University System News:
www.myajc.com
Flu taking its toll on Georgia schools and colleges
http://www.myajc.com/news/local-education/flu-taking-its-toll-georgia-schools-and-colleges/rOLDqGfJ4OFKR6Eyvrib0K/
By Eric Stirgus and Shelia M. Poole – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
School districts and colleges in Georgia are spending more time on a duty as important as educating students – keeping their classrooms clear of the flu. In one of the worst flu seasons in nearly a decade, Georgia has been hit hard. …The health care company Kinsa last week called it the sickest state in the U.S., estimating 7 percent of Georgia’s population was sick with the flu. …Augusta University has seen a three-fold increase in reported flu cases so far this year, said Dr. Robert Dollinger, its director of student health. Public college campuses like Augusta are seeing more students with the flu than last year, officials said. Health officials on several campuses are sharing information about the flu with students and sterilizing medical equipment. …Augusta University has ordered more flu vaccines. Dollinger wants to offer free flu vaccines for all students there this fall. The hard part, he said, is convincing students they need to get the shots. …University of Georgia professor Ted Ross, an influenza expert who is conducting vaccine research, said only one-fifth of his students typically get the flu shots.
www.albanyherald.com
Albany State University to focus on enhancing the student experience
ASU releases results of student survey on retention, graduation
http://www.albanyherald.com/news/local/albany-state-university-to-focus-on-enhancing-the-student-experience/article_8cb93889-5d48-5756-b008-ed50a44e25bc.html
By Terry Lewis
Last November, Albany State University interim President Marion Fedrick and the ASU transition team formed a student-led task force to conduct an in-depth examination of the student experience. The group’s purpose was to provide recommendations to improve student retention and graduation based on student feedback. The results of that survey were released Thursday. According to Fedrick, the university will soon begin implementing strategies to improve and enhance the student experience, from the first year at Albany State to graduation. She said ASU leadership is acting on recommendations brought forth by the Student Engagement Experience Task Force, which was comprised of ASU students. “Our students stepped up, made this task force a priority and identified areas where ASU will work to immediately improve the student experience,” Fedrick said. “Our students gave us clear insight and identified challenges and opportunities. We take these findings and recommendations seriously and are grateful for the work of these dedicated and passionate students.
www.wsfa.com
ASU using student recommendations to make changes
http://www.wsfa.com/story/37463610/asu-using-student-recommendations-to-make-changes
By Amanda Hoskins, Reporter
Albany State University announced new changes are coming to keep students enrolled and some of them are already in place. The changes stem from recommendations by a student-based task force. The task force was formed in November to do an in-depth study of the student experience. The group gave a full list of suggestions. Then students and leadership at the university came up with an action plan that will focus on three key areas. “It just may take a little extra time, but I think we can do pretty much all of the things the students have asked for,” said Interim President at Albany State University Marion Fedrick. Fedrick said students should be starting to see some of the changes the university has made in the last few weeks thanks to the suggestions made by the student-led task force. “They did a great job of identifying what was wrong and I think an even better job of giving recommendations,” said Fedrick. The university is keeping its focus on three key areas for immediate changes, starting with making the experience for first-year students better.
www.thedallasnewera.com
GHC launches ‘Next Step Fair’ to help students make long-term plans
https://www.thedallasnewera.com/paulding-schools-news/pc-school-events/2379-ghc-launches-next-step-fair-to-help-students-make-long-term-plans
Georgia Highlands College is introducing a “Next Step Fair,” which will bring together several colleges and universities in Georgia for a chance to meet one-on-one with college representatives. The event will take place in February and is open to students and the public. The event is planned for February 20th from 10AM to 3PM on the Floyd Campus in the student center with an additional event on February 22nd from 10AM to 3PM at the Cartersville site near the library. “We encourage our students to begin planning their college career from the very first day they step foot on a campus,” Academic Advisor Jillian Petro said. “The Next Step Fair is designed to help students who are undecided on where to transfer after completing their associate degree at GHC.”
www.thewestgeorgian.com
Impact West Georgia Tackles Homelessness
By Erin Grady in Living West
Tiffany Parsons and her organization, Impact West Georgia, constantly fights to help the homeless problem in Georgia. Impact West Georgia is a non-profit organization that aids the homeless and other underprivileged communities. Since the organization opened its doors in 2004, Impact West Georgia has helped transition numerous homeless people into homes. They have helped people ranging from the West Georgia area all the way to the Central Georgia area. Parsons began teaching sociology at the University of West Georgia in 2009. During her years of teaching, Parsons has taught a variety of courses including American Class Systems, Housing and Homelessness, and Intro to Sociology. When she is not teaching at UWG she helps run Impact West Georgia. Impact West Georgia is a non-profit organization and its purpose is to improve the quality of life of the homeless, veterans, immigrants and children. Impact West Georgia does this with its three divisions: the Hope Center, Deserve, and the Adult & Community Education Center (ACE).
www.ajc.com
Wiley Bolden, 99: Long life was dedicated to education
http://www.ajc.com/news/local-obituaries/wiley-bolden-long-life-was-dedicated-education/kbo4A4bxkum05eMngKxL7I/
Ernie Suggs The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Wiley Bolden spent nearly a century as an educator, from working as a professor at Georgia State University to leading both Savannah State University and Morris Brown College. But he always had time to stop, pause, and smell the roses. …Dr. Wiley Speights Bolden, who was also thought to be the oldest member in his fraternity in Georgia, died on Jan. 30, 2018 in Atlanta. He was 99. …From 1970 until 1987, he worked as an education professor at Georgia State University. When he retired, the Board of Regents named him Professor Emeritus of Educational Foundations at GSU. Savannah State lured him out of retirement in February 1988 to serve as acting president until September 1989. While at SSU, he fought off threats of a merger with Armstrong State College. That next retirement didn’t last either as Morris Brown College tapped him to be acting vice president of academic affairs from 1992 until 1994.
Higher Education News:
www.chronicle.com
NSF to Require Reporting of Researchers Who Harass
https://www.chronicle.com/article/NSF-to-Require-Reporting-of/242472?cid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en&elqTrackId=9ea6e66cf04649b3bbfa1a343d47ed33&elq=c38a025d129a41d2a7ff143cb79b1528&elqaid=17784&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=7853
By Paul Basken
The National Science Foundation, in a move to confront sexual abuse in academe, plans to require colleges and universities to tell it of any NSF-funded researcher who has been disciplined for any kind of harassment. The policy, announced on Thursday, does not commit the NSF to any specific action once it learns of such cases. But the agency’s director, France A. Córdova, suggested the likelihood of suspensions or terminations of NSF grant awards. “NSF expects to be notified immediately of that finding, so that we can take decisive actions as appropriate, using all the tools at our disposal,” Córdova said in a briefing with reporters. The NSF has an annual budget of about $6 billion, spent largely on academic research. It plans to continue its primary reliance on colleges and universities to receive and adjudicate harassment complaints, Córdova said.