University System News:
Savannah CEO
Georgia Southern University Elevates Honors Program into new Honors College
Georgia Southern University now encompasses 10 academic colleges with the transition of the University Honors Program to the Honors College. The move provides a growing community of honors students with enhanced experiential learning opportunities including undergraduate research, creative scholarship and the honors thesis, focusing on professional development, interdisciplinary education and global experiences. …“It is a natural progression of success when a university elevates their Honors Program to a College—recognizing and expanding the opportunities for our highest-achieving students,” said Georgia Southern President Kyle Marrero. “With three Goldwater Scholars in the last few years and a long list of other national and international accolades for our students, we already have an impressive track record of educating bright and motivated students. An Honors College will allow us to build on this success and focus even more on creating a distinctive and challenging undergraduate experience for some of the nation’s best students.” The University System of Georgia officially approved the program’s transition to the Honors College late last month.
The Times-Georgian
UWG holds first in-person graduation since pandemic began
By Stephanie Allen
UWG holds first in-person graduation since pandemic began
The first UWG commencement ceremony of 2020 was held on Saturday, where students from three graduating classes gathered to celebrate after facing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first in-person UWG commencement ceremony since the pandemic started, president Brendan Kelly stressed Saturday that the now-alumni were needed in the world. Among the 1,250 graduates of the University of West Georgia there were 986 degrees conferred. The remaining near 300 graduates were students who had graduated in the Spring and Summer 2020 semesters, those who could not have an in-person graduation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
WRDW
East Georgia State College to hold virtual commencement
After much consideration and out of respect for everyone’s health, East Georgia State College is opting to hold its fall commencement ceremony virtually. The ceremony will be presented at 10 a.m. Saturday. To view the ceremony and more information about the event, visit http://www.ega.edu/2020-Fall-Commencement. The virtual celebration will honor the graduates and their achievements.
Middle Georgia CEO
MGA To Recognize 1,300 Graduates At Fall 2020 Virtual Commencement
About 1,300 graduates and soon-to-be graduates will be recognized at Middle Georgia State University’s 2020 virtual fall commencement ceremony, scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10. The ceremony will recognize MGA students who graduated in spring 2020, as well as those who are finishing up degree requirements now and will graduate this fall. The virtual ceremony can be viewed at https://www.mga.edu/live.https://www.mga.edu/live. Middle Georgia State (MGA) decided earlier this fall to hold a virtual graduation ceremony this month due to the ongoing state restrictions regarding large gatherings and social distancing requirements resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gwinnett Daily Post
‘Trailblazer’ — Gwinnett County student is Georgia State University’s first Marshall Scholar
From Staff Reports
Nitheyaa Shree’s plans for a career in nueroscience research received a major boost when the senior recently became Georgia State University’s first Marshall Scholar. …The prestigious scholarship will allow the Peachtree Ridge High School grad to continue her studies abroad studying neurodegenerative disorders and designing therapies to treat them.
Middle Georgia CEO
GSW and CGTC Sign Agreement to Allow Nursing Students to Earn Bachelor’s Degree Online
Staff Report
Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) and Central Georgia Technical College (CGTC) signed an articulation agreement this week that will aid transition for students in the College’s nursing programs into an online bachelor’s degree with GSW. CGTC President Dr. Ivan H. Allen and GSW president Dr. Neal Weaver signed the agreement alongside leadership from both institutions. The signing makes official a partnership to enhance enrollment flexibility to Nursing students. Through the agreement, qualifying students in the Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) program can apply to an online Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree pathway or bridge.
Growing Georgia
ABAC Receives $11,095 Grant from Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety
The Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) Advancement Foundation has been awarded an $11,095 grant from the Georgia Young Adult Program. Funded through the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, the grant helps to promote education and awareness for young, inexperienced drivers ages 16-24 about highway safety issues such as underage drinking and impaired driving. This is the 18th year of the Young Adult program on ABAC’s campus. Projects within the program involve collaborations with the campus Greek community, student athletes, camps, police, health and wellness departments, and counseling services.
The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education
Four African Americans Who Have Been Appointed to Diversity Posts
…Shaniqua Crawford was appointed institutional equity officer, equal opportunity officer, and Title IX coordinator at the University of Oklahoma. She has been serving as Title IX coordinator and as director of equity at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. Crawford is a graduate of Georgia Southern University
WRCBtv
An invasive species of giant lizard has been making its way through the Southeast
By Lauren M. Johnson, CNN
An invasive species of giant lizard is invading the Southeast and threatening native wildlife. The Argentine black and white tegu is a native of South America and eats the eggs of ground-nesting birds, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. They grow up to 4 feet long and can weigh more than 10 pounds. They also eat fruits, vegetables, insects and eggs. …The department is working with the US Geological Society and Georgia Southern University to trap the animals to remove them and assess their population. Trapped tegus are euthanized, and their diet and reproductive status documented.
Other News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Map: Coronavirus deaths and cases in Georgia (updated Dec. 7)
An updated count of coronavirus deaths and cases reported across the state
DEATHS: 9,007 | 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: 448,683 | Cases have been confirmed in every county.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
U.S. approaching 15 million coronavirus cases
By Tim Darnell
The U.S. will likely surpass 15 million confirmed coronavirus cases Tuesday, further solidifying its position as the world’s leader in not only cases but also virus deaths. As of Tuesday morning, Johns Hopkins University’s School of Medicine reported more than 14.9 million cases in the U.S., far more than India’s 9.7 million, the second most in the world. More than 283,000 U.S. deaths have been recorded. On Monday, Georgia surpassed yet another milestone in the coronavirus pandemic, topping 9,000 deaths in the state, as a long-predicted fall surge continued its grip on the nation. Overall, the state agency has recorded more than 448,000 cases in Georgia since the pandemic began.
Higher Education News:
Inside Higher Ed
Completion Rates Flat Over All
By Madeline St. Amour
National completion rates have plateaued, and community college completion rates decreased, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. The six-year completion rate for those who started college in 2014 is up by only 0.3 percent, bringing it to 60.1 percent, the center found. The national eight-year completion rate fell by 0.5 percentage points to 61.3 percent — the first decline in years. Increases in the six-year completion rate had been slowing for years, according to a news release. Between the 2010 and 2011 cohorts, the improvement was 2.2 percentage points. That fell to 1.4 percentage points between the 2012 and 2013 cohorts. Adult completion rates are generally increasing, said Doug Shapiro, executive director of the center, in a news release. But completion rates for traditional-age students are plateauing, and those students made up the majority of the 2014 cohort.
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
ACE Creates Network of Colleges and Universities Focused on Prior Learning Experiences
by Sarah Wood
With a grant from the Educational Credit Management Corporation (ECMC) Foundation, The American Council on Education (ACE) plans to establish a network of academic institutions and training providers focused on improving the process for earning college credit through prior learning experiences. Prior learning experiences are “what an individual learns outside the traditional classroom environment,” according to Michele Spires, the executive director for Learning Evaluations at ACE.
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
House of Representatives Passes HBCU PARTNERS Act
by Walter Hudson
The U.S. House of Representatives has now made it much easier for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to build greater capacity between themselves and federal agencies. On Monday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the “HBCU Propelling Agency Relations Towards a New Era of Results for Students Act” (HBCU PARTNERS Act) which now requires federal agencies with relevant grants and programs to, on an annual basis, develop plans to expand the participation of HBCUs in their agency activities and track their progress towards engagement–related goals.