University System News:
www.businessinsider.com
25 colleges where students love life
Emmie Martin
- University of Georgia When choosing where to go to college, academics isn’t the only factor to consider. College years are formative for young adults, so the extracurricular, recreational, and social opportunities offered by schools play an important role in the overall collegiate experience. Business Insider included student-life rankings in its recent list of the 50 best colleges in America, drawing data from Niche, a company that compiles research on schools. …To highlight the schools that students love attending, here are the 25 colleges with the highest student-life scores on Niche. Big state schools dominated the list, with the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and the University of Wisconsin at Madison earning the top three spots.
www.ajc.com
HOPE, Zell Miller scholarships don’t benefit most, analysis finds
Maureen Downey, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A study released today shows the HOPE and Zell Miller scholarships remain a boon to middle-class white students, while still out of reach for many students from low-income families. The data analysis by the Georgia Budget & Policy Institute finds less than half of Georgia students seeking two- or four-year college degrees benefit from the merit-based HOPE and the Zell Miller scholarships. Only 30 percent of low-income students get either of the scholarships, compared to 42 percent of middle- and upper-income students. About 20 percent of black students and 36 percent of Hispanic students get either HOPE or Zell Miller, versus 46 percent of Asian-American and 45 percent of white students. The study is likely to further the intensifying discussion about whether Georgia ought to offer need-based aid to boost college attendance of its low-income students, a recommendation GBPI casts as an economic imperative. Too many low-income students who don’t qualify for merit aid are falling to the wayside, according to the study, which estimates about 13,000 students were dropped by the University System from fall 2014 to fall 2015 because they couldn’t pay tuition and fees.
www.ajc.com
Students look for advantage in admission to Georgia Tech
Maureen Downey, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Across Georgia, parents and school guidance counselors are pushing high school seniors to finish their early action applications to Georgia Tech, due by Oct. 15. Parents are trying to give their teens an edge in the increasingly competitive process of gaining admission to Tech. Before kids send off those applications, they ought to look at some of the common misperceptions about how students are selected for the state’s top public academic campus. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution asked Tech admissions folks to address some common assumptions about getting into the school. Among them: Does a student’s choice of major matter? Do rural Georgians enjoy an edge? Do test scores play a major role?
www.valdostatoday.com
UGA SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER NAMED A BEST PLACE TO WORK
http://valdostatoday.com/2016/09/uga-small-business-development-center-named-a-best-place-to-work/
Georgia Trend has named the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center a 2016 Best Place to Work in Georgia. Headquartered in Athens, the UGA Small Business Development Center is a partnership between the University of Georgia, Valdosta State University, the University of West Georgia, Georgia State University, Georgia Southern University, Clayton State University, and Kennesaw State University. It is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the United States Small Business Administration, boasts 17 offices across the state, and strives to enhance the economic well-being of Georgians by providing a wide range of educational services for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs, including no-cost, confidential consulting services.
www.statesboroherald.com
GSU, Sav. St. discuss incident at game
SSU cheerleader claims racial slurs, bottles hurled at Paulson
BY Holli Deal Saxon
It is unclear if a Savannah State University cheerleader, who posted on a social media post that she was harassed and heckled by Georgia Southern University fans during Saturday’s football game, has filed a police report about the incident. Georgia Southern University officials did not respond by Herald deadline Wednesday to a Freedom of Information request for copies of any incident or arrest reports regarding any physical or verbal disputes, attacks or violence during the game between GSU and Savannah State. Officials did not confirm whether there were any reports filed regarding the incident. …In a statement sent in an email from spokesperson Jennifer Wise, the university confirmed the incident was being discussed with Savannah State officials. “Yesterday, key administrators from Georgia Southern University and Savannah State University discussed the offensive behavior shown by fans at Saturday’s game. A full investigation is currently underway,” according to the statement.
www.fox28media.com
Administrators assess student drinking on Savannah college campuses
http://fox28media.com/news/local/administrators-assess-student-drinking-on-savannah-college-campuses
BY SHELBEY ROBERTS
Savannah, Ga. (WTGS FOX 28) — Armstrong State University and Savannah State University are just about a month into classes, but that time has given administrators a chance to assess drinking behaviors among students. So far, faculty haven’t seen red flags. “We haven’t had any major issues,” said Andrew Dies, Armstrong’s Dean of Students. “We’ve had a lot of successful late-night weekend programs to offer students an alternative to going downtown or going to get into some trouble.” Armstrong and Savannah State are dry campuses, meaning alcohol isn’t allowed. Now, both universities are requiring their students to take online alcohol education courses to better understand the impacts of drinking. “I think having the alcohol education prior to students getting here keeps them cognizant,” said Savannah State’s Dean of Students, Bonita Bradley. Bradley said the university has seen a decline in alcohol issues since the administration launched the course last year.
