University System News:
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
AJC On Campus: Ga Tech breach, help for Argosy students, Ga A&M U?
By Eric Stirgus
The end of the 2019 legislative session brought its usual weirdness. And stop us if you heard this before, but personal information about some Georgia Tech students is somewhere it shouldn’t be. Here’s our weekly round up about these stories and other issues impacting various Atlanta-area college campuses and universities.
Georgia Tech hack Georgia Tech has world-renowned researchers with expertise in computer science, but the school can’t keep hackers from its software. Tech announced Tuesday a data breach potentially affecting 1.3 million current and former students, faculty and staff members.
Sine Die Georgia lawmakers ended the 2019 legislative session, (called Sine Die) shortly past midnight Tuesday and what had been a quiet period on the higher education front got very interesting. Senate Bill 273 would have combined Georgia’s three public historically black colleges and universities into one that would be known as the Georgia Agricultural and Mechanical University System. Those schools are Albany State, Fort Valley State and Savannah State universities. There had been no public discussion about such an idea and many people, particularly graduates of the schools, were furious. The legislation was withdrawn.
Meanwhile, House Republican Andy Welch of Henry County proposed a bill that would create an independent board, with the University System of Georgia Chancellor forming a body to appoint members, to set reporting standards for journalists that could sanction violators. One critic thought the bill was an April Fools joke. The bill was tabled.
One piece of legislation that did pass was House Bill 218, which extends eligibility for the HOPE Scholarship from seven to 10 years.
Mercer-Gordon State deal Mercer University and Gordon State College recently signed an agreement that will allow Gordon State students to complete an associate degree and then transfer to Mercer’s College of Liberal Arts, School of Engineering or Penfield College to complete a bachelor’s degree on the Macon campus, online or at one of university’s two Atlanta area regional academic centers.
Kennesaw State on a hiring spree Kennesaw State University’s first year president, Pamela Whitten, has been filling out the administrative roster in the last two weeks. …
WSAV
New Georgia Southern president speak on challenges the university faces
By: Khalil Maycock
This week Georgia Southern University’s 14th president Dr. Kyle Marrero became an official member of the eagles family. Dr. Kyle Marrero said he’s glad to be settling into his duties and is ready to begin focusing on student success. Marrero said he’ll start by working on a strategic plan for the university during his first 90 days. Part of this includes focusing on increasing the university’s declining student enrollment through a marketing and branding strategy. “One that tells the Georgia Southern story of why you want to come here, and that hooks you in and brings you in and makes you then want to visit our website. It should press us to the website or a visit on campus because then we can engage with you and provide you information, and then ensure that this is the place that you want to come,” Marrero said.
WTOC
Georgia Southern President speaks goals, challenges on third day
By Dal Cannady
Dr. Kyle Marrero has been on a whirlwind tour to meet students, faculty and staff across all of the Georgia Southern campuses. He’s already looking at ways to bring two former schools and three communities together to lead the region. Dr. Marrero speaks with excitement when he mentions how he’s followed Georgia Southern since back when he arrived in Georgia. He’s followed the recent growth, all the way to its move up in football. When the presidency opened, he applied. “I said ‘you know, this is what I think I do well – bring people together in a united vision, a united direction,” Dr. Marrero said. He sees the university’s role as critical in helping prepare students for careers and knowing the workforce the region needs. He recognizes the consolidation with the former Armstrong State in Savannah remains a work in progress. He hopes he can unify the campuses and communities as eagles.
The George-Anne
President Marrero confirms commencement plans for spring 2019
By McClain Baxley, The George-Anne staff
The Georgia Southern University commencement plans announced in January won’t be changed for spring 2019 graduation President Kyle Marrero confirmed in an interview with The George-Anne Wednesday. “They have worked hard administratively to come up with an ideal from the very big university that could work in consolidation,” Marrero said. “I know we’ll do what we do with everything in higher education and we’re going to assess it.” The new president was hopeful for a positive process come May and welcomed feedback from students, alumni and community members. “There might be parts of it that we really like and want to keep,” Marrero said. “And there may be things that in the continuous ideology that we want to improve upon. That’s what we’ll do we’ll bring everyone in.” Student Government Associations from both GS campuses signed a legislation in March that demanded student opinion in future decisions. Marrero said that he had already read and was in favor of the resolution.
