University System News:
The Augusta Chronicle
MCG students get new stethoscope, new rules
By Tom Corwin
The first-year class at Medical College of Georgia got orientation Monday and new stethoscopes, courtesy of alumni donations. The 190 new students will be divided into small groups for safety reasons because of COVID-19. Roy Urum smiled Monday as he pulled the new stethoscope from the box and admired it, a gift to first-year students at the Medical College of Georgia from the school’s alumni. He was a little more impressed when he found out each one cost around $250. “Wow,” Urum said. “That’s a lot.” …The 190 new students in the Class of 2024 at MCG at Augusta University, plus 50 more who will get them during their orientation in Athens, are the latest to take up the call to become doctors at MCG. …The students are also beginning their medical careers in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was weighing on the minds of some as they assembled Monday morning.
Times-Georgian
By Julie Lineback
The University of West Georgia conferred more than 700 degrees to its summer 2020 graduating class during a virtual commencement celebration on Saturday that was broadcast on UWG’s Livestream page. This was the second time UWG streamed a graduation celebration since the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the world.
WSB
UGA’s summer semester classes come to a close
Phased-in return to campus continues
By Tim Bryant
Today is the last day for summer session classes at the University of Georgia. UGA students will be taking their final exams on-line, the same way they took their classes. The University continues to aim for an August 24 start to fall semester that will have students back on campus in and in classrooms.
11Alive
Georgia Tech alum named commander of mission to International Space Station
Video Newscast
Georgia Tech alum named commander of mission to International Space Station;
Metro Atlanta CEO
Kemp Nominates Statewide Business Court Clerk
Governor Brian P. Kemp announced his nomination of Angie Davis to serve as the first clerk of the Georgia Statewide Business Court. She was unanimously confirmed by the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. “With over thirty years of experience, Angie Davis will bring invaluable court management expertise to this statewide court,” said Governor Kemp. “It is an honor to nominate her for this important role, and I know she will play a pivotal role in the court’s long-term success.” …Davis received her bachelor’s degree from Georgia Southern University and master’s degree from Kennesaw State University.
11Alive
China seeds in Georgia | State receives dozens of reports about unknown packages
The first known seeds arrived last Friday, the Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture told 11Alive.
Author: Jason Braverman (11Alive)
They come in all different varieties and sizes, but one thing is in common: They are packets of seeds coming from China and arriving unannounced to your home. “We’re trying to get to the bottom of this right now,” Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary W. Black told 11Alive. He said they are not sure what these types of seeds are, but that they could potentially be an invasive plant species. He said they are getting reports of several different kinds of seeds. He said they’ve only physically received a few samples, so far, that are undergoing testing at their seed laboratory in Tifton, Georgia, but said the department has received dozens of calls about more reports. … If you get a package, he said you can take it to your local cooperative extension service through the University of Georgia – or send it directly to the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Black said that even throwing the seeds away could be harmful if they end up in landfills and are somehow a type of invasive species that were sent here with ill intentions.
The New York Times
More Than 6,300 Coronavirus Cases Have Been Linked to U.S. Colleges
By Weiyi Cai, Danielle Ivory, Mitch Smith, Alex Lemonides and Lauryn Higgins
As college students and professors decide whether to head back to class, and as universities weigh how and whether to reopen, the coronavirus is already on campus. A New York Times survey of every public four-year college in the country, as well as every private institution that competes in Division I sports or is a member of an elite group of research universities, revealed at least 6,300 cases tied to about 270 colleges over the course of the pandemic. And the new academic year has not even begun at most schools.
…Schools – University of Georgia, Cases 390; …Georgia Tech, Cases 94 …Georgia Southern University, Cases 40 …Georgia State University, Cases 18 …University of North Georgia, Cases 11 …Georgia Gwinnett College, Cases 6 …East GA State College, Cases 4 …GA Highlands, Cases 3 …Valdosta State, Cases 2 …Ft. Valley State, Cases 1 …There is no standardized reporting method for coronavirus cases and deaths at colleges, and the information is not being publicly tracked at a national level. Of nearly 1,000 institutions contacted by The Times, some had already posted case information online, some provided full or partial numbers and others refused to answer basic questions, citing privacy concerns. Hundreds of colleges did not respond at all.
Clayton News-Daily
Clayton State University seeks community input to document COVID-19 impact
From staff reports
The Clayton State University Archives is seeking donations from the community to document the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the community. Entitled “Reflections on the COVID-19 Pandemic: Documenting Clayton State Community Experiences,” the archives project will preserve and share stories from the community covering life experiences the effect this monumental public health crisis has had on daily life.
