University System News:
The Brunswick News
College hosts formal investiture for sixth president
By LAUREN MCDONALD
Investiture is counted among the oldest traditions in academia. College of Coastal Georgia took part in this long-valued ceremony Friday, bringing together representatives from across the University System of Georgia, along with local community supporters, to formally invest in its sixth president, Michelle Johnston. Longtime supporter of the college and former USG board of regents member Jim Bishop called the event a “legacy moment in the history of the College of Coastal Georgia.”
Douglas Now
SGSC TO OFFER BACHELOR’S IN PROFESSIONAL, BUSINESS, AND TECHNICAL WRITING
Beginning in spring semester 2020, South Georgia State College (SGSC) will launch the new Bachelor of Arts in Professional, Business, and Technical Writing. This is an interdisciplinary program that will provide students with critical knowledge and skills focusing on professional business and technical writing, building on English and other existing courses from SGSC’s current bachelor’s degree in management. The need for workforce expertise in technical writing for business and industry is based on projections data for national and state employment of entry-level and managerial occupations. These occupations relate to technical writing in fields that include but are not limited to technical writing, marketing, public relations, fundraising, media communications (including electronic media) and research analysis.
WGAU Radio
UGA medical partnership expanding
By: Mary Kathryn Rogers
The Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership located in Athens is advancing plans to expand its class size from 40 students currently to 60 students in 2021 as part of a broader strategy to address Georgia’s critical shortage of physicians. “As the state’s only public medical school, it is our duty to lead the way in addressing the state’s health care needs,” says Dr. David Hess, MCG dean. “Expanding the class size at the partnership campus in Athens and soon at the main campus in Augusta is one way we are working to ensure Georgia has not only enough doctors to face its growing shortage of physicians, but a healthy economy as well.” To accommodate the larger class size in Athens, Russell Hall on UGA’s Health Sciences Campus underwent a $3 million renovation this past summer.
accessWDUN
University of North Georgia faculty, non-profit gets at-risk kids involved in scientific testing
By Alyson Shields, Reporter
Two University of North Georgia professors have been working with Super Science Kids and students in Cumming and Atlanta to get kids interested in science through bugs. The project gets Dr. Evan Lampert and Dr. Davison Sangweme in touch with at-risk youth through science with the help of Super Science Kids. But, after the children learned about and then captured insects, the professors and two UNG students later took the mosquitoes, beetles and wasps they found to a lab to be tested for Wolbachia.
WGAU Radio
UGA Engineering student wins prestigious award
By: Tim Bryant
Yang Liu, a doctoral student in the University of Georgia’s College of Engineering, has been awarded a Fellowship by the National Institutes of Health. Liu is the first University engineering student to receive the award. He began his doctoral work at UGA three years ago.
Tifton Gazette
Innovation lab welcomes international partners to annual Georgia Peanut Tour
By Allison Floyd CAES News
The Peanut Innovation Lab bookended the annual Georgia Peanut Tour, the third week in September, with two more days of activities this year, giving two international groups an even deeper dive into peanut production in the state. Held over three days in southern Georgia, the Georgia Peanut Tour takes over 200 people on a guided exploration of peanut production and processing, showing them how peanuts are planted, dug, dried and stored in Georgia. Each year, the tour also makes stops at research facilities and agri-businesses that play a role in peanut production, like input distributors, testing labs and equipment manufacturers.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
THE LATEST: Georgia Southern students burn speaker’s book after lecture
By Eric Stirgus
Some Georgia Southern University students reportedly burned copies of a guest speaker’s book after her lecture at the university Wednesday evening, prompting accusations of racism on social media. The speaker, Jennine Capó Crucet, who is Latina, said she used her appearance to address white privilege but some objected to her remarks during the question-and-answer part of the lecture, according to the George-Anne newspaper. “I came here because I was invited and I talked about white privilege because it’s a real thing that you are actually benefiting from right now in even asking this question,” the newspaper quoted Crucet saying in response to a someone critical of her remarks on the subject. Hours later, video of the author’s book burning was posted on Twitter.
