University System News:
Marietta Daily Journal
KSU outlines reopening plans, virus mitigation strategies in email to students
By Ryan Kolakowski
In an email to students on Thursday afternoon, Kennesaw State University outlined plans to return to campus for in-person instruction amid the coronavirus pandemic. KSU is set to begin fall semester classes Aug. 17. When in-person instruction resumes, the university will require students and faculty to wear face coverings in classrooms, and anybody on campus must wear a mask indoors if social distancing is not possible. The university has dispersed hand sanitizing stations and signage encouraging social distancing across campus. Additionally, janitorial staff will clean and sanitize high-traffic areas multiple times per day, and KSU will work with Wellstar Health System to enact COVID-19 testing and contact tracing.
Albany Herald
Albany State University resumes regular business hours
By Carlton Fletcher
Like the other 25 colleges and universities in the University System of Georgia, Albany State University transitioned to virtual instruction only for the latter part of its spring semester and for all of its summer semester due to the coronavirus pandemic. But ASU President Marion Fedrick joined other institution leaders in signing off on a systemwide agreement earlier in the summer to return to in-person classes fall semester. To facilitate that return to on-campus classes, the local university announced it would return to regular business hours starting Monday. In a news release sent to local media, ASU noted that “after utilizing a four-day work week during the summer semester, Albany State University will return to its regular hours for the fall semester. ASU is resuming normal hours of operation on Monday. The University will be open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.” University System Chancellor Steve Wrigley announced late last week that the system is receiving additional personal protective equipment and other supplies from the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and will provide it to its 26 institutions ahead of next month’s return to on-campus instruction. …Fall semester classes begin at ASU on Aug. 10.
WRDW
Students express concerns as AU prepares for move-in week
By Kennedi Harris
Augusta University is preparing for the first phase of re-opening the Summerville campus. Students are set to move back into dorms on August 3rd. The University has a plan in place, but some students, Like Junior Ashlee Cooper, feel it is not enough. “There’s going to be flaws in any plan, but I think that there are a few things that AU could do a little bit better” she said. Cooper choose to live off-campus this year because of her concerns with living in the dorms. “It’s just me and my roommate with two beds in there and are very close quarters” she said. “Then outside, obviously we share cooking spaces and spaces for you to hang out and it’s always busy. There’s always lots of traffic in and out. There’s always contact with other people.” AU says they plan to place limits on the contact students can have with others.
The Red & Black
UGA students, psychology professor discuss quarantine’s impact on mental health
Emma Robinson | Culture Assistant
When rising junior Nathan Wright took off for spring break in March, he had no idea the remainder of his spring semester would be spent in his hometown of Monroe, Georgia. Now over four months later, Wright, a political science major, has adapted to living under his parents’ roof instead of in his Athens condo, where he lived an independent lifestyle alongside his two roommates. When the coronavirus quickly began to spread throughout the U.S. back in March, the University of Georgia was forced to make the decision of whether it was safe for students to return to campus.
To stay or go
With so much uncertainty about the virus’ growth, Wright immediately knew returning home to Monroe would be the best decision for his health and safety. …Katie Ehrlich, an assistant professor of psychology at UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, specializes her research on how children’s social experiences shape their mental and physical health as an adult. In terms of mental health among those who relocated back home, Ehrlich said students may struggle when it comes to reverting back to olds habits and routines.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Opinion: No right answer on reopening schools
Get Schooled with Maureen Downey
University of Georgia professor says: Focus on the support and healing that is needed
Hilary E. Hughes is an associate professor and graduate coordinator in the Department of Educational Theory and Practice at the University of Georgia. Her last piece for the AJC Get Schooled blog talked about the challenges facing single parents during the pandemic. She also co-wrote a piece on learning in the time of COVID-19 that went viral. In this guest column, Hughes discusses the debate over how best to open schools, maintaining there is no single path that will work for all schools and all children.
By Hilary Hughes Let’s be clear. There is no “right” answer for reopening our schools this fall that will serve all of our nation’s children in equitable and safe ways. Federal and state governments have allowed local districts the “freedom” to choose which models they will use to reopen schools, online or in-person, with no funding (to date) which supports any option.