Atlanta
These Georgia doctors are beginning their careers in a pandemic. Yes, it’s a little stressful.
“Going from residency, where you’re supervised, to suddenly being on your own is already a learning curve. The pandemic has just added another layer of stress on top of that.”
By Jennifer Rainey Marquez
When Koosh Desai finished his internal-medicine residency in 2019, he was happy to get offered a job at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany. The small, friendly community, not far from where he grew up in Columbus, seemed like an ideal place to start his career as a doctor. He could see a wide range of patients and practice a holistic approach to medicine, while also working for the Medical College of Georgia. He couldn’t have expected that, six months in, a global pandemic would ravage this corner of rural Georgia. … “Going from residency, where you’re supervised, to suddenly being on your own is already a learning curve,” he says. “The pandemic has just added another layer of stress on top of that.” At other hospitals, new doctors were facing nearly empty waiting rooms. Stephen Jackson, an emergency medicine physician, also finished his residency in 2019 after graduating from Medical College of Georgia three years earlier. At Wellstar’s Atlanta Medical Center South in East Point, where he works, the normal stream of heart attacks, strokes, accidents, and broken bones slowed markedly in the wake of coronavirus.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
New college grad: We need help in COVID-decimated job market
Get Schooled with Maureen Downey
A 2020 University of Georgia graduate offers ideas to help young job seekers cope with pandemic
Quinn Webb graduated the University of Georgia in May with a Bachelor of Science degree in environmental economics. In this guest column, the Forsyth County resident discusses the bleak job market awaiting him and other new grads and suggests policy changes that could improve their plight.
By Quinn Webb – As a May graduate of the environmental economics program at the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, my interests include sustainable business, public administration, data science, and Interdisciplinary research. With the world as we knew it upended around my graduation, I’ve had a lot of time to think about the pandemic and economic solutions to help support recent graduates, from the high school to the post-graduate level .
WRDW
COVID-19 could have negative impact on hearing
By Sydney Heiberger
New COVID research out of Johns Hopkins shows the virus might have a negative impact on your ear and hearing. A doctor on that research team grew up right here Evans. Your ear, your nose, your throat are all connected. So Dr. Kailtyn Frazier and her team at Hopkins theorized that if COVID can be found in particles in your nose and throat. It should also be found in the fluid in your middle ear. Their findings are confirming just that. … Dr. Mohammad Seyyedi at Augusta University says the medicines used to treat COVID can also cause hearing damage. “Hydroxychloroquine, as well as azithromycin, are known ototoxic medications,” Seyyedi said. But he says that doesn’t mean we should stop using them. It just comes down to choosing the lesser of two evils.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Tech denies claim it is misleading students about fall plans
By Eric Stirgus
Many Georgia Tech students are raising concerns after a message began circulating on social media late last week that some faculty members are being told to “lie to students” about their options if they don’t want to take classes on campus this fall semester to protect themselves from exposure to COVID-19. “{S}tudents do have the choice regarding whether they want to attend the f2f classes,” read the message, posted by an anonymous faculty member, who said it was sent to faculty in the Scheller College of Business. “However, the institute prefers us not to directly and openly communicate this to students.” “F2F” is a reference for “face to face” instruction. The message says suggested responses to students should include “you are expected to attend all classes, unless you have a compelling reason not to (for example, sick, received accommodation, asked to leave class due to face mask violation, etc.)”
WABE
Hundreds Of Georgia College Professors Are Concerned About Reopening Campuses This Fall
Martha Dalton
Some local private colleges — like Morehouse, Spelman, Clark Atlanta University and Agnes Scott College — have decided to start the school year remotely due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, Georgia’s public colleges and universities plan to hold in-person classes this fall. That has some professors concerned about whether campuses can reopen safely. Hundreds of faculty members at schools like the Georgia Institute of Technology and Georgia State University have signed letters to university system officials. Among their requests, they’ve asked that remote learning be the primary mode of instruction at Georgia colleges this fall. Georgia has now surpassed 170,000 reported COVID-19 cases. Fulton County, where Georgia Tech and GSU are located, currently leads the state in cases.
