University System News:
MSN
AU Health COVID-19 specimen collection location to relocate to downtown Augusta
Tyria Goines
Beginning Friday, July 17, the current drive-thru location at Christenberry Fieldhouse will relocate to the Augusta University Health Sciences Campus at Annex II on 15th Street, the site of the former university vehicles services shop. The new location will accommodate up to six cars at one time in an enclosed space, making it one of the most unique testing sites in the area or state. It’s an attempt to provide better access to testing for area residents.
Albany Herald
Albany State/Columbus Tech announce nursing agreement
From staff reports
Albany State University and Columbus Technical College announced the establishment of a cooperative relationship Thursday afternoon. The agreement formally recognizes that ASU and CTC are active educational partners committed to expanding educational opportunities in southwest Georgia. This partnership will create a pathway for students pursuing a career in nursing, as well as 20-plus other business-related fields. “Being able to provide this easy transfer of credit from Columbus Tech to Albany State will help our students in so many ways,” Columbus Tech President Martha Ann Todd said in a news release. “It is our hope that, with a student-friendly system in place, our students will seize this opportunity for affordable, career-building bachelor degrees to add to their already impressive associate’s degrees. The RN-to-BSN program transfer opportunity will be especially valuable in developing the health care work force that is widely needed.”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
AJC On Campus: Feds retreat on student visa rule; USG pressured on return plans
By Eric Stirgus
What a difference a week makes.
The Trump administration prompted concern and confusion on many college campuses last week when it announced rules that international students could not study here if they were taking all of their courses online. On Tuesday, the administration said never mind in a court hearing.
…Faculty, grad students unhappy with campus return plans
The University System of Georgia, despite announcing earlier this month it would require people to wear face coverings in classrooms and other places where social distancing can’t be done, continues to face criticism from many faculty members and graduate students over other aspects of the fall semester return plans. …UGA donors add $175 million to fundraising effort …Georgia Gwinnett College surpasses fundraising goal to help students
Athens CEO
UGA Completes Historic Fundraising Campaign
Staff Report
The University of Georgia’s Commit to Georgia Campaign ended June 30 after raising $1.45 billion, becoming the university’s most successful fundraising effort in its history. The campaign publicly launched in November 2016 with a $1.2 billion goal—a mark it surpassed 16 months ahead of schedule—and garnered donations from 175,488 donors, who hailed from all 50 states and 62 countries. “On behalf of the University of Georgia, I want to thank each and every person who supported this campaign,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “Their gifts have allowed our great institution to expand its positive impact across Georgia and around the world, and future generations of students will have transformational experiences at UGA because of their generosity and loyalty. This campaign demonstrated that, with the support of alumni and friends, no goal or aspiration is out of reach for the University of Georgia. Working together, we can—and will continue—to improve lives and communities through our important missions of teaching, research, and service.”
Savannah CEO
OTC’s First Georgia REACH Scholar Close To Achieving Logistics Dream
Staff Report
Brian Phillips, the first REACH Scholar to pursue a degree from Ogeechee Technical College, is slated to earn his associate degree in Logistics Management in fall 2021. As a Bulloch County REACH Scholar, Phillips earned up to $10,000 in scholarship funds that he could use at any Georgia REACH eligible college or university. Of the 82 institutions listed as eligible in the state of Georgia, Phillips chose Ogeechee Tech. …After earning his degree from Ogeechee Tech, Phillips plans to pursue his Bachelor of Business Administration in Supply Chain Management from Georgia Southern University. A Logistics Management articulation agreement signed in August 2019 between Ogeechee Tech and Georgia Southern will allow Phillips to seamlessly transfer his earned credit hours. He plans to one day leverage his education into a career at the Port of Savannah.
The Bell Ringer
AU president’s cabinet member named as a finalist for top post at UNLV
By Emily Garcia
Staff writer
Karla Leeper, executive vice president for operations at Augusta University, is one of four finalists to be interviewed next week by a Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) committee for the presidential position at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Former AU and then Georgia Regents University President Ricardo Azziz was a finalist for the same job in 2014. Interviews are scheduled to take place July 22 with a hiring decision to be made the next day. NHSE said that interviews will not be livestreamed. However, up to 50 members of the public will be allowed to attend in-person, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Leeper has worked at AU for six years, holding various positions, including executive vice president for university relations, chief of staff to the president and adjunct faculty member in the Department of Communication.
