University System News:
The Augusta Chronicle
Rick Franza: Business education moving in the right direction
By Richard M. Franza, Ph.D., Guest Columnist
In recent weeks, I have had much reason to reflect on how university-level business education is doing in Georgia, the United States and around the world. Earlier this month I attended the AACSB Deans’ Conference in Nashville, Tenn., where Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business-accredited business schools gather to discuss relevant educational issues. In January, I chaired a meeting of business school deans and their representatives for the University System of Georgia in Atlanta. And lastly, I am preparing to be part of a visit team to evaluate the accreditation of a Southeastern business school in early March. Each of these activities has me thinking about the current and future state of business education. And though I am biased, I believe business education is on an excellent trajectory. At the Atlanta meeting, there were excellent signs for higher education in Georgia in general and for business education in particular.First, Dr. Tristan Denley, the USG’s executive vice chancellor for academic affairs and chief academic officer, presented an update on the progress of redesigning general education or “Gen Ed” in Georgia. Gen Ed is what every student takes no matter their major field of study. I am very impressed with the redesign’s emphasis on important skills such as critical thinking, global competencies, data/digital fluency and written and oral communications. These competencies will not only allow students to better succeed in their chosen academic majors, but also be more productive state, national and global citizens. Second, we heard from Tommy Marshall and Art Recesso, who are helping lead the USG’s efforts in financial technology, or “FinTech” education.
Rome News-Tribune
KSU to offer two new degrees in the fall
By Thomas Hartwell
Kennesaw State University will offer two new degree programs beginning in August after it received approval from the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. With the approval, the university adds to the more than 100 undergraduate and baccalaureate degree programs in the arts, humanities, social sciences, mathematics, natural sciences and business fields, as well as in architecture, engineering, information systems and nursing. KSU President Pamela Whitten said the addition of the Master of Science in cybersecurity and a Bachelor of Business Administration in hospitality management show the university is aware of the needs of its students, as well as the state and region workforce.
Albany Herald
ABAC students now opt for four-year degrees
From staff reports
When 27 students walked up the front steps of what is now Tift Hall to attend the Second District Agricultural and Mechanical School on Feb. 20, 1908, they had no idea they were laying the foundation for an institution that would create an annual economic impact of almost a half-billion dollars on South Georgia 112 years later. The Second District A&M School was an area high school that opened on that day in 1908. The school later became South Georgia A&M College in 1924, the Georgia State College for Men in 1929, and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in 1933. That former two-year college called ABAC became a four-year college and began offering bachelor’s degree classes in 2008, and the rest is history. Now ABAC is celebrating its 112th birthday with thousands of students pursuing four-year degrees.
Marietta Daily Journal
KSU to double size of nursing program to 1,000 students with Wellstar money
Aleks Gilbert
In an effort to address Georgia’s nursing shortage, Kennesaw State University announced Friday it will double the size of its nursing program over five years with an infusion of money from Wellstar Health System. By 2026, the size of KSU’s nursing program will balloon from 500 students to 1,000, with enrollment increasing 20% each year beginning in 2021. Wellstar will give the university about $9 million to finance the expansion. About $2.5 million will fund scholarships for 50 students each year in perpetuity; the rest will be used to hire professors and staff. Gov. Brian Kemp, who attended the ceremony announcing the expansion, said the deal was a “perfect example of how the private sector can partner with our state’s top-notch universities to make Georgia’s future even brighter.”
The Rd & Black
Students earn top prizes in UGA competition melding science, creativity
Gabriela Miranda | Campus News Editor
Dante’s “Inferno” served as Alison Banks’ muse for an art project which earned her $1,000, according to a UGA Today news release. The University of Georgia master’s in geography student project won first place in the graduate student category of the Capturing Science Contest, sponsored by the UGA Libraries and Office of Research, the release said. Inspired by Dante’s journey through the circles of hell, Banks created an art project focused on the outcomes of climate science. …The Capturing Science Contest, established three years ago, was created to help students enhance their communication skills. The contest accepts entries based on a variety of topics and formats including music composition, math, chemistry and an archaeological spoof of “The Bachelorette.” Of the 50 entries, Madison Smith, a fifth-year environmental engineering student, won first place for undergraduate students for her creation of a board game centered around engineering.
WGAU
UGA Law team wins national competition
By: Tim Bryant
The University of Georgia Law School is celebrating a first-place finish in the latest moot court competition: the 70th annual National Moot Court Competition was held in New York City. The winning team members are third-year UGA law students Jonathan Kaufman, John Kenerly IV, and Joseph Stuhrenberg. …In addition to winning the national championship, Stuhrenberg was named best oralist in the final round.
Albany Herald
UGA ag college ranked No. 3 in U.S.
By Maria M. Lameiras CAES News
The University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is ranked third on the 2020 list of Best Colleges for Agricultural Sciences in the U.S. by rankings platform Niche. The ranking is based on overall Niche grade of the university, as well as test scores, percentage of college majors, program demand, student and alumni surveys, expenditures per student, research expenditures and percentage of total annual agricultural sciences graduates nationally that come from each program. Overall, UGA ranks 14th on Niche’s list of Best Big Colleges in the U.S. in 2020 rankings released this month.