The George-Anne
Students burn author’s book outside of Eagle Village
By McClain Baxley and Sarah Smith
Students at Georgia Southern University burned a book, written by a New York Times contributor, after a Q&A session at her lecture became heated. Jennine Capó Crucet is a Latina author, associate professor at the University of Nebraska and graduate of Cornell University. Her novel “Make Your Home Among Strangers” was used as required reading in some FYE classes. The book follows a Hispanic girl, inspired by herself, who is accepted into a prestigious university and struggles in her new predominantly white atmosphere. Crucet spoke at the Performing Arts Center Wednesday night and after she talked about the book, followed by some personal anecdotes, she opened the audience up to questions. …Later that night, a video of students standing around a fire was posted on Twitter. Carlin Blalock, a freshman music education major, walked outside of her dorm with her roommate to a crowd gathered around a fire in a grill next to the clubhouse of Eagle Village, on-campus housing. “It makes me feel like we are being represented really badly. It makes me feel like these people make us look as a school and even as a freshman class really ignorant and racist,” Blalock said. “Just seeing it happen, I know they didn’t read the book or they didn’t care. It’s so disrespectful to even think about doing anything to that book because that’s her life story. I wish I could have been there to do something about it.”
See also:
USA Today
A professor spoke about whiteness at Georgia Southern University. Students burned her book.
The George-Anne
Writing and linguistics department makes statement on FYE book
By McClain Baxley
The Georgia Southern University writing and linguistic department released a statement defending author Jennine Capó Crucet who spoke on GS’ campus Wednesday. After a lecture on her novel “Make Your Home Among Strangers” ended with an exchange on white privilege, a video began circulating of GS students burning the book. Thursday afternoon, Russell Willerton, Ph.D, Department Chair of Writing and Linguistics, released a statement on Facebook.
The statement can be read here:
The Department of Writing and Linguistics at Georgia Southern University is dismayed and disappointed by the uproar against author Jennine Capó Crucet, who visited Statesboro last night. Her book, Make Your Home Among Strangers, depicts a young Latina woman’s challenges in navigating the world of higher education at a majority-white, selective college. The barriers that minority students face at majority-white colleges and universities are well documented.
Inside Higher Ed
Georgia Southern Defends Book Burning as Student Right
Students offended by an author’s talk on white privilege burned her book, prompting a debate about how they chose to voice their freedom of expression.
By Greta Anderson
Georgia Southern University defended its students’ rights to burn a university-required book on Friday, following the circulation of a video of freshmen standing around several burning copies of a novel by an author they found offensive. The novel, Make Your Home Among Strangers, is by Jennine Capó Crucet, an English professor at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, who came to the Statesboro, Ga., campus last Wednesday to read “Imagine Me Here, or How I Became a Professor,” an essay included in the novel, according to a statement from Crucet. Make Your Home Among Strangers was selected among a list of recommended readings for freshmen as part of Georgia Southern’s first-year experience program.
The George-Anne
SGA to host an open forum surrounding book burning incident
By Sarah Smith
Georgia Southern University’s Student Government Association will host an open forum on Wednesday, Oct. 16 in the Russell Union Ballroom. President Kyle Marrero will be present at the open forum, which was created in light of events on campus this past week.
The George-Anne
President Marrero addresses book burning in email
By McClain Baxley
President Kyle Marrero sent an email to all Georgia Southern University faculty members Friday afternoon to address the FYE book burning incident from Wednesday night. The email was later sent to GS students. “I know many of you are concerned and disappointed about the incidents that have been reported over the past two days following a visiting professor’s talk on our Statesboro campus,” Marrero said in the email. “From what we have been able to determine, the night’s events were another example of freedom of expression and a continuing debate of differing ideas, which are tenets of our ongoing efforts to align with our values and initiatives encompassing inclusive excellence. Specific to the reported events of that evening, while it’s within the students’ First Amendment rights, book burning does not align with Georgia Southern’s values nor does it encourage the civil discourse and debate of ideas.”
