University System News:
www.ajc.com
UGA officials say effort key to record four-year graduation rate
Marlon A. Walker The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sixty-six percent of the University of Georgia’s fall 2012 incoming freshmen graduated within four years, a record for the Athens university. That rate was up 3 percentage points over the previous year’s rate. “This outstanding achievement reflects the dedication of many individuals across campus — over many years — to putting students first at the University of Georgia,” President Jere W. Morehead said in a release. “While we still have work to do, our progress in this area sends another strong signal of UGA’s upward trajectory.” The university press release noted the number was just short of “aspirational” institutions that averaged 70 percent, but well past peer and Southeastern Conference institutions, which averaged 49 and 44 percent respectively.
www.albanyherald.com
Albany State University President Art Dunning makes case for ASU-Darton merger
ASU president says Regents’ consolidation decision is based on shrinking enrollment
By Carlton Fletcher
ALBANY — Albany State University President Art Dunning told Dougherty County commissioners Monday that one of the university’s primary goals when it completes its merger with Darton State College early next year is to “help everybody find their place.” Dunning, who is facilitating the University System of Georgia Board of Regents’ seventh merger of institutions, said the reason for the joining of the two schools was primarily because of economics. “In the last five years, Albany State has seen a 25 percent decrease in enrollment,” Dunning told the commission. “In that same period, Darton’s enrollment has fallen 10 percent. When enrollment goes down, the budget goes down.” During a question-and-answer session with commissioners, Dunning said a recent reduction in force at the university was a necessity. “The Regents looked at the numbers and, based on the measures of the system, we were overstaffed,” the ASU president said. “We eliminated 80 positions, 48 of which had people in them. We had to (make the personnel cuts) to get our staffing in line with our dollars.” Dunning encouraged the government leaders and the community to get behind the merger.
www.wmbfnews.com
ASU, Darton consolidation moves closer to completion
http://www.wmbfnews.com/story/33534382/asu-darton-consolidation-moves-closer-to-completion
By Melissa Hodges, Anchor
ALBANY, GA (WALB) – One year into consolidating two South Georgia college campuses, the New Albany State University’s president expects the process will be complete in January. Dr. Art Dunning gave an update to Dougherty County commissioners, letting them know how the consolidation process is going. Dunning described a “deep sense of excitement” about the university’s future.
www.thecitizen.com
Kerlin presented with Archives award
http://thecitizen.com/community/kerlin-presented-archives-award
Chancellor Henry M. Huckaby and Georgia Historical Records Advisory Council (GHRAC) Chair P. Toby Graham presented Robert H. (Bobby) Kerlin with the GHRAC Award for Local History Advocacy during the fourteenth annual GHRAC Archives Awards ceremony Oct. 26 at the Georgia Archives. The GHRAC Awards recognize outstanding efforts in archives and records work in Georgia. …Kerlin was elected the first president of the Fayette County Historical Society in 1972, and has steadfastly remained on the Board. Under his leadership, the Society published “History of Fayette County” in 1977. Providing a home for the Historical Society was one of his greatest accomplishments. He was instrumental in coordinating the opening of the Margaret Mitchell Research Center where visitors have access to a vast collection of historical materials. …GHRAC works to promote the educational use of Georgia’s documentary heritage and to support efforts to improve the condition of records statewide. The Board is charged with advising the Chancellor and the Georgia Archives on records and policy issues. The Georgia Archives is a unit of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia
www.goldenisles.news
CCGA recognized as among best online colleges in Georgia
By LAUREN MCDONALD
A national website recently recognized College of Coastal Georgia as one of the Best Online Colleges in Georgia. Coastal was ranked No. 26 out of 82 Georgia colleges, according to the list posted by OnlineColleges.com, a resource used by students to find information about high-quality online colleges and degree program. “The College’s growth in the area of online learning has grown significantly in the last three years,” said Tracy Pellett, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “Students of all ages are increasingly in need of more online opportunities to help them manage their hectic and complex work and family schedules.”
www.ajc.com
Sam Olens set to start tenure as KSU president Tuesday
Eric Stirgus The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sam Olens is scheduled Tuesday to begin his first day as Kennesaw State University’s president. Some students and faculty, though, are unhappy with his appointment and have tried to stop it in several ways, such as a complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and a request for an injunction filed Friday in Fulton County Superior Court. Here are excerpts from a recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution interview with Olens, focusing on his plans for the university.
