University System News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
University of West Georgia faculty member tests positive for coronavirus
By Eric Stirgus
A University of West Georgia faculty member has self-reported having COVID-19, school officials said. The unidentified faculty member works as a faculty member in the College of Education and was last on campus March 11, the university said in a message Tuesday evening to students, staff and faculty. The university had no additional information about the faculty member’s condition Wednesday morning.
The Red & Black
UGA Law Library staff member with flu-like symptoms self-quarantines
Sherry Liang | Enterprise Reporter
A University of Georgia Law Library staff member recently noticed flu-like symptoms but has not been tested for COVID-19, according to an Archnews email sent to the UGA community Tuesday. They have self-quarantined under a doctor’s advice. The staff member worked on Friday and practiced social distancing, according to the email. The email said the risk for COVID-19 to the UGA community remains low, and there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 at UGA, as of press time.
The Augusta Chronicle
Three presumed positive and two confirmed coronavirus cases at Augusta University Health
By Tom Corwin
AU Health System began dedicated off-site drive-up testing for the first 20 or so of scheduled patients at higher risk of COVID-19
In what amounts to an “evolution” of its testing capability for COVID-19, AU Health System set up tents and had medical personnel lining the driveways of Christenberry Fieldhouse to begin off-site, drive-up testing this morning for the first 20 or so scheduled patients, officials said. The health system is also reporting that it now has two confirmed cases of COVID-19 and three presumed positives for the disease. Georgia Department of Public Health was reporting 197 cases of COVID-19, with one confirmed case each in Richmond and Columbia counties.
The Augusta Chronicle
AU Health offers pre-scheduled drive-through COVID-19 specimen collection
By Staff Reports
Augusta University Health is offering drive-through coronavirus testing at Christenberry Fieldhouse for pre-selected patients beginning Wednesday. The drive-through clinic will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to an AU news release, and is only available for patients who receive a positive screening through the free AU Health COVID-19 Virtual Screening application at www.augustahealth.org/COVID19. These individuals will receive an appointment before coming on site at the fieldhouse located at 3109 Wrightsboro Road. Individuals who show up without an appointment will be redirected to the free virtual care pre-screening application.
The Augusta Chronicle
University Hospital restricting visiting hours, access
By Staff Reports
University Hospital on Tuesday said it would implement new visitation restrictions beginning The hospital said visitation hours will be limited from noon to 5 p.m. and allow patients to have only one visitor, who must be 18 or older.
11ALIVE
Among them are students from UGA and Augusta University.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
UPDATE: Several Georgia colleges cancel commencement ceremonies
By Eric Stirgus
Georgia State University, the state’s largest school, is the latest institution to cancel its planned May commencement ceremonies, citing concerns about the coronavirus. The school, which has about 53,000 students, posted several messages on social media its decision. Like several other colleges and universities that have made similar decisions, Georgia State expressed its regret about the cancellation. “Because of the public health emergency created by the coronavirus pandemic, the University System of Georgia (USG) has informed USG institutions we will not be conducting graduation ceremonies this spring,” the statement began. “We understand how profoundly disappointing this news is for our graduates. We are committed to finding ways to honor you at a time when large gatherings are once again safe. At that time, we will turn our attention to identifying where, when and how to do so, and we will communicate directly with graduates when the details become available.” Kennesaw State University, which had more undergraduate seniors at the start of the fall 2019 semester than any school in Georgia, 10,014 seniors, will reschedule its commencement to an undetermined date, the school announced Wednesday morning. Still, many students and parents have expressed their anger and disappointment about these decisions.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
UPDATE: UGA, Georgia Southern cancel commencement ceremonies
By Eric Stirgus
The University of Georgia and Georgia Southern University said Tuesday afternoon it will cancel its commencement ceremony and all upcoming public events, citing concerns about the spread of the coronavirus. Additionally, Clark Atlanta University and Morehouse College announced Tuesday evening that they are moving their commencement events from May to December. Georgia Southern, which had nearly 5,900 seniors at the start of the fall 2019 semester, was the first public institution in the state to make the announcement, on its website, Tuesday afternoon. …Georgia Southern spokeswoman Jennifer Wise told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution the school is exploring other options to celebrate the graduates.
See also:
Athens Banner-Herald
UGA, other Georgia colleges cancel spring graduation ceremonies
WTOC
Spring commencement ceremonies canceled at Georgia Southern
Georgia Southern University is canceling Spring 2020 Commencement ceremonies due to concern over the spread of COVID-19. The university announced Tuesday that it has made the decision in an abundance of caution to limit large groups of people.
