University System News:
Trenton Daily News
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College leads University System in saving money on books
From Staff Reports
When it comes to saving money on the cost of textbooks, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College leads the way among the 26 colleges and universities in the University System of Georgia. According to information from GALILEO, Georgia’s virtual library, ABAC had 89 per cent of its course sections at no cost or low cost for books and materials. That figure tops all USG institutions. “This is an initiative launched several years ago by the USG to help with the cost of textbooks for students,” Jerry Baker, ABAC’s provost and vice president for academic affairs, said in a news release. “All the institutions were encouraged to identify in the course schedule if a course offered a low-cost or no-cost textbook option. “We have had several faculty members receive grants to help develop the no-cost, low-cost ‘books.’
Times-Georgian
UWG gets grant to help students with study aids
By Amadeu Guimaraes
The University of West Georgia was recently awarded approximately $165,000 in grants by Affordable Learning Georgia (ALG) to help students cover their cost of course materials. The grants are intended to explore and expand course materials transformation to include the adoption, adaptation and creation of Open Educational Resources (OER); the adoption of materials available through GALILEO and USG libraries; and the use of other no-cost and low-cost materials.
WSB
USG responds to UGA coronavirus spike
Vast majority of new cases are among students
By Tim Bryant
The latest numbers from coronavirus testing at the University of Georgia show an additional 1,400 cases in the week ending on September 6: that’s up from the more than 800 that were recorded the week before at UGA. The University says very few of the new cases were among faculty and staff members; the overwhelming majority were students.
From the University System of Georgia…
We urge all campus stakeholders to avoid large gatherings, keep a safe physical distance and wear a face mask not only where it is required, but also off campus for their own personal protection. We encourage local authorities to help in this effort by enforcing off-campus public health measures including limits on the size of gatherings. All of these measures will reduce the transmission of the disease if everyone adheres to them. …
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
University of Georgia sees another increase in reported COVID-19 cases
By Eric Stirgus
The University of Georgia on Wednesday reported another significant increase in reported positive COVID-19 cases, a week after top officials there raised concerns about a rise in the numbers. Georgia’s flagship university reported 1,417 positive cases between Aug. 31 and Sept. 4, according to a weekly update posted on its website. The university last week reported 821 positive cases from Aug. 24-28, which had been its highest five-day total since the pandemic began in March. The website does not include data detailing the severity of the cases, information UGA and other universities say they cannot release due to federal health privacy restrictions. About one half of the Aug. 31-Sept. 4 cases were reported by students who were tested off-campus.
WSB-TV
UGA reports over 1,400 new cases of COVID-19 on campus this week
The University of Georgia reported Wednesday that there were over 1,400 new coronavirus cases among students, faculty and staff this week. From August 31 to September 6, a total of 1,417 new cases were reported on campus. Last week, the university reported over 800 new cases. The positivity rate on campus rose from 5.30% to 8.03%.
UNG ranks high on Money magazine list
University president hails latest report
By Tim Bryant
The University of North Georgia ranks third among Georgia public universities on Money magazine’s new Best Colleges for Your Money 2020 list. This is the second year in a row, and third time overall, that UNG has made the list. “A quality educational experience, exceptional affordability and preparing students for success in a diverse and global society are hallmarks of UNG’s mission,” UNG President Bonita Jacobs said. “Our continued inclusion in national rankings lists such as Money’s Best Colleges for Your Money demonstrates how well the faculty and staff are preparing our students.” The rankings include 739 colleges and universities from across the country.
Why COVID-19 Should Spur Digital Transformation in Higher Ed
By eCampus News
At the end of 2019, college presidents were asked what they saw as the greatest challenges for higher education in 2020 and the results are fascinating given the way the year has gone. Although none of the responders knew just how drastically 2020 would change higher education, their responses still reflect the most valid concerns in the industry – digital transformation. It’s become clear that COVID-19 has effectively become the “tech tipping point” for higher education, and although the current educational landscape poses significant challenges, it also offers unparalleled opportunities to develop long-term digital transformation and new strategies in academia. …Georgia Southern University is a good use case of how to use online learning tools. By collecting data from an online learning system, Georgia Southern was able to predict a final passing grade with 82 percent accuracy at mid-term and with 87 percent accuracy by week 16. Armed with this data, the university plans to allocate resources to improve graduation rates.