Savannah CEO
Georgia Southern Students to Represent University at Inaugural Georgia InVenture Prize
Staff Report From Savannah CEO
Ghost Runner, an app designed to “gamify” running by encouraging virtual running competitions among friends, has been selected for the inaugural Georgia InVenture Prize competition by panelists at the Georgia Southern University Business Innovation Group’s (BIG) annual 3 Day Startup (3DS). The app was designed by four students in the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing and three College of Arts and Humanities students. The winning team includes computer science majors Marcus Joachim, Wyatt Landers and Jacob Poston; graphic design majors Thomas Martin and Zee Doehling; mechanical engineering major Shadrach Stark; and international studies major Michael McFarland. “The goal for the app is to give people motivation to run that is instantaneous using gamification methods,” Martin said. “We also want runners to be able to explore the area by having other runners curate routes. This way, people don’t have to run the same route every time they go out.” The idea was deemed by panelists made up of the University’s Intellectual Property Committee to be the one that made the most progress during the three days teams had to prepare their ideas.
Athens banner-Herald
UGA student, Bogart native wraps up legislative session as ag intern
By J. Merritt Melancon
From the future of industrial hemp to farmland protection, University of Georgia junior and Bogart native Reaganne Coile has had a front-row seat to the debates that shape the future of Georgia agriculture. As a legislative intern with the state Senate Committee on Agriculture and Consumer Affairs this winter, Coile has worked for committee chairman Sen. John Wilkinson’s office answering phones and greeting visitors, but she also has observed lawmakers in action during committee hearings and debates. “I’ve always been interested in and passionate about agriculture, and that developed into an interest in policy and the way that policy affects people,” said Coile, who is studying agricultural communication at CAES. “This internship has really been a solidifying experience for me in terms of my career path and knowing what I want to do.” Coile, the daughter of John and Amy Coile of Bogart, plans to graduate from CAES in May 2020 and hopes to pursue a career developing policy. The UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee host the CAES Georgia Legislative Internship program. Each year a CAES student spends 12 weeks at the Georgia Capitol, working full-time to help legislators craft policies that will impact the state’s largest industry, agriculture. Coile was placed in Wilkinson’s office through the internship program. “Reaganne has been a tremendous asset to our office during this legislative session,” Wilkinson said. “She has maintained her composure under what are sometimes stressful situations. Her solid knowledge base in agriculture has helped her meet the challenges of working with leading-edge issues in agriculture.”
The Inkwell
Armstrong Campus Pays Tribute to Survivors
Melody Coleman, Staff Contributor
“Over 55% of sexual assaults occur near or @ [sic] the victim’s home,” and other sexual violence statistics were scrawled in chalk on the sidewalks of Armstrong campus last week. On Thursday, March 28, Armstrong students participated in the eye-opening Take Back the Night event. The night began with a speech from SGA Chief of Staff, Megan Evans. It was the golden hour, and the moment was illuminated by the sun. At 7 p.m. survivors, supporters of survivors and all those who seek to put an end to sexual assault, domestic violence and all other forms of unhealthy aggression were invited to march through the Armstrong campus. The crowd marched to raise awareness and shine light on the darkness of abuse. Together, marchers walked over the chalk-scrawled statistics. The march to the End The Violence Rally convened at 8 p.m. at the International Gardens. Here, the crowd would sign a pledge in honor of stopping abuse. …The march concluded Sexual Assault Awareness Week, a campaign presented by Georgia Southern University’s Sexual Assault Response Team, Georgia Southern Health services and Peers Educating Peers (PEP).
Athens CEO
UGA’s Dutta, Brenneman Honored with IPM Awards
Clint Thompson
Two University of Georgia plant pathologists in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences received the Friends of Southern Integrated Pest Management (IPM) awards at the Georgia Association of Plant Pathologists annual meeting in Savannah, Georgia, on March 13. Tim Brenneman, professor of plant pathology, received the Friends of Southern IPM Lifetime Achievement Award. Bhabesh Dutta, assistant professor and UGA Cooperative Extension vegetable pathologist, was honored with the Friends of Southern IPM Bright Idea Award. “Dr. Dutta and Dr. Brenneman epitomize what the Department of Plant Pathology is all about at the University of Georgia,” said Harald Scherm, professor and head of CAES’s department of plant pathology. “These awards recognize achievement in areas like research, Extension and implementation of IPM in the Southern United States. These are two worthy scientists who have excelled in those areas.”