WTVM
Columbus State University cancels spring commencement ceremonies
By Alex Jones
Graduating seniors at Columbus State University will not be able to walk across the graduation stage as they planned because of the rise in cases of COVID-19 coronavirus. The university has made the decision to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the University System of Georgia and cancel the Spring 2020 Commencement Ceremonies. “We are deeply proud of our students and there are few experiences that are as important to them — and us — than celebrating their graduation together. We understand this is disappointing news, but we are exploring some creative options to celebrate the hard work and educational accomplishments of the CSU Class of 2020 in the near future,” CSU President Chris Markwood said.
GPB
Georgia College Students Finish Semester Online
By Skylar Nicholson &Hannah Goodin
University seniors say they are concerned about their last few months of classes after the University System of Georgia mandated online instruction by all institutions until the end of the semester. Some, like University of Georgia senior Megan Wahn, are upset at the sudden forced departure from campus. “I feel like people always say college is the best four years of your life and it’s the best chapter of your life. And it just kind of feels like that really big chapter of my life has been cut off mid-sentence and I didn’t get any closure to it. And that’s really, really difficult for me,” Wahn told GPB News. With few exceptions, the University System of Georgia made the decision Monday to close all 26 institutions for the remainder of the semester, impacting nearly 330,000 students enrolled in the state. Some of the universities include: The University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern, Georgia State and Kennesaw State.
Daily Citizen
Dalton State College moves to online only courses for the rest of the spring
By Jamie Jones
“The University System of Georgia (USG) has decided that all 26 institutions, which includes Dalton State, will move to online instruction for all courses for the remainder of the semester with extremely limited exceptions,” according to the college. “This action comes following last week’s decision to suspend instruction for two weeks to ensure business and instructional continuity, and to allow further state assessment of COVID-19. Students are not allowed to return to campus until they receive permission from their institution, which will be forthcoming soon.
Albany Herald
Albany State, other state colleges to offer online, remote instruction
From staff reports
In light of a decision made by the University System of Georgia, Albany State University — along with the other 25 USG institutions of higher education — will move to online and remote instruction for all courses for the remainder of the semester with extremely limited exceptions. This action comes following last week’s decision to suspend instruction for two weeks to ensure business and instructional continuity and to allow further state assessment of COVID-19. Additionally, all residence halls will be closed for the remainder of the spring 2020 semester. Residential students are not allowed to return to campus until they receive permission from the university via the Office of Housing and Residence Life. Information regarding staggered move-out times to retrieve all of their belongings is forthcoming.
Tifton Gazette
ABAC students will take online classes, all events cancelled through May 7
Students at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College will finish the remainder of the spring semester by receiving all of their instruction online beginning March 30. All scheduled ABAC events, including intercollegiate athletics, have been cancelled through the end of the spring term on May 7, 2020 due to the need for social distancing because of COVID-19. A University System of Georgia media release on Monday said, “The University System of Georgia has decided that all 26 institutions will move to online instruction for all courses for the remainder of the semester with extremely limited exceptions. Residence halls will be closed, with minimal exceptions for students unable to return home or who cannot find housing elsewhere.”
Albany Herald
Events canceled at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
From Staff Reports
Students at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College will finish the remainder of the spring semester by receiving all of their instruction online beginning March 30. All scheduled ABAC events, including intercollegiate athletics, have been cancelled through the end of the spring term on May 7 due to the need for social distancing because of COVID-19. A University System of Georgia media release on Monday said, “The University System of Georgia has decided that all 26 institutions will move to online instruction for all courses for the remainder of the semester with extremely limited exceptions. Residence halls will be closed, with minimal exceptions for students unable to return home or who cannot find housing elsewhere.” Lindsey Roberts, the director of marketing and communication at ABAC, said students, faculty and staff should be prepared for other changes in their spring term schedule.
VSU The Spectator
An unprecedented distruption: What campus closure could mean for students
In the wake of the coronavirus being spread to what has been deemed to be pandemic levels, hundreds of schools across the country have closed down for the remainder of the academic semester. VSU is one of the latest victims of such closure, with the University System of Georgia deciding that all of their institutions will switch to online instruction. As a part of the school shutting down, students will be forced to vacate their dorms, with refunds being issued for their room and meal plans. Special exceptions will be made to students who don’t have any other means of housing, but for the most part, campus will be deserted for the foreseeable future. VSU President Richard Carvajal released a statement about USG’s announcement.
