University System News:
Yahoo Finance
Corvias, a national leader in developing, financing, and managing infrastructure assets for higher education partners, today announced positive results from its 2019 Corvias Student Housing Satisfaction Survey conducted across six college campuses within the University System of Georgia (USG). This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190424005936/en/
The annual campus living survey has been conducted since 2015 following the start of Corvias’ partnership with USG which includes plans to design, build, renovate, manage, and maintain student housing in the first phase of an unprecedented public-private partnership, for student housing across a portfolio of nine campuses. The 2019 data illustrates increased satisfaction in nine of the ten total categories based on survey responses from students at six of the nine college campuses within the USG including the University of North Georgia, Georgia Southern University – Armstrong, College of Coastal Georgia, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Dalton State College and East Georgia State College.
Atlanta Business Chronicle
27-acre apartment, hotel project planned on state property in Cartersville
By David Allison – Editor, Atlanta Business Chronicle
A hotel, apartment, and senior/student housing development is being proposed on 27 acres of property in Cartersville, Ga., owned by the University System of Georgia. Atlanta Business Chronicle reported last year that the University System of Georgia was considering the potential sale of approximately 27 acres on Georgia Highway 20 west of Interstate 75. The potential disposition was disclosed at the May 15, 2018, meeting of the Board of Regents. The property is across Georgia 20 from the Cartersville campus of Georgia Highlands College. Now, a company called Brownstone Development Group LLC has filed plans with Bartow County to build a hotel and two retail outparcels on 5 acres of the property, senior/student housing on 4 acres, and an apartment community on 15 acres. The Board of Regents has approved of the rezoning of the property, according to an April 8 letter to Bartow County from Sandra Lynn Neuse, associate vice chancellor for facilities at the Board of Regents.
The Herald Gazette
Nooks’ investiture is Friday at GSC
Pomp and circumstance will be the order of the day when Dr. Kirk Nooks is invested as president of Gordon State College Friday. The ceremony begins at 10 a.m. in the student activities and recreation center on campus. Nooks was named GSC president by the Board of Regents last June. Over 90 students will take part in his investiture.
Athens Banner-Herald
Morehead: UGA’s lowest-paid to earn more
By Lee Shearer
University of Georgia President Jere Morehead said Wednesday the university intends to raise the beginning pay rate for its lowest-paid employees to $25,175. That’s an increase of $675 over the starting rate this year of $24,500, about 2.8 percent. Starting pay for the lowest paid has gone up each of the past eight years, 20 percent overall in that time, he said in a meeting of top UGA administrators. Based on a calculation rate of 50 weeks of 40-hour weeks, that’s about $12.60 an hour. That still falls short of what it should be, said Linda Lloyd, executive director of Athens’ Economic Justice Coalition.
Athens Banner-Herald
ABC’s Deborah Roberts pledges $100K to UGA for scholarships
By Clarke Schwabe
News correspondent and University of Georgia alumna Deborah Roberts recently committed $100,000 to establish a need-based scholarship through the Georgia Commitment Scholarship Program. “We are thrilled that such a distinguished alumna has committed to supporting need-based aid at UGA,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “Her generosity is an example of the tremendous alumni support that continues to move our university into the future. Deborah’s gift will open the door to higher education for students today, tomorrow and in perpetuity.” …Through the Georgia Commitment Scholarship Program, the UGA Foundation matches any gift in the amount of $50,000, $75,000 or $100,000 to establish an endowed, need-based scholarship for undergraduate students.
Gainesville Times
Four UNG seniors, graduates named Fulbright scholars
Joshua Silavent
It took some prodding to get Melissa Silva to even apply for the prestigious Fulbright Program, but a nudge in the right direction has paid off big time. University of North Georgia senior Melissa Silva was one of 13 students at the university selected as semifinalists for Fulbright scholarships with hopes of studying abroad. Silva has now been named a Fulbright scholar.
