University System News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Betty Siegel, former Kennesaw State University president, dies at 89
By Eric Stirgus
Siegel led KSU from 1981 to 2006
Betty Siegel, who led Kennesaw State University’s growth from a small state school to one of the largest in Georgia during her 25 years as president, died Tuesday at the age of 89. “The Kennesaw State University community is mourning the loss of one of its most beloved leaders,” KSU President Pamela Whitten said in a statement. “Betty Siegel has been described affectionately by many as a force of nature, and her energy, enthusiasm and passion for Kennesaw State University, will be long remembered. Without her leadership, vision and commitment to excellence, Kennesaw State would not be what it is today.” Siegel became president in September 1981 when its enrollment was 3,500 and it offered 15 degrees. When she retired in 2006, KSU had 18,000 students and offered 55 undergraduate and graduate degrees. KSU now has about 38,000 students, the third-largest enrollment in the state.
See also:
Marietta Daily Journal
Beloved former president of KSU, Dr. Betty Siegel, has died
Columbus CEO
CSU Student Recognized at USG Board of Regents Meeting
Staff Report
Columbus State University senior Samantha Thompson will be recognized at the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents Meeting. Thompson, a nursing major and Columbus-native, was selected as CSU’s 2020 Academic Recognition Day representative. Each university within the system selects an honoree to represent the university on Academic Recognition Day. Thompson, who has maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout her college career, has received many academic honors including the Zell Miller HOPE scholarship, the Griffin Scholarship for her top GPA in the nursing program, the Christophil Scholarship, and the Art of Nursing Award.
Emanuel County Live
EGSC student selected as Board of Regents Academic Day representative
by Harley Strickland
East Georgia State College student Susanna Hall was recently recognized by the University System of Georgia (USG) Board of Regents and the Georgia General Assembly for receiving the Academic Recognition Day Award. “This was such an amazing experience! We got to enjoy a delicious meal with many representatives of USG and Chancellor Wrigley, but what made it even more special was getting to share this experience with Dr. Boehmer and my parents,” said Hall. “It is such an honor to receive this award, but it was great to be reminded by one of the speakers, who quoted Cicero, that “we are not born for ourselves alone.” It reminded me that my life, my education is not all about myself— it’s about serving others.”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ga. Regents approves naming rights plan for next phase of Tech Square
By Eric Stirgus
The Georgia Board of Regents approved a naming rights proposal Tuesday for the third phase of Technology Square that includes several million dollars for the project. The project will include a building called the “George Tower,” named after Bill George, who graduated from Georgia Tech in 1964 and held executive positions at Honeywell, Litton Industries and Medtronic. George and his wife, Penny, agreed to donate $18.75 million to Georgia Tech as part of the naming rights agreement. George is currently a Harvard Business School professor.
The Augusta Chronicle
Kennesaw State gets go-ahead to offer master’s degree in cybersecurity
By Dave Williams Capitol Beat News Service
Kennesaw State University is the latest University System of Georgia institution to offer a master’s degree in the fast-growing field of cybersecurity. The university system’s Board of Regents voted Tuesday to launch a 30-hour master of science program with a major in cybersecurity at Kennesaw State.
Georgia is a hotbed in the cybersecurity industry, ranking third in the nation with more than 115 companies involved in information security generating more than $4.7 billion in annual revenue. Nationally, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 31.6 percent increase for information security analysts, far exceeding the average growth rate for all occupations of about 3.9 percent. …Kennesaw State will not need additional space or resources to run the program. Tuition will be set at KSU’s current graduate rate.
Marietta Daily Journal
New buyer plans residential development for KSU property
By Thomas Hartwell
Kennesaw State University is giving the sale of a 3-acre property just north of its Marietta campus another go. The university plans to sell the property at 401 Rose Drive in Marietta for $1.2 million, after prospective buyers recently terminated a sale that would’ve brought $100,000 more, according to university spokeswoman Tammy DeMel. Both sale prices are higher than the property’s appraised value, according to Board of Regents agenda documents. The university obtained two independent appraisals of the property, showing an average value of just over $1 million, the documents show.