Savannah Morning News
Georgia Southern students unhappy but understand why graduation ceremonies are canceled
By McClain Baxley/For the Savannah Morning News
Devin Stephens was enjoying his final spring break as a college student Tuesday, March 17, when he received a message from one of his fraternity brothers. “Sorry Devin,” the message read. So Stephens, a senior elementary education major from Macon, checked his email. Suddenly, his heart dropped, and spring break became an afterthought. Georgia Southern University sent a university-wide email Tuesday afternoon announcing the cancellation of spring 2020 commencement ceremonies May 8-9 amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. This email came a day after the University System of Georgia released that all of its institutions, including GS, would conduct classes online for the rest of the semester effective March 30. “I’m very upset about the cancellation because I’ve worked hard so that I can be able to walk across the stage,” Stephens said. “I’m a first-generation college student, and every time I felt like giving up, I pictured my mom sitting at the stadium watching me walk across the stage.”
13WMAZ
All 26 institutions are moving to online instruction for the rest of the semester.
Author: Chelsea Beimfohr
College students across the state are preparing to switch to online instruction, now that the University System of Georgia closed all 26 of its institutions to help stop the spread of COVID-19. This applies to Fort Valley State, Middle Georgia State, Georgia Tech, The University of Georgia, and Georgia College among many more.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Students, strangers scramble to help classmates after campus closings
By Eric Stirgus
Local colleges, students, community organizations and everyday Georgians are offering assistance — including their homes — to college students in need of temporary housing, food, part-time jobs and other resources as campuses close to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The Atlanta region’s largest colleges and universities have all announced in recent days that they are ending in-person classes for the rest of the spring semester and making plans to switch to online instruction. For some students, particularly international students and those from low-income families, returning to their homes is a challenge as some nations have restricted travel and flying home can be expensive. Students from several schools have banded together to find help online and through social media for students in need. Thirty-five students from a number of Atlanta colleges have asked for various forms of help, said Nate Knauf, a first-year Georgia Tech master’s degree student. “There are a lot of international students, state students who don’t have a way home or a place to store their belongings,” said Knaup, who is assisting through Georgia Tech’s Young Democratic Socialists of America.
The Red & Black
UPDATE: UGA Main Library now closed to the public
Savannah Sicurella | Culture Editor
UPDATE: The University of Georgia Main Library is now closed to the public, according to a March 17 Archnews email. The Main Library will allow students to access its computer lab by appointment, according to the email. The Science Library, Carnegie Library and UGA Libraries’ art, music and education branches will remain closed. UGA faculty researchers can access the Special Collections Libraries by appointment only. The closure follows the University of Georgia Libraries’ March 13 press release that stated its facilities will remain open during the two week instructional break.
Statesboro Herald
Coronavirus affecting area schools, businesses
Georgia Southern University is among the 26 institutions that the University System of Georgia (USG) has decided will move to online instruction only for all courses for the remainder of the semester with extremely limited exceptions, according to a press release from the USG. This action comes following last week’s decision to suspend instruction for two weeks to ensure business and instructional continuity, and to allow further state assessment of COVID-19. Students are not allowed to return to campus until they receive permission from their institution, which will be forthcoming soon.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
SEC shuts down all spring sports — including UGA’s G-Day game
By Chip Towers
Go ahead and cancel your plans to take in the G-Day game and, well, any other Georgia sports you may enjoy as all spring sports were officially shut down by the SEC on Tuesday. The Bulldogs’ spring football practice was scheduled to start Tuesday and continue through April 18, when the annual spring intrasquad scrimmage known as G-Day was to be played at Sanford Stadium. Now all sports activities have been canceled through the end of spring semester. UGA classes end on April 28 and final exams are scheduled May 1-6. The writing was already on the wall when UGA made the decision Tuesday to limit classes to online only for the rest of the semester. The SEC already had shut down all sports activities through April 15.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
ACC cancels all games, practice for spring
By Ken Sugiura
With others taking the step ahead of them, the cancellation of athletic activities at Georgia Tech and the ACC seemed an inevitability. Tuesday, it became a reality. The conference announced that it has canceled “all athletic-related activities including all competition and practice through the end of the 2019-20 academic year” in order to mitigate the further spread of COVID-19.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Tech spring football game won’t be played
Georgia Tech’s spring football game will not be played. The ACC announced Tuesday that it has cancelled “all athletic-related activities including all competition and practice through the end of the 2019-20 academic year” in order to mitigate the further spread of the coronavirus. That means the April 10 Friday night scrimmage at Bobby Dodd Stadium won’t take place.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tears, disbelief as the coronavirus halts Tech’s NCAA title hopes in golf
By Ken Sugiura
Tuesday, Georgia Tech golf coach Bruce Heppler found himself typing out a text message to his team that he could have never before imagined sharing in the middle of March. The gist of the communication, Heppler said, was that “I’ll always hold this group in very high esteem for what they accomplished and the way they went about stuff.” In any other spring but this one, it would be an odd time to speak of the team in the past tense. But there, it was, the coach turning the page on his team two months before he would have hoped to do so. Heppler’s text followed the ACC’s announcement that it had done the inevitable and canceled all athletics activities through the end of the academic year to help curtail the spread of the coronavirus. “I think it’s set in a little bit more now,” Heppler told the AJC.
