University System News:
www.nytimes.com
When a Few Bucks Can Get Students to the Finish Line
Tina Rosenberg
Kalif Robinson is a star at Georgia State University in Atlanta. He’s a straight-A senior, majoring in economics and minoring in Arabic. In the fall he’ll start a two-year Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Graduate Fellowship, studying foreign affairs in Washington, training to be a diplomat. It nearly didn’t happen. Robinson has stitched together his Georgia State tuition and fees with loans, a federal Pell grant, Georgia’s Hope Scholarship and two jobs. He’s worked nearly full time since his freshman year; today he’s a waiter and works at the campus advising center. His father is a musician and music teacher. “More often than not, I’ve had to give my parents money,” he said. At the end of his sophomore year, Robinson registered for an intensive summer course in Arabic, a class not offered in the fall. “I needed it that summer,” he said, because he was going abroad to an Arabic-speaking country the following summer and could not wait until the spring term to begin studying the language. But his financial aid didn’t cover summer courses, and this one was $890. He went to his adviser. “I do not have any money,” he said. “Is there anything the school can do?” There was: a Panther Retention Grant. Named after Georgia State’s mascot, the program offers students an immediate few hundred dollars, sometimes as little as $300, without bureaucracy. Most recipients are seniors whose financial aid has run out. For many, the grant gets them over the finish line, instead of being left just short of graduation — saddled with debt but denied the degree that could have helped pay it down. Robinson was not a senior and was not dropping out. But the grant saved his course of study.
www.chronicle.augusta.com
AU officials to meet Wednesday with Regents about bond funding on debts
http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/2017-03-14/au-officials-meet-wednesday-regents-about-bond-funding-debts
By Tom Corwin Staff Writer
AU Medical Center is set to take on $55 million in bond funding to retire some existing debt and pay for projects, officials will tell the University System of Georgia Board of Regents on Wednesday. AU President Brooks Keel and Chief Business Officer Tony Wagner will present an information item on the hospital’s finances and debt at the Regents meeting in Atlanta. Wagner said they will update the Regents on plans to borrow roughly $55 million to retire some existing debt, pay itself back for projects it funded out of revenues and fund future projects. …The Regents will be briefed on the new potential Columbia County hospital, Wagner said. “We won’t spend a lot of time talking about it, but we will update them on Columbia County and make sure that they know that’s a project we’re continuing to anticipate doing,” he said.
www.ajc.com
Getting into Georgia Tech is getting harder
http://www.ajc.com/news/local-education/getting-into-georgia-tech-getting-harder/TS6sLljw90VY4Rl8vW4A1K/
Maureen Downey The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Hundreds of Georgia high school seniors found out this weekend if they will be Yellow Jackets in the fall. Georgia Tech released its regular decision admits Saturday Between the early action students who found out in January and today’s regular decision admissions, 7,297 students were offered a slot at Georgia Tech this year. Georgia Tech saw a 3 percent increase in applications, for a total of 31,484. The overall admit rate is 23 percent, meaning Tech admitted slightly more than two out of every 10 applicants. Last year, the rate was 25 percent. However, the admit rate is higher for Georgia applicants; 44 percent of in-state applicants earned admission.
www.tigersroar.com
www.albanyherald.com
ABAC alumni to be recognized April 7
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College will honor outstanding alumni at annual dinner
http://www.albanyherald.com/news/local/abac-alumni-to-be-recognized-april/article_fdff72fc-395c-5e70-a385-7d3a87498631.html
From Staff Reports
The Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Alumni Association will recognize outstanding alumni and induct an honorary alumnus at the organization’s annual dinner, set for April 7 at Gressette Gym on the college campus. Alumni award winners for 2017 include Ben Copeland of Lakeland, Distinguished Alumnus; Gerald Long of Bainbridge, Master Farmer; Monika Griner of Moultrie, Helen Brown Sasser Award; Elizabeth Rowland of Virginia Beach, Va., J. Lamar Branch Award; William Bowen of Tifton, Outstanding Business Leader; Dr. Julie Rucker of Tifton, Outstanding Educator; Suzette Alexander of San Antonio, Texas, Outstanding Health Care Professional; Sam Watson of Moultrie, Outstanding Young Alumnus; the family of Abbie Jones Mulkey of Colquitt County, Family Legacy Award; and James Lee Adams of Camilla, Honorary Alumnus.
SSU health center is effective
http://www.tigersroar.com/opinion/article_7ad4d554-08cc-11e7-8f19-3ffdd75ac238.html
Shannen Hinds
When approaching the Harris-McDew Health Center, the first thing you are met with is a door bell that alerts the receptionist to open the door. After gaining entry, you enter through the center’s waiting room where you wait for assistance for your medical issue. What you see are green walls and tile floors, three pictures hang on the walls depicting flowers and leaves in a variety of colors. On the back walls are two huge fake plants to add to the doctor’s office decor. …First off is eligibility, all students who are enrolled at the university and pay their student health fee of $67, which is included in the overall tuition. The budget for keeping the health center open is estimated to be anywhere from $160,000 to $201,000, per year. To ensure they’re giving the best care possible, students are offered health insurance provided by the UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company. In order to be eligible for insurance students must be enrolled with six or more credits per semester and attend class for the first 31 days after applying. The company also holds the rights to monitor if recipients of the insurance are following through with the requirements, if students do no not meet requirements they will be cut from the insurance and given a refund. The refund varies based on the insurance plan chosen.