Athens CEO
Georgia’s First Lady Helps State Botanical Garden Promote Native Plants and Pollinators
Staff Report
State Botanical Garden Director Jenny Cruse-Sanders and members of the garden staff were guests at the 2020 Legislative Spouses Luncheon at the Governor’s Mansion, where they talked about the importance of native Georgia plants, a topic dear to the heart of First Lady Marty Kemp. The garden, in cooperation with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, UGA Agricultural Extension and the Georgia Green Industry Association, this year launched an annual Pollinator Plants of the Year program, intended to encourage nurseries to raise more native plants to sell and to make consumers more aware of their value. The four pollinator plants announced this year are for 2021 giving growers time to put plants into production. Kemp will join horticulturists, ecologists, entomologists, and industry professionals to select the native plants to promote each year.
Digital Journal
Bluff Plantation Launches Recreational Therapy Program
Georgia addiction treatment facility offers evidence-based recreation programs to aid client health
Bluff Plantation (www.bluffplantation.com), a residential alcohol and drug addiction treatment facility recognized for excellence in addiction treatment by the Joint Commission, announced today that it will offer Recreation Therapy for its clients to improve physical and psychological health. Abby Mauldin, a graduate from Georgia State University with a Bachelors in Recreational Therapy and a Minor in Child and Family Development, will lead the program as Recreational Therapist. … Bluff Plantation is a member of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers and recognized for excellence in addiction treatment by the Joint Commission. Spanning 178 lush acres on the Savannah River in the heart of Augusta, Georgia, Bluff Plantation, part of the RiverMend Health family of treatment centers and affiliated with the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, is one of the most comprehensive, scientifically-driven addiction treatment centers in the United States.
Albany Herald
Pruning class planned at UGA-Griffin campus
By Sharon Dowdy CAES News
A course set for Feb. 28 on the University of Georgia Griffin campus will focus on pruning trees and ornamentals and caring for landscape equipment. This program will cover the proper pruning techniques for trees and ornamentals. Workshop leaders will briefly discuss pruning fruiting plants. The class will cover the when, where and how of pruning plants using certain techniques for creating a professional landscape. Participants will also learn how to prevent pests through proper pruning procedures.
Marietta Daily Journal
KSU unveils 10-foot-tall logo sculpture
On Feb. 7, Kennesaw State University unveiled a 10-foot-tall sculpture of its logo to serve as an iconic centerpiece on its Kennesaw campus. The sculpture was donated by Atlanta-based Exploring Inc. and designed, built and installed by Exploring’s ID3 Group division.
11Alive
Georgia State law students trade their spring break vacation to help immigrants at detention centers
This year, eight GSU law students will tackle the task of helping immigrants in detention as part of an alternative spring break program.
Author: Elwyn Lopez
A group of Georgia State University law students are trading a typical spring break to help immigrants behind bars. It’s part of their alternative spring break program. It’s not something you’d think of students doing for their spring break: Going to an immigration detention center in Lumpkin, Georgia and staying at a hospitality home for a week with strangers. But it’s something that these law students know could make a huge difference for some seeking asylum. …This year, eight GSU law students will tackle that task with the help of attorneys from the southern poverty law center.
Athens CEO
Marine Extension & Georgia Sea Grant’s Karlsson Honored with PSO Employee Spotlight Award
Sara Karlsson, the administrative financial director at UGA’s Marine Extension & Georgia Sea Grant, became the third winner of the Public Service and Outreach Employee Spotlight Award on January 30 with a surprise appearance by PSO Vice President Jennifer Frum.
Athens CEO
UGA Receives $50,000 Grant from AT&T to Address Flooding in Athens-Clarke County
Staff Report
A grant from AT&T will help an interdisciplinary team of UGA faculty assess long-term flood frequency and severity for Athens-Clarke County in order to better plan for future development and infrastructure investments. Paul Chambers Jr., regional director of external affairs for AT&T presented the check to Jennifer Frum, UGA vice president for Public Service and Outreach, and Mark Risse, director of UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. Risse will work with Shana Jones, planning and environmental services program manager at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, and Brian Bledsoe, the UGA Athletic Association Professor in Resilient Infrastructure, in the UGA College of Engineering. Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant and the Carl Vinson Institute of Government are UGA public service and outreach units. The UGA project will assess potential future flooding issues for Athens-Clarke County.
