University System News:
Clayton News-Daily
Clayton State University announces 2019 commencement speakers
From Staff Reports
A local entrepreneur and district attorney are slated to speak to students at Clayton State University’s fall 2019 commencement ceremonies on Dec. 6 and 7. President and CEO of Atlanta-based Chime Solutions Inc. Mark A. Wilson will speak to graduates in the College of Health, College of Business and College of Information and Mathematical Sciences at 9 a.m. on Dec. 7. …Tasha Mosley, district attorney for the Clayton County Judicial District, is scheduled to speak to students in the College of Arts and Sciences at noon on Dec. 7. …Dr. Peter Fitzpatrick, retired Clayton State University professor and former head of the department of health care management, will speak to students at the graduate ceremony at 6 p.m. on Dec. 6.
Columbus CEO
Olympic Gold Medalist to Speak at CSU’s 2020 Girls In The Game
Staff Report
Two-time Olympic softball pitcher and gold medalist Jennie Finch is coming to Columbus. Columbus State University announced today that Finch will be the keynote speaker at CSU Athletics’ 5th Annual Girls In The Game Luncheon, scheduled for March 26, 2020, at CSU’s Frank G. Lumpkin Center. Following the luncheon, Finch will host a youth softball clinic at Cougar Field. Launched in 2015, the mission of Girls in The Game is to advance and support Columbus State University’s female student-athletes allowing them to reach their full potential academically and athletically, while empowering them to become leaders in life. The Girls In The Game Luncheon brings together those who are passionate about supporting sports programs for female student-athletes.
Tifton CEO
David Bridges of ABAC, The Georgia Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation
David Bridges, President of ABAC, discusses the Center’s recent year and all the accomplishments they have achieved so far.
Savannah CEO
Savannah Chamber’s 2020 Legislative Agenda Released at Annual Eggs & Issues Breakfast
Staff Report
December 4–The Savannah Area Chamber held its annual Eggs & Issues Legislative Breakfast at the Marriott Riverfront Savannah this morning, featuring members of the Chatham County legislative delegation as honored guests. Members of the delegation discussed issues currently being discussed in Atlanta and gave local constituents opportunities to have their voices heard.
2020 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
Support Georgia Southern University’s two Board of Regents approved capital requests totaling $7.5M to convert existing under-utilized space into Student Success and Mentoring Centers at the Armstrong ($4.5M) and Statesboro ($3M) campuses.
Support Savannah State University’s Board of Regents approved request to improve campus security and implement campus-wide utility infrastructure improvements ($4M)
2020 KEY PRO-BUSINESS POLICIES & POSITIONS
Advocate for legislation, initiatives and funding to support registered and certified training programs such as Apprenticeships, Move On When Ready, Georgia College & Career Academies and other efforts that prepare students for future careers while providing a skilled workforce for the region’s current and future employers.
The Citizens
Covington students selected as ABAC Ambassadors
From staff reports
Jarrett Mobley, a senior agricultural communication major and Ava Jane Teasely, a freshman agricultural communication major both from Covington have been selected to participate in one of the most prestigious organizations on the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College campus, the ABAC Ambassadors. Through a process involving application, letters of recommendation and interviews, college administrators choose students whom they believe to be motivated and who show leadership potential to serve as Ambassadors.
The Gainesville Times
How these dogs helped lower UNG students’ stress levels
Kelsey Podo
Blue, a massive great Pyrenees dog, walked a couple of steps and flopped down at the University of North Georgia Gainesville campus’s student center on Wednesday, Dec. 4. Within seconds, a group of students swarmed around him, giving him praise and belly rubs.
Albany Herald
Albany State student among three found dead at Rockdale County residence
By Alan Mauldin
An Albany State University student was one of three people whose bodies were found on Monday in a Conyers home. The Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office identified the three as Joshua Baker, Michael Curry, 50, and 25-year-old Jaydah Curry. Baker, 19, was a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, Albany State officials said in a statement sent to students. The university was informed on Tuesday of Baker’s death by a family member.