WSVN
Miami Beach honors Georgia student who picked up trash during spring break
The City of Miami Beach has recognized a teenager who spent his spring break picking up trash instead of partying. Joshua Caraway, a biology student at the University of West Georgia, could be seen at Miami Beach City Hall shaking hands with Mayor Dan Gelber, Wednesday. “I love the environment. I love the Earth,” Caraway said. “I got trash bags, and I started picking it up, and I got more trash bags on top of more trash bags, and then eventually, people started to notice me.” The 19-year-old came to Miami for spring break. Instead of partying, Caraway spent the break walking up and down the beach collecting anything that didn’t belong. “I came to Miami for spring break to hang out with my friends mostly,” Caraway said. He received a proclamation from Miami Beach leaders to formally thank him for his efforts.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
NEW FINDINGS: Activists want UGA to offer reparations, fund center to study slavery
By Eric Stirgus
A group of about 40 current and former University of Georgia students, faculty and community activists met Wednesday evening to demand the university approve several changes, including reparations, to remedy how they believe the school has benefited from slavery. …The group discussed plans for a march Monday afternoon to the university’s administration building to publicize its demands. The demands stem from an ongoing debate at Georgia’s flagship campus concerning how the university has handled the 2015 discovery of 100 remains in an area on campus that was known to be a former slave burial site. …UGA President Jere Morehead responded in a recent op-ed to the group here by noting the university’s ongoing efforts to offer more needs-based scholarships and what he said was a respectful process to handle the burial remains that included a memorial on campus.
Daily Report
Georgia Tech Makes a Beeline for Top of Food Frenzy Heap
Kyle Waide, the president and CEO of the Atlanta food bank, noted that the nation’s high-performing economy “has not translated to everyone.”
By Jonathan Ringel
Tuesday night organizers of the Georgia Legal Food Frenzy urged for more participation from in-house legal departments, and on Wednesday they got their wish from the Georgia Tech Office of Legal Affairs. As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, the Tech team, captained by Susann D. Estroff and Kate Wasch, had scooped up $11,430—more than double the No. 2 contender in the race to support the Atlanta Community Food Bank. The competition extends around the state, with law firms and legal organizations raising funds for seven other regional food banks around Georgia.
Higher Education News:
Inside Higher Ed
Bridging the Gap on Accountability
Democrats are talking more about how failures happen across the higher education system, not just at for-profit colleges — their traditional punching bag. So can they agree with Republicans on new standards for all colleges?
By Andrew Kreighbaum
For-profit colleges have for years been higher education’s boogeyman for consumer advocates and many Democrats in Congress. And those lawmakers have repeatedly called for tougher standards in response to the sector’s relatively high loan default rates and other poor outcomes. But Senator Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, suggested this month that his party hasn’t focused enough on failures happening at all colleges — including public and nonprofit institutions. And he argued that a reauthorized Higher Education Act should add accountability for all colleges that receive federal aid. “By committing to fix the outcomes crisis across the board for every student, we can frankly bridge the gap between Republicans and Democrats,” he said at an event hosted by the think tank Third Way. Higher education experts have spent years debating the merits and proper design of an accountability system that would encompass the entire higher ed system. But Murphy, who sits on the Senate education committee, adds a prominent voice on the Democratic side to calls for expanding standards for all colleges, a top priority for the committee’s GOP chairman, Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee.
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Beyoncé’s ‘Homecoming’ Brings HBCU Culture to the Forefront
by Tiffany Pennamon
From paying homage to the historic marching bands and dancers at the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to demonstrating the resiliency, beauty and sacrifice embedded in the Black experience, Beyoncé’s newly released documentary Homecoming is a testament to the vivacity of Black culture that is celebrated at HBCUs. Following Homecoming’s release – nearly a year after Beyoncé became the first Black women to headline the predominantly White Coachella festival – social media was abuzz with individuals recalling their HBCU experience, sharing their Black pride and reacting in total awe to the megastar’s bold and intentional two-hour performance. To scholars and leaders across higher education, Homecoming is a reminder of the relevance and significance of HBCUs in preparing their students to thrive in the real world all while embracing their cultural heritage.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jay-Z’s foundation takes students on HBCU bus tour through Atlanta, other cities
By Najja Parker
Jay-Z is lending a help hand to high school students with his national college bus tour. His nonprofit The Shawn Carter Foundation has partnered with Toyota to help scholars visit historically black colleges and universities throughout the nation. The annual tour, which began in 2007, will bus teenagers on a seven-day trip to explore 11 different HBCUs, including institutions in Washington D.C. and Atlanta. During the trip, the high schoolers will get to meet with college admissions counselors and former students from the Shawn Carter Foundation at each college.