The Red & Black
ArchNews message provides self-isolating updates for UGA students
Jacqueline GaNun | News Editor
International students arriving at the University of Georgia must self-isolate themselves for 14 days after traveling, according to a Tuesday ArchNews email. The 14-day period, which is the amount of time recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, may overlap with the beginning of classes on Aug. 20. The first day of move-in is Aug. 14 for university housing. Students should reach out to UGA’s Student Care and Outreach to coordinate accommodations for their classes, and those who are living on-campus should contact University Housing, the email said.
Markets Insider
Clayton State University archival studies professor Dr. Aisha Johnson-Jones has released a book uncovering the remarkable story of a Jewish businessman who funded the creation of thousands of public libraries and schools across the south for Black children. Entitled “The African American Struggle For Library Equality: The Untold Story of The Julius Rosenwald Fund Library Program,” the book details the story of Julius Rosenwald, part owner of Sears, Roebuck and Company in the early 20th century, and his decision to established the Rosenwald Fund in 1917 to invest his wealth into building over 5,000 public schools for African American children in 15 southern states.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
AJC On Campus: COVID-19 relief, int’l student plans under microscope
By Eric Stirgus
With the fall semester set to begin in just a few weeks, federal officials and lawmakers are making important decisions to deal with the coronavirus pandemic that will impact Georgia’s colleges and universities. We take a look at some of what’s happening along those lines in the nation’s capital in the latest edition of AJC On Campus.
Congressional debate heats up on student loans …International students face challenges; Students push for changes to federal sexual misconduct investigation rules; Agnes Scott College switches to online learning; The cost of the pandemic; Wesleyan College revokes student expulsion; Georgia State’s diversity effort; Georgia State’s record research haul; Georgia Tech grads make the most cash
Georgia Trend
Political Notes: The Ups, Downs and In-betweens
Hate crimes bill passes, USG reviews building and college names and a new president for the Metro Atlanta Chamber.
By Susan Percy
USG Reviewing Names: Georgia Board of Regents Chair Sachin Shailendra and University System of Georgia (USG) Chancellor Steve Wrigley have formed an advisory group to review the names of buildings and colleges on all of Georgia’s public colleges and universities and recommend changes. The move came amid a call for reevaluation of statues, monuments and building names as a result of Black Lives Matter protests. “It is important to the Board of Regents that USG represents the very best of our state and 330,000 students who are working to attain their degrees from our colleges and universities,” Shailendra said in a release. Creation of the group drew support from presidents of state schools, including Ángel Cabrera, Georgia Tech; Brooks Keel, Augusta University; Mark Becker, Georgia State University (GSU); and Jere Morehead, University of Georgia (UGA).
The Augusta Chronicle
Augusta church rewards graduates, supplies students
By Miguel Legoas
The coronavirus pandemic has stolen a lot from graduating seniors and other students. Restoration Ministries International in Augusta is doing what it can to help. The nondenominational church located on Tobacco Road honored its graduating high school seniors Sunday during its 10 a.m. service with scholarships: …The church honored both high school and college graduates from their congregation. Outside of Corbitt and Lee they include Marcus Allen of Augusta University; Lindsay Riggs of Georgia Southern University;
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Former Ga. Regent agrees to deal on $23 million Ponzi scheme charges
By Eric Stirgus
A former member of Georgia’s influential Board of Regents has agreed to a consent judgment that he violated federal anti-fraud laws by running a Ponzi scheme that bilked at least 100 investors out of about $23 million, federal officials said this week. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged Dean Alford late Thursday with three counts of violating the federal Securities Act. State officials charged Alford in October with fraud and other charges concerning similar allegations.
Other News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Kemp to renew ban on mask mandates, extend coronavirus restrictions
By Greg Bluestein
The new statewide order expires on Aug. 15
Gov. Brian Kemp is set to sign an order Friday that extended Georgia’s coronavirus restrictions another two weeks and renew rules that explicitly ban cities and counties from adopting mandates requiring masks or other face coverings, according to a senior administration official. The executive order, which was set to expire late Friday, also will maintain a series of safety guidelines for restaurants and other businesses that have been in place for months as Georgia struggles with a rising number of coronavirus cases. The new order runs through Aug. 15, according to the official, who was not authorized to speak about the decision before it’s made public.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
States could see years of money woes, job losses from the COVID-19 recession
By James Salzer
As Congress struggled last week to reach a deal on the latest coronavirus relief package, alarms were again being raised that the lack of federal aid could mean years of service cutbacks, layoffs and employee furloughs for state and local governments across the country. Georgia, which has avoided mass furloughs, has fared better than many other states. Nationally, about 1.5 million college, school and other government workers were laid off or furloughed during the early months of the COVID-19 recession, eclipsing the declines during the Great Recession, according to U.S. Department of Labor figures. Without federal assistance to fill holes in state and local budgets, some analysts have said spending cuts and tax increases that communities may need to continue providing services could delay the country’s recovery.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Map: Coronavirus deaths and cases in Georgia (updated Aug. 2, 3 p.m.)