Albany Herald
ABAC plans events for Black History Month
From staff reports
Movie nights, a cookout, and guest speakers are scheduled on the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College campus during February to celebrate African American History Month. A cookout at noon on Feb. 21 in the John Hunt Town Center will feature Nick Green, a former major league baseball player from Tifton. He played for the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Angels during his professional career. After his stint in the big leagues, Green continued to play baseball across the globe in places such as Taiwan and Venezuela. Currently, Green is a minor league pitching coach for the Boston Red Sox. He is one of only eight African American pitching coaches in major league baseball.
SaportaReport
University of North Georgia’s Black History Month
AvatarMegan Anderson
Yusef Salaam, one of the “Central Park Five,” was the keynote speaker for University of North Georgia’s Black History Month. He shared his story and answered questions on the Gainesville Campus. Salaam was one of five teenagers — four black and one Latino — wrongly convicted after a young woman was brutally raped and left for dead in April 1989 in New York City’s Central Park.
WTOC
Progress continues on GSU business incubator
An older building in Metter will have a new role in helping farm-related businesses get off the ground. The old public works building in Metter remains a work in progress. Soon it will serve as an incubator, not for chickens and eggs, but for new businesses looking to grow. The outside looks closer and closer to the design Georgia Southern University and the City of Metter have outlined. Inside, they’re dividing the old shop into individual offices for startup owners to rent. This incubator will mainly focus on agri-business, with a connection to the state department of Agriculture’s Georgia Grown program. The director says they’ll be able to offer resources and more to help businesses grow.
WRDW
University Hospital also looking to build free-standing ER in Columbia County
By Laura Pugliese
A report by the Office of Health Planning shows that University Hospital is working toward a free-standing ER in Columbia County. The letter of intent states that University Hospital put in the request in February. A University Hospital official says they are looking to build the free-standing ER at their existing Evans campus at 4200 University Parkway. According to the letter, the estimated cost of construction and development is $12.6 million. This comes just a few weeks after Doctors Hospital filed for a free-standing ER in Columbia County as well. The letter states Doctors Hospital’s proposed site is at 464 North Belair Road in Evans. This all falls in the midst of a legal battle between AU Medical Center and Doctors Hospital to build the first hospital in Columbia County.
The Augusta Chronicle
Provost Caughman leaves behind long legacy at AU
By Tom Corwin
Augusta University Provost Gretchen Caughman will retire later this year after a decade on the job, which included helping to create the school during the consolidation of two institutions.
Hanging on the wall of her office is a brightly colored, intricately patterned quilt that Augusta University Provost Gretchen Caughman created. She didn’t want to think about how many hours it took to piece and sew together and instead stood back and admired her handiwork. That also reflects a lot of her work as provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. Caughman, 64, who will retire at the end of the fiscal year June 30, will leave behind a long list of accomplishments since taking the job on an interim basis at the Medical College of Georgia in 2010. Within months of accepting a permanent appointment in 2011, the school was facing an edict from the University System of Georgia to consolidate with Augusta State University. But it was a role she was uniquely prepared for, having previously served as dean of the School of Graduate Studies at MCG for five years, a position with “a lot of responsibility (but) very little authority,” Caughman said. Every faculty member in the school is also a member of another school and also has other responsibilities, so “you have to influence rather than actually saying, ‘You go do it,’” she said. “You have to be able to lead without actually doing a lot of exertions of power.” Consolidation, merging two faculties and staff and very different cultures, required similar kinds of negotiations and establishing relationships, Caughman said.
AllOnGeorgia
Access to fresh food: Professor researches food deserts in surrounding communities
Dr. Susana Velez-Castrillon, associate professor in the Richards College of Business at the University of West Georgia, is conducting research on the topic of food deserts in Carroll County and the impact they have on communities. A food desert is an area where many residents experience a lack of access to fresh food. …It‘s very difficult for citizens who do not own vehicles to access the larger stores in town because those stores are not in a central location. …Velez-Castrillon, a native of Colombia who teaches in the Department of Management, had the idea to conduct research on food deserts while shopping at the Hispanic supermarkets in Carrollton with her husband. She began to analyze the people who frequent the Hispanic stores in town as well as the reasons some people do not.
Savannah Morning News
Try Savannah Science on Tap for laid-back learning
By Steven Alford
Science can be an intimidating subject for some, a labyrinth of technical jargon and complicated subject matter. But a lecture series from professors at Georgia Southern Armstrong Campus aims at dispelling some of those hurdles by making science fun and relatable – with a few drinks thrown in for good measure. It’s called Science on Tap, when twice a semester, the university hosts speakers at Savannah Coffee Roasters to cover a range of intriguing and educational topics. … The lecture series is a way to make science approachable for those who might have found it stuffy in the past, said Brent Feske, associate dean and professor of biochemistry at the Armstrong campus. “Science way too often, because it’s technical and hard, it scares people,” Feske said. “We want to create a laid-back, low-key environment to talk about a fun science topic, so when people leave, they’ve learned something cool.” Science on Tap is one of the latest ways the university is working to engage the community and communicate through new and interesting avenues, Feske said, an effort to change public perceptions on how accessible education can be.
