University System News:
Middle Georgia CEO
MGA Records $249 Million Economic Impact In Fiscal Year 2019
Staff Report
Middle Georgia State University had an economic impact of $249 million in fiscal 2019 and accounted for more than 2,600 jobs due to on- and off-campus spending, according to a study released this week by the University System of Georgia. As a whole, the University System of Georgia (USG) recorded a statewide economic impact of $18.5 billion for fiscal year 2019 and generated 157,770 jobs. In addition, a companion study predicts that a Class of 2019 graduate of a USG institution is predicted to earn $888,563 more over the course of their career as a result of their degree.
Barnesville Dispatch
Gordon State Gathers Region’s Superintendents for Education Dialogue
President Kirk A. Nooks met virtually Friday to link leaders in higher education with regional K-12 school systems in an effort equip and educate during Gordon State College’s Superintendents’ Roundtable. The Roundtable coincides with Gordon’s five-year strategic plan, Building the Power of WE!, which strives to convene and nurture partnerships to build an education ecosystem approach with K-12.
Athens CEO
ALL Georgia Program Opens Doors for Rural Students
Hayley Major
The University of Georgia continues opening doors for rural students through its ALL Georgia program. Launched in fall 2018 as an initiative of the President’s Task Force on Student Learning and Success, the ALL Georgia program provides a network of resources and support for incoming and current students from rural Georgia. The program offers scholarships, academic coaching, networking events, student success workshops and summer programming, including Dawg Camp and the Freshman College Summer Experience. “ALL Georgia is about building an intentional community that supports students throughout their college experience and beyond,” said Graff Wilson, coordinator for the ALL Georgia Scholars program.
Metro Atlanta CEO
Georgia Tech Professional Education is updating its impressive selection of Military Programs, which now includes the addition of U.S. Army Credentialing Assistance opportunities to assist active duty service members. Credentialing Assistance allows soldiers from around the nation to pursue credentials and off-duty training programs that support their professional development and prepare them for meaningful employment upon transition from service.
Athens CEO
UGA Builds Little Free Pantries for Athenians
Shannah Montgomery
Residents in two Athens apartment communities have ready access to food and basic personal needs through Little Free Pantries built by the University of Georgia Office of Service-Learning. OSL’s Grow It Know It program built the wooden boxes for the Bethel Homes and Clarke Gardens apartment complexes using money from a Youth Service America grant, which encourages youths and young adults to engage in community service. The original plan was to launch a Junior Campus Kitchen program at Clarke Central High School, said Wick Prichard, GIKI program coordinator. Campus Kitchen is a student-run organization at UGA that gathers, prepares and delivers meals to food-insecure families in the Athens area.
accessWDUN
UNG moving to online musical performances this fall
By Austin Eller Anchor/Reporter
Musicians and vocalists at the University of North Georgia are set to perform their concerts and recitals via online broadcasts this fall due to concerns about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. According to a press release from UNG, most of the concerts will be recorded about two weeks in advance, and broadcast at a later date through UNG’s YouTube Channel. However, the annual music theater performance will be live-streamed, with some prerecorded segments mixed in. UNG is currently encouraging social distancing, limiting groups to 10 or fewer people, and requiring the wearing of masks inside all buildings and facilities. The press release states that performances with a live audience in the Gloria Shott Performance Hall in the Nix Fine Arts Center would not be possible with these rules.
Albany Herald
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College symposium to address traumatic stress during COVID
From staff reports
A virtual seminar will address secondary traumatic stress during COVID-19 on Oct. 21 from 5:30-6:20 p.m. at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. The seminar will be presented on Zoom. It is sponsored by the Helping Professions Association and Active Minds club at ABAC. Dr. Laklieshia Izzard, president of the American Counseling Association of Georgia, will speak on the symptoms of STS, and participants will gain an awareness of other mental health disorders that can result from STS. The club is presenting the seminar because October is National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month. Each year, millions of adults and children in the United States endure the trauma of abuse, violence, natural disasters, and other adverse events. Now, the COVID 19 pandemic has been added to the mix.