The Augusta Chronicle
UGA football team unleashes ‘Dawgs for Pups,’ to bring WiFi hotspots to Athens schoolkids
By Marc Weiszer
As classes begin virtually Tuesday in the Clarke County School District for some 14,000 students, internet access is still lacking in many households. The UGA football team along with the athletic department is trying to address that as the first initiative of its new “Dawgs for Pups” program rolled out last week. Players emerged from a three and a half hour meeting on Aug. 27 during a week when pro and college teams tackled social injustice wanting to take action to help in Athens and other communities. …“Dawgs for Pups,” is raising money for WiFi hotspots for students in kindergarten through the eighth grade. The school district has ordered 1,200 mobile hotspots that are needed by families for distance learning after 500 were already distributed.
The Augusta Chronicle
Georgia Southern football team starts game week with excitement, questions
By Nathan Dominitz
The college football season unlike any other finally got to game week on Monday for Georgia Southern coach Chad Lunsford and the Eagles players with so many potential unknown factors. That’s the shadow the coronavirus pandemic has cast over the sport. “What a crazy time in college football. What a crazy time in our world right now,” Lunsford said during that most routine of college football customs, the weekly conference call with media, in this case the Sun Belt Conference coaches. “The opportunity to get out there on the field and get some semblance of normalcy is really awesome,” Lunsford continued.
Other News:
The Augusta Chronicle
Georgia touts promising trends in COVID-19 fight
By Beau Evans Capitol Beat News Service
State public health officials highlighted promising downward trends in the COVID-19 pandemic following Labor Day weekend in Georgia as researchers race to evaluate potential vaccines. Since early last week, Georgia’s overall virus transmission rate has fallen by more than double digits through Tuesday, according to data from the state Department of Public Health. The seven-day average positivity rate — a key marker for assessing the virus’ spread — has dropped from 10.1% to 8.9% over the past roughly two weeks, according to the state agency. Hospitalizations from the coronavirus have also decreased since the start of September, though health experts have warned that data on mortality and intensive-care visits typically lag by days or even weeks after outbreaks.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Map: Coronavirus deaths and cases in Georgia (updated Sept. 9, 3 p.m.)
An updated count of coronavirus deaths and cases reported across the state
DEATHS: 6,128 | Deaths have been confirmed all counties but one (Taliaferro). County is determined by the patient’s residence, when known, not by where they were treated.
CONFIRMED CASES: 287,287 | Cases have been confirmed in every county.
Higher Education News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia SAT scores outpace national average for third year
By Anika Chaturvedi
Georgia public school students outperformed the national public school average on the SAT by 13 points, according to data released Wednesday by the Georgia Department of Education. Georgia’s class of 2020 is the third class in a row to outpace the national average. The SAT is one of two widely known college entrance exams, with a math section and combined reading and writing section scored out of 1600 points. For the class of 2020, Georgia public school students scored an average of 1043 on the SAT compared to the national average of 1030. Most of this improvement comes from the reading and writing section, where Georgia students scored an average of 532, 12 points higher than the national average of 520. Georgia’s math score is 511, one point higher than the national score of 510.
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Universities Face Digital Accessibility Lawsuits as Pandemic Continues
by Sara Weissman
There’s been an uptick in lawsuits by students with disabilities against colleges and universities since the coronavirus pandemic shifted higher education online. This July and August, digital accessibility suits increased 17 times compared to the first half of the year, according to AudioEye, a digital accessibility software company. “We would expect to see more of these in the coming months,” said AudioEye Co-Founder Sean Bradley. “… The actual litigation does call out COVID and does speak to the urgency around online education for individuals with disabilities.” Online education, if designed incorrectly, can pose all kinds of educational hurdles to students with disabilities, who make up about a fifth of college students, according to a 2016 report from the National Center for Education Statistics.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Does my employer have to say if a coworker has the virus?
By The Associated Press
The CDC has recommendations for employers regarding employees and their virus status
Does my employer have to say if a coworker has the virus? Employers are generally not required to tell workers when someone in the workplace has tested positive for the coronavirus. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that companies monitor employees for symptoms and alert those who may have been in contact with an infected person. Some states may order businesses to follow such guidance. Employers have the right to take employees’ temperature and ask about symptoms or if they have been exposed to or diagnosed with the virus. If an employee doesn’t respond to those questions, they can be barred from the workplace.