University System News:
www.ajc.com
Who was the guy Abraham Baldwin college is named for?
In the latest merger of Georgia colleges approved by the Board of Regents, one of the four schools involved is Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. Who was Abraham Baldwin? He was an early Georgian who had nothing to do with that college in Tifton, but plenty to do with higher education in Georgia. Abraham Baldwin (1754-1807), according to the college’s website and the New Georgia encyclopedia online, was one of two Georgia signers of the U.S. Constitution and the founder and first president of the University of Georgia. …In 1933 the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia closed the Georgia State College for Men — one of a dozen Georgia “agricultural and mechanical schools” that had begun as public high schools early in the 20th century — and opened the institution as Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, naming the college in Baldwin’s honor.
www.albanyherald.com
ABAC president: Merger with Bainbridge State creates access to more resources
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College is merging with Bainbridge State College
From Staff Reports
David Bridges, who has been named by the Georgia Board of Regents to head up the new Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College that will have campuses in Tifton and Bainbridge when consolidation is completed, pledged Thursday that the college will work “for all our students.” On Wednesday, the University System of Regents Board of Regents approved Chancellor Steve Wrigley’s plan to combined ABAC and Bainbridge State College. The regents also OK’d Wrigley’s plan to merge Georgia Southern University in Statesboro with Armstrong State University in Savannah into a new Georgia Southern. The new Southwest Georgia college will retain the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College name and have campuses 85 miles apart in Tifton and Bainbridge. ABAC also has courses available at its ABAC on the Square satellite location on East Central Avenue in Moultrie. “I believe this is a real vote of confidence in ABAC, and we will make it work for all our students, whether they are in Bainbridge or Tifton or points in between,” Bridges said Thursday. “This expands our base, makes us a larger institution and will give us access to more resources.”
www.wtvm.com
ABAC and Bainbridge State College presidents discuss merge
http://www.wtvm.com/story/34249454/abac-and-bainbridge-state-college-presidents-discuss-merge
By Amanda Hoskins, Reporter
Thursday marked the first day of the consolidation process between Abraham Baldwin agricultural college and Bainbridge state college. It comes after the Board of Regents approved two proposals to merge institutions within the university system of Georgia. Similar to the consolidation between Darton State College and Albany State University it is going to be a long process. Leaders from both colleges acknowledge it’s going to take a lot of hard work, but they are excited see what comes of the consolidation.
www.wsav.com
Calming fears of ASU/GSU merger: an interview with Dr. Linda Bleicken (with video)
http://wsav.com/2017/01/12/questions-about-the-asugsu-merger-an-interview-with-dr-linda-bleicken/
By Trish Williford
One week after News 3 announced a possible merger between Armstrong State University and Georgia Southern, the President of Armstrong spoke out about it. We had a lot of questions for Dr. Linda Bleicken today. She wanted students and faculty to know she understands their fears. Wednesday, the Board of Regents approved the plan to consolidate Armstrong State and Georgia Southern. In the past week, there have been student protests and there’s still many unanswered questions about possible layoffs and also about the future of Armstrong Athletics. “Let me say to you although I don’t know what will happen with all of our athletic teams, what we have committed to do with our student athletes who are currently on scholarship, is to continue those scholarships so that they may finish their degrees,” says Linda Bleicken, President of Armstrong State University. Bleicken also addressed concerns about a possible tuition increase.
www.savannahnow.com
Editorial: ASU/GSU merger: A few ground rules
http://savannahnow.com/opinion-editorial/2017-01-12/editorial-asugsu-merger-few-ground-rules
Now that the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents have voted to move forward with the merger of Savannah’s Armstrong State University and Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, it’s time to establish a few ground rules on what must take place. Here are just a few:
- The Armstrong name and legacy must be retained in some substantial fashion. While it’s understandable that Armstrong will inherit GSU’s leadership – President Jaimie Herbert – and thus save the University System a bundle in overhead, that must not mean the time-honored Armstrong legacy should be relegated to the ashcan. This is no small matter. When the Regents merged the two state universities in Augusta, they tried to completely erase Augusta from the merged institution’s nameplate – insulting an entire community, along with thousands of alums and supporters who had contributed to the two universities’ success and potentially drying up any future support. That’s how a noble intention to combine two strong schools into one regional powerhouse got horribly sidetracked. The Regents must not repeat this unforced error in the process of merging Armstrong and GSU.
