University System News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
OPINION: We don’t know extent of pandemic on some Georgia campuses
Get Schooled with Maureen Downey
University of North Georgia professor says: ‘And it is partly because we don’t want to know.’
In a guest column today, Matthew Boedy, an assistant professor of rhetoric and composition at the University of North Georgia, shares the COVID-19 data he’s gathered from University System of Georgia campuses, using Georgia’s open records law to get a cumulative total. His conclusion: Inconsistent and inadequate testing could mean the spike in cases that occurred when colleges opened in August could recur in January. Boedy is conference president of the Georgia chapter of the American Association of University Professors, a national organization that represents the interests of college and university faculty members. By Matthew Boedy
Insights
How 3 Tech Students Are Navigating COVID-19 Disruptions
Brian T. Horowitz
The COVID-19 pandemic has upended life for tech students in 2020, bringing changes in how they learn. In parts of the United States, some students are resuming some forms of in-person learning, while others are engaging in a mix of online and classroom studies. For many students, an abrupt pause in on-site learning brings challenges for collaboration—challenges that technology is attempting to solve. …Keeping Up with Research on Dog Sensors… and Building Masks
Ceara Byrne is in her sixth year of her doctoral program in computer science at Georgia Tech, with a focus in human computer interaction. Like Womack, Byrne misses the in-person collaborative learning with her project groups. “In person, you have these spontaneous meetups, whereas online you have to be very intentional,” Byrne said. Byrne and her colleagues use Slack and Microsoft Teams to hold spontaneous meetups, and she has about 10 instant-messaging apps on her phone. In her lab, the team uses Discord, another messaging tool that features text, voice and video. Byrne’s team relies on it to create audio channels and music playlists.
WSB-TV
Man explains what happened when he tested the COVID-19 vaccine
An Alpharetta man told Channel 2 he spiked a 104-degree temperature after participating in a COVID-19 vaccine trial. Ben, who didn’t want us to use his last name, said the fever came on the day after he got the shot. “It caused a little bit of nausea, I laid down for a couple of hours, got up and it was 102,” the 64-year-old said. He said by the next day he was fine. Ben is one of nearly 30,000 participants in the trial. He told Channel 2 that Moderna tracks his health information on an app and contacted him after noting he had a fever. “They were able to say it doesn’t look like anything serious, but call us if anything changes,” he said. Dr. Susan Thomas, a professor at Georgia Tech, has more than 20 years’ experience with vaccine technologies. She said Ben’s reaction is not uncommon for a vaccine.
The Dahlonega Nugget
Spring Break is a no-go at UNG
By News Staff
Students at the University of North Georgia were in for a shock recently when they received an important email: There will be no official Spring Break this school year. For the 2021 spring semester, rather than an entire week off, UNG officials have decided to create “Easter Holiday,” meaning two days will be added to Easter weekend from Thursday, April 1st through Sunday, April 4th. Traditionally, the shortening of Spring Break has been due to inclement weather. This time, however, the change is related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The George-Anne
The Road to Success: GS First Generation College Students Share Their Experiences
Noelle Walker, Editor-in-Chief of Miscellany
Over the past five years at Georgia Southern, there has been a steady increase in the percentage of first generation college students, with the highest being a rise from 27.7% in Fall 2016 to 34.1% in Fall 2017. However, in Fall 2018, the number dropped down to 23.5%. Being a First Generation College student is a great accomplishment but also comes with many obstacles–beyond even that of tuition. I spoke with a number of first generation college students about their stories while also offering an in-depth look at the TRIO Student Support Services program offered here at GS.
Patch
Assistant Professor Of Sociology To Examine Students’ Social Ties At UNG
When most people hear the words “social network,” they think of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
by J.K. Devine1
When most people hear the word “social network,” they think of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. To Dr. Diogo Pinheiro2, social networks are personal connections. “It is who you know, the friends you make, the people who you ask for advice, and the mentors in your life. Those are your social networks,” said the assistant professor of sociology3 at the University of North Georgia (UNG). In spring 2021, Pinheiro will study the impact of social networks on undergraduate students across all five UNG campuses as part of a semester-long research project.
WGXA
Baldwin Grows Learning Garden brings solar power to Baldwin Co. High School
by Gabrielle Nelloms
The Baldwin Grows Learning Garden initiative continues to grow as innovative strides towards expanding the garden continue to be implemented. The garden is located on the campus of Baldwin High School and provides students with hands-on agricultural learning experiences. Hannah Solar has donated three solar panels to support the Baldwin Grows Learning Garden initiative. In partnership with Georgia College, Susan Nelson, Director of School Nutrition, was able to connect with Dr. Hasitha Mahabaduge, a Physics Professor at Georgia College & State University, who collaborated with the school district’s Wellness Coordinator, Aketi Mayweather.
Growing America
ABAC Stallion Shop Opens in Carlton Center October 12
The Stallion Shop at ABAC will open in its new location in the Carlton Center on Oct. 12. The hub for books, supplies, and ABAC gear is now located in the center of the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College campus. The Stallion Shop, formerly known as the ABAC Bookstore, has moved to the newly renovated Carlton Center with an expected first day of operation on Oct. 12. Stallion Shop Manager Tracy Dyal is trying to make the move as seamless as possible from J. Lamar Branch Hall to the Carlton Center.
