University System News:
The Augusta Chronicle
Georgia Gov. Kemp to scale back budget cuts
By Dave Williams, Capitol Beat News Service
Citing “reassuring signs of fiscal resilience” in Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp announced Wednesday that cuts to next year’s state budget won’t be as deep as originally feared. In a video message, Kemp notified state agency heads and legislative leaders he is preparing an updated revenue estimate that will call for 11% across-the-board spending reductions in the coming fiscal year rather than the 14% cuts originally anticipated. The new revenue projections reflect expectations the coronavirus pandemic will have somewhat less of an economic impact on Georgia’s economy than had been predicted when the 14% cuts were ordered. “Our state is positioned to weather this storm better than most,” Kemp said. “I’m hopeful our state will be able to avoid the draconian cuts and measures many others across the country will be forced to make.”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
More Ga. college students get top grades through pandemic, state says
By Eric Stirgus
Students who attended schools in the state’s University System wound up this semester in many cases with better grades in comparison to the prior spring semester, despite the learning challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic, officials said Wednesday. The proportion of A grades awarded to students increased from 44.1% to 52.4%, while the percentage of students who failed a class or withdrew decreased from 14.3% to 12.2%, University System officials said in a news release. Withdrawals increased from 5% to 6.1%, officials said. The systemwide numbers were consistent among racial groups, officials said. The systemwide numbers were consistent among racial groups, officials said.
Marietta Daily Journal
Analysis shows Georgia college students overcame coronavirus challenges
By Dave Williams Bureau Chief Capitol Beat News Service
Students in the University System of Georgia didn’t miss a beat during the spring semester despite the disruption of converting to online instruction, according to a systemwide grading analysis released Wednesday. The proportion of “A” grades awarded during the spring increased from 44.1% in the spring of last year to 52.4%, while the rate of students failing or withdrawing fell from 14.3% to 12.2%. Citing the coronavirus pandemic, system Chancellor Steve Wrigley announced in mid-March that the system’s 26 colleges and universities would move to online instruction for the rest of the spring semester. The schools’ IT staffs responded by setting up an online system robust enough to meet the need, while faculty worked to convert their courses to online. Students did their part by achieving academic progress across all subgroups of race and ethnicity as well as for both lower division and upper division undergraduate and graduate courses.
WGAU
UGA: despite virus, record summer enrollment
By: Eric Rangus, Khristina Gallagher, Sam Fahmy
The sudden shift to online instruction at the University of Georgia hasn’t slowed students’ progress toward graduation. Data from spring 2020 show that grade point averages and withdrawal rates were comparable with previous years. Preliminary data show record summer enrollment, as well. The average GPA for UGA students was 3.76 in spring 2020, compared with 3.63 in spring 2019. The average withdrawal rate was 2.5% in 2020, compared to 2.6% in 2019. “Our faculty and staff pivoted quickly to deliver outstanding online learning experiences, and our students have shown extraordinary resilience in a difficult time,” said S. Jack Hu, the university’s senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “I know it wasn’t easy, but I’m proud of what everyone has accomplished”
Marietta Daily Journal
KSU officials outline gradual return to campus
By Thomas Hartwell
Next week will begin a gradual return to campus for certain members of the Kennesaw State University community. Kathy Schwaig, KSU’s provost and senior vice president of academic affairs, outlined the university’s approach in an emailed letter to faculty and staff on Monday. She said the return to campus will fall in line with guidance from the University System of Georgia, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Georgia Department of Public Health. Since all classes will be online this summer, a decision made in recent months because of continuing caution around COVID-19, Schwaig said the primary focus will be slowly returning staff to campus in multiple phases beginning around June 10.
WRDW
Local colleges, universities are confident in preparation for safe semester
By Laura Pugliese
College campuses are eerily quiet, as summer courses remain online. But when students return in the fall, there’s no doubt, things will look different. First off, you’ll notice a lot more signs, encouraging masks and social distancing. …At Augusta University: “We are ready to see them back and engage with them and all the student activities,” Dr. Gretchen Caughman, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost at Augusta University, said. The plan is to open back up. The backup plan is to strictly social distance. And the back-up back-up plan is to move back online.