www.middlegeorgiaceo.com
Georgia Tech Will Receive $13.5M to Continue Support for Manufacturers
Staff Report From Georgia CEO
The Georgia Institute of Technology will receive $13.5 million in federal funding over the next five years to continue a program that has assisted small- and mid-sized manufacturing companies in Georgia for more than half a century. The funding will be used by the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership, which serves manufacturers through a network of 10 regional offices and more than 30 extension personnel statewide. In fiscal 2015, the GaMEP assisted nearly 2,000 Georgia manufacturers, helping them create or save 2,149 jobs, invest $106 million in facilities, reduce operating costs by $25 million and increase sales by more than $200 million. Established in 1960, the GaMEP is a program of the Enterprise Innovation Institute, Georgia Tech’s business assistance and economic development unit.
www.wtvm.com
GSU President Dr. Jaimie Herbert gives first ‘State of the University’ address
By Dal Cannady, Reporter
STATESBORO, GA (WTOC) – The president of Georgia Southern University formally addressed students for the first time on Wednesday night. Dr. Jaimie Hebert took office in July and delivered his first State of the University address during a public meeting of the Student Government Association. He talked about his first impressions of the university and where he wants to see it go. “I’m impressed with our history. I’m impressed with our mission. But I’m most impressed with our people,” said Dr. Hebert. He and various vice presidents answered student questions.
www.walb.com
GA Department of Agriculture held 4th annual farm tour
By Re-Essa Buckels, Reporter
Key state leaders are highlighting agriculture’s huge impact on Georgia’s economy on a statewide tour. The Georgia Department of Agriculture’s 4th annual farm tour stopped in our area today. It showcases the industry’s $74.3 billion impact on the state. On the tour, UGA President Jere Morehead learned about the production of peaches, pecans and seeds. “I’ve learned once again how the university of Georgia and our scientists support agricultural production in this state. And I’ve been reminded again how critical agricultural production is to the future of this state as it has been in the past,” said Morehead. The tour is aimed at strengthening the relationship between the University of Georgia and the agriculture community.
www.lawofficer.com
Police Chief’s Decision Denying Officers From Carrying Guns On Campus Is Reversed
Georgia Southern University released a statement provided by the legislative counsel at Georgia’s State Capitol in Atlanta today after GSU Police Chief Laura McCullough prohibited off-duty and some on-duty officers from carrying firearms on college campuses. The letter from legislative counsel clarifies to the university that law enforcement officers, on or off duty, are exempt from carrying restrictions under Georgia Law. The Media Relations representative from Georgia Southern said in an email Thursday, “Today, the Office of Legislative Council provided guidance on whether law enforcement officers are authorized to carry firearms at sporting events…..We will comply with Georgia Law.”
www.mdjonline.com
Whistleblower attorney files $5M demand letter in case against KSU, Compass Group USA
Anthony White
Whistleblower attorney Mike Puglise has filed a demand letter for $5 million to settle a grievance by his client, David Katz, against Kennesaw State University and Katz’ former employer, Compass Group USA, a KSU contracted food distributor. “David Katz spoke out and he was fired,” Puglise said. “He had morals, and he was fired for having morals and wanting to speak the truth.” Wednesday, Puglise, who filed a whistleblower lawsuit against KSU and the Board of Regents on behalf of KSU employee Tracy Nunn last month, named Compass Group USA and KSU as defendants in the suit alleging retaliation against Katz for bringing criminal activities to the attention of supervisors.
Higher Education News:
www.chronilce.com
High-School Grades Still Count Most in College Admissions
by Fernanda Zamudio-Suaréz
Academic performance in high school remains the top-ranked factor in college admissions decisions regarding prospective first-time freshmen, according to a new report from the National Association for College Admission Counseling. In its latest State of College Admission report, the association says that grades in college-preparatory courses were rated as “considerably important” by about 80 percent of institutions it surveyed. Grades in all courses, the strength of the curriculum, and admissions-test scores were the next most important factors, with each rated as considerably important by about 60 percent of colleges. In other findings, the report notes that a long decline in the average yield rate for first-time freshmen appears to have stabilized. The rate, which is the percentage of students who are accepted who go on to enroll, rose in the fall of 2014 to 36.2 percent, a slight increase from the previous year’s 35.7 percent. The rate had fallen steadily since 2002, when it was 48.7 percent.
www.chronicle.com
What ‘Safe Spaces’ Really Look Like on College Campuses
By Sarah Brown and Katherine Mangan
Few concepts in academe have been dissected, debated, mocked, and defended in recent months as much as the “safe space.” The term has cropped up repeatedly in campus protests, and as the discussion has become more polarized, the safe space has become a political football — social-media grist that offers each side a chance to see what it wants to see. Observers inside and outside academe often seem to talk past one another: Either safe spaces are essential sanctuaries for members of historically marginalized groups, or they reflect a troubling desire to escape the rigorous intellectual inquiry that college should be all about.