Augusta CEO
Augusta University’s College of Science and Mathematics Receives $100,000 Donation
Staff Report
With construction of the new College of Science and Mathematics building as the backdrop, officials from Georgia Power and the Georgia Power Foundation presented Augusta University with a donation of $100,000 for scholarships within the college and to be used toward construction of the new facility on Thursday, Jan. 30. The Georgia Power Foundation has designated $50,000 toward scholarships within the College of Science and Mathematics. The remaining $50,000 will be used toward the construction of the new 124,518-square-foot College of Science and Mathematics building that will complete the trio of buildings at The Dental College of Georgia and J. Harold Harrison, M.D. Education Commons. The proximity of the three buildings will give science and mathematics professors and students access to two 300-seat tiered auditoriums, a 150-seat tiered classroom, a 150-seat active learning classroom and a café.
The Augusta Chronicle
Augusta building will be home to clinics for those in need
By Tom Corwin
A new building off Walton Way will soon house five clinics for the uninsured and fulfill a long quest to serve those in need in Augusta The long, low brick building will need some work, but Dr. William Salazar can already envision it as a home and a clinic, and he sounds like a home improvement show as he talks about the renovations. “We’re going to open all of this,” he said at the front of the building at 904 Merry St. that used to house Safe Homes of Augusta, tapping a wall that will be removed. “This is going to be the waiting area.” …Salazar is president of the Asociacion Latina de Servicios del CSRA, or Latin American Association of the CSRA, which has long run the Clinica Latina out of the Health Sciences Building at Augusta University. That building is also home to the group’s women’s clinic, a pediatric clinic and the Equality Clinic, which is run by a separate nonprofit and serves the LGBTQ community.
Bluffton Today
Bluffton students honored for work in art, writing, Model UN
More than 20 Bluffton high school students recently garnered regional academic awards and recognition for accomplishments in the fields of ambassador work, art and writing. Students from four Beaufort County School District high schools, including Bluffton High and May River High, were recognized for their performance at the Model United Nations Conference this year at Georgia Southern University. “Model UN is an educational simulation where students learn about diplomacy and international relations by ‘representing’ countries from around the world in mock diplomacy exercises,” a district news release stated. “Students learn about current world issues, brush up on their speaking, debating and writing skills and also improve their critical thinking, teamwork and leadership abilities.”
WJCL
Georgia Southern great J.J. Wilcox to have streets named after him
Former Eagle to be honored in hometown of Cairo
Frank Sulkowski
Former Georgia Southern football standout J.J. Wilcox is being honored in his hometown. Wilcox, who now plays for the Atlanta Falcons, will have streets named after him. The Cairo City Council has approved the renaming of North Washington Drive and East Washington Drive to J.J. Wilcox Drive. Wilcox, who was a standout at Cairo High School, has given back to the community in a number of ways. Wilcox was responsible for feeding more than 3,000 families at Thanksgiving, providing motivational speeches at local schools and helping sponsor a 5k run in honor of his late mother.
Daily Citizen-News
Georgia Southwestern State University will honor eight of its most outstanding alumni, including Dalton resident Ronnie Nix, on Saturday, Feb. 22, during its annual Outstanding Alumni Awards Dinner in the Thomas O. Marshall Jr. Pavilion of the Marshall Student Center in Americus. At the event, notable GSW alumni will be recognized for their professional and personal achievements as well as their contributions to the university. Nix, 72, is the recipient of the Aeolian Award, given to an alumnus/alumna who has distinguished his/herself in their profession as well as in their community. This award is chosen based on outstanding lifetime achievement as a distinguished alumni and community leader.
WJBF
The Coronavirus, enrollment, and recruiting researchers: an inside look at Augusta University Health
By: Marlena Wilson
Katrina Keefer, the CEO of Augusta University Health System, returns to The Means Report under much different circumstances. Her first appearance was mere days after she took the job. Now she’s gotten some experience under the belt, six months in, and she’ll talk to us about all of the things on her agenda at AU Health, including the expansion of primary care and how important that is to make sure that a doctor is always within reach, the growth in revenue when it comes to surgeries and outpatient procedures, and how that impacts AU Health’s ability to operate, and of course the possibility of a new hospital in Columbia County that’s been in the news for a long time, and especially lately. We’ll review those things and so many more with Katrina Keefer.