Christian Science Monitor
They have a degree, but what about a job? Recent grads get creative.
By Josh Eibelman Contributor
As college graduates look for jobs this summer, they may find themselves turning to Wade Fletcher. Mr. Fletcher, a rising sophomore at Indiana University, started CovIntern, a platform through which companies post remote internship opportunities. The website is now used by more than 100,000 users in over 100 countries, and its creator makes sure that each posting is legitimate and pays fairly. …“I would encourage grads to continue to network, take online coursework if possible, and continue to build and augment their resumes so when the market does turn around, they are right there and ready to get that dream opportunity,” says AnnElizabeth Konkel, an economist at the Indeed Hiring Lab. …For some graduates, the current economy has meant delaying entry into the job market and pursuing grad school. Katie Coscia, a 2020 graduate of Georgia Gwinnett College in Lawrenceville, Georgia, who majored in cell biology, had to make what she says was one of the most important decisions of her career – where to pursue a Ph.D. in biology – without a chance to visit campuses and talk to professors and students in person. “Having to try to figure out what the next 5 to 7 years of my life are going to be like based on incredibly incomplete data has been one of the most stressful things I’ve ever experienced,” she says. In the end, she accepted a place in the Ph.D. program at the University of Delaware. And though much is still unknown for many students like her, she is relieved to know what she will be doing come fall.
11Alive
Georgia Gwinnett president encourages students to foster inclusiveness and equality
Georgia Gwinnett College President Jann L. Joseph talks outrage over George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery.
Author: Brittany Kleinpeter
On Wednesday, the president of Georgia Gwinnett College, Jann L. Joseph released a statement to students and staff asking them to strive to celebrate differences in the midst of the current climate. “I am both troubled and saddened by the events that have been taking place in our country. I don’t bear this burden alone and know that I am not alone in my feelings of anxiety and despair. I suspect that many, if not all of you, feel something similar as well,” Joseph wrote. The college president went on to say that while we do not know when the “the fires will extinguish, the riots will stop, the outrage will subside”, she is encouraging the GGC community to engage in constructive activities in transforming the future.
WALB
GSW dean surprised with virtual retirement party, drive-thru parade
By Bradford Ambrose
One Georgia Southwestern State University dean was surprised with a virtual retirement party and drive-thru parade on Wednesday. Dr. Liz Wilson is retiring after 30 years with the university. For the past 10 years, she served as the dean of the College of Business and Computing. She said her collogues caught her totally by surprise, which she said is hard to do. Wilson is thankful for all the well wishes from coworkers and former students.
Growing Georgia
Tift County Family Receives Family Legacy Award from ABAC Alumni Association
The John Lewis Herring family from Tift County has been selected as the 2020 Family Legacy Award recipient by the ABAC Alumni Association at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. …The Family Legacy Award was established in 1998 to recognize families with five or more family members spanning two or more generations who have attended ABAC and made a significant contribution to the college, thereby creating a legacy for their own family and leaving a legacy to ABAC. Herring is the former owner and editor of the “Tifton Gazette” and the author of “Saturday Night Sketches: Stories of Old Wiregrass Georgia.” Herring Hall, one of the three original buildings on the ABAC campus, is named for him. At least 18 Herring descendants attended ABAC, ranging from Lois Herring Weldon in 1935 to Levi Moore in 2016.
Fox5
COVID-19 gut symptoms may be sign of more severe illness
By Beth Galvin
…Andrew Gewirtz, a professor at Georgia State University’s Institute for Biomedical Sciences, says those early gut symptoms appear to be a warning sign a patient may be at risk of developing more severe disease. “So, those people who early on have diarrhea and nausea, those are the ones who are ending up in the hospital with acute kidney failure, living dysfunction, even cardiac abnormalities,” he says. Gewirtz has been studying data from COVID-19 patients at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, about 30% of whom report gut symptoms. “What we’re thinking is that the intestine is seeding the virus everywhere,” Gewirtz says. “So, the virus can replicate very well in the intestine. And, also, it will end up in the kidney and cardiac tissue.”
