University System News:
www.mdjonline.com
Sam Olens addresses KSU students and faculty
Ricky Leroux, Jon Gargis
In his first official act as president-elect of Kennesaw State University, Sam Olens emailed all KSU students, faculty and staff and said he was honored and excited to be the university’s new leader. Olens was appointed president of KSU by the Georgia Board of Regents on Wednesday, effective November 1. A few hours after the regents’ vote, Gov. Nathan Deal announced he was appointing Chris Carr, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development and the former chief of staff to Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Georgia, to succeed Olens as attorney general. Olens’ term as attorney general is set to expire in 2018. In his email Thursday, Olens gives students and faculty some of his background in public service, from serving as a district commissioner in Cobb County for three years to commission chairman for eight years prior to becoming attorney general in 2011.
www.wmbfnews.com
Area college dorms set to reopen, classes to resume Monday
http://www.wmbfnews.com/story/33390100/area-college-dorms-set-to-reopen-classes-to-resume-monday
By WTOC Staff
SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) – Area colleges were forced to close ahead of Hurricane Matthew, and while some have now started back to class, a few remain closed. Dorms will open at Armstrong State University on Friday beginning at noon. However, classes will not resume until Monday, Oct. 17. The same goes for Savannah State University and the Savannah College of Art and Design. SSU residential students may return Friday beginning at 4 p.m.
www.wsfa.com
ASU education program receives grant to train principals
http://www.wsfa.com/story/33388897/asu-education-program-receives-grant-to-train-principals
By Re-Essa Buckels, Reporter
ALBANY, GA (WALB) – Albany State University is getting a huge grant to help train principals. The College of Education will use $7 million from the Wallace Foundation to develop classes and in-school training programs for students who want to become principals. “We know they are one of the keys to effective schools that if we’ve got a highly-effective principal, chances are we’ll have a highly-effective school,” said Thomas Thompson, ASU College of Education interim dean. …ASU is working with six other universities around the nation on the program.
www.middlegeorgiaceo.com
Middle Georgia State President Joins Georgia World War I Centennial Commission Advisory Board
Staff Report From Middle Georgia CEO
Dr. Christopher Blake, Middle Georgia State University president, has joined the advisory board of the Georgia World War I Centennial Commission, which is tasked with helping to prepare high-profile commemoration events in 2017 and 2018. In coordination with the United States World War I Centennial Commission, the Georgia Commission will develop a program to educate Georgians about the significance of WWI in world history and the roles state citizens played in it. The Georgia Commission consists of six unpaid volunteers appointed by the governor, lieutenant governor and state House of Representatives speaker to direct the effort. The advisory board consists of 17 members.
www.georgiatrend.com
Georgia Trend’s 2016 40 Under 40
Twenty years of the state’s best and brightest in business, government, nonprofits, science, healthcare and education, plus a look back at some of our previous nominees and where they are now.
EDITED BY KAREN KIRKPATRICK AND CHRISTY SIMO
This year Georgia Trend celebrates 20 years of honoring outstanding Georgians under the age of 40 – the state’s best and brightest – and looks back at 20 of our picks from years past to find out where they are today. The 2016 40 Under 40 represent business, government, politics, nonprofits, science, healthcare and education. The 40 were chosen from nominations made by readers throughout the state. Final selections were made by the Georgia Trend editorial staff. We’re proud of our selections and glad we can share the stories of these Georgians and their achievements on the following pages.
Caree J. Cotwright 39, Assistant Professor, Department of Foods and Nutrition, University of Georgia; Shana Young 39, Director, The Leadership Institute at Columbus State University
20 Years of 40: Where are They Now?
A look back at some of our picks from years past and where they are today.
Steven Stice (1999) Then: Chief Scientific Officer for ProLinia Inc., Now: Georgia Research, Alliance Eminent Scholar and Professor and Director of the Regenerative Bioscience Center at the University of Georgia; Chief Scientific Officer for ArunA Biomedical Inc.
www.diverseeducation.com
Diverse Conversations: Should Diversity of a College be Ranked?
by Matthew Lynch
There are a lot of college ranking systems out there, from the campuses with the most attractive students to the best party schools. Perhaps the most highly-regarded, however, is the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges list. The list is consists of 50 different numerical rankings intended to help students and parent choose the right spot. Gary S. May, engineering dean at Georgia Institute of Technology, says that the publication should start including diversity as part of what helps colleges and universities rank higher (or lower) on the major lists, like the National one. U.S. News already produces a diversity ranking, but it is separate from the larger, more popular list. That needs modification, May says, for real change to take place. Using diversity as a college ranking benchmark would force colleges to step up their game, recruiting more diverse student and faculty populations. Even if the only reason for such moves was to perform better in the ranking, it’s reason enough, May says. “Rightly or wrongly ― these rankings drive behavior,” May has written. …That’s what May is calling for in his piece and it’s what U.S. News needs to consider when potentially revamping how it ranks colleges and universities. We need to be doing more to cultivate college and instructional populations that represent as wide a spectrum of people as possible. If a third-party ranking system is what we need to make that happen, then I say let’s do it. Whatever it takes to improve the diversity on our college campuses is what we need to do ― and I hope that U.S. News is listening. Until the college landscape can incorporate diversity in more meaningful, actionable ways students will suffer, and by extension, so will our workplaces.