Savannah CEO
Staff Report
On Nov. 7 and 8, Georgia Southern University Parking and Transportation Services collected more than 6,000 pounds of canned and boxed goods for on-campus food banks while dismissing $20,000 in parking citations during its Food for Fines event. …The items collected were donated to on-campus food banks such as the Captain’s Cupboard Food Pantry, an emergency food program extended to Georgia Southern students, faculty and staff on the Armstrong Campus.
Savannah Morning News
Actress, singer Regina Belle to celebrate caregivers, observe World AIDS Day
Academy Award-winning and multi-Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and actress Regina Belle will be at the GSU Armstrong campus to celebrate family caregivers and observe World AIDS Day, according to a release from AARP Georgia.
WGAU
Faculty committee to work with UGA’s Innovation District
By: Aaron Hale
21 faculty members across UGA’s schools and colleges met to discuss the development of UGA’s Innovation District on Dec. 3 in the Peabody Board Room of the Administration Building. The Innovation District Faculty Advisory Council will meet throughout the year to provide input on the Innovation District initiative, with particular focus on programming, resources and support for research commercialization and university-industry engagement.
Middle Georgia CEO
MGA Professor Appointed Research Fellow at University of Cambridge Business School
Dr. Simone T.A. Phipps, associate professor of management at Middle Georgia State University (MGA), has been appointed a research fellow at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School in England. Phipps will spend a week, to be scheduled in 2020, as a research fellow at the school. During that time she will give guest lectures and participate in panel discussions; record a podcast or other type of interview for course promotion and teaching purposes; attend classes with students and support group work activities; and interact with students at evening meals. Phipps teaches organizational behavior, entrepreneurship, principles of management, strategic management, human resources management, and leadership at MGA.
NBC News
Stephanie Ruhle: Join me in telling the untold stories of caregivers
Millions of Americans are called upon to care for their loved ones. How do we care for the caregivers? Stephanie Ruhle wants to hear — and tell — your untold stories.
By Stephanie Ruhle
Caregivers fill a lot of roles. Friend, lover, dresser, therapist, financial consultant, medical assistant and more. As my friend Maria Shriver said, “At some point in our lives, all of us will need to be cared for. All of us will also be presented with a chance to step up and care for another.” But most of us aren’t trained to be caregivers and the stresses of the job are many. Tack on the holiday season and the responsibilities multiply. I think about my own mom who devoted so much of her life caring for her children — and then, just as she was stepping into the light to focus on her own hopes and dreams, she became the caregiver to her aging parents. No one asked my mother if she wanted to do it. I don’t recall her raising her hand for the all-consuming task. It was just assumed that she’d fill the role as the only daughter in the family. Rosalynn Carter, former First Lady and founder of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving, described the job of a caregiver in a recent Op-Ed this way:
Cision
Intelligent.com Announces Best Most Affordable Online BCBA 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 48 Most Affordable Online BCBA Degree Programs for 2020. The comprehensive research guide is based on an assessment of 82 accredited colleges and universities in the nation. Each program is evaluated based on curriculum quality, graduation rate, reputation, and post-graduate employment. The 2020 rankings are calculated through a unique scoring system which includes student engagement, potential return on investment and leading third party evaluations. Intelligent.com analyzed 82 schools, on a scale of 0 to 100, with only 48 making it to the final list. The methodology also uses an algorithm which collects and analyzes multiple rankings into one score to easily compare each university. …2020 Most Affordable Online BCBA Degree Programs featured on Intelligent.com (in alphabetical order): Georgia Southern University
Cision
Intelligent.com Announces Top Respiratory Therapy Degree Programs for 2020
Degree holders gain increased earning potential with career opportunities upon graduating from these top ranked institutions.
…2020 Respiratory Therapy Degree Programs featured on Intelligent.com (in alphabetical order): Dalton State College; Georgia Southern University
Cision
Intelligent.com Announces Best Master’s in Computer Science Degree Programs for 2020
Degree holders gain increased earning potential with career opportunities upon graduation from these top ranked institutions.