Savannah Morning News
By Asha Gilbert
An author scheduled to speak at Georgia Southern’s Armstrong campus on Thursday canceled her scheduled event after an incident during her Wednesday appearance at the university’s Statesboro campus that resulted in several people who appeared to be students being videoed burning her book following the lecture.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Southern incident: Do students go to college to read books or burn them?
Students angered over white privilege comments by visiting author torch her book and inflame the Statesboro campus
Get Schooled wit Maureen Downey
A group of white students at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro burned a book Wednesday night by a visiting Latina author and then assailed her on social media, igniting a firestorm that shows no sign of dying down. The burning of “Make Your Home Among Strangers” is offensive and indefensible. It’s also inexplicable given that Jennine Capó Crucet’s acclaimed 2015 novel about a first generation Cuban-American finding her place on a predominantly white campus offers universal themes that should resonate with students. Instead, during Crucet’s appearance on campus, a student criticized the author over her comments on white privilege and asked why she was even at Georgia Southern. A freshman later recorded a group gleefully burning Crucet’s book in a campus grill. You can see the video here on AJC.com. I’m puzzled why the student attacked Crucet, an associate professor at the University of Nebraska, for coming to Georgia Southern since the university invited her. Crucet’s book is used in the college’s First Year Experience program designed to acclimate freshmen to the community.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
How Far Do Colleges Go to Reach Exclusively Online Students?
The Chronicle List October 13, 2019
Although some public institutions drew more than half of their exclusively distance-education students from out of state and perhaps even out of the country, over all, 85 percent of the students who studied at public institutions exclusively online lived in the same state or jurisdiction as the college in which they were enrolled. Private nonprofit institutions, over all, went farther afield to enroll students. Several, including Brigham Young University-Idaho and the University of New England, had more than 90 percent of their exclusively distance-education students living out of state. Click on the plus sign at the beginning of each row to see more data. Rank 1. Georgia Institute of Technology
The Gainesville Times
The Hub is under construction at Gainesville High. Here’s what it is and who it will help
Kelsey Podo
A highly anticipated one-stop resource center is quickly becoming a reality at Gainesville High School. Walking through the newly constructed rooms and hallways of The Hub, it’s not hard to imagine it buzzing with activity — students picking up clothing or food if they’re in need, seeking counseling services or just meeting up with other students to collaborate on schoolwork. Plans for The Hub, as it has since been named, were announced in March as officials expanded the school systems “wraparound” services initiative into a full-fledged student success center. The Hub, which will be located in the former media center, will connect students with academic mentors; behavioral and mental health support; college and career activities; and assist with providing basic needs through additions like a food pantry and clothing closet. The Hub’s director, Tonya Sanders, said the next step includes breathing life into the center with painted walls, furniture and technology. …Sanders said the University of North Georgia’s education students have taken the lead collecting clothing donations. For job fairs, she said the boutique will turn into a space with professional attire for parents who need job-appropriate clothing. Sanders said The Hub’s biggest community partners include United Way, Avita, the University of North Georgia’s College of Education, Boys & Girls Clubs of Lanier, Georgia Mountain Food Bank, Center Point and The Junior League.
Savannah Morning News
Bowlapalooza fundraiser scores over $112K to support Savannah AMBUCS programs
By Nick Robertson
Every lane of Savannah’s biggest bowling alley was buzzing with pep-filled players during Saturday’s Bowlapalooza extravaganza, a yearly fundraiser supporting the AMBUCS organization’s efforts to provide locals with ‘different abilities’ the opportunity to enjoy fun group activities, earn college scholarships, and receive customized tricycles. This eighth-annual Bowlapalooza paired AMBUCS bowling-league participants with Savannah celebrities and sponsors to draw over $112,000 in donations, according to event organizer Kevin Sheehan. These funds allow AMBUCS to host cost-free bowling sessions at AMF Savannah Lanes for area residents with different mental and physical abilities, held every Saturday morning from early autumn through late spring since 1965. …Students from St. Vincent’s Academy, Calvary Day School, and Benedictine Military School also joined the fun by sponsoring teams and playing at Bowlapalooza, while AMBUCS bowlers were assisted by volunteers studying physical therapy at Georgia Southern University or training to be physician assistants at South University.