WGAU Radio
By: Tim Bryant
The University of Georgia says it has a contract to purchase 20 electric buses. UGA says they’ll bought with money from a $10 million grant from a program administered by the Georgia State Road and Tollway Authority.
From the University of Georgia…
The University of Georgia has established a contract to purchase up to 20 Proterra Catalyst E2 buses. The move is a tremendous step forward in reducing carbon emissions and increasing alternative transportation for the UGA Campus Transit system, one of the largest of its kind in the country. Before arriving, the buses will undergo construction to meet specifications laid out by the university that are designed to meet needs specific to campus. The addition of the buses will make the electric bus fleet at UGA one of the largest in the Southeast and offer riders a quiet and smooth riding transportation option with zero emissions. After receiving a $10 million grant from the GO! Transit Capital Program administered by Georgia’s State Road and Tollway Authority, the university evaluated and tested electric bus technology to ensure students, faculty, staff and visitors received the best electric bus possible.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Tech data breach began in December, officials say
By Eric Stirgus
Georgia Tech said Wednesday the origins of the data breach that potentially impacted an estimated 1.3 million current and former students and employees has been traced back to as early as December. The world-renowned school, which offers computer science degrees, has said, though, it didn’t discover the breach until March 21. Tech disclosed the breach Tuesday. A Georgia Tech spokeswoman said Wednesday the school has not determined who committed the breach. The school is currently not granting interview requests. Georgia Tech offered some details Wednesday through the weblink about how they discovered the breach. Application developers noticed “a significant performance impact” in one of its web applications and began an investigation. During this investigation, they determined the performance issue was the result of a breach.
WTOC
Legislation sparks talks of HBCU mergers
By Meredith Parker
A recent bill tried to consolidate three historically black colleges and universities – Albany State , Fort Valley, and Savannah State. The lawmakers who created the plan didn’t want that. They were pushing to put these three under their own Board of Trustees and not under the Georgia State Board of Regents. After backlash, Senator Lester Jackson from Savannah revised the bill, taking away the consolidation. WTOC is following up with Savannah State University. We’ve found out no one from the school was included in conversations about a merger. The idea of these three HBCU’s merging, including Savannah State University, has been taken off the table for now, but not without completely shocking locals in Savannah who had no idea. Five of the six authors of Senate Bill 273 have changed their support.
VSU Spectator
VSU explores faculty salary increase via study
An ongoing study into the level of salaries earned by faculty members at VSU is nearing completion. Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia has overseen the study, which aims to help officials from state and local governments achieve their goals. The study was originated at the request of VSU’s administration. Presented in a VSU Senate Faculty meeting in late January, one of the most salient findings of this study to this point was that VSU lags behind comparable institutions, such as The University of West Georgia and Columbus State University, in terms of faculty salaries. For example, excluding the Langdale College of Business Administration and the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, VSU’s minimum base salary for the remaining colleges ranged from 3.5 percent to 11.6 percent lower in comparison to similar institutions. Furthermore, when it came to average base salary, the College of Nursing and Health Sciences was the only college not below the average of those similar institutions previously mentioned.
The Brunswick News
College to host International Festival
The College of Coastal Georgia will host its eighth annual International Festival on Friday. The free event is organized in partnership with the Robert S. Abbott Race Unity Institute, Inc. …The festival strives to build bridges between different cultures through education, food and fun activities.