2020 Master’s in Computer Science Degree Programs featured on Intelligent.com (in alphabetical order): Georgia Institute of Technology; Georgia Southern University; Georgia Southwestern State University; University of West Georgia
Cision
Intelligent.com Announces Best Master’s in Accounting Degree Programs for 2020
Degree holders gain increased earning potential with career opportunities upon graduation from these top ranked institutions.
…2020 Master’s in Accounting Degree Programs featured on Intelligent.com (in alphabetical order): Georgia Southern University
The Augusta Chronicle
AU and SRNL formalize working relationship
By Tom Corwin
The Augusta University School of Computer and Cyber Sciences and Savannah River National Laboratory will sign a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on future research projects Thursday at Georgia Cyber Center. A growing collaboration on cybersecurity and other pressing issues took on a more formal relationship Thursday as Augusta University and Savannah River National Laboratory signed a memorandum of understanding. The agreement between the AU School of Computer and Cyber Sciences and the national lab codifies a collaboration that actually began informally between their directors a year ago when they met at the grand opening of the Georgia Cyber Center, where the MOU was signed in the lobby of the Shaffer MacCartney Building. It is also the second collaboration agreement the AU school has signed this year after cementing its relationship Monday with Clark Atlanta University.
41NBC
NEW CENTER FOR SOFTWARE INNOVATION NOW OPEN IN WARNER ROBINS
By Rashaad Vann
The Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex and Middle Georgia State University are launching a center for software innovation. Elected officials and community leaders held a ribbon-cutting for the new software center at MGA’s Warner Robins campus. Professor of Information Technology John Girard says they expect students, faculty, and others to use the center in hopes it will benefit businesses and nonprofits. With the new software innovation center, participants will collaborate on software solutions through education and special training courses to address specific challenges.
WGAU
UGA gets federal funding for new buses
By: Tim Bryant
The University of Georgia gets a federal grant: UGA says $7.4 million from the Federal Transit Administration will be used to buy 13 new electric buses.
How Stuff Works
Bald Eagles Aren’t Really Bald, Plus 6 Other Facts
By Patty Rasmussen
Let’s face it: If you’re a young nation selecting a national bird, choosing the bald eagle is like being People magazine and choosing the bird version of their sexiest man alive. It’s got the unforgettable profile. The steely-eyed gaze. The dramatic white and brown coloring and awesome wingspan. At least that’s probably what members of Congress thought in 1789 when the bald eagle was chosen to represent the fledgling nation. (Heh. Fledgling. Didja see what I did there?) To get the scoop on our national bird, we talked to Scott Courdin, wildlife curator at the Center for Wildlife Education and the Lamar Q. Ball, Jr. Raptor Center at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia. Courdin is an expert falconer, along with managing the center’s menagerie, which includes two bald eagles. Here are seven interesting facts you should know about this special species:
The Bell Ringer
New Alpha Chi Omega chapter installed on campus
By Codi Kimball | Contributor
Leaders and members of Alpha Chi Omega gathered at Augusta University to welcome the new Lambda Xi chapter of the sorority on campus Sunday Nov. 17. National President Angela Costley Harris and Chief Executive Officer Katie Gaffin were present at this event to welcome the new Lambda Xi chapter of Alpha Chi Omega. To have both the national president and chief executive officer in the same building was a big deal for the new members. …Greek life at August University welcomed Alpha Chi Omega with open arms. The sorority started from nothing and has grown to be an amazing group of women.
Higher Education News:
Inside Higher Ed
Wealthy Students’ Borrowing Spikes
A new report found that wealthy students borrowed more frequently and borrowed larger sums in recent years, outpacing borrowing increases among less well-off students.
By Rick Seltzer
College students from high-income families are responsible for some of the most drastic borrowing increases seen in recent decades, according to a new report that raises questions about exactly whose concerns are fueling talk of a student debt crisis. In 1995-96, just 16.4 percent of first-year undergraduates from families making an inflation-adjusted income of more than $114,000 took out student loans. That compares to 24.3 percent of those from families making $22,000 or less who borrowed, according to the report. But by 2015-16, borrowing rates were nearly identical across all income groups — right around 30 percent.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
Seem Ho-Hum.