WTOC
Chatham Co., Georgia Southern team up to provide more play space for youth athletics
By Zach Logan
Chatham County will soon be able to accommodate more players for its youth athletic programs thanks to an agreement with Georgia Southern University. The county is renting additional field and gym space from Georgia Southern. The county has been using Georgia Southern’s Armstrong Campus gym going on three weeks now for its youth basketball program, which is costing the county around $2,100 to rent. Starting this spring, they will begin renting even more space on Savannah’s southside. Chatham County Parks and Recreation Director Steve Proper says throughout the last few years, they have seen a significant interest in the youth baseball and softball programs. But the county only has enough space to accommodate so many teams. With this new agreement with GSU Armstrong, the county will be able to rent field space from the university.
Albany Herald
UGA ag forecast shows Georgia beef, poultry on the rise
By Sharon Dowdy CAES News
This year’s forecasts for peanuts, poultry, pecans, cotton and other Georgia crops were presented by University of Georgia agricultural economist Adam Rabinowitz during the first of five Georgia Ag Forecast events held across the state. Farmers and others in the agricultural industry met at the Georgia Farm Bureau Building in Macon. According to Rabinowitz, Georgia beef and poultry production will increase while most other crops produced in the state will remain steady or decrease. Following is an overview of the 2020 Ag Forecast.
WGAU
By: Tim Bryant
The Chief Economist for the US Department of Agriculture is in Athens today: Robert Johansson delivers the University of Georgia’s annual JW Fanning Lecture, 10 o’clock this morning at the downtown Holiday Inn on Broad Street in Athens.
Macon Telegraph
Tenn. university to offer tuition discounts in 9 states
The Associated Press
A Tennessee university plans to offer discounted tuition starting this fall to students from nine surrounding states. University of Tennessee at Chattanooga officials said the goal of the new regional tuition program is to attract and retain diverse talent in the area as well as reach enrollment goals laid out for the University of Tennessee system, The Chattanooga Times Free Press reported. “We really have paid attention to Tennessee residents and how we serve the state of Tennessee well,” university Chancellor Steve Angle said. “This kind of is rounding out our student body and bringing in additional young people to this community that can add to the economy and hopefully drive the future of the region. We are trying to set UTC up to be a net importer of talent in the community.” Under the program, students from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia would pay about $18,000 a year instead of about $26,000 a year as out-of-state students.
See also:
The Atlanta Journal Constitution
Tennessee university offers tuition discounts to Georgia students
Higher Education News:
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Report: Diminishing Financial Aid for Low-Income Students
by Lois Elfman
As public institutions become less and less affordable for low-income students, a new report says that, as universities chase high rankings and future donors, financial aid money is too often allocated to students who don’t really need it. “Crisis Point: How Enrollment Management and the Merit-Aid Arms Race Are Derailing Public Higher Education,” a report authored by Stephen Burd, a senior writer and editor with the education policy program at New America, reveals that public four-year universities spent at least $32 billion of their financial aid dollars on students who lack financial need.
Inside Higher Ed
Florida: Professors Can’t Exclude Students Because of Fear of Virus
University acts after it received a complaint.
By Scott Jaschik
The University of Florida has said that faculty members may not exclude students from class because of fears they have coronavirus. No one at the university has been reported to have the virus, but at least one professor was trying to exclude students from his course because of coughing. (Florida is currently experiencing the flu.) The university’s provost, Joseph Glover, sent this notice to deans and department chairs: “We are aware that some instructors have asked students who are showing visible cold- or flu-like symptoms to leave class and return with a letter from the Student Health Care Center confirming that they do not have coronavirus. Please remind your instructors that no cases of coronavirus have been reported at UF or elsewhere in Alachua County and that this area has not been identified as an area of public health concern by the CDC. While instructors are encouraged to care for their students and their health, please inform your instructors that they are not to excuse a student from class to confirm they are free of the coronavirus.” The message included a link to an update provided by the university’s health center director that no cases were reported at the university.
The Washington Post
By Valerie Strauss
Reporter
There was a lot of talk about revamping college admissions after the Operation Varsity Blues scandal erupted last year. Varsity Blues was a federal investigation into college admissions fraud that resulted in the recent indictments of dozens of people, including parents and college coaches and famous actresses. That talk continued at a recent college admissions conference at the University of Southern California — one of the schools at the center of the scandal — with suggestions for improvement tossed up for discussion. Liz Willen, editor of the Hechinger Report — a nonprofit independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education — attended the conference, and this post is her telling of what was said and what she thinks won’t actually happen in college admissions. This appeared on the Hechinger Report’s website, and Willen gave me permission to republish this, which I am doing as a reminder of just how slow things change in the world of education.