University System News:
The George-Anne
President Nickel addresses spring commencement for first time
By McClain Baxley
Nearly a month after the changes to spring 2019 commencement were announced, Georgia Southern University interim president Shelley Nickel publicly spoke on the changes for the first time at Tuesday’s faculty senate meeting on the Armstrong campus. The changes for commencement announced in early January include the introduction of college-specific graduations in both Savannah and Statesboro in addition to a university stand and confer ceremony in Paulson Stadium. “A lot of changes happening at Georgia Southern, one of them is the way we’re going to conduct commencement for this year,” Nickel said in her opening statement. The interim president informed the senate of how the commencement committee came to a decision before revealing the true meaning of the committee.
Savannah CEO
Georgia Southern Economics Students Top Performers in National Trading Competition
Staff Report From Savannah CEO
A team of four economics majors at Georgia Southern University’s Parker College of Business recently took fourth place at TD Ameritrade’s thinkorswim Challenge, a real-world cash trading experience, after going head-to-head with 500 college teams from around the country. “This competition enhanced students’ critical and analytical thinking skills,” said Omid M. Ardakani, Ph.D., assistant professor of economics. “They learned how to connect theoretical concepts with practice, which bridges the gap between theory and the real world. The skills they developed during this challenge will help them in their future career.”
The Brunswick News
College to highlight faculty, staff scholarship at showcase
By LAUREN MCDONALD
The College of Coastal Georgia will host a Coastal Scholars Showcase this week to highlight faculty scholarship within their disciplines. The showcase will take place Thursday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon at the Southeast Georgia Conference Center on the college’s Brunswick campus. The college’s faculty development committee, chaired by Karen Lucas, an assistant professor in the Department of Education and Teacher Preparation, has organized the showcase.
WSAV
For victims of sexual assault Georgia Southern offers resources to help
By: Khalil Maycock
Two rapes were reported at Georgia Southern University last month, and News 3 learned more about those cases and what resources are available to students if they become the victim of sexual assault. Georgia Southern’s director of communications Jennifer Wise told News 3, both cases reportedly happened in on campus housing, and the victims in both knew their alleged attacker. In one of the cases a waiver of prosecution was signed, meaning the victim is wanting to drop charges. And in the other case, neither the victim nor attacker were students at the university. News 3 also told you how last year Georgia Southern University said there had been an increase in the number of people coming foarward to report sexual violence on campus, and these two reports follows that trend. But, Dr. Lauren Patterson with the university’s counseling center said for these victims, the counseling center is there to help anyway possible. ” We connect that student with resources, [we] can make referals to health services on either campus. Find a clinician that, that student would want to work with,” Patterson explained.
13WMAZ
‘It can definitely get chaotic at times:’ Pedestrian safety a concern on GCSU campus
On Georgia College and State University’s campus, campus police are located on Hancock and Liberty Streets, some of the more busier roads around town
Author: WMAZ Staff
MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — After the death of a Georgia Military College student as he was riding a bike through Georgia College’s campus on Monday, 13WMAZ wanted to take a closer look at ways Milledgeville has changed to accommodate the increase of students and pedestrians downtown. Walking to and from class becomes a busy time or college campuses. When walking through busy intersections, it can sometimes become a safety issue. The trek to class may involve crossing several streets during the commute, and for being college students it’s easy to get distracted. “Students are only concerned about getting home or getting to class on time, so it can definitely get chaotic at times,” says Georgia College student, Logan Bouchillon. Just because you look both ways before crossing doesn’t mean others are doing the same. Bouchillon says, “There are times where people do not stop at all, so, ultimately, I will wait 100 percent to make sure no cars are coming at all.”
Valdosta CEO
Staff Report From Valdosta CEO
On January 31, 2019, City Engineer Patrick S. Collins, P.E., received an Advanced Certificate of Public Works Management at the University of Georgia in Athens. Tonja Shackelford, Public Works Coordinator, who previously earned the 60-hour Certificate of Public Works Management, was also recognized for completing the 90-hour advanced program. The advanced certificate is a 90-hour program of classes developed in cooperation with the national American Public Works Association, Georgia Chapter of the American Public Works Association Michael T. Joyner Education Program, and the University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government.
WGAURadio
UGA’S MARINE INSTITUTE RENEWS RESEARCH GRANT
By: Michael Terrazas
Georgia Coastal Ecosystems, a research program based at the University of Georgia Marine Institute, has just been renewed for another six years by the National Science Foundation with $6.7 million in funding. The award marks the third renewal of GCE’s long-term ecological research, or LTER, grant from NSF and ensures that the group’s research will continue into its third decade from its base at the Marine Institute’s headquarters on Sapelo Island, Georgia. Established in 2000, the GCE studies long-term change in coastal ecosystems such as the saltwater marshes that characterize Georgia’s coastline.
Atlanta Business Chronicle
Mayor Bottoms names new chief of staff
By Dave Williams
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms named Carmen Chubb Tuesday to serve as her new chief of staff. Chubb is currently deputy commissioner for housing with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA), an agency she has served for more than 25 years. She joined the state Housing and Finance Authority in 1990 as an accounting manager before it merged with the DCA in 1996. …Chubb is a graduate of The University of Georgia and is currently pursuing an executive MBA at Kennesaw State University.
Atlanta Business Chronicle
UGA alum Terrell Davis uses Super Bowl to kickoff CBD-infused sports drink venture
By Eric Mandel
When Terrell Davis’ migraines started at the age of 9, he generally coped through Tylenol. It wasn’t until a medical exam during his years playing football at the University of Georgia that he received the more specific diagnosis of “exertional migraines.” That came with more potent fixers: Naproxen pills and sometimes a shot of fellow anti-inflammatory Toradol. The remedies carried Davis through his UGA tenure, a Hall of Fame NFL career, and even into retirement. That is, until he found CBD oil. “I didn’t want to be on an anti-inflammatory,” he said. “I was looking for an all-natural solution. This became the solution I’d dreamt about for years…. It’s really been a life-changing and life-altering thing for me.” Davis is one of the four co-founders of Defy, a Colorado-based performance drink company that officially incorporated in 2018. This spring, Defy plans to release a coconut water sports drink that’s infused with not only electrolytes and B Vitamins, but also CBD, ,he non-intoxicating compound found in cannabis and derived primarily from hemp, which was just legalized when President Donald Trump signed the 2018 Farm Bill in December. … The Defy ownership team started pitching the brand and its product over Super Bowl weekend in Atlanta, while Davis worked primarily as an ambassador for the NFL. They picked Georgia as the launchpad despite the state currently being off-limits for the product itself.
Valdosta Daily Times
For the 45th consecutive year, high school students from across the state of Georgia travelled to Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus to compete in the annual Jay Cliett and Bill Kipp High School Mathematics Tournament. First place in the team competition was awarded to Lowndes High School, Tattnall Square Academy, Thomasville High School (GHSA-AA), Greater Atlanta Christian School, North Oconee High School, Harris County High School, Brandon Hall School and The Heritage School. Lowndes High School placed first in the overall team award for the GHSA-7A division while Joyce Liu placed second and Spencer Jones placed third in the individual awards, school officials said. Hosted by GSW School of Computing and Mathematics, the tournament is the longest-running competition of its kind in the state and is one of the largest held each year, school officials said.