www.mdjonline.com
Another complaint filed against Sam Olens
Mary Kate McGowan
ATLANTA — Days before Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens became Kennesaw State University’s new president, a handful of faculty members, students and friends worked to block him from office. On behalf of that group, Athens-based attorney Stephen Humphreys filed a temporary restraining order and a permanent injunction against Olens, the University System of Georgia, the Board of Regents and Gov. Nathan Deal on Friday with the goal of stopping Olens from assuming the position. Olens is set to take over as KSU president today. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Tom Campbell has set a hearing for the injunction scheduled for Monday, Humphreys said.
www.wtoc.com
GSW receives grant to prevent young adult crashes
http://www.wtoc.com/story/33533946/gsw-receives-grant-to-prevent-young-adult-crashes
By Emileigh Forrester, Anchor
AMERICUS, GA (WALB) – The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) has continued working to prevent young adult driver crashes through Georgia Southwestern State University. The school received another grant from GOHS worth nearly $11,000 this year, beginning October 1, 2016. The grant is part of the Georgia Young Adult Program, to fund alcohol awareness programs and an impaired driving prevention simulator for the college students. Alma Keita, GSW’s Counseling Services Director, says the grant has been successful thus far.
www.publicnow.com
WenZhan Song Named Mickey A. Brown Professor In Engineering At UGA
http://www.publicnow.com/view/4D140D2C44BA256C6B96400F67683E7BC4D4B3C4
Athens, Ga. – WenZhan Song has been named the Georgia Power Mickey A. Brown Professor in Engineering at the University of Georgia College of Engineering. The appointment was approved by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia at its October meeting. The Georgia Power Mickey A. Brown Professorship in Engineering is part of a strategic investment on the part of the university and the college in the field of informatics.
www.krmg.com
Clayton State officer arrested for indecent exposure
Ariella Phillips The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A Clayton State University police officer was arrested for public indecency. McDonough police said officer Anthony Free exposed himself to a woman outside a Wal-Mart at 135 South Willow Lane in McDonough. He was taken to the Henry County jail, but later released on bond.
Higher Education News:
www.diverseeducation.com
Financial Aid for College not Reaching Foster Youth
by Jamaal Abdul-Alim
Although special programs have been set up at the state and federal level to provide financial aid for students who’ve been in foster care, the program requirements can be so confusing and restrictive that many foster youth “continue to slip through the cracks,” a new report has found. “Foster youth continue to suffer unique challenges as a result of entangled policy initiatives and an inconsistent spectrum of support,” states the report, released recently by the Education Commission of the States and titled “Strengthening Policies for Foster Youth Postsecondary Attainment.” “Significant social policy and program development aimed at supporting foster care reform exists, and while social policy has intended to increase supports, gaps remain in the policy framework,” the report states. The report laments how only 3 percent of the 415,000 youth in foster care in the United States ever obtain a college degree — putting their attainment rate woefully below the national rate of degree attainment.
www.insidehighered.com
No State Authorization Rule in 2017?
By Carl Straumsheim
The U.S. Department of Education’s rule regulating colleges that offer online education programs to students in other states may not go into effect until 2018. The department released a new draft of the rule in June and began collecting comments a month later. For the rule to have gone into effect next July, however, the department would have had to issue the final rule before Nov. 1.
www.insidehighered.com
Addicted to Debt
Free public college would end our nation’s addiction to debt-financed higher education, writes David Bergeron, a worthy goal even if private colleges will need to make adjustments.
By David Bergeron
Time for a reset in our thinking about higher education. The Georgetown University Center for Education and the Workforce recently released a study that estimates the potential impact of Hillary Clinton’s proposal to eliminate public college tuition for all in-state students whose families make less than $125,000 per year. The center concluded that impact would be an increase in enrollment at public institutions of between 9 and 22 percent, with a “best guess” estimate of 16 percent. Three-quarters of the enrollment growth would come from attracting new students into higher education. And that’s the point of her proposal: to attract marginalized students into higher education. Unfortunately, much of the commentary around the center’s estimates has focused on the potential impact on private colleges and universities. These institutions could face declines in enrollment that would account for the remaining quarter of the increase in public college enrollments. Such concerns would be fully warranted if all private colleges and universities had on-time graduation rates as high as the 91 percent at Davidson College or Georgetown University. But they don’t.