- Both schools must grow. The proposed merger must not cannibalize one institution for the good of the other. Merger must be mutually beneficial to ASC and GSU, their students, their respective communities and the state. While there is much to like about having Georgia’s fourth largest university (27,000 students) in Savannah’s backyard, Armstrong was already a fine institution, even though its enrollment had been flagging. You don’t strengthen the weak by weakening the strong, instead you combine your strengths to wind up with something that’s better for everyone.
- Keep all the promises made to students in terms of scholarships and financial aid. While the Regents might have had good financial reasons to merge these two institutions, savings must not come at the expense of students.
www.thegeorgeanne.com
Your View: GS Announces Plan to Merge With Armstrong State
http://www.thegeorgeanne.com/opinion/article_37242b90-d855-11e6-9edd-a7292ac9dd22.html
By Yasmeen Waliaga The George-Anne staff
If you are not ready to realize the grim realities of classes beginning and haven’t checked your GS e-mail in an attempt to ignore that reality, you may not know about a big change our University will soon undergo. A message to all students on Wednesday from the Dean of Students entailed a plan approved by The University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents for Georgia Southern University to merge with Armstrong State University. Armstrong State University is located in Savannah, Ga while Georgia Southern University is obviously located in this subtle, quaint, yet action-packed, state-renown town of Statesboro, Ga. Before you panic, don’t worry. Our campus will remain, because, you know, it represents everything great about a South Georgia college town. But it is important for us students to know what this effort means. This will mostly affect current freshman and sophomores. This consolidation will take about 18 months and according to the message we received upon the plan’s approval, will combine the best of both universities. Georgia Southern University’s name will remain and the university’s president will maintain that role over both campuses.
www.walb.com
Will Savannah State be impacted by GS/ASU consolidation?
http://www.walb.com/story/34247847/will-savannah-state-be-impacted-by-gsasu-consolidation
By Sean Evans, Reporter
While there are still a lot of question marks surrounding the consolidation of Georgia Southern and Armstrong State universities, school leaders are optimistic that the move will bring many benefits. WTOC caught up with Savannah city leaders to find out how they think it could affect the community. It’s a move they are watching closely. Mayor Eddie DeLoach likened the consolidation to a small general store trying to keep up with demand with the community it serves. He says the overhead that smaller schools face makes success and longevity harder to achieve sometimes. The mayor added that the consolidation, in his mind, makes sense and will ultimately lead to more and better opportunities for students pursuing higher education in Savannah. “I think it’s going to be a great opportunity for an expansion in that area and in that school, and diversify some things they don’t have there now, is what I’m thinking. They’ll have programs that they didn’t have, graduate programs they didn’t have. I understand it should increase the number of choices that students have there,” said Mayor Eddie DeLoach, Savannah. Savannah State University will also be involved in this consolidation process. …To make sure Savannah State still has a chance to thrive, the University System of Georgia says they’ll seize the opportunity to maintain and enhance the role of SSU through balancing program offerings and coordinating efforts between them and Georgia Southern.
www.goldenisles.news
CCGA announces retirement of president
By LAUREN MCDONALD
College of Coastal Georgia announced Friday afternoon that its president Gregory Aloia will be retiring, effective June 30. “It has been my honor to serve as president of the College of Coastal Georgia,” said Aloia, in a statement from the college. “The efforts of our leadership team, the faculty and staff, to create a high quality learning environment for current and future students has been remarkable. With the continued support of our community, the College of Coastal Georgia has a bright future ahead. I am grateful for the opportunity to have been part of this institution’s growth and advancement.”