www.wsav.com
Presidents of Georgia Southern and Armstrong talk benefits of merger
http://wsav.com/2017/03/14/presidents-of-georgia-southern-and-armstrong-talk-benefits-of-merger/
By JoAnn Merrigan
It’s a proposed merger of two educational Institutions that isn’t making all students happy. But Armstrong State University President Dr. Linda Bleicken and Georgia Southern President Dr. Jamie L.Hebert say ultimately it will be good for the communities. That’s because it’s expected more offerings can be made. “”So it”s a greater variety of academic programs and it’s a pooling of resources as well so that we can invest in new programs where before we may not have had the capitol to do so,” says Dr. Hebert. It’s expected that more offerings will also mean most faculty at Armstrong keep their positions. “Because the expectation is that the new campus will probably enlarge in size and actually create more opportunities rather than less,” said Dr. Bleicken.
www.wbtv.com
ASU applies for $300K grant to fight sexual assault
http://www.wbtv.com/story/34847698/asu-applies-for-300k-grant-to-fight-sexual-assault
By Amanda Hoskins, Reporter
ALBANY, GA (WALB) – If you’ve been impacted by sexual assault or domestic violence, you’re not alone. Community leaders said these are nationwide problems. Now they’re taking strides to fight sexual assault and domestic violence in our community. Studies reveal it happens everywhere…sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking. All issues young people are facing nationwide. According to the national sex violence resource center one in five women and one in 71 men will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. “That’s something that is a serious matter and we just want to make sure we address it within our college campus community, said Title IX coordinator at Albany State University, Cadedria Hill. Hill is leading efforts to stop assaults and violence in the Albany community. She applied for a $300,0000 grant on behalf of ASU from the U.S. Department of Justice on Violence Against Women to implement a 5-E initiative; to engage, educate, empower and enhance the community.
www.urbangeekz.com
6 Reasons Why Atlanta Has Become A Hotbed For Tech Startups
Published by Obinna Morton
Are you ready for disruption? No, really. Well, Atlanta is one example of a place doing things with a certain verve, a certain swing in its step, and a certain identity. Within its roots lies reinvention. The city symbol, a phoenix, speaks soulfully to this. Atlanta is a city famous for its tales of love, hip-hop, and housewives, but Atlanta is so much more. There is a rich ecosystem ablaze. Have you heard? It is the tale of more than 700 startups, 275,000 college students, and 100 tech acquisitions and IPOs… Atlanta has high ranking educational institutions that produce top tech talent. These schools include Emory University, #20 on the list of Top National Universities for the U.S. News and World Report. The Georgia Institute of Technology ranks #34 and is also listed as a Top 10 Engineering School nationally.
www.news.wabe.org
Ga. Tech Student Finds Himself In A Tiny Argentinian Village
http://news.wabe.org/post/ga-tech-student-finds-himself-tiny-argentinian-village
By MELISSA TERRY
This past summer, Ishbir Singh, an international student from India, returned from a 5-month study-abroad program in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is now back at Georgia Tech working on his degree in Computer Engineering. When he met up with his close friend and fellow Yellow Jacket, Maithili Appalwar, he told her a little bit about how he grew as a person as a result of his experience, especially after he set a personal challenge for himself.
Higher Education News:
www.insidehighered.com
‘Walking on Water’
ACE panel participants say presidents need more skills than ever as the world changes around higher education.
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/03/15/presidents-need-wide-range-skills-panelists-ace-conference-say
By Rick Seltzer
WASHINGTON — College and university presidents need an ever-widening skill set to succeed amid quickly mounting pressures and fast-changing demands, experts said Tuesday, the final day of the American Council on Education’s annual meeting. Presidents have to find ways to prepare students for the fast-changing world of work. They need to please or placate a broad range of constituencies, from students to donors to legislators. They must practice financial discipline in often-tight fiscal environments, and presidents face the ever-looming threat of unexpected issues spinning out of control on social media — sometimes before they even know those issues exist. Those changes come as presidents are spending fewer years leading colleges or universities before moving on to other jobs or presidencies at different institutions. In short, the role is a crucible, one that is very different from 100 or even 10 years ago.
www.insidehighered.com
New Higher Education Policy Group Forms
https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2017/03/15/new-higher-education-policy-group-forms?utm_source=Inside+Higher+Ed&utm_campaign=b028fe970c-DNU20170315&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1fcbc04421-b028fe970c-197515277&mc_cid=b028fe970c&mc_eid=8f1f949a06
By Paul Fain
Higher Learning Advocates, a bipartisan policy-focused organization, announced its formation today. The nonprofit group, which is based in Washington, said its focus will be on advocating for federal policies that are “equitable, outcomes-based and focused on educational quality” to increase postsecondary attainment. The Lumina Foundation has contributed start-up funding for the group, which will do policy research as well as advocacy and communications.