes accused of violence. The lawsuit focuses primarily on assaults allegedly committed by five Tennessee football and basketball players against the six female students, but cited more than dozen other incidents involving other athletes and students, as well. The lawsuit claims that the university created a hostile environment for female students by showing “deliberate indifference” and by directing accused athletes to high-profile lawyers. The women are seeking damages including reimbursement for their tuition and for emotional suffering. The lawsuit also seeks an injunction to force the state of Tennessee to stop using an administrative process for adjudicating campus sexual assaults that allows accused students to be represented by an attorney.
www.diverseeducation.com
Black Students Choosing Low-paying Majors
http://diverseeducation.com/article/81053/?utm_campaign=Diverse%20Newsletter%203&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elqTrackId=d54cee23a83f4e3ca86d382ab9f5cc70&elq=0c6dfa82d93b477495c24f553eaf4b8c&elqaid=88&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=771
by Jamaal Abdul-Alim
Although African-Americans have increased access to higher education, African-American students tend to choose college majors that don’t pay very much, according to a new Georgetown study released Tuesday. The study—titled “African Americans: College Majors and Earnings”—found that, while African-Americans represent 12 percent of the U.S. population, they are underrepresented in the “fastest-growing, highest-paying” majors: STEM, health and business. Specifically, the study found that African-Americans represent just 8 percent of general engineering majors, 7 percent of mathematics majors, and 5 percent of computer engineering majors. In business, African-American students represent just 7 percent of finance and marketing majors.
www.insidehighered.com
Get Ready for More Protests
Annual survey of incoming college freshmen finds interest in student activism at all-time high, especially among black students.
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/02/11/survey-finds-nearly-1-10-freshmen-plan-participating-campus-protests?utm_source=Inside%20Higher%20Ed&utm_campaign=e83b403584-DNU20160211&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1fcbc04421-e83b403584-197515277
By Jake New
The protests that swept across college campuses last year may be here to stay, at least for the next four years, according to the newest findings from an annual survey of incoming freshmen. About 9 percent of freshmen responding to the American Freshman Survey said they have a “very good chance” of participating in student protests while in college, an increase of 2.9 percentage points from last year’s survey. The finding is among several from this year’s survey that the researchers say point to the highest level of civic engagement in the study’s 50-year history.
www.chronicle.com
What Obama’s 2017 Budget Means for Higher Ed
http://chronicle.com/article/What-Obamas-2017-Budget-Means/235250?cid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en&elq=2ac06590c4404c9fbe3dfdab9a580c21&elqCampaignId=2411&elqaid=7846&elqat=1&elqTrackId=0c2ce4effa7543dbbdb94499534e69f1
By Kelly Field, Paul Basken, and Brock Read
WASHINGTON
In his final budget proposal, issued on Tuesday, President Obama hit familiar notes, calling for an expansion of the Pell Grant program and a shot in the arm for community colleges. The budget — for the 2017 fiscal year, which begins on October 1 — reiterates the president’s plan to make community college free while adding a new wrinkle: tax credits for companies that invest in community colleges and hire their graduates. It repeats his request for Pell Grant bonuses for colleges that graduate large numbers of low- and moderate-income students, and for stricter limits on the amount of revenue that for-profit colleges can draw from student aid. It also includes a proposal to expand and remake the Federal Perkins Loan Program, which expired in October but received a short-term reprieve in December.