Gainesville Times
Georgia limited to 100 COVID-19 tests a day, state officials hope to double by week’s end
80% of people with COVID-19 have mild symptoms
Megan Reed
COVID-19 testing in Georgia remains relatively limited, but the state is working to expand its testing capabilities, state officials said in a press conference call Tuesday. In January, the only testing available in the country was through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Dr. Kathleen Toomey, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health. But since the Georgia Public Health Lab has gained the ability to test for the virus, more than 420 people have been tested in Georgia, she said. “We will be increasing the capacity to test additional individuals over the next several days as we continue to get additional equipment and additional staff,” Toomey said. The state is also sending patient samples for testing to LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics, two private lab companies. The test for COVID-19 is a nasal swab.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With close to 41,000 applicants, Georgia Tech admits about 20%
By Maureen Downey
Lost in all the coronavirus coverage was the happy news that went to 3,415 Georgia Tech applicants who learned over the weekend they were admitted. About 20% of nearly 18,800 regular decision applicants found out Saturday they were admitted. Among that number were Georgia students from 391 high schools and 107 counties. Combining this crop of applicants with those admitted early action in January, 7,984 students were admitted to Georgia Tech this year for an overall acceptance rate of 20%, about the same rate as last year.
Statesboro Herald
GS Rifle boasts three Scholastic All-Americans
Three members of the Georgia Southern rifle team were honored for their work in the classroom, as announced recently. Departing senior Lydia Odlin along with freshmen Lillian Herring and Ashley Judson were all named CRCA Scholastic All-Americans for achieving a GPA of at least 3.20. This is the third year in a row Odlin has been honored by the Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association.
Gwinnett Daily Post
National honor for Georgia Gwinnett College tennis player Max Bertimon
From Staff Reports
A pair of wins over nationally ranked opponents has led Georgia Gwinnett College freshman Max Bertimon to receive the UTR/Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s NAIA national men’s tennis player of the week award. This will be the final award of the season after the NAIA announced the cancellation of spring sports championships in response to the COVID-19 health crisis.
Albany Herald
Georgia honors first black library director, other library luminaries
By Beau Evans Capitol Beat News Service
Georgia’s first black library director, LeRoy Childs, was honored at the Georgia Capitol building last week as part of a weeklong celebration of the state’s librarians. Other Georgia library luminaries were celebrated during the event, including the past year’s best librarians and regional system. Childs was director of the West Georgia Regional Library System for a decade starting in the mid-1970s, according to the Georgia Public Library Service. He worked in the West Georgia system for more than 20 years prior to his promotion to director, serving in a range of roles. …Clayton State Library Dean Emeritus Gordon Baker was honored as the state’s Public Library Champion of the Year. Baker worked at Clayton State for more than 15 years and has been a member of the Georgia Library Association since 1977, marking just a handful of his many civic roles in the Georgia library community.
Higher Education News:
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Report: Pandemic May Put Financial, Enrollment Strain On Colleges
by Jessica Ruf
The COVID-19 pandemic, and the campus closures that have ensued, could pose significant enrollment and financial challenges to colleges and universities, says Fitch Ratings, a credit rating agency. According to its report released March 12, campus closures sustained for more than a few weeks may strain operating costs and revenue, especially as “auxiliary services have grown in relative importance,” states the report. Those auxiliary services include housing, dining and parking. “Each campus is having to weigh the safety of their students, their faculty and their community against the financial pressures that may result if they do need to close,” said Emily Wadhwani, a director at Fitch Ratings who specializes in higher education finance, to Diverse. “Certainly, each campus is experiencing this slightly different.” Currently, schools are not required to provide refunds for auxiliary services, especially since they’re typically paid for upfront. However, Wadhwani said some schools may opt to do so on a prorated basis. For instance, WPRI reported that Brown University recently announced that it would offer credit or a refund for any unused room and board charges after March 22, which is the date it has asked its students to leave campus by.
