University System News:
www.statesboroherald.com
Graduation for REACH pioneers
Started in Bulloch County, scholarship effort now in 103 state districts
https://www.statesboroherald.com/local/graduation-reach-pioneers/
AL HACKLE/Staff
The Statesboro Herald
The first crop of five REACH Georgia scholars graduated from high schools in Bulloch County during the past three days, five years after they were selected for what was then a pilot program of five state school systems. All five graduates, now 17 and 18 years old, emerged with fairly definite college plans and career goals. They are Amonica Kirkland and Aisley Scarboro of Portal High School, Amaya Brown and Kailana Low of Statesboro High School and Da’Neshia Jones of Southeast Bulloch High School. Four are honor graduates, and Kirkland, who graduated Thursday from Portal Middle High, also is her high school’s valedictorian. With their chosen universities and colleges matching, and some double-matching, the $10,000 REACH Georgia Scholarship, the five graduates collectively have at least $120,000 in REACH-related college money available. That isn’t counting their state lottery-funded HOPE Scholarships or other scholarships not related to REACH.
www.daily-tribune.com
Copeland becomes 1st graduate of GHC’s NOW program
http://www.daily-tribune.com/stories/copeland-becomes-1st-graduate-of-ghcs-now-program,18937
BY DONNA HARRIS
Michael Copeland is living proof that it’s never too late to earn a college degree. The Kennesaw resident fulfilled a promise to his family while also becoming the first graduate of the Nights, Online and Weekends program when he walked across the stage at the Georgia Highlands College commencement ceremony May 12 at The Forum River Center in Rome. “It is a great honor to be part of the NOW program, as I did not know I was the first graduate until late in the semester,” said Copeland, who took classes on the Cartersville campus. “The NOW manager and my counselor, Maria Wilson, notified me of the achievement. A lot of fellow students, faculty and staff put in a lot of time and effort to support the program.” GHC launched the accelerated two-year degree program — crafted specifically for working adult learners who want to earn a business-focused Associate of Science degree but need the scheduling flexibility offered by evening, online and hybrid courses — in an effort to make earning a college degree faster and more convenient for working adults. Copeland, who works on a global network team for a national bank, said the NOW program allowed him to fit college classes into his already-busy schedule.
www.wabe.org
Ga. High School Students Can Soon Study Screenwriting
https://www.wabe.org/ga-high-school-students-can-soon-study-screenwriting/
MARTHA DALTON
Georgia high school students will have a new English class to choose from in the fall. State officials have approved a new dramatic writing course for film, television and theater. The Georgia Department of Education, Georgia Film Academy, the Technical College System of Georgia, the University System of Georgia and the Fayette County Public Schools collaborated to create the class, which is geared toward students interested in working in the film industry. “We’re working in collaboration with higher education, business leaders, and communities to prepare students for future employment and respond directly to industry needs,” state Schools Superintendent Richard Woods said in a statement. The course will count as an English Language Arts credit for high school graduation, as well as an English unit for USG admission. “This new initiative that is beginning in high schools is really the beginning of a series of initiatives and actions to make sure that Georgia trains and keeps writers — content creators — here in our state,” said Jeffrey Stepakoff, executive director of the Georgia Film Academy.
www.savannahnow.com
St. Joseph’s/Candler, MCG program puts docs in real-life learning
By Jan Skutch
Trevor Hardigan is still trying the title of doctor on for size after his recent graduation from medical school at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta. The final two years of that education were spent at the college’s Southeast Regional Campus at St. Joseph’s/Candler in Savannah as part of what system President/CEO Paul P. Hinchey calls a unique program to enhance medical education and patient care. But for Hardigan, a dual-degree graduate Ph.d in cerebrovascular physiology, the added title is just the next step in an education journey he said will best prepare him to be “as well trained as I can possibly be and the best surgeon for my patients that I can be.”
www.albanyherald.com
ABAC to partner with city of Tifton to operate Tift Theatre
Memorandum divides theater duties between city, college
From Staff Reports
TIFTON — Performing arts students at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College will experience the bright lights of downtown Tifton after the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding between ABAC and the city of Tifton which stipulates that ABAC will take over operation of the Tift Theatre beginning July 1. “I think this will be beneficial to both ABAC and the Tift Theatre,” Wayne Jones, director of the ABAC Art Connection, said. “Within the ABAC campus, we have a lot of capabilities. The one job of a theater manager is now spread across a number of positions at ABAC. These duties will actually be an expansion of what we do every day in terms of scheduling and promotion.” According to the MOU, the city will continue to own the Tift, while ABAC utilizes it as a “professional performing arts production and management laboratory experience for students in the theater program and student workers/interns.” ABAC Vice President for Finance and Operations Paul Willis said the Tift will continue to be available for rent for various events. Fees generated by these events will be split between the city and ABAC. The city will continue to maintain the building. “We’re excited about this new partnership with the city and look forward to working together to benefit our students and the community,” Willis said.
www.myajc.com
Lakeside salutatorian: Dual enrollment has benefits, flaws
By Marlon A. Walker – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Adrina Bradley never thought about boosting her chances at finishing atop her class when she began taking classes at Georgia State University Perimeter College’s Clarkston campus. She wanted to earn college credits.
