University System News:
Albany Herald
Area legislators hear budget and other requests from Dougherty County officials
By Alan Mauldin
Local officials got to deliver their legislative wish lists on Monday during sessions with area lawmakers ahead of the January General Assembly session. State Reps. Winfred Dukes, CaMia Hopson and Gerald Greene, along with recently elected Bill Yearta, and State Sen. Freddie Powell Sims met with groups that included law enforcement representatives, Albany State University, and the Albany City and Dougherty County commissions. The group also met with Justin Strickland, president of the Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission, and Barbara Rivera Holmes, president and CEO of the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce. …Albany State University’s requests included pushing for an $800,000 appropriation for planning work for a health science and nursing simulator building. The Georgia Board of Regents has included the project in its recommendation of projects to Gov. Brian Kemp, A.L. Fleming, Albany State’s vice president for development and alumni relations, told the lawmakers. “Albany State University graduates more nursing students than any other institution in the state,” Fleming said.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
AJC On Campus: Agnes Scott & Emory get big gifts, UGA professor out
By Eric Stirgus
Several area colleges and universities spent the last week announcing partnerships with each other or with various organizations. The past week also contained some news about some desired splits; one proposal from the nation’s top education official and another by some Georgia State students. Here’s a breakdown of it all, and some other issues, in the latest installment of AJC On Campus. …Georgia State students want statue removed; UGA professor retires, blocked from parts of campus; The newest BFFs; Cory Booker’s HBCU plan; The commencement speakers; Carpool karaoke, Georgia Tech style
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
These Georgia cities ranked among ‘best college towns’
By Courtney Kueppers, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
New report puts Atlanta, Athens among best college towns in the country
Georgia is home to a number of boisterous college towns, and depending on one’s alma mater, there are some fierce opinions on which one is best. New rankings from the personal finance website WalletHub found that Georgia’s college towns and cities shape up pretty well when compared to others across the country. In the new report, Atlanta was ranked as the 16th best college town or city in the nation, and the 9th best among “large” cities. On the list of best small college cities, Athens came in at No. 19 and Statesboro at No. 24. Here’s the breakdown of Atlanta’s scoring:
Atlanta ranked as the 9th best large college city in the country and No. 16 overall …Other findings included:
Savannah was ranked the 58th best midsize college town
Savannah ranked No. 1 for “lowest cost of higher education”
Statesboro ranked No. 4 for highest share of rental units
For best small college towns, Valdosta was No. 120 and Albany was No. 140
Among midsize cities, Macon ranked 113th, Columbus ranked 123rd and Augusta ranked 148th
Cision
Intelligent.com Announces Best Master’s in Education Administration Degree Programs for 2020
Degree holders gain increased earning potential with career opportunities upon graduation from these top ranked institutions.
Intelligent.com, a trusted resource for online degree rankings and higher education planning, has announced the Top 50 Master’s in Education Administration Degree Programs for 2020. The comprehensive research guide is based on an assessment of 101 accredited colleges and universities in the nation. Each program is evaluated based on curriculum quality, graduation rate, reputation, and post-graduate employment. …2020 Master’s in Education Administration Degree Programs featured on Intelligent.com (in alphabetical order): Georgia Southern University
The Augusta Chronicle
New AU grad follows her father in intelligence field
By Tom Corwin
Kim Toler surprised her father by eschewing law school to go into security and intelligence, a field he had been in for 24 years in the Army. Kim will be the first to graduate from Augusta University’s Masters of Arts in Intelligence and Security Studies on Friday and is already lining up a job with the military. Eric Toler retired but is still working in the field as executive director of the Georgia Cyber Center. Kim Toler in her own way is going into the family business as she becomes the first to graduate from a new degree program at Augusta University. She will receive a Master of Arts in Intelligence and Security Studies during AU’s commencement ceremony on Friday. Her father, Eric, spent 24 years in the intelligence field, including a stint at National Security Agency Georgia at Fort Gordon and various Army intelligence services, before retiring to become executive director of Georgia Cyber Center. “For Kim to be the first graduate is pretty special,” he said. “I never thought she would go down this path but I am pleasantly surprised and very proud.”