Inside Higher Ed
How institutions are approaching scientific research during COVID-19, and what they still need to know.
By Colleen Flaherty
Move them online: colleges and universities have been giving professors clear guidance on what to do with their classes during COVID-19, if not quite how to do it. But the directives on what to do with scientific research and equipment-heavy lab work have been much less clear, leaving faculty members, students and some staff members scrambling to adapt to social distancing measures. “I think there’s a lot of angst, unknowns and anxiety, given that these labs rely on people — students, postdocs and research assistants,” said Tobin Smith, vice president for policy at the Association of American Universities. “What do you do in an environment where people are essentially being encouraged to stay home and telework?”
The Chronicle of Higher Education
University Labs Head to the Front Lines of Coronavirus Containment
By Nell Gluckman and Francie Diep
The stakes were so high, and the need so great, that last week a University of Washington lab issued an extraordinary call for help. The medical-school dean, Paul Ramsey, wrote in an email to university researchers that he was seeking volunteers — grad students, postdocs, lab techs, anybody — who could spend a week processing tests for Covid-19, the deadly disease sweeping the globe. Not everything had been worked out — for instance, how much the volunteers would be paid. “In order to meet the demand for testing,” Ramsey wrote, “we need to rapidly and immediately add staff for this work.” The new coronavirus, which causes Covid-19, had already been circulating in the Seattle area for weeks, with 488 confirmed cases as of Monday, and 43 deaths. Meanwhile, the U.S. health-care system has struggled to keep up with the demand for coronavirus tests.
Inside Higher Ed
Will Shift to Remote Teaching Be Boon or Bane for Online Learning?
Because of COVID-19, most professors and students suddenly find themselves forced to use technology as they teach and learn. A panel of experts explores whether that will help or hurt attitudes about online education.
By Doug Lederman
What a difference a week makes. Seven days ago in this space, I went out of my way to say that I hoped to make this column a “coronavirus-free space” to the extent possible, given Inside Higher Ed’s excellent coverage of the pandemic elsewhere and the “recognition that the rest of what we all do professionally each day isn’t stopping.” That all may still be true, but the new reality is that COVID-19 is increasingly dominating not just our collective head spaces (in ways helpful and not) but also what our jobs are day to day. That’s especially the case in certain realms, including for those of you responsible for helping to deliver instruction and learning at your institutions. So today, at least — next week seems very far away at this point — this column will focus on a question that is generating a good bit of discussion among thoughtful observers of teaching and learning issues: What impact will this sudden, forced immersion and experimentation with technology-enabled forms of learning have on the status of online learning in higher education?
Other News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Governor Kemp signs mid-year budget with $100 million in coronavirus funding
By James Salzer
Gov. Brian Kemp signed the mid-year budget Tuesday that funds the state through the end of June and includes $100 million to fight the coronavirus. The General Assembly approved the measure last week after Kemp requested the money to assist the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Public Health in their response efforts. Lawmakers also added $5 million in the budget for rural hospitals, which they said may face special costs associated with the virus. Legislators passed the plan on Thursday before suspending the 2020 session.
Albany Herald
Gov. Kemp, Dept. of Labor focus on assisting workers affected by COVID-19
From Staff Reports
Gov. Brian P. Kemp and the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) on Wednesday addressed an increase in the number of partial claims filed as a result of businesses reducing work hours or temporarily closing their doors in light of recent developments regarding COVID-19. “We are laser-focused on assisting the hard-working Georgians who have been impacted by the spread of the virus,” said Kemp. “Working with GDOL and our partners across the public and private sectors, we can ensure affected employees land on their feet and are made aware of other employment opportunities. Together, we will protect Georgia’s top-notch workforce as we continue to fight the spread of COVID-19.”
CBS46
Governor Kemp extends license expiration for EMTs, urges blood donations
Mary Gleason
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp gave several updates to Georgians Tuesday night, including an extension for EMT license renewals. Kemp extended the deadline for 3,396 medics whose licenses would expire on March 31, 2020. The medics work as EMTs and paramedics, whom residents rely on to respond to medical emergencies when they call 911. Kemp gave them until June 30, 2020 to renew their licenses. Gov. Kemp also noted that Quest Diagnostics Health and Wellness delivered 500 test kits to the Georgia Department of Health warehouse Tuesday. He is working on getting those kits to the public health district offices by Wednesday.