An updated count of coronavirus deaths and cases reported across the state
DEATHS: 3,840 | Deaths have been confirmed in 151 counties. County is determined by the patient’s residence, when known, not by where they were treated.
CONFIRMED CASES: 193,177 | Cases have been confirmed in every county.
Higher Education News:
The Chronicle of Higher Education
Presidents Say Fall Semester Might Not Be So Bad. They Still Plan Cuts, Just in Case.
By Eric Kelderman
Higher education is facing its greatest challenges in at least a century. The pandemic that forced campuses to quickly shutter in the spring shows no signs of slowing in the United States. Families and students who pay tuition are living through the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Layered onto the public-health and economic crises are continuing protests against racial injustice that are certain to take place on campuses, or virtually, during the coming academic year. But college presidents say they feel cautiously optimistic about the short-term future of their institutions, according to a new survey of campus leaders by the Association of American Colleges & Universities, the AAC&U, which promotes a liberal-arts education in academe. “Four months into the still-ongoing crisis, there are indications that presidents may not be forecasting ‘worst case’ scenarios for their institutions,” says a summary of the survey’s findings. The survey, conducted from June 25 to July 12, found that, compared with a similar survey in March, the share of presidents who anticipate making no cuts in academic programs has increased from 50 percent to 55 percent. But college leaders also recognize they are not out of the woods yet.
Inside Higher Ed
Colleges Seek Waivers From Risk-Taking Students
As fall semester approaches, students are increasingly opposing liability waivers and “informed consent” agreements required by colleges as a condition of returning to campus.
By Greta Anderson
…As the start of the fall semester approaches, students enrolled at various colleges across the country are being prompted by their institutions to sign similar agreements acknowledging, and in some cases even assuming, all the risks of returning to campus. Some of the agreements are more explicit than others, such as the contract used by Bates, which legal experts say implies that students are waiving their right to pursue litigation for negligence on the part of the college. Mary Pols, a spokesperson for Bates, said in an email that the college’s fall reopening plan “emphasizes student choice” and the written acknowledgment is “intended to help students and their families make an informed decision about the fall semester.” …Agreements at other institutions attempt to conceal the legal language within statements about students’ responsibility to follow public health guidance and general information about how to prevent the spread of coronavirus, some students said.
Inside Higher Ed
COVID-19 Roundup: Study Recommends Testing Every 2 Days
Experts say study offers “wake-up call” as to whether colleges are planning enough testing. Players push back on planned football season, and another college lays off faculty.
By Elizabeth Redden
A new modeling study published Friday by researchers at Harvard and Yale Universities concluded that a safe way to bring college students back to campus this fall would be to test them for COVID-19 every two days using “a rapid, inexpensive, and even poorly sensitive” test, and to couple this testing with strict behavioral strategies to keep the virus’s rate of transmission (Rt) — the average number of individuals infected by a single contagious person — below 2.5. Such a strategy, the authors wrote, “was estimated to yield a modest number of containable infections and to be cost-effective.” They added, “This sets a very high bar — logistically, financially, and behaviorally — that may be beyond the reach of many university administrators and the students in their care.”
Inside Higher Ed
Colleges say that, with changes, they can be operated safely. But many colleges are staying virtual.
By Scott Jaschik
During the last week, numerous colleges announced that they will start the 2020-21 academic year online, with some or all students barred from campus. Many of these colleges were reversing decisions they had made earlier. The National Association for College Admission Counseling announced that it was starting virtual college fairs, in which college representatives can meet with high school counselors. Want to visit Harvard University or Stanford University or the University of Michigan or the University of Notre Dame? There are plenty of digital options to see the four campuses and learn about their programs. But with the coronavirus pandemic continuing, there are not in-person tours. So too is the case at hundreds of colleges and universities. But in the last month or so, the campus tours have come back — albeit with new rules to preserve the safety of visitors.