The Signal
University system rushing to open doors without considering students’ safety
By Raquel Croston
On June 26, Georgia State released an enthusiastic announcement for how it will welcome back its students for the fall semester. Despite the school’s previous hesitation to call off in-person classes at the beginning of the outbreak, it was shocking to see such a bold statement put out while cases are on the rise. The plan outlines three different types of courses: blended, online and face-to-face. Blended courses are similar to hybrid selections where students only attend classes in person once a week, then participate in online learning for the rest of the week. Face-to-face classes are traditional courses, said to be the best option for courses that require hands-on content. … Georgia State was too anxious to announce school would be in session before considering not only the consequences, but how it would be possible. Nowhere on Georgia State’s website does it give any additional information for students who may not feel comfortable with in-person classes. Select classes are able to be switched to the online format; however, many courses, like graduate courses, are offered as blended only. As someone who personally still has two classes in person, I have no option to change these courses to an online alternative.
Connect Savannah
Students of Georgia Southern, Savannah State sound off on USG reopening policy
By Rachael Flora
WHEN THE University System of Georgia made their decision to resume classes in the fall, they did so with very little input from anyone who would be affected by that decision. They also failed to consider the opinions of the group they purport to care most about: the students. Two universities in our area—Savannah State University and the Armstrong campus of Georgia Southern—are nestled in the USG system. The plan for both schools is a return to campus in the fall, though as of this writing there has been no decision made for when, exactly, that will happen. Often, decisions like these are made with the students’ wellbeing in mind, though by many accounts there was no real attempt at reaching out to this population. So, we did that for them. We reached out to current students of both SSU and GSU to learn more about how, exactly, they feel about going back to school. The results, we learned, were fairly mixed.
Athens CEO
UGA Foundation Commits Up to $10M for Innovation
Loran Posey
The University of Georgia Foundation’s investment committee voted to approve a financial commitment of up to $10 million for innovation at UGA during a June 15 meeting. The funds will allow the UGA Foundation to partner with the Office of Research’s Innovation Gateway to bring new technology developed at UGA to the marketplace. …By connecting investors with startup companies based on UGA innovations and facilitating financial partnerships, the UGA Foundation hopes to drive interest in UGA innovation and build on its success bringing new products to market.
Yahoo
This solar-powered SlothBot is here to help endangered plant species
Emerald Pellot
Georgia Tech’s artificial sloth is joining the fight to save endangered plant species. You might be able to spot the robot’s large round head, bulging eyes and emoji-like smile during your next visit to the Atlanta Botanical Garden. The slow-moving, energy-efficient and solar-powered SlothBot hangs from the botanical garden’s trees. It monitors plants, animals and environmental conditions like carbon dioxide levels. Engineering students at Georgia Tech modeled the robot after real sloths who also lead low-energy lifestyles.
Americus Times-Recorder
Five GSW student-athletes earn ITA All-Academic Team honors
By Ken Gustafson
The Georgia Southwestern State University women’s tennis team earned Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) All-Academic Team distinction for the third consecutive year as the Lady Hurricanes placed five student-athletes on the Scholar-Athlete list revealed today by the ITA for the 2019-20 season.
Other News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia revamps virus maps, charts that critics said were confusing
By J. Scott Trubey
The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) said on Tuesday it revamped its coronavirus website to make maps and charts easier to read and use. The changes follow complaints about poor design of maps and charts by the public, independent health experts and some in the media. The most significant addition is a new map showing growth by county in the rate of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in the past two weeks. That map, which is like one published daily on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution COVID-19 Dashboard, shows users where cases are growing fastest as adjusted for population.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Map: Coronavirus deaths and cases in Georgia (updated July 28, 3 p.m.)
An updated count of coronavirus deaths and cases reported across the state
DEATHS: 3,563 | Deaths have been confirmed in 149 counties. County is determined by the patient’s residence, when known, not by where they were treated.
CONFIRMED CASES: 175,052 | Cases have been confirmed in every county.
Higher Education News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Jolt: A needs-based supplement to the HOPE scholarship, in the name of Shirley Miller
By Jim Galloway, Greg Bluestein and Tia Mitchell
When the HOPE scholarship began in 1993, at the instigation of Gov. Zell Miller, the program was aimed in large part at helping families who otherwise couldn’t afford paying for a child’s college education. It offered two years’ worth of tuition to students who graduated high school with a “B” average and had an annual family income of less than $66,000. The success of the Georgia lottery, which financed HOPE, allowed legislators to expand the income cap in 1994 to $100,000. In 1995, the income cap was abolished altogether. Moreover, save for a few students, the HOPE no longer covers the cost of tuition, which has risen rapidly over the past decade. On Wednesday, the Zell Miller Foundation announced the launch of a new scholarship program named after the late governor’s surviving spouse. “The Shirley Miller Scholarship awards qualified HOPE Scholarship recipients an annual supplement that pays the difference between their current HOPE award and the cost of tuition,” wrote Bryan Miller, executive chairman of the foundation and Zell Miller’s grandson. The aim is to restore the original vision of full tuition — and more. Need will once again matter.
Inside Higher Ed
Students Ready to Return to College, Report Finds
By Emma Whitford
Most college students plan to return to school in the fall, and they feel comfortable doing so, according to a report released Tuesday. The report from Sallie Mae and Ipsos, a market research company, found that more than 60 percent of families believe that the COVID-19 pandemic will not have a long-term impact on their student’s education. Only 7 percent of students have decided to take time off or enroll in a different college or university. Sallie Mae, the student loan company, has released a version of its “How America Pays for College” report for 13 years. More families than ever have a plan to pay for college, the survey found.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
Many campuses’ testing policies fall short.
By Vivian S. Lee, Vindell Washington, and Robert M. Califf
The last thing America’s colleges need during the pandemic is for their students to hug each other. But in March, shortly before being sent home, many students said goodbye with an embrace, and you can bet many of them will greet one another the same way when they are reunited in the fall. College means closeness for students on campus, however clear the social-distancing guidelines may be. For this and other reasons, a systematic approach to unlimited testing must be part of the strategy to prevent outbreaks from shutting down our college campuses: All college students should be tested both before and right after they begin actively engaging on campus; any who develop symptoms should be tested immediately; and regular screening of asymptomatic students must follow over the course of the semester.
Inside Higher Ed
Virtual Learning Will Be Better This Fall. Right?
As colleges head toward the remote fall they dreaded, they must deliver a more compelling learning experience than last spring’s. Most think it will be better, but it may not give students what they crave.
By Doug Lederman
Whether they like it or not — most of them don’t, and some of them are still insisting it’s not the case — I’m convinced that the vast majority of American colleges and universities are headed toward a mostly or entirely virtual fall. Those that don’t start out that way will, as they did in the spring, have to pivot. COVID-19 will almost certainly demand it. Early in April, about three weeks after most colleges physically closed their campuses because of the coronavirus, I (with trepidation) wrote a column headlined “Preparing for a Fall Without In-Person Classes.” At the time, most college officials I contacted weren’t prepared to talk publicly about the possibility that the coronavirus could keep their campuses shuttered in the fall. It’s not that they weren’t thinking about it; they just didn’t want to freak out students, parents and their own colleagues by conjecturing about a scenario most of them dreaded.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
As Students Flock to Gap-Year Programs, College Enrollments Could Suffer
By Elin Johnson
Survey after survey has shown that 2020’s prospective college students are rethinking their plans. And while it’s too early to tell how many students colleges will lose, skyrocketing interest in gap-year programs could signal what’s to come. According to Ethan Knight, the Gap Year Association, where Knight is the executive director and founder, has seen unique page views on its website double and a 380-percent jump in searches of its program directory compared to July of last year. Some gap-year programs report filling their cohorts a month early and opening more slots to meet the demand. And gap-year consultants predict those numbers will grow as colleges solidify their plans for the fall. This is the first year a correlation between low enrollment numbers at colleges and high interest in gap years could be drawn, Knight said — if deferrals match these early indicators. So far, they’ve been on par with previous years, as students seem tepid about pulling the trigger on a gap year.
Inside Higher Ed
It says it is responding to complaints and hopes to open them today.
By Scott Jaschik
For much of Tuesday, ACT’s registration page said, “Due to high demand, we’ve taken the MyACT registration page down in order to improve system performance. We’re sorry for the inconvenience. Please check back on our website and social media channels for updates.” For a while, the website promised an update — at 9:30 a.m. Central Time — but no update appeared. There are reports that ACT will announce how it will resolve the situation by noon today. To ACT test takers, or would-be test takers, it wasn’t just about inconvenience. Many said that it has become next to impossible to register for the ACT during this summer of the coronavirus pandemic.
Inside Higher Ed
Trump Administration Moves to Curb DACA
In what critics say is defiance of Supreme Court ruling, Trump administration says it will reject new DACA applications and shorten the renewal period to one year.
By Elizabeth Redden
The Trump administration says it will not process new applications for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and that it will limit the renewal term for current DACA recipients to one year instead of the usual two. Critics say the policy change is in blatant defiance of a court order directing the restoration of the program. The DACA program, which was established in 2012 under former president Obama, provides protection against deportation and work authorization to certain undocumented immigrants, known as Dreamers, who were brought to the U.S. as children. The Trump administration ordered the end of DACA in 2017, but colleges and other entities sued to stop the administration from ending the program.