www.valdostatoday.com
VSU RANKED #3 MOST AFFORDABLE DOCTORAL PROGRAM IN NATION
http://valdostatoday.com/2017/01/vsu-ranked-3-most-affordable-doctoral-program-in-nation/
Newsdesk
Valdosta State University has been ranked the third most affordable school to earn a doctoral degree in the country. SR Education Group, an education research publisher founded in 2004, just launched the 2017 Most Affordable Online College rankings on OnlineU.org. The organization, which promotes tuition transparency in higher education, conducts extensive in-house research into program-specific tuition data and has compiled their research into affordability rankings covering 68 subjects. By the end of 2017, 102 subject-specific affordability rankings will be published. For the 539 schools currently included in the most affordable subject rankings on OnlineU, the average annual tuition rate is just $10,292. The new release includes an updated ranking of the top 25 most affordable online colleges overall, along with individual rankings for associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. SR Education Group named Georgia Institute of Technology the #1 most affordable online college overall. The report ranked VSU #3 most affordable doctoral program and #17 most affordable master’s program for 2017.
www.savannahnow.com
BIS in brief: Restaurant reopens, G650 sets record, Armstrong program honor
Armstrong’s online criminal justice program receives honor
In a report published this week, U.S.News & World Report ranks Armstrong State University No. 41 on the 2017 Best Online Criminal Justice Programs list. Armstrong is the only institution in Georgia to be included in the national rankings. Armstrong’s online Master of Science in Criminal Justice prepares students for careers in criminal justice agency administration, planning, policy development and analysis and management. The university also offers an online Graduate Certificate in Cyber Crime, which gives an interdisciplinary approach to computer forensics and internet-related investigations.
www.bizjournals.com
UGA introduces combined MBA-engineering degree program
Phil W. Hudson
Staff Writer, Atlanta Business Chronicle
The University of Georgia just became the first and only institution in the University System of Georgia to offer a combined Bachelor of Science and MBA degree. The Athens, Ga.-based school reported it launched a new dual degree program that will allow students to earn a bachelor’s degree in engineering and an MBA within five years instead of the customary six. The program will be offered through UGA’s Terry College of Business and its College of Engineering.
www.jbhe.com
Fort Valley State University Sets New Study Abroad Opportunities for Veterinary Students
Fort Valley State University, the historically Black educational institution in Georgia, has established new study abroad opportunities for students in the veterinary sciences at the Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN). Currently, the plan is to send students to BUAN in Gaborone, Botswana in the summer of 2017 for three weeks. Students will also visit a veterinary clinic near a wildlife game park in South Africa for one week and visit the University of Pretoria in South Africa for one week.
www.myajc.com
Ga. Tech launches world-class technology incubator
http://www.myajc.com/news/tech-launches-world-class-technology-incubator/BljMLJj6ziCZoYBO2qO20O/
By Leon Stafford and J. Scott Trubey – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The next Facebook, Amazon or mobile device phenomenon like the iPhone could start in Atlanta thanks to a new venture capital collaboration between the city, Georgia Tech and 10 of the metro area’s largest corporations. To get more tech investment in Atlanta and to continue the city’s recent rise as a technology leader, the group launched a venture fund Thursday dubbed Engage. It’s purpose is to lure start ups looking for a place to incubate the Twitter or Instagram of tomorrow. It’s a big deal for the city because investors who throw millions at the next big thing haven’t dumped a lot of that money in Atlanta, boosters say. Seeing compnaies like Delta Air Lines and The Home Depot putting in $1.5 million each to help back start ups will change the conversation. “Venture capital is a challenge that we have,” said Georga Tech President G. P. “Bud” Peterson. “But we have 10 companies that are very interested in the opportunities and innovations that can be incorporated into their businesses or that they can help grow. Showing that kind of engagement from the Fortune 500 will attract the venture capital community.” Thursday’s announcement is a jewel in Georgia Tech’s crown and also bolsters Atlanta and Georgia’s position in the national tech stratosphere.
www.asumag.com
Military science building opens at Georgia Southern University
http://asumag.com/new-construction/military-science-building-opens-georgia-southern-university
Mike Kennedy | American School and University
Georgia Southern University has opened a new military science building on its campus in Statesboro. The university says the 32,000-square-foot space replaces a 10,000-square-foot building that housed the university’s Army ROTC Eagle Battalion for nearly a decade. The new Military Science building consists of four classrooms, a modern computer lab, conference room with video conferencing capabilities, offices, and a 5,000 square-foot multipurpose room for events and ceremonies.
