University System News:
The George-Anne
Georgia Southern makes mental health fundamental
Davis Cobb, Correspondent
In preparation for the new semester and alongside other projects to help students through the COVID-19 pandemic, Georgia Southern will be offering students a new wave of mental health services and resources. Part of a larger statewide plan initiated by the University System of Georgia, GS’ counseling center will be continuing many of their regular services, including offering telemental health by which students may contact counselors online, walk-in appointments, drop-in workshops, and a 24-hour crisis line. In addition, GS is partnering with the Jed Foundation, a nonprofit organization that focuses on providing assistance with mental health and suicide prevention, traditionally in the young adult age range.
Middle Georgia CEO
Middle Georgia State University Launches “Be Well” Mental Health Support To Students
In partnership with the University System of Georgia, Middle Georgia State University (MGA) is significantly expanding mental health services to students. As part of a new initiative called BeWell@MGA, the University will introduce the expanded services as spring semester 2021 gets underway. The services will include, among other things, access to a new app and an online wellness publication with self-help resources and more; virtual psychiatric services that can provide mental health assessments and medication management; and a 24/7 support line for students who need support dealing with mental stresses.
13WMAZ
Georgia College students ‘Adopt-A-Stream’ and monitor local water health
Students monitor water health by testing samples from streams across 26 counties.
Author: Pepper Baker
Georgia College students spent their winter break being “citizen scientists” by adopting local streams. Georgia College recent graduate Sydney Brown spent her winter break helping the environment through the state’s “Adopt-A-Stream” program. “It’s a volunteer program where people can go out, after they get trained of course, and just measure like water temperature, dissolved oxygen, PH, air temperature, conductivity,” Brown said. 50 students took a four hour course and test to become certified to visually assess and chemically test local water samples.
CBS46
Clayton State University received 400 doses of Moderna; they are starting the vaccine process
Terrance Kelly
Clayton State University announced it has started vaccinating eligible employees with the COVID-19 vaccine. According to a spokesperson, the university received 400 doses of Moderna to vaccinate employees eligible for the Phase 1 criteria. …A spokesperson said the vaccination process started on January 4 for staff and volunteer nursing faculty and students. The university’s clinic is set up to receive up to 20 people at a time and still adhere to physical distancing requirements, according to Parks, and participants will be registered in groups of ten for appointments.
WFXG
Schools wade into an increasingly dangerous online world
By Jacob Peklo
School districts across the county are staying online or shifting that way at the start of this new semester. It leaves them increasingly vulnerable to cyber criminals looking to make a quick buck. “It’s only when that particular threat manifests and all of those files are locked down does anyone realize that something’s happened,” said Sarah Rees, the director of the cyber workforce academy at the Georgia Cyber Center. As schools shift online, it has created a world of opportunity for cyber criminals. …Millions of active accounts among administrators and teachers, which are full of potentially private and sensitive information, can be buffet for bad actors through things like Zoom bombing or ransomware.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Renewed push for Georgia universities to conduct more COVID testing, online classes
By Eric Stirgus
Some faculty members and students are demanding Georgia’s public university system conduct mandatory COVID-19 testing and enact other safety measures as classes resume this week as schools hope to have more in-person instruction this new semester. The pleas come as COVID-19 deaths nationally are at their highest levels, intensive care units are at or near capacity at many local hospitals and a more contagious variant of the virus has been detected in Georgia. “Yet the response of the (University System of Georgia) is unchanged, except to urge our campuses more forcefully toward face to face activities, all while withholding critical information and resources that might enable a safe return to classrooms and campuses,” Joe Fu, a longtime University of Georgia math professor, and Tim Hedeen, a conflict management professor at Kennesaw State University, wrote Monday in an op-ed to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. They note these are their views and not those of their universities.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
OPINION: Georgia campuses still in denial about COVID
Get Schooled with Maureen Downey
Two professors urge online classes given pandemic is 10 times worse than at the start of fall semester
In a guest column, two public college professors in Georgia contend the public health crisis and guidance clearly dictate a move to online classes by the state’s campuses. This weekend, one public campus, Gordon State College in Barnesville, announced it would delay the start of classes, scheduled to resume Wednesday, until Jan. 25 because of concerns over COVID-19 Joseph H.G. Fu is a mathematics professor at the University of Georgia, and Timothy Hedeen is a professor of conflict management at Kennesaw State University. They note these are their views and not those of their universities.
By Joseph H.G. Fu and Timothy Hedeen
The University System of Georgia is now opening for the spring semester— into the teeth of the deadliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic we have faced so far.