Until You Meet the Rural Students at This One.
By Eric Hoover
…A college fair might seem superfluous in places where colleges abound. But in this mostly rural swath of the Southwest, where many families don’t live close to a single four-year campus, the Northern Arizona Region College Night spans the distance between higher education and a realm it often overlooks. For some lucky students, applying to college is routine; in outposts such as Lake Havasu City, Prescott, and Winslow, it can feel like tackling a riddle in a foreign tongue.
Inside Higher Ed
Student deaths and drug overdoses are prompting discussions on and off college campuses about strengthening medical amnesty and Good Samaritan laws to protect bystanders who call 911.
By Greta Anderson
…Most colleges have medical amnesty policies in place to protect students from university discipline when they call emergency services, according to Students for Sensible Drug Policy, an organization that promotes student health and safety over law enforcement. But these policies — including Louisiana State’s — do not necessarily protect students from state, local or campus police action, such as the raid on the Kappa Sigma house. …State Good Samaritan laws are another confusing factor for students when determining whether to seek help. The laws do not typically align with institutional policies and are not widely discussed on college campuses, said Brandee Izquierdo, executive director of Stop the Addiction Fatality Epidemic, known as the SAFE Project. The national organization was founded by two parents whose college-age son died of an opioid overdose. It does outreach to college campuses about educational practices and policies that reduce drug-related deaths. Good Samaritan laws generally protect bystanders and people suffering medical emergencies from certain drug-related charges, but they can vary from state to state. In Louisiana, a Good Samaritan law protects those who call for emergency medical help from controlled substance possession charges but not from drug paraphernalia possession charges, according to the Network for Public Health Law, or NPHL.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
By Lauren Fisher
Student activists at the University of Chicago are calling on the Cook County state’s attorney to drop felony charges against a former student who was shot last year by a campus police officer. Charles Soji Thomas, then a senior at Chicago, was experiencing a mental-health crisis when he charged at an officer of the university’s private police force in April 2018. Thomas, who was carrying a metal tent stake and was swearing at the police officers, was given repeated warnings before he was shot. But Thomas’s family and friends say that when he first began experiencing symptoms of bipolar disorder and sought help from Chicago’s Student Counseling Services, he wasn’t given treatment. Instead, his father told students at an event on Tuesday, Thomas was given a piece of paper with a list of off-campus providers of mental-health care. “A piece of paper is not help,” said Wendell Thomas, the student’s father. “Not to a student far away from home, struggling with a mental-health crisis.”
Inside Higher Ed
Colleges are increasingly collaborating with students who have large social media followings. Where do the boundaries lie?
By Lindsay McKenzie
When teenagers are looking for information about what it’s really like to go to a college, they rarely consult college brochures or university websites. Instead, they just turn to social media. “I remember going to the library to look up books with written summaries of what college life was like at different institutions,” said Brian Freeman, founder and CEO of Heartbeat, a company that connects brands with up-and-coming and established social media influencers. “I cannot imagine a 16-year old doing that now,” he said. “They’d go to the hashtag or location of a school on Instagram and look at the feed to get a feel for the atmosphere.” …Liz Gross, founder and CEO of Campus Sonar, a company that develops social media strategies for higher ed institutions, said the number of colleges working with student influencers is growing. Students with large followings can help colleges reach new audiences — particularly teenagers who may be persuaded to later enroll at the institution, she said.
Inside Higher Ed
Senate Passes HBCU Funding, FAFSA Changes
By Madeline St. Amour
The bipartisan deal announced Tuesday to amend legislation tied to funding historically black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions is moving quickly. It’s already been passed in the U.S. Senate. In addition to making permanent $255 million in annual funding to those institutions, the so-called FUTURE Act would also simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and eliminate paperwork for the 7.7 million federal student loan borrowers currently on income-driven repayment plans by automating income recertification.