MSN
Hard-hit region of Georgia could join AU coronavirus antibody study
Grason Passmore
People who live in Albany or Dougherty County may soon participate in an Augusta University coronavirus antibody research study. An Augusta University team has started testing people in Columbia County to see if they have antibodies for COVID-19. Researchers have said antibodies can usually protect people who have gotten a disease or virus once, from getting it again. Now, they want to see if the same is true for the coronavirus, since we don’t know yet if people who have gotten it once, can get it again. Since Dougherty County was such a large hotspot for COVID-19, researchers want to test a sample of people here, now, as well.
Atlanta Tribune
Atlanta City Council approves legislation to grant funding for airport
The Atlanta City Council approved legislation during Monday’s remote meeting to create the Airport CARES Act Grant Fund and receive $338.5 million in proceeds for the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act Grant (Legislative Reference No. 20-O-1357). The CARES Act was created on the federal level to include $10 billion in funds to support eligible airports impacted by COVID-19. The funding is aimed at providing support for continuing operations and replacing lost revenue at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport because of a decline in passenger traffic and other airport business as a result of the pandemic. …Council members introduced several items for consideration in committee meetings next week, including:
• A resolution authorizing the mayor or her designee to accept the donation by the Atlanta Police Foundation of a study to be performed by the Georgia Institute of Technology concerning the feasibility of adding one or more zones to the city’s public safety coverage to ensure the safety of Atlanta residents.
Other News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Opinion: Info, testing, teamwork key to defeating virus
By John King
Georgia has made incredible strides in the containment, testing, and control of the coronavirus pandemic. Tireless efforts by our doctors, nurses, healthcare professionals, National Guard soldiers and many other unsung heroes have resulted in a statewide decline of hospitalizations, ventilator use, and new reported cases of the virus. Under Gov. Brian Kemp’s leadership, our economy and businesses have slowly begun to reopen, paving the way for us to thrive once again. Promising numbers and the continuous efforts to stop further spread of the virus show that Georgia is headed in the right direction. As we continue on our road to recovery and ultimately back to normal life, we must not forget that our ongoing battle with the virus is far from over.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Latest Atlanta coronavirus news: Cases of COVID-19 in Georgia near 49,000
The AJC is keeping track of reported coronavirus deaths and cases across Georgia, as reported by the Department of Public Health. There are now at least 2,123 deaths and 48,894 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Georgia.
Higher Education News:
Wired
More Students Are ‘Stacking’ Credentials en Route to a Degree
With record numbers of Americans jobless, some are turning to nontraditional programs that offer rewards for completing short courses on specific skills.
THE MENU AT the Henderson, Nevada, diner where Amy Nelson likes to take a break from work is notable for its side dishes, including caramelized bananas, cinnamon apples, and mushrooms and onions. Each can feed an appetite in its own right. Together with an entrée, they add up to breakfast. That’s much like the radically new way Nelson and a small number of other pioneering students have been experiencing college. First they get a credential in a skill they need, then another, and another. Each can quickly pay off on its own by helping to get a job, raise, or promotion. Over time, they can add up to a bachelor’s degree. “Even if I chose not to finish, I would still have these pieces and I’d say, ‘Look what I’ve done,’ as opposed to, ‘I have two years of college’” but nothing to show for it, said Nelson, who works as an information technology consultant and hopes to move into an administrative role. The concept, known variously as “stackable credentials” or “microcredentials,” she said, “almost seemed too good to be true.”
Inside Higher Ed
Enrollments Could Rise While Tuition Revenue Falls, Moody’s Says
By Emma Whitford
Higher education enrollments could increase between 2 and 4 percent in fall 2020, according to a new report by Moody’s Investors Service. The new forecast follows past enrollment trends during economic downturns and recessions. “The countercyclical nature of enrollment for both traditional-aged and older students typically yields gains when unemployment grows and students seek to broaden their skill set,” a press release said. But even if enrollment increases, net tuition revenue and other student revenue for the 2021 fiscal year will likely decline between 5 and 13 percent, depending on student demand, affordability and the severity of the economic downturn, the report says. “Factors such as a potential new wave of the coronavirus and students deferring a year to get the full on-campus experience stand to curb the potential enrollment increases this fall,” Dennis Gephardt, vice president at Moody’s and lead author of the report, said in a statement.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
‘My Gut Response Is Fear and Dread’: Thoughts on Returning to Campus This Fall
By Fernanda Zamudio-Suaréz and Ron Coddington
Many colleges have announced their fall plans now that the spring semester, diverted into chaos by the new coronavirus, is winding down. After months of uncertainty, as students, faculty, and staff were kept away from campuses to slow the virus’s spread, some institutions are planning a return to in-person instruction and operations. The Chronicle is tracking colleges’ fall plans, and about 65 percent of those in our sample say they are planning to start the new academic year face to face. Several leaders have made confident statements. Their employees and students seem less certain about a homecoming anytime soon.
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Summit Discusses Health and Safety Issues on College Campuses
by Sarah Wood
College students’ mental health and well-being in a time of pandemic and their safety when new rules on sexual assault investigations kick in on Aug. 14 were the main issues discussed on Wednesday at the annual EVERFI Campus Prevention Network Summit. This year, the conference is virtual because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, more than 800 higher education leaders and organizations are expected to participate in the two-day event during which health and safety issues on university campuses will be analyzed.
Inside Higher Ed
Democrats Urge $1 Billion for Students’ Internet Access
By Kery Murakami
Fifteen House and Senate Democrats are urging congressional leaders to include $1 billion in the next coronavirus stimulus package to help low-income college and university students be able to pay for access to the internet. “As colleges and universities across the country have transitioned to distance learning to limit the spread of coronavirus, many students who relied on campus resources are struggling to continue their education from home,” the Democrats wrote in a letter spearheaded by Senator Amy Klobuchar, of Minnesota, and Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, of California.
Inside Higher Ed
Even as budgets are slashed and enrollments dip, we must strive to emerge from this crisis with more resilient and responsive programs.
By Ray Schroeder
We have endured the most extraordinary spring semester, and soon summer, in the history of higher education. Remote teaching and learning have been implemented in incredibly short time frames of a few days to two weeks. Faculty developers, instructional designers and faculty themselves stepped up to make the best of the very difficult situation caused by the pandemic. It is testament to our commitment to the students that we have responded in this fashion. This has not been merely an American initiative — higher education around the world has responded in similar fashion. …It is certain that this past semester and summer will bring about changes in the way we all deliver learning. We have learned that our delivery mode must be more resilient that our physical campuses can be. We have known that our campuses can be vulnerable to hurricanes, earthquakes and other natural disasters, but now we are acutely aware that “the way we have always done things” is vulnerable to epidemics. Wisely, we are considering ways we can be more resilient. So, what are our options?
Harvard Business Review
A Post-Pandemic Strategy for U.S. Higher Ed
by Vijay Govindarajan and Anup Srivastava
Universities have many pressing short-term issues to deal with right now: large budget cuts, a growing reluctance among students to pay full tuition fees for online education, demands for reimbursement of already-paid fees, the possible disappearance of international students who pay full fees, the large-scale deferral of admissions, a sharp spike in the need for financial assistance among students because of the impact of the pandemic and ensuing recession, and finally, the question of whether and how to reopen. Nevertheless, university leaders should not overspend their time on fighting fires and forget about the long term. The current crisis also creates opportunities to remake institutions. We provide a strategic framework for how universities must start considering their options, experimenting with alternatives, and start planning now.