AllOnGeorgia
Leading by example: UWG nursing alum receives 2021 Young Professional Voices award
A University of West Georgia nursing alumnus recently gained national recognition when he received the 2021 Young Professional Voices award from the American Organization for Nursing Leadership.
University of West Georgia nursing alumnus Will Carson ’20 recently gained national recognition when he received the 2021 Young Professional Voices award from the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL). This program recognizes nurse leaders who exhibit significant potential as healthcare professionals; demonstrate exemplary leadership within their organizations, communities and the nursing profession; and embody innovation, influence and inclusion.
Other News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Map: Coronavirus deaths and cases in Georgia (updated Oct. 8)
An updated count of coronavirus deaths and cases reported across the state
DEATHS: 7,294 | 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: 327,407 | Cases have been confirmed in every county.
WABE
Kemp Warns Pandemic Progress Could Stall If Georgians Stop Following Guidance
Sam Whitehead
Gov. Brian Kemp says the state has made progress slowing the spread of the coronavirus because Georgians “have done the right thing” and followed public health guidance. In a Wednesday press conference, his first specifically dedicated to the state’s response to COVID-19 in weeks, Kemp highlighted how many of the metrics tracking the pandemic in Georgia are down considerably from a peak over the summer. “We needed Georgians to be part of the solution and not part of the problem, and I’m very thankful and very proud of the fact that Georgians have stepped up to the plate,” he told reporters. Many of the statistics Kemp cited have shown improvement. WABE’s analysis of state data shows newly-confirmed cases of COVID-19 are less than one-third of what they were in late July. Active
Macon Telegraph
GA’s top health leader misspoke on rapid test results. What really led to COVID-19 increases
By Nick Wooten
No, Georgia’s COVID-19 test positivity rates did not increase because labs reported rapid tests to the state health department electronically — despite what the state’s top public health official told reporters during a news conference Wednesday morning. Twice during the briefing with Gov. Brian Kemp, Toomey incorrectly said antigen tests were “probably” causing the “little blip” in viral test positivity rates. When asked to further clarify Toomey’s comments, department spokesperson Nancy Nydam said the commissioner misspoke. Increases to the state’s test positivity rates were partly attributed to labs submitting older viral test data through Georgia’s electronic system. “It was exactly that,” Nydam said. “She misspoke. There was information about antigen tests today and information that was related to PCR testing, and she misspoke.” The two test types are different.
Higher Education News:
The Chronicle of Higher Education
2020 Has Been a Hard Year for Higher Ed. Could 2021 Be Worse?
By Eric Kelderma
Colleges are now starting to calculate the full costs of the coronavirus, including the fallout from declining enrollments and rising operating costs. At places like Ithaca College, the impact of the pandemic is accelerating plans for major cuts in faculty jobs and academic programs. Beginning this spring, the college will begin to cut nearly a quarter of its 547 faculty members, said La Jerne T. Cornish, Ithaca’s provost. The college’s undergraduate enrollment is 4,785 full-time students, more than 900 students fewer than a year ago, a decline of more than 16 percent, according to the college’s figures. At the same time, the college has a budget shortfall of $8 million because of increased operating costs — an amount that could grow before the end of the academic year, Cornish said. Barbara K. Mistick, president of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, said that the extra spending required to keep colleges open will lead to more layoffs in the spring if Congress fails to pass another stimulus bill that aids higher education.
Inside Higher Ed
Aid Administrators Get More Requests During Pandemic
By Kery Murakami
Most financial aid offices at colleges and universities in a survey said students are increasingly asking them to take into account the financial hardships they’re facing during the coronavirus pandemic so they can receive more aid. Financial aid administrators are allowed under federal law to use their professional judgment to reduce the income used to calculate how much assistance a student can receive. For instance, the administrators can lower a student’s income information to reflect when they go on unemployment if they lose a job, potentially increasing their financial aid. About 60 percent of 212 financial aid officers surveyed by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators said they’ve seen a “great” increase in such requests since March, reflecting the struggles many students are facing.
Inside Higher Ed
Driving Enrollment During COVID-19 Based on Student Insights
The COVID-19 pandemic has strained traditional college recruitment practices from name buys to campus visits. How do schools stand out from the marketing noise to drive enrollment? Authentically engaging with students where they are.
The COVID-19 pandemic has strained traditional college recruitment practices from name buys to campus visits. Colleges were beginning to brace for the 2025 enrollment cliff when the unexpected pandemic happened, grinding higher education to a halt. Schools that were able to, transitioned to online courses, but not without enrollment losses, both from existing students and incoming students who chose to defer or withdraw altogether. Seemingly overnight, higher education institutions across the globe shut their physical doors. As the pandemic continues, the future of in-person education remains unclear. Admissions offices are facing mounting budgetary pressure to meet enrollment goals to keep schools afloat while the pool of prospective students has shrunk as high school students delay college plans amidst the uncertainty. Families are questioning whether higher education is worth the cost given the lower perceived value of alternative education modalities like online and hybrid and are calling for schools to lower their prices or boost financial aid.
AP
UNC delays spring semester, cancels Spring Break
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will delay the start of the spring semester by nearly two weeks, school officials announced Thursday. In a message to the campus community, Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz and Provost Robert Blouin said the college will eliminate its traditional spring break so it can “limit any potential spread of the virus caused by travel during an extended break.” UNC will instead offer five days of breaks during the semester either individually or in combined clusters.