Statesboro Herald
New COVID cases hit four-month high at GS
Bulloch reports 161 new cases since Thursday
From staff, wire reports
The same day Georgia Southern began the Spring 2021 semester, the university reported its highest number of weekly positive COVID-19 cases among its students and employees in the past four months. On Monday, Georgia Southern reported it had 133 positive cases for the week of Jan. 4-11 – 127 self-reported cases and six university confirmed cases. The previous week, the university reported 20 total cases. It is the most cases since 363 were reported for the week of Aug. 31-Sept. 6.
Northwest Georgia News
Cherokee Regional Library System named Library of the Year
Georgia Public Library Service announces annual public library award winners; awards honor the outstanding achievements of public libraries, librarians and advocates.
From staff reports
The Cherokee Regional Library System, which includes three libraries in Walker County and one in Dade County, has been named Library of the Year by Georgia Public Library Service. Georgia Public Library Service recently announced the recipients of the 2020 Georgia Public Library Awards, which honor the people and places that have made a profound difference in their communities through public libraries. … The Cherokee Regional Library System has been awarded Library of the Year; Marquita Gooch-Voyd, assistant director of Clayton County Library System is Librarian of the Year; Dr. Steve Whatley, former board chair and longtime trustee for Newton County Library System is Champion of the Year; and Thomas Jones, retired director of Middle Georgia Regional Library System, received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Other News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Map: Coronavirus deaths and cases in Georgia (updated Jan. 11)
An updated count of coronavirus deaths and cases reported across the state
CONFIRMED DEATHS: 10,299 | Deaths have been confirmed in all counties but one (Taliaferro). This figure does not include additional cases that the DPH reports as suspected COVID-19-related deaths. County is determined by the patient’s residence, when known, not by where they were treated.
CONFIRMED CASES: 642,712 | Cases have been confirmed in every county.
WJBF
Georgia’s only drive-thru COVID-19 vaccination site open in Augusta
by: Wes Cooper
Right now, frontline workers and the most vulnerable are receiving COVID-19 vaccinations in Georgia but more relief is coming as the state’s department of health plans to open additional vaccination sites in the CSRA. …Getting your COVID-19 vaccine can be a quick trip in the car. The Georgia Department of Health (East Central Health District) along with AU Health are operating the state’s only drive-thru vaccination site right off of 4th and Walton Street at Craigh-Houghton Elementary School. Currently, the health department reports more than 183,000 people have been vaccinated statewide.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Trump administration to expand guidance for states to vaccinate more people
By J. Scott Trubey
The Trump administration reportedly will recommend on Tuesday states expand their coronavirus vaccination program to all persons 65 and older and adults with co-morbidities, a step towards accelerating immunizations. The New York Times and Axios reported the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will announce new vaccination guidelines at a noon briefing. Georgia recently expanded its vaccination criteria to include seniors, pending available supply of doses. It’s unclear how quickly states will be able to expand their vaccination efforts, as many, including Georgia are already overwhelmed by demand. …An email message left with Gov. Brian Kemp’s office and Georgia Department of Public Health was not immediately returned. Kemp has a press conference scheduled for later today.
WTOC
CDC ranks Georgia, South Carolina among slowest states to administer COVID-19 vaccine
By Jessica Savage
Georgia and South Carolina are among the slowest states in the nation when it comes to getting the COVID-19 vaccine into people’s arms. Georgia ranks only higher than Arkansas, and South Carolina is the 5th slowest state, according to the Center for Disease Control COVID Data tracker. The Peach State has administered just 18.5 percent of the 770,625 vaccines its received. Another way to look at the numbers is the rate at which it’s administered. Georgia is dead last when it comes to the rate of putting shots into arms: 1,346 vaccines per 100,000 people, according to the CDC data. Only Arkansas is slower with 16 percent; although the rate is slightly better than Georgia with 1,355 per 100,000 people.
Higher Education News:
Inside Higher Ed
Dept. of Ed Says Title IX Does Not Apply to LGBTQ Discrimination
By Greta Anderson
The United States Department of Education’s Office of the General Counsel published a memorandum on Friday that states that LGBTQ students are not expressly included in protections under Title IX, the law that prohibits sex discrimination at federally funded institutions. Questions about how Title IX applies to LGBTQ students surfaced after the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in June, Bostock v. Clayton County, which cemented protections for LGBTQ workers under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the law that prohibits workplace discrimination based on race, sex, religion or national origin. The Supreme Court determined that “sex” under Title VII should be interpreted to include LGBTQ people, when they face discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Inside Higher Ed
University of Alabama Offers Employees COVID-19 Leave
By Emma Whitford
The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa announced Monday it will provide up to 80 hours of paid leave to employees affected by COVID-19 or related complications. The program aims to replace federal benