University System News:
www.albanyherald.com
Piedmont, Blue Cross proclaim ‘progress’
Insurer, provider continue contract discussions
By Andy Miller
ATLANTA — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia and Piedmont Healthcare each said Tuesday that they’re making progress in negotiations to reach a new contract. But major hurdles remain before the insurance giant and the expanding hospital system can reach an agreement. Face-to-face meetings between Blue Cross and Piedmont occurred Monday and Tuesday. The contract stalemate has left tens of thousands of Georgia patients caught in the middle. Piedmont doctors and hospitals went out of network for Blue Cross on April 1, when their former contract lapsed. The insurer’s president, Jeff Fusile, said in a Tuesday interview with GHN that the company has offered a fair reimbursement rate structure to Piedmont. …Last week, the governor said the state government and the University System of Georgia would absorb out-of-network costs for their employees for up to 30 days to reduce their potential financial burden. It’s unclear how much it will cost the state to cover out-of-pocket costs for affected members during this time. And Deal’s decision does not affect the thousands of Piedmont patients who have had Blue Cross coverage through a private employer. Deal has noted that 576,952 State of Georgia and University System employees and their family members would be affected, having chosen Blue Cross as their option. Piedmont puts the overall number of Blue Cross members affected by the contract cutoff at about 500,000.
www.albanyherald.com
ABAC on military friendly list
Tifton college has special programs for veterans
From Staff Reports
Victory Media recently awarded Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College recognition as a bronze level Military Friendly institution on the 2018-2019 “Better for Veterans” list. Bronze level award winners have programs that scored within 40 percent of the 10th-ranked institution within a given category. To qualify for the award, Victory Media takes into consideration academic policies and compliance, admissions and orientation, culture and commitment, financial aid and assistance, graduation and career, and military student support and retention. The standards employed at ABAC exceed the Military Friendly standard in each category. “Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College is honored to again receive these military accolades,” said Veterans Affairs Certifying Official and Student Veterans Organization Advisor Jessica Swords. “Our military and veteran students have served our country, and now we are privileged to serve them through assisting in their educational success.” …ABAC has also been named a Yellow Ribbon institution, which means that five veteran students may qualify for $2,105.50 toward college expenses per year. ABAC is also home to the Freedom Gallery, which honors Harold “Pinky” Durham, a Medal of Honor recipient, and the contributions of the United States military.
www.onlineathens.com
UGA tops nation in awarding black Ph.D.s
http://www.onlineathens.com/news/20180411/uga-tops-nation-in-awarding-black-phds
By Lee Shearer
The University of Georgia awarded more Ph.D.s to African American students than any other university in the country over the past five years — 143, according to the National Science Foundation Survey of Earned Doctorates. That put UGA ahead of other flagship or large universities which followed UGA in the rankings, such as Georgia State University, Texas A&M and the University of Florida, UGA Provost Pamela Whitten said Wednesday in a meeting of the UGA Cabinet, comprised of the university’s top administrators. According to the UGA Fact Book, 2,439 students received Ph.D.s over the past five years; the 143 African American Ph.D.s were about 6 percent of that total. UGA has ramped up its overall Ph.D. production in recent years, and in the most recent year — 2017 — ranked 32nd in the overall number of Ph.D.s produced, up from 36th a year earlier.
www.athensceo.com
In Career and in Retirement, SBDC Employee Eric Bonaparte Gives to UGA
Staff Report From Georgia CEO
Eric Bonaparte spent 26 years—the bulk of his career—at the UGA Small Business Development Center. When he decided to retire last year, he wanted to give something back to the university that had played such an important role in his life. Starting this spring, Bonaparte will sponsor the annual award presented to an SBDC Consultant of the Year. His $25,000 gift to the university launched an endowment to ensure that the consultants would continue to be recognized for their hard work.
www.wtoc.com
Georgia Cotton Commission increases research fund for 2019
http://www.wtoc.com/story/37938043/georgia-cotton-commission-increases-research-fund-for-2019
By Jim Wallace, Anchor
ALBANY, GA (WALB) – The Georgia Cotton Commission will spend more money in 2019 for research to help improve growers’ bottom lines. The Georgia Cotton Commission Board of Directors approved spending more than $697,000 for the 2019 crop research. That’s an increase of more than $30,000 over the 2018 fund. The money will go to fund 21 research projects to be conducted by the University of Georgia and the University of West Georgia.
www.ajc.com
Five takeaways from new report on college professor pay
Eric Stirgus
The American Association of University Professors released its annual report Wednesday on faculty pay at the nation’s colleges and universities. Here are five things to know from the report: Presidents, on average, are paid nearly five times as much as full-time faculty members at their institutions. The average salary for a full-time professor is $104,820. Male faculty members make more than women. The average pay gap is about 11 percent. (The data does not collect information on length of service or discipline.)…
www.statesboroherald.com
Man arrested in 2017 GSU rape
Suspect arrested in Savannah
BY Holli Deal Saxon
Georgia Southern University police took a man into custody Monday, charging him with a rape that was reported almost a year ago. Markayle Devunye Frost of Warner Robins was booked into the Bulloch County Jail Monday after being arrested in Savannah by Savannah police, GSU police reports stated. Frost, 25, is charged with strong arm rape stemming from an incident that allegedly took place at University Villas on the GSU campus April 30, 201