The Spectator
VSU faculty encourages USG to modify contingency plan for Fall semester
While some students are happy about not taking online classes for most of the fall semester, some VSU faculty members are concerned about health risks that may occur with the university’s new contingency plan. Following the release of the contingency plan on July 2, VSU faculty came together to write a letter that voices their concerns and suggests modifications to the plan. “I cannot speak on behalf of all faculty, but I do know that there are a number of us here at VSU and system-wide who are still very concerned about fall plans,” Dr. Nicholas Miller, assistant professor of English, said. VSU faculty aren’t the only ones who have raised concerns about returning to campus. Georgia Southern University’s faculty have also created a petition that was released on July 4 with the same concerns and modifications that VSU’s faculty are suggesting. …VSU’s faculty letter has not been sent yet but currently has 85 faculty signatures. It will be sent to Governor Brian Kemp, the University System of Georgia Chancellor Steve Wrigley, the Board of Regents and VSU President Richard Carvajal.
The Red & Black
First UGA ‘Return to Campus’ message outlines COVID-19 safety precautions, updated bus procedures
Sherry Liang | Digital Managing Editor
University of Georgia President Jere Morehead sent an ArchNews email to UGA students on Wednesday detailing protocols for returning to campus, including dining services, housing and transportation. Morehead said this email will be the “first in a series of email newsletters” before the semester begins. The email addressed the University System of Georgia’s mask mandate, which will require everyone on UGA’s campus to wear face coverings inside campus buildings. People who do not wear face coverings will be asked to put one on or leave the building. The email linked to additional safety measures outlined for phases two and three of campus return. The UGA community is encouraged to regularly monitor symptoms and body temperature with UGA-provided digital thermometers. People can self-report through an app, which will contribute to the Georgia Department of Public Health’s contact-tracing initiative.
The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education
Study Led by Scholar at the University of Georgia Finds Racial Gap in Patent Approvals
A new study by researchers at the University of Georgia and Oklahoma State University finds inventors from underrepresented groups are less likely than White inventors to have their patent applications granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Other News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia named among 18 states in COVID-19 ‘red zone’
By Tim Darnell
Statewide mask mandate recommended
Georgia has been named in a document prepared for the White House Coronavirus Task Force as a “red zone” state, meaning it is one of 18 states that had more than 100 new coronavirus cases per 100,000 people last week and had more than 10% of diagnostic tests coming back as positive. The report recommends Georgia “mandate statewide wearing of cloth face coverings outside the home.” But Gov. Brian Kemp signed an order Wednesday banning localities from requiring masks. The document was originally reported by the Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit newsroom based in Washington, D.C.
The Washington Post
Unpublished White House report recommends stricter coronavirus measures in hard-hit states
By Kim Bellware, Derek Hawkins, Brittany Shammas, Hannah Denham, John Wagner, Adam Taylor, Michael Brice-Saddler, Meryl Kornfield and Marisa Iati
The Washington Post is providing this important information about the coronavirus for free. For more free coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, sign up for our Coronavirus Updates newsletter where all stories are free to read. An unpublished report by the White House Coronavirus Task Force dated Tuesday suggests that at least 18 hard-hit states — including California, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma and Texas — enact stricter measures such as mask requirements and increased testing. The report was first published by the Center for Public Integrity.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Map: Coronavirus deaths and cases in Georgia (updated July 16, 3 p.m.)
An updated count of coronavirus deaths and cases reported across the state
DEATHS: 3,104 | Deaths have been confirmed in 143 counties. County is determined by the patient’s residence, when known, not by where they were treated.
CONFIRMED CASES: 131,275 | Cases have been confirmed in every county.