News Sun
US scientists find promising new stroke treatment; are working on recovery assessment tool
By Sotheavy royals
Trauma from an acute stroke can be quick and extensive – in less than 60 seconds, an ischaemic stroke kills 1.9 million brain cells. An analysis by a team at the University of Georgia’s Regenerative Bioscience Center (UGA-RBC) showed that brain cells near the site of the stroke injury starve and die from lack of oxygen, thus sending damage signals throughout the brain network and potentially compromising millions of healthy cells. They found, however, that brain areas treated with exosomes supported full recovery in swine, which exhibited neurodegeneration patterns as seen in humans with severe stroke. Steven Stice, RBC Director, and his colleagues suggest a minimally invasive and non-operative exosome treatment to repair the damage caused by a midline shift – when the brain is being pushed to one side.
Higher Education News:
The Chronicle of Higher Education
‘Act Now!’ Say Hello to the New Enrollment Playbook
How retail tactics are reshaping student recruitment
By Eric Hoover
In mid-January, a college applicant in the suburbs of Chicago received an enticing offer. It came from an admissions counselor at Illinois Wesleyan University, who left him a voicemail message and followed up with a text. “You have been selected,” the text said, “to receive an extra $2,000 per year in scholarship money!” There was one stipulation. Because funds were limited, the university would hold the offer for just two weeks. “If you deposit by February 1st,” the text said, “then you are guaranteed the extra 2k. Let me know if you have any questions!” Later that day, the young man shared the news with Augustana College, in Rock Island, Ill., which had sent him a financial-aid package weeks earlier. Could Augustana, he asked, match Illinois Wesleyan’s latest offer? He needed an answer by February 1. That snapshot from the heartland shows how the admissions realm is changing. It increasingly resembles the rest of the commercial world, in which come-ons relentlessly pelt consumers’ skulls, incentives drive decisions, and everyone expects to bargain. Here’s a 40-percent-off promo code! We will not be undersold! Act now — this special offer expires soon! The 2019-20 admissions cycle marks the end of student recruitment as we know it. Colleges are using fiercer tactics, and the official rules of competition are kaput. Last fall, under pressure from the Justice Department, the National Association for College Admission Counseling, known as NACAC, deleted portions of its ethics code that federal investigators deemed “anticompetitive.”
Inside Higher Ed
New International Enrollments Climb at U.S. Grad Schools
Survey finds increases in international applications and first-time international enrollments at U.S. graduate schools last fall. But looking ahead to this fall, uncertainties abound.
By Elizabeth Redden
First-time enrollments of international students at U.S. graduate schools increased by 4 percent in fall 2019 compared to the previous fall, according to new survey results from the Council of Graduate Schools. Applications from prospective international graduate students also increased by 3 percent. While trends varied across institution types and fields of study, the overall results are good news for U.S. graduate schools, which reported declining international applications and stagnating new international enrollments over the prior two admission cycles.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
Why Internships Can Ease the Path From College to Career — And Why They Often Don’t
By Scott Carlson
I’m not Goldie Blumenstyk. I’m Scott Carlson, also a senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education. Goldie has been away on assignment, so in this issue you’ll see what I’ve been thinking about this week.
Internships can ease the path from college to career — but they often don’t.
It’s becoming increasingly clear how critical internships are in landing a job after college and accelerating one’s career. So I was very interested when I learned that Matthew Hora, a researcher at the University of Wisconsin at Madison who studies the path from college to career, had turned his attention to internships because I knew he would challenge some common assumptions. Hora’s expertise and background is unusual for a person in this field: While economists usually dominate the discussion about the world of work, Hora is an anthropologist. His qualitative approach attempts to shed light on the messy process by which companies hire talent and people seek out work.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
By Bennett Leckrone
When Thomas J. LeBlanc, president of George Washington University, was asked this month if he would have the institution divest from fossil-fuel companies if the proposal had student support, he reached for an analogy to argue that such pressure wouldn’t matter. “What if the majority of the students agreed to shoot all the black people here?” he said in an impromptu sidewalk meeting that was recorded on video. “Do I say, ‘Ah, well, the majority voted?’ No.” The racial analogy upset students who said the comments reflected deeper problems at the university. If a university president can say something like that, “the problem of racial sensitivity and racism on this campus is clearly something that is deep-seated and requires serious self-reflection from the decision makers of this university,” Joe Markus, a member of a group dedicated to reducing fossil-fuel dependence, told The Washington Post. College presidents can find themselves in hot water for comments that offend. As a nationwide push to diversify higher education continues, college presidents — who remain overwhelmingly white and male — are learning anew that analogies about race and slavery are inadvisable.