“I wanted free college,” chuckled Bradley, 18, by phone Wednesday, a day after graduating from DeKalb County’s Lakeside High School. “College right now is so expensive, and it’s a luxury outside of my range. I was also able to work and save money for college.” Her college classes received more weight in class ranking than regular high school classes, which pushed her to salutatorian. At its core, she said, her final ranking was the product of a flawed system that should be changed. That should not affect her, though, or others opting for dual-enrollment. “I was a straight-A student at Lakeside. It wasn’t like (with dual-enrollment) I was … taking an easy way out to get ahead. I think there are issues with the system, but it can’t impinge on a student’s rights. I have access to high school amenities. You can’t separate that from opportunities at graduation like being valedictorian or salutatorian. …Having dual-enrollment students fill the class’s top positions is becoming more common as students earn college credit while still in high school through the state’s “Move On When Ready” program. Law was amended last year to include dual-enrollment students who had been left out of the running for valedictorian or salutatorian due to technicalities, including the amount of time spent in high school classrooms. …Todd Harris, Bradley’s stepfather, said dual enrollment allowed Bradley to make the most out of the time spent in high school. He agreed, though, that Move On When Ready is flawed. It seemed students could easily take college classes just to boost their class status. …Bradley said she is headed to the University of Georgia in the fall, to study either international relations or education administration. Dual-enrollment, she said, allowed her to take internships and gain more experience than she would have in a traditional classroom environment.
www.albanyherald.com
TERRY LEWIS: Art Dunning was dealt a bad hand
Consolidation of Albany State, Darton more difficult than it appeared
By Terry Lewis
The morning call was unexpected and roused me from a deep sleep, but I managed to drag myself out of a comfortable bed to see who dared disturb my slumber. To my surprise, the caller was former Albany State University President Art Dunning. It was a goodbye phone call to let me know Dunning and his wife, Karen, were heading to South Carolina. He said he was planning to do educational consulting work with the University of South Carolina and with his alma mater, the University of Alabama. Dunning also told me he had his 2018 Alabama football season tickets in hand. “I want to have a more relaxed lifestyle,” Dunning said. The call was a bittersweet moment for me because my five-year relationship with Dunning was a mixed bag. I wrote many articles about the consolidation of Albany State and Darton State College; some he liked, others he could not stand. But I always enjoyed his company because Art Dunning is a stand-up guy. He is genuine, and he made me think. Still, he often drove me crazy by asking questions and seemingly ignoring the answers. For those still unfamiliar with his time in Albany, let me refresh your memory.
www.ajc.com
Iconic Georgia Tech sign gets a facelift
By Eric Stirgus, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Tech students and faculty may have noticed a sign of something different on campus this week. Yes, that sign! Tech, with little fanfare this week, replaced the letters of its famed “TECH” signs on the tower of its administration building. The letters and colors are still the same, but the design has a more classic look. So why did they make the change? “We are making the change because it was becoming harder and harder to find replacements for the old lighting technology,” Fenella Bryant, construction project manager, Facilities Design & Construction, said in a news release. “Also, because of how the letters were wired, we were having to replace two different strands each time a single strand went out in order to maintain color consistency and clarity.”
www.saportareport.com
Georgia Research Alliance CEO Mike Cassidy to retire
https://saportareport.com/georgia-research-alliance-ceo-mike-cassidy-to-retire/
By Maria Saporta
Mike Cassidy, president and CEO of the Georgia Research Alliancesince 2000, will be stepping down by the end of the year. The Georgia Research Alliance with its high-powered public-private board has led the state’s technology and innovation efforts since its founding in 1990. Cassidy joined the organization in 1993 as its fourth staff member. “I will have been there 25 years this May. I will be 65 in November. And we will have a new governor next January,” Cassidy said in an interview. “All those forces converged, and I thought it would be a good time for a change in leadership.” GRA’s board includes the presidents of Georgia’s public and private research universities as well as some of the top business leaders from around the state. It has helped Georgia’s universities expand their research capacity and create high-value jobs. It probably is best known for recruiting top research scientists to Georgia.
www.ajc.com
Savannah State University police chief out
James Barnwell, recently accused of sexual harassment and assault of some female officers in his department, is no longer Savannah State University’s police chief. Savannah State officials would not discuss the terms of his departure, saying it’s a personnel matter. The university has named an interim chief, Ulysses Bryant. Barnwell’s departure was reported Thursday in Savannah media outlets. Three women filed complaints in April with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against Barnwell. The University System of Georgia this week found Barnwell violated its sexual harassment policy, the two attorneys who filed the EEOC complaints told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Friday.
Higher Education News:
www.nytimes.com
College Does Help the Poor
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/23/opinion/college-does-help-the-poor.html
By Tim Bartik and Brad Hershbein
Does college pay off for the poor? Yes. But college by itself cannot fix income inequality. Other policies are also needed. In our research, we find that people from low-income backgrounds who complete college, compared to those who complete only high school, increase their career earnings by 71 percent. That is a hefty return. To put that 71 percent return in dollar terms: For the average college graduate from a low-income background (those who grow up with family earnings below 185 percent of the poverty line), lifetime earnings are about $810,000. But for the average person from a low-income background with just a high school diploma, average lifetime earnings are about $475,000. That boost of $335,000 vastly exceeds tuition costs and any foregone earnings from attending college instead of immediately working full-time after high school. College pays off even more for people from higher-income backgrounds. In this group, who grow up with family income above 185 percent of the poverty line, the lifetime earnings of those with a four-year college degree average $1.6 million, compared to $661,000 for those with just a high school diploma — a difference of $901,000, or 136 percent.