Higher Education News:
Insider Higher Ed
The Urgent Need for Online Instruction—
By Kelli Anderson
Bob King has a message for higher ed: Get ready for a blended, hybrid, technology-enabled and student-centric future. King is the Executive Vice President of Partner Strategy at Collegis Education, a leading provider of technology-embedded managed services for higher education. “Technology will be a game changer in higher ed,” he says. “Student expectations have already been set by the leading edge companies in Silicon Valley like Apple, Google and Netflix. The reality is most institutions need to catch up to deliver the experience students are seeking and expect.” The gauntlet of challenges facing higher ed includes, of course, the global pandemic that sent educators scrambling to figure out how to teach classes from home offices, kitchen tables, basements and closets. King also points to pre-COVID-19 stressors that range from a shrinking college-age population to a burgeoning need to streamline business processes and meet the technology expectations of a generation raised on Instagram and Venmo. …“We have numerous opportunities to apply technology to improve student experience, improve student retention,” he says. I recently spoke with King about the future of technology in higher ed, today’s urgent need for online instruction—and the three things every school needs to do right now to prepare for the next decade.
Inside Higher Ed
Senate Republicans’ Proposal for Liability Protection
By Kery Murakami
A proposal by Senate Republicans, being reviewed by the Trump administration, would make it harder for those who are infected with the coronavirus to sue universities, businesses and others, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. The American Council on Education, representing the nation’s colleges and universities, as well as business groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, have been pushing for liability protection, fearing lawsuits as colleges reopen. According to a summary of the proposal reviewed by the Journal, defendants in coronavirus cases would only be held liable if they didn’t make reasonable efforts to comply with public health guidelines and instead demonstrated gross negligence or intentional misconduct. The defendants would have the right to move the case to federal court if they so choose, which, the Journal said, could be more favorable than having cases decided by state courts.
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Apple Expands Coding Partnerships With HBCUs
Apple announced it is expanding its coding partnership with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in a move to increase diversity in the tech workforce. As part of the expansion, Apple is adding 10 more HBCU regional coding centers that will serve as technology hubs for their campuses and broader communities. The company already partners with HBCUs through its HBCU Scholars Program.
Inside Higher Ed
Attorneys General Square Off on New Title IX Regulations
By Greta Anderson
Fourteen Republican attorneys general filed a brief in defense of the United States Department of Education’s new regulations that dictate how colleges respond to reports of sexual misconduct. The group also asked a federal judge to dismiss a motion that attempts to delay the Aug. 14 deadline for implementation of the new regulations. The brief, filed July 15, is the latest development in an increasingly politically partisan legal battle between supporters and opponents of the new policy. Various lawsuits have been filed challenging the legality and merits of the regulations, which were issued May 6 by the department to enforce Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the law that prohibits sex discrimination in federally funded institutions. The Republican AGs from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas argue in opposition to the 18 Democratic AGs that filed suit against the department in June. The Democratic AGs also requested the court put a hold on requiring institutions to implement Title IX policies in line with the new regulations.
Inside Higher Ed
College leaders are making good on commitments to address racial inequities at their institutions with more diverse staffing, socially relevant curricula and targeted fundraising to help students of color.
By Greta Anderson
Colleges are announcing new curriculum and resources to improve the experience of Black students on campus and help dismantle structural racism in higher ed. Institutional leaders are also following through on promises made last month to help promote racial equity in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and nationwide protests about racial injustice. Beyond the symbolic and long-demanded removal of statues and names of historical figures with ties to the Confederacy and racist ideologies, colleges are also developing new antiracism courses and requiring all students to take courses on diversity, equity and inclusion. Some colleges are exploring ways to better financially support Black students, to alleviate the vestiges of discriminatory Jim Crow-era policies and, more recently, the coronavirus pandemic. which has disproportionately impacted the health and income of people of color.
Inside Higher Ed
Trump Administration Rejects New DACA Applications
By Elizabeth Redden
The Trump administration is refusing to process new applications for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program despite a Supreme Court ruling that required reinstatement of the program, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday. Legal experts say the Supreme Court’s ruling compels the administration to begin accepting new applications for the DACA program, which provides protections from deportation for certain young immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children.