Griffin Daily News
Ray Lightner/Daily News
Spalding County Commissioner Gwen Flowers-Taylor was presented specialty track certification in lifelong learning academy by the University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government in cooperation with the Association County Commissioners of Georgia.
Savannah Morning News
Savannah economy shifts sideways in Q2
By Katie Nussbaum
The second quarter of 2019 brought a sideways shift for the Savannah metro economy, with the economy contracting at a rate of -0.1%, according to the latest Coastal Empire Economic Monitor. The Monitor is a publication of the Center for Business Analytics and Economic Research under the direction of Michael Toma at Georgia Southern University’s Armstrong Campus.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gwinnett solicitor hosting record expungement event
By Tyler Estep
The Gwinnett County Solicitor’s Office will host a “restriction summit” next week, giving residents with certain types of misdemeanor criminal records the chance to start fresh. Those interested in participating in the Oct. 19 event must submit applications beforehand. Forms can be submitted here and must be provided to the solicitor’s office — located in the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, 75 Langley Drive in Lawrenceville — by Oct. 12.Record restriction means that certain records are hidden from public view; they are still available to law enforcement. …The summit will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 19, in Student Union Building E at Georgia Gwinnett College. The college is located at 1000 University Parkway in Lawrenceville.
Statesboro Herald
Savannah man charged in 2018 Georgia Southern rape
Georgia Southern University police arrested a Savannah man Monday, charging him in a rape which reportedly took place a year earlier.
Higher Education News:
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Report Reveals Department of Education Ignored Warnings About Public Service Loan Forgiveness
by Sara Weissman
A new report by the House Committee on Education and Labor shows that the Department of Education disregarded signs that Public Service Loan Forgiveness wasn’t being implemented properly. The report – “Broken Promises: How the Department of Education Failed Its Public Servants” – reveals internal audits in 2016 and 2017 that raised concerns about FedLoan, the single servicer contracted to implement the program. Borrowers have complained about misinformation, miscounted qualifying payments and unclear qualifications for verified employers.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
To Protect Free Speech, U. of Wisconsin Is Poised to Double Down on Punishing Disruptive Protesters
By Sarah Brown.
The University of Wisconsin could soon impose mandatory punishments for students who disrupt speakers or prevent other people from exercising their free-speech rights — a step further than most states and colleges have taken in their efforts to protect expression on campuses. The Wisconsin system’s Board of Regents is expected on Friday to formally approve the punishments, which would require suspension if a student was twice found to have “materially and substantially disrupted the free expression of others.” Three such incidents would result in expulsion.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
Stanford’s New Policy for Student Mental-Health Crises Is Hailed as a Model
By Alexander C. Kafka
Students are regularly urged to reach out for help if they are suffering from anxiety or depression, thinking about suicide, or struggling with other mental illness. But when they did that at Stanford University, according to a class-action lawsuit brought last year, they were often coerced into taking involuntary leaves, or leaves that were “voluntary” in name only — even banned from the campus without being allowed to collect their belongings from their dorms. The university agrees to a settlement with students who say they were forced to take involuntary leaves of absence when they sought help for mental-health crises.
A settlement of the suit this week is being hailed as a landmark. Legal and medical specialists as well as mental-health advocacy groups say that Stanford’s new leave policies, which will take effect on January 4, are a model of student-centered, compassionate, detailed, and transparent practices.
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Study Finds College Students Build Friendships that Bridge Divides
by Lois Elfman
A new study finds that college students who build diverse friendships are likely to develop positive attitudes towards all world views. The most recent findings from the Interfaith Diversity Experiences and Attitudes Longitudinal Survey (IDEALS) explore how close friendships with people who come from different religious backgrounds, political ideologies and guiding perspectives can impact interfaith development and attitudes. In the report “Friendships Matter: The Role of Peer Relationships in Interfaith Learning and Development,” researchers found that gaining an interworldview friendship can potentially double the percentage of first-year college students who highly appreciate the worldview of a new friend. Researchers also discovered a long-term positive impact in which students with interworldview friends can develop positive attitudes towards others with all worldviews.