WGAU
UGA student speaker gears up for graduation
By: Sara Freeland
Taylor Maggiore fell in love with University of Georgia football when she was 6. That Christmas, she received two American Girl dolls, and she didn’t know if her family had “won the lottery or robbed a bank to afford these prized possessions.” Santa, it seemed, had been extra generous because that year Georgia football had won the SEC Championship. And Maggiore’s grandparents owned downtown Athens Georgia fan shops. “Happy fans buy Georgia stuff, and mad fans don’t,” Maggiore said. And because good business meant more American Girl dolls, Maggiore started paying attention to football. Her grandpa, a 1968 UGA graduate, started explaining different routes, flags, flea flickers and other football rules and tricks of the trade during every football game they watched together. Now, Maggiore, who is this fall’s student Commencement speaker, is turning that love for football and sports into a career. On Dec. 30 she’ll start her job as a stage manager at ESPN, based out of Bristol, Connecticut.
Metro Atlanta CEO
Danielle Smith with Georgia Southern’s Parker School of Business, Real-World Learning
Danielle Smith, Director of Experiental Learning and Student Engagement at Georgia Southern’s Parker School of Business, discusses their goal to help students be prepared for life post-graduation and how they do that.
Albany Herald
Ashburn student receives Southwest Georgia Bank scholarship at ABAC
From staff reports
All financial institutions recognize great investment opportunities. That’s why Southwest Georgia Bank invested in a Gold Sponsorship at the 2019 An Evening for ABAC fundraising dinner at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. …An Evening for ABAC in 2020 is scheduled for Feb. 29. Sponsorship levels include ABAC 1908 Circle for $15,000, which sponsors six scholarships; Presidential for $10,000, which sponsors four scholarships; Titanium for $7,500, which sponsors three scholarships; Platinum for $5,000, which sponsors two scholarships, and Gold for $2,500, which sponsors one scholarship.
The Crisis Magazine
James Woodall Makes History as Youngest NAACP State Conference President
By Nedra Rhone
On a weekday evening in mid-fall, James “Major” Woodall is hard at work. Forget for the moment that Woodall, 25, became the youngest elected state conference president in the history of the NAACP when he was chosen to lead the Georgia State Conference in October. Right now he is a student studying for a church history exam as he finishes up his Master of Divinity degree from Morehouse School of Religion. It is all part of his divine purpose, he said. …Woodall began his studies at Georgia Southern University in 2013 where he first connected with the NAACP through a fundraiser. Within a year, he became president of the NAACP’s Georgia Southern Chapter.
WGXA
Gordon State students spend time with pups on campus for stress relief
by WGXA staff
Gordon State College put on a stress relief center on Monday for its students. It was set up outside Lambdin Green Hall on campus. Students were encouraged to stop by to have hot chocolate and spend time with dogs for some relaxation and stress relief.
Dalton Daily Citizen
Making sure students feel safe and loved: Gonzalez gives back by mentoring others
By Ryan Anderson
Miguel Gonzalez, a teacher at the Dalton Public Schools Newcomer Academy, has been recognized for mentoring others in the education field as the Northwest Georgia 2019 Mentor Teacher of the Year, an award presented by Georgia’s P-20 Collaborative. Gonzalez would never have reached such heights in his life or career without the unalloyed support of his parents, he said. “I am who I am because of them.” P-20 Collaboratives are partnerships between the Georgia Department of Education, Georgia Professional Standards Commission and the University System of Georgia, according to the state’s Department of Education. P-20 Collaboratives throughout the state focus on continuous school improvement and student learning through professional development for educators. …As a 2007 graduate of Dalton State College, he’s happy to give back to the college by assisting current education students who are seeking their EL (English Language) education endorsement by putting in hours at the Newcomer Academy.
Macon Telegraph
Here’s how to stay stress-free during the holidays, according to Middle Georgia experts
By Kimberly Cassel Pritchett
While the Christmas season is typically billed as the “happiest time of the year,” for some it can easily be one of the most stressful times of their lives. However, experts say that there are several ways to keep the stress at bay and your holiday season merry. According to Dr. James Collins, Ph.D. in biopsychology at Middle Georgia State University, a lot of the stress tends to come from the expectations people have.
Medium
The TellMyStory Challenge Fights Mental Health Stigma From The Bottom Up
Ryan Fan
“I lost teammates of mine. It not only affected me but an entire community, and I didn’t want that to happen again,” Eungjae “NJ” Kim said of his mission to start the TellMyStory Challenge. The TellMyStory Challenge is an ambitious online campaign that de-stigmatizes opening up about mental health journeys in an unconventional manner. Founded recently by NJ and Max Martinez, the campaign’s mental health mission seeks to have friends, family, and coworkers “provide evidence to other victims that they are not alone and this illness is much too prevalent,” according to its story. In particular, the campaign champions people who have lost loved ones to mental health struggles and people who are impacted by stigma surrounding seeking help for mental illness. …The TellMyStory Challenge is still in its beginning stages and finding its identity through content. Browsing through the Twitter page, student-athletes and coaches from universities across the country share their stories on how they deal with stress and manage their mental health, from universities like Johns Hopkins University, Emory University, Georgia Southwestern State University, Austin College, and George Washington University.
WGXA
‘Our students deserve better’: MGSU could cut ties with Sodexo amid failing dining score
by Nick Gibson
A Middle Georgia college that received a failing grade on its inspections for its dining facilities now has a new grade, but still some disappointed customers. Middle Georgia State University spokeswoman Nancy Stroud says she was shocked when dining facilities at the school’s Bleckley County campus received a failing score of 50 from state inspectors following Thanksgiving. “In June the score was a 98, so I was shocked. I was very upset, very disappointed. Our students deserve better than that,” Stroud says.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Both sides claim victory in KSU cheerleader lawsuit settlement
By Eric Stirgus
The representatives of a Kennesaw State University cheerleader who knelt during a football game two years ago to protest police misconduct and one of her chief critics are both claiming victory now that the state has negotiated a $145,000 settlement in her civil rights lawsuit. …Dean’s attorney, Randy Mayer, said Monday the agreement “has validated the rights of what she did. Protest is honored, as it should be.” One of the original lawsuit defendants, Earl Ehrhart, also declared victory, saying the claims against him were dismissed during the proceedings.
Albany Herald
Sigma Gamma Rho sorority establishes colony at ABAC
From staff reports
With the induction of four members, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority has colonized at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in hopes of being a chartered chapter during the spring semester. Sigma Gamma Rho is a social and service sorority established in 1922. The sorority has more than 85,000 members with chapters in the U.S., Canada, Bahamas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Germany and Korea. Its mission is “to enhance the quality of life for women and their families in the U.S. and globally through community service, civil and social action.” …“Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc., brings a diverse Greek experience to campus that focuses on maintaining a strong sisterhood, providing service to the wider community, and achieving academic excellence,” Daniels said.
Douglas Now
SGSC AND OSGA Partner To Hire Athletic Trainer
In a joint community effort to ensure South Georgia State College (SGSC) student-athletes have access to quality care, Orthopedic Surgeons of Georgia (OSGA) has hired certified athletic trainer, Shelby Davis. Davis will be responsible for the day to day athletic training for all SGSC athletes and will remain on the SGSC campus full-time interacting with the student-athletes and working with the SGSC coaches. SGSC is required to have a certified medical professional who attends all on-campus sporting events. Davis will fill this role on both the Douglas and Waycross campus as well as offer additional sports training services to all athletes on campus.
Savannah CEO
Leadership Southeast Georgia Announces 2020 Board of Directors
Staff Report
Leadership Southeast Georgia (LSEGA), an innovative leadership program serving a 10-county area of southeast Georgia, has announced its Board of Directors. Brynn Grant now chairs the board, assuming the role filled previously by Lee Beckmann of the Georgia Ports Authority. …Additional board members are:: Kendria Lee, Georgia Southern University
WGAU
By: Tim Bryant
Valentine Nzengung, a professor of environmental geochemistry in the Department of Geology in the University of Georgia’s Franklin College, has been named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. Nzengung becomes eighth UGA faculty member to receive the honor, all of them since 2013. Nzengung is the founder and CEO of MuniRem Environmental, which provides remediation products and services for soils and physical sites that have been contaminated by residues from munitions and also for the neutralization and destruction of explosives in support of demilitarization. He has developed multiple sustainable remediation technologies that MuniRem employs in its services.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
UGA professor retires after sexual misconduct investigation
By Eric Stirgus
A longtime University of Georgia math professor barred from the Athens campus earlier this year as officials investigated sexual misconduct complaints against him has retired, his attorney said. William Kazez’s employment at the university ended on Dec. 1, according to the attorney, Janet E. Hill, and UGA spokesman Greg Trevor. Kazez taught at UGA for about three decades.
See also:
The Chronicle of Higher Education
Professor Accused of Sexual Misconduct Retires and Is Barred From Some Campus Buildings
WRDW
Spike in crime at AU campus sparks new cameras in parking lots
By Tradesha Woodard
There’s been a spike in crime at the Augusta University campus. Last year, between October and December, there were 30 thefts. This year, that number jumped to 36 and there’s still three weeks left in the year. “You will see criminals go through the parking lot and checking doors to see if they open, you know, looking inside to see what they can see,” Jim Lyon, Augusta University’s Chief of Public and Safety, said. Lyon says most of the property crimes happen in the parking lots. They decided to add more cameras, starting with the parking lots on along Chafee Avenue as it’s a typical hot spot for thieves.
Middle Georgia CEO
MGA Partners with Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex To Open Center for Software Innovation
Middle Georgia State University (MGA), in partnership with Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex (WR-ALC) at Robins Air Force Base, is launching a Center for Software Innovation, designed to identify software development projects that will elevate regional companies, nonprofits, startups, and other organizations. MGA and WR-ALC leaders, along with special guests, formally opened the Center at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the University’s Warner Robins Campus on Thursday, Dec. 5. Thomas Hall on the Warner Robins Campus will serve as the Center’s base of operations. MGA President Dr. Christopher Blake and WR-ALC Commander Brigadier General John C. Kubinec signed a partnership agreement during the ceremony. The launch represents the first phase of the project. MGA and its partners will expand the Center over time.
41NBC
City Of Warner Robins Want To Increase Tourism Within City, Houston County
By Jatrissa Wooten
According to the United States Census Bureau, nearly 75,000 people live in Warner Robins. Nearly 17,000 residents live in Perry. Over 150,000 people live in Houston County combined. From the mid ‘90s until this year, the county has been on a steady increase. This includes more development, more jobs, and more people. …Stephen Morse, Dean of the school of business at Middle Georgia State University, shares that tourism within Houston County brought in well over $1 million. “It’s reported some $248 million,” said Morse.
JOBS AND TAXES
Tourism also created close to 3,500 jobs. “Those visitors that come here generate some $51 million in payroll for the people working in the travel and tourism industry,” says Morse. “That includes gasoline, transportation, restaurants and hotels.” Morse also says when people spend money traveling to Houston County, they spend money on local and state taxes.
The Post and Courier
How USC, SC cities near Fort Gordon, Ga. could benefit from Army’s new cyber command center
By Jessica Holdman
COLUMBIA — As he lays out his ambitious vision for attracting $50 million more annually in federal research dollars, University of South Carolina President Bob Caslen describes a cyber corridor stretching from the Army’s cybersecurity headquarters near Augusta, Ga., to the USC campus in Columbia. One stop along the way could include USC Aiken, 30 miles away from Fort Gordon, the Army base across the border where he says soldiers could obtain educational degrees and training. It’s also where South Carolina’s adjutant general has requested state funding for a $30 million cyber command headquarters for the National Guard. Another 50 miles east is USC’s main campus, where Caslen says faculty would conduct cyber research for both the Guard and the Department of Defense. Also in the capital city, he sees a state cyber institute mirroring one built in Georgia that would develop security measures to protect the state’s critical and vulnerable cyber infrastructure.
The Daily Iowan
Attending college has consistent long-term benefits, UI researchers say
University of Iowa Professor Nicholas Bowman teamed up with researchers across the country to examine the benefits of a college degree after graduation.
Eleanor Hildebrandt, News Reporter
Higher education outcomes in the lives of students, past and present, are constantly in question — especially in regard to financial burden. A University of Iowa researcher teamed up with three other institutions this fall to discover the psychological benefits of earning a degree. UI Professor of Higher Education and Student Affairs, Nicholas Bowman, was the lead researcher on the paper, entitled “The Post-Collegiate Influence of Undergraduate Experiences: Intellectual, Civic, and Psychological Outcomes.” Bowman said the study centered on the long-term return on investment in a nonfinancial means, a topic that he said isn’t the subject of much higher-education research. …In an email to The Daily Iowan, Associate Professor at the University of Georgia Institute of Higher Education Gregory Wolniak said the research discovered an increase in intellectual development, civic development, and college satisfaction in both the short and long term.