www.gwinnettdailypost.com
Robotics teams gear up for Creekland Super Regional
By Keith Farner
In an annual tradition that’s now reached a decade, Creekland Middle School on Saturday will host 32 teams for the second level of competition in Georgia for the First Lego League. This year’s theme is called “Animal Allies” and centers on human-animal interactions where students are asked to identify a problem and come up with a solution. As an example, one team focused on disappearing bees to see if cell towers might have something to do with that. Robotics competitions with the Georgia First Lego League have grown in popularity in recent years. In the last year, Georgia jumped from fifth in the nation to first, now with 679 teams, said Bob Kraushaar, the FLL coach at Creekland and tournament director. About 100 of those teams reside in Gwinnett, and more than 20 of those are expected at the event, which starts at 9:30 a.m. The Super Regional competition is one of seven around the state this month. …About one third of the teams will advance to one of two state competitions at Georgia Tech, and on Feb. 4 at Georgia Gwinnett College.
www.getschooled.blog.myajc.com
Get Schooled with Maureen Downey
If your high school senior is finishing up UGA application, watch this. Deadline is Sunday.
If your kids are applying regular decision to the University of Georgia and finishing up application essays, have them look at this interview with admissions officer David Graves. Graves also talks about what UGA is looking for in an applicant’s transcript. The application deadline is Sunday. Decisions are released in mid-March and students have until May 1 to submit a commitment deposit.
www.bizjournals.com
Gov. Deal’s bond package good to downtown Atlanta
Dave Williams
Staff Writer, Atlanta Business Chronicle
Georgia lawmakers kicking off their review of Gov. Nathan Deal’s $25 billion 2018 budget next week will be looking at a $1 billion bond package highlighted by two big-ticket projects slated for downtown Atlanta. …Lawmakers are being asked again to put up $47 million to renovate the Price Gilbert Library and Crosland Tower complex at Georgia Tech, a project the General Assembly cut out of Deal’s budget last year. Elsewhere around the state, the bond package includes $73 million to build a new campus in the governor’s hometown of Gainesville for Lanier Technical College, $36.4 million for a new Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime lab in Savannah, $18 million to design and construct the final phase of the new Terry College of Business complex at The University of Georgia and $11.5 million for a building addition at Georgia Gwinnett College in Lawrenceville.
www.bizjournals.com
State seeks designers for 2,000 beds of student housing at three universities
David Allison
Editor, Atlanta Business Chronicle
The University System of Georgia is seeking to hire designers for student housing projects at three of the state’s universities that will have a total of 2,000 beds. The project will build about 1,000 new beds of student housing at Kennesaw State University, 400 beds at Savannah State University and 600 at the University of West Georgia. Each of the universities will select three to five qualified firms from the pool of applicants, with short-listed firms invited to interview and offer fee proposals, the University System says in a Jan. 10 request for qualifications and proposals.
Higher Education News:
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Morehouse receives $1 million for STEM
http://www.ajc.com/news/local-education/morehouse-receives-million-for-stem/ZuXgTUPNYGce5InD01mXsO/
Christopher Quinn
Newell Brands gave Morehouse College $1 million to support the expansion of its science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) program. “As Morehouse College celebrates its 150th year, we still have work to do in helping to make sure our students are prepared to take on the rising number of STEM-related jobs in this country,” said Morehouse College President John Silvanus Wilson Jr.
www.chronicle.com
Lawmakers in 2 States Propose Bills to Cut Tenure
By Fernanda Zamudio-Suaréz
Republican lawmakers in at least two states — Sen. Brad Zaun of Iowa and state Rep. Rick Brattin of Missouri — proposed bills this month that would eliminate the tenure system at public colleges and universities. Missouri House Bill 266 isn’t exclusively about cutting tenure. The bill would also require public colleges to publish estimated costs of degrees, employment opportunities expected for graduates, average salaries of previous graduates, and a summary of the job market, among other things.