WGAU
UGA Law School honors alum with portrait unveiling
Luis Aguilar came to US from Cuba
By Lona Panter
As the month celebrating Latinx heritage draws to a close, the University of Georgia School of Law recently held a virtual portrait unveiling for Luis Aguilar, a 1979 graduate of the law school whose service on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission helped lead the country out of the economic upheaval of the 2008 recession. “It is fitting that as we celebrate Latinx Heritage Month, that we celebrate this distinguished Cuban American who has contributed so much not only to the University of Georgia but to our country as well,” said President Jere W. Morehead. …“It is a great honor to have my portrait displayed at the University of Georgia School of Law,” Aguilar said. “Much of what I have been able to achieve in my life resulted from the tremendous education, training and support I received at the School of Law. I will always remember this recognition with great pride and humility.”
WALB
VSU announces in-person Fall commencement ceremony
By Jennifer Morejon
Some exciting news for Valdosta State University (VSU) students. The 230th commencement ceremony will be held in-person this Fall. “My family will definitely be very excited to know that they will be able to attend my graduation. I’ll be calling them as soon as I leave this interview for sure,” said Josh Wells. He is from Ocilla and a senior at VSU. He and his fellow seniors are overjoyed with the good news. He says they’ve all been waiting on edge. …The ceremony, that usually takes place on the front lawn will now be at the Bazemore-Hyder stadium and will be broken up into a series of four ceremonies.
Columbus CEO
CSU Hosts Fun-filled Week of Homecoming Events This Week
Staff Report
The current COVID-19 pandemic cannot stop the Columbus State University Cougar spirit, which will be in full force during the university’s Homecoming Week Oct. 19-24. The full schedule of events planned for Cougars past and present rely mainly on virtual gatherings, but there are a few in-person events that follow current public health recommendations, including physical distancing. The featured event of the week is a Drive-In movie on Oct. 23 at 7:30 p.m. at the Columbus Civic Center Parking Lot. The movie, Hocus Pocus, was voted upon by students and alumni. Following the movie will be a fireworks show sponsored by the CSU Alumni Association. This event is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required. The annual Oktoberfest-inspired CougarFest event is back with a virtual twist.
WALB
VSU holds Spirit Week after homecoming postponement
By Jennifer Morejon
With homecoming weekend already canceled, students at Valdosta State University (VSU) refused to let the pandemic ruin their spirit week. “I was devastated I really enjoy homecoming, I really enjoy those vibes, I enjoy the atmosphere, the energy on campus. So we just said ‘we can’t let homecoming die, we can’t let football kill away the homecoming spirit and the Blazer spirit,” said Charles Grissom, a junior and marketing director for campus activities board. He says they decide to come up with spirit week activities to help keep the college pride alive.
WSAV
Live Oak Public Library launches ‘Seed Library’ for healthy living
by: Claire Going
The Live Oak Public Library System is helping you grow food for free. The Seed Library at the Southwest Chatham location is now open for business. Anyone can stop by the new collection to pick up seeds for free and you don’t need a library card to participate. The library partnered with the Coastal Georgia Master Gardeners to help the community take healthy living into their own hands. …Brickley says you can keep the cycle going by returning new seeds to the library from the flowers or produce you grow for others to use.
AllOnGeorgia
Clearing the way: UWG recognized for efforts in social mobility
Social mobility is defined as the movement of individuals, families, households or other categories of people within or between social strata in a society, and the Social Mobility Index measures the extent to which a college or university educates more economically disadvantaged students (with family incomes below the national median) at lower tuition and graduates them into good paying jobs.
The University of West Georgia prides itself on putting students first. When economically disadvantaged prospective students are in need of financial assistance in order to attend the university, the Pack comes together to make sure those needs are met. Because of these efforts, U.S. News & World Report has recognized UWG for its success in social mobility. UWG has been ranked 48th in the country and second in Georgia among Top Performers in Social Mobility. …Statistically, financially challenged students are less likely than others to finish college, but UWG has proven more successful than other universities at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students, awarding them with Federal Pell Grants. Students who demonstrate exceptional financial need are eligible for the grants.
The Red & Black
How UGA students are applying to grad schools amid COVID-19
Lauren Harvey | Contributor
Seniors at the University of Georgia are gearing up to apply for graduate school programs as their final year on campus draws to a close. While this semester isn’t what they thought it would look like, neither is the process of applying to postgraduate programs. From law school and master’s degree programs to physicians assistant school, UGA students are maneuvering their way through COVID-19’s hurdles to continue their academic careers. With no certainty about fall 2021, applying to upper-level schools and programs has been more uncertain than ever.
Albany Herald
UGA study: When you have a stroke may determine if you survive
By Lauren Baggett
New research from the University of Georgia found that stroke patients admitted to rural hospitals over the weekend may be at higher risk of death. The study examined the influence of the “weekend effect” on stroke outcomes in U.S. hospitals. “The weekend effect is the phenomenon where the risk of bad or adverse outcomes, such as mortality in our study, increases for those who are admitted to the hospital over the weekend as opposed to a weekday,” said lead author Birook Mekonnen, who conducted the study as a graduate student at UGA’s College of Public Health.
Silicon Republic
Researchers create ‘mini brains’ to allow robots to feel pain
by Colm Gorey
… Digital billboards hacked to trick self-driving cars
Wired has reported that researchers at Israel’s Ben Gurion University of the Negev have found a way to trick systems such as Tesla’s Autopilot into slamming on the brakes without warning. Using internet-connected billboards, the researchers found that hackers could create a split-second ‘phantom’ image on a road that would be picked up by a car’s sensors, but not the driver. Once seen, the sensors would trick the car’s safety mechanisms into stopping the car without warning. “The attacker just shines an image of something on the road or injects a few frames into a digital billboard, and the car will apply the brakes or possibly swerve, and that’s dangerous,” said Yisroel Mirsky, a researcher for Ben Gurion University and Georgia Tech who worked on the research.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
UPDATE: West Georgia faculty passes no confidence vote against new president
By Eric Stirgus
The University of West Georgia’s faculty senate on Friday passed a rare no confidence vote in the leadership of its new president, Brenda B. Kelly. The vote was 32 in favor of the measure with 14 against it. There were five abstentions. The entire faculty will vote on the measure next week. The vote would not result in Kelly’s termination. Part of the faculty’s goals are to get the University System of Georgia, which oversees operations at UWG, to mediate.
Atlanta Jewish Times
Education consultant Mark Fisher offers his yearly college teaser. Some of the correct answers may surprise you.
By Mark Fisher
While the college scene is much different than usual due to the COVID-19 virus, statistics are based on colleges as they existed before the pandemic. Most of the questions posed in this article are from The Chronicle of Higher Education (2020-21) edition. A few questions are inserted from my own college knowledge. One caveat: Each question is based only on the options presented. There may be other colleges ranking higher, but they are not among the choices listed.
1. Congress gave billions via the CARES Act to provide relief to colleges and students facing unexpected costs related to the pandemic. Which college was the top recipient?
A. California State University at Long Beach B. Ohio State University C. Georgia State University D. California State University at Northridge. … 3. Among public institutions, the college with the highest average pay for full professors is: A. Georgia Tech B. University of Washington C. University of Alabama D. Colorado School of Mines. … The following three questions are based on the fastest growing colleges from 2008 to 2018.
Other News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
BREAKING: Georgia passes 7,500 coronavirus-related deaths
By Tim Darnell
Georgia has now recorded more than 7,500 coronavirus-related deaths since the pandemic began, according to new figures released Friday afternoon by the state Department of Public Health. The state now has 7,556 deaths, with 337,850 confirmed cases and 30,217 hospitalizations. A total of 65 additional deaths have been reported since Thursday. On Thursday, Georgia’s confirmed coronavirus death toll was 7,492, with 23 deaths occurring overnight. On Sept. 30, the state had recorded more than 7,000 deaths. The state passed 6,000 deaths during Labor Day weekend, two weeks after it recorded 5,000 COVID-19 fatalities.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Coronavirus worldwide tally reaches more than 40 million
By Tim Darnell
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases around the world surpassed 40 million Monday, according to Johns Hopkins University of Medicine. More than 1.1 million confirmed virus deaths have been reported. The U.S., India and Brazil are reporting by far the highest numbers of cases — 8.1 million, 7.5 million and 5.2 million, respectively — although the global increase in recent weeks has been driven by a surge in Europe, which has seen more than 240,000 confirmed virus deaths in the pandemic so far.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Map: Coronavirus deaths and cases in Georgia (updated Oct. 18)
An updated count of coronavirus deaths and cases reported across the state
DEATHS: 7,638 | Deaths have been confirmed in all counties but one (Taliaferro). County is determined by the patient’s residence, when known, not by where they were treated.
CONFIRMED CASES: 340,558 | Cases have been confirmed in every county.
Higher Education News:
Inside Higher Ed
A move by the Education Department to simplify Clery Act reporting requirements is causing concerns about increasing confusion.
By Kery Murakami
The Education Department says it was trying to make it simpler for institutions to report crime and campus safety statistics required by the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. But experts in the law’s reporting requirements said the move — eliminating a thick department handbook guiding administrators — will cause even more confusion for institutions, and possibly more work. Eliminating the Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting does address complaints by colleges and universities that it required too much of administrators. But replacing the 265-page document with a 13-page addendum to another handbook, on administering financial aid, goes too far, said S. Daniel Carter, president of Safety Advisors for Educational Campuses.
Politico
Colleges cancel partying holiday to tamp down virus spread
Dozens of colleges nationwide aren’t taking any chances with spring break in 2021.
The scenes from spring break earlier this year make college presidents shudder now: Partygoers on the beach in Florida barely inches from their maskless, sweating companions. Jammed lines at Walt Disney World. Students flying back to campus on still-packed flights before state and campus shutdowns kicked in. Not again. …FSU and dozens of other colleges and universities nationwide aren’t taking any chances with spring break in 2021, even though it will have been a year since the pandemic set in. They have rearranged their calendars to wipe out the annual ritual entirely to keep students from their uninhibited and unsupervised sunny sojourns. Any blowback from students seems worth it after the spasms that accompanied reopening in the fall: Many colleges welcomed students into dorms and lecture halls only to have to shift to remote classes after cases surged in a matter of days or weeks.
Education Dive
Is it safe for colleges to send students home for winter break?
Dive Brief:
Residential colleges holding classes in-person this fall should take precautions when sending students home for winter break, including testing them for the coronavirus, public health experts say.
Many institutions that brought students back to campus planned to end in-person instruction around Thanksgiving. But some had to move classes online because of outbreaks on campus. Meanwhile, U.S. coronavirus case counts have turned sharply upward.
More than one-quarter of the 2,900-plus colleges tracked by the College Crisis Initiative planned for mostly or entirely in-person instruction this fall. One-fifth held hybrid classes.
Inside Higher Ed
Progress, and Finger Pointing, on Student Transfer: A Survey
By Doug Lederman
Given the environment surrounding higher education and the workforce, it seems like this should be transfer’s moment. Transferring from one college to another has historically been harder than it should be, with impediments at many points along the way. The incentives for institutions and students to smooth out the process right now are greater than ever before, given the current and pending declines in traditional college-age students, the likelihood that COVID-19 will scramble students’ college-going patterns, and the societal push for racial equity that is increasing pressure on colleges to diversify their student bodies. A new survey from Inside Higher Ed, however, underscores some of the attitudes and practices that have historically impeded the path for transfer students — and identifies perceptual gaps between administrators at two-year and four-year colleges that could be difficult to overcome.