News. Yahoo
Regular exercise could improve the cardiovascular health of overweight kids
New US research has found that regular physical activity could help boost the cardiovascular health of children who were previously inactive. Carried out by researchers at Augusta University and the University of Georgia, the new study looked at 175 boys and girls aged eight to 11. Three quarters of the children had obesity, a majority had prediabetes (where their glucose levels were already higher than normal, which is a major risk factor for diabetes), three percent were prehypertensive and 5 percent were already hypertensive.
Business Wire
Amphivena Reports Data on Phase 1 Study of AMV564 at Ash Annual Meeting
Early evidence of clinical activity and robust safety findings highlighted
Amphivena Therapeutics, Inc., a private clinical stage immuno-oncology company developing T cell engager therapeutics for cancer, presented today at the American Society of Hematology annual meeting data from a Phase 1 study of its bivalent T cell engager clinical candidate, AMV564. In an oral presentation, Dr. Jorge E. Cortes, of the Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, said that the data provide early evidence of safety and clinical activity with evidence of T cell activation, increases in bone marrow T cells, and anti-leukemic blast activity. Of the 38 patients for whom response data was reported, five had Complete or Partial Responses as defined by the European LeukemiaNet (ELN) criteria.
Cision
ulrich medical USA® Gains Momentum™ in the U.S. Spine Implant Market
Demonstrates Continued Innovation with Market Entry of New Flagship Rod-Screw System
ulrich medical USA, Inc., a medical device company focused on developing and commercializing musculoskeletal implant technologies in the United States, announced today the commercial release of its inaugural rod-screw system which was developed in St. Louis, Missouri. The Momentum Posterior Spinal Fixation System is the newest addition to ulrich medical USA’s growing portfolio of industry-leading spine surgery solutions. The Momentum System addresses a comprehensive list of surgical reconstruction needs and includes polyaxial, reduction, and iliac screws. …The first implantation using this system was performed in Augusta, Georgia on November 21, 2019 by John DeVine, M.D., Professor and Chief of Spine Surgery in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University. Following his initial procedure with Momentum, Dr. DeVine said, “Momentum offers the product features that I look for in a comprehensive rod-screw system. It also delivers robust fixation for my patients and an intelligent design for users that respects surgeon time in the OR.”
GPB
Black Gill In Shrimp Linked To Climate Change
By Emily Jones
Researchers on the Georgia coast now believe the rise of black gill disease in the state’s shrimp may be linked to climate change. The condition is tied to warmer water temperatures. Scientists at the University of Georgia Skidaway Institute of Oceanography have found that since the rise of black gill in the 1990s, warmer winters have correlated with smaller shrimp harvests. That represents a change from the past, when small harvests came after colder winters. Institute professor Marc Frischer said knowing this will help shrimpers better plan each season, as well as for the long term.
Higher Education News:
Inside Higher Ed
Completion Rates Rising, Slowly
The latest report from the National Student Clearinghouse finds completion rates still rising across all sectors in higher education, but with a slowing pace.
By Madeline St. Amour
The upward trajectory of college completion rates is slowing down, according to the latest national college completion report. The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center found in its latest annual data report on college completion that, while completion rates have been on the rise for each cohort year beginning with the group who entered college in 2009, the growth is slowing. While that’s troubling, higher education advocates say the general message is positive. “To me, the important part of this is the direction that we’re moving,” said Terry Hartle, senior vice president of government and public affairs for the American Council on Education. It’s possible institutions made significant progress in the first few years by choosing “the lowest-hanging fruits,” he said, and further progress will be more difficult to achieve.
Inside Higher Ed
Woman Charged With Paying Someone to Take Online Classes for Her Son
By Scott Jaschik
Karen Littlefair, a California woman, has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to charges that she paid someone to take online courses for her son, and to transfer the credits to Georgetown University, where he was a student. Littlefair paid the money to Rick Singer, the mastermind of the college admissions scandal, but her son was already enrolled at Georgetown. For the $9,000 she paid, her son received credit for four courses. He graduated from Georgetown last year. Littlefair agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The government will recommend a sentence of four months behind bars.