Valdosta Daily Times
VECA recognizes Early College Week
By Katelyn Umholtz
Valdosta Early College Academy observed Early College Week with several events, including a college signing day. The Reach Higher is an initiative from former First Lady Michelle Obama. The signing ceremony recognized 17 VECA seniors who signed to attend various universities, colleges and military branches after graduation in May. The ceremony was held at the Valdosta State University Student Union Theater. “This is really bittersweet for me because these seniors sitting before me were seventh graders my first year at VECA,” Principal Mae McKinney said. “Just to see them grow and mature into beautiful young ladies and handsome gentlemen, it’s amazing.” Zacchaeus Kier was the only student to sign at Georgia State University in Atlanta. He showed a video project and had his grandmother and Georgia State representatives come on stage with him during his signing. …Other students that signed included Ayanna Bacon with Albany State University, Zykeirea Cole, Kaniya Crawford and Jocelyn Frazier with Georgia Southern University, Lindsay Sebastian with Savannah College of Art and Design, Tamia and Tia Alexander with Wiregrass Georgia Technical College, Aaron Zhang with the Navy, Kaycee Goodwin with University of West Georgia and Laneigh Alford, Jordan Bell, Rashaad Johnson, Andrew and Antrez Miller and Tyler Smith with Valdosta State University. The Early College week included a VSU Day with a Mayor John Gayle proclamation, a Sam’s BBQ chicken dinner fundraiser and a VECA talent show.
Carriage Trade PR
Bethesda Academy and Georgia Southern University Partner for Agricultural Research
Students at Bethesda Academy, a residential and day school for boys in grades six through 12, are joining forces with chemistry students from Georgia Southern University – Armstrong Campus to try to answer questions on how gardening methods impact the nutritional value of produce. The research will focus on determining the antioxidant levels in food grown by three different methods: conventional soil-based cultivation using conventional fertilizers and pesticides, organic cultivation using sustainable, non-toxic processes and aquaponics, growing plants in fish tanks with a water-based system.
WSB
Georgia Tech students launch rocket from Georgia coast
Students from Georgia Tech are being congratulated for their successful launch of a rocket from the Georgia coast. The Yellow Jacket Space Program launched the 8-foot tall, 26 pound rocket this weekend from Spaceport Camden in Camden County. The launch was to test and collect data on “real world performance that will allow the students to fine tune their components for more complex launches in the future.” Video from Spaceport Camden shows the rocket shooting into the air in a puff of smoke. Spaceport Camden said in a Facebook page that, “We hope the data you collected today is valuable in your continued efforts to reach space and look forward to sharing your progress.”
WSAV
Years of research leads to shocking discovery about American war hero Casimir Pulaski
A documentary on the investigation will air on the Smithsonian channel Monday
By: Alex Bozarjian
Twenty-three years of research has led to a shocking discovery. New findings suggest American hero General Casimir Pulaski was actually biologically female. Wednesday night, Georgia Southern will screen a documentary based on that information, which was gathered by graduate students there. A team of Anthropologists came to this discovery by examining remains using state of the art DNA testing. The research began over two decades ago with a man named Chuck Powell. “When my dad told me he was going to retire the project I actually got really teary-eyed because I didn’t want to see him pass and not have an answer for this lifelong thing that he had been working on,” said Lisa Powell, his daughter and a graduate student at Georgia Southern.
University System News:
Inside Higher Ed
An appointed federal panel reaches consensus to loosen restrictions on accreditors and online learning. Some of those not on the panel see student protections shrinking.
By Andrew Kreighbaum
WASHINGTON — Trump administration officials opened champagne and shook hands with negotiators Wednesday after a lengthy rule-making process led to consensus on a broad array of changes to federal standards governing college accreditors and online education. Those changes will allow colleges to get faster approval for changes to their programs, facilitate quicker federal recognition of new accreditors and allow for more targeted, less comprehensive federal reviews of accreditors. And they would give accreditors discretion over when to take action against a college that is out of compliance with standards. Accreditors are the primary oversight bodies for college quality and act as the gatekeepers for federal student aid. But Education Department leaders said last year that too many burdens have been placed on accreditors at the expense of flexibility and innovation.
Inside Higher Ed
A growing number of colleges and employers are working together to better use labor-market data in postsecondary training. Two experts discuss what’s possible and what’s needed.
By Paul Fain
The tight labor market is helping prod employers and colleges to cooperate more closely to ensure that credentials pay off in the work force. And solid data on the labor market and student outcomes are key to this collaboration. Matt Gee works on these issues as a senior researcher at the University of Chicago and as the co-founder and CEO of BrightHive, a technology company focused on work-force data. So does Yuanxia Ding, a former Education Department official during the Obama administration who is chief impact officer for Skills Fund, which provides student loans and quality assurance for the boot camp sector. Inside Higher Ed sat down with Ding and Gee a few months ago to discuss developments with outcomes and labor-market data in higher education. Excerpts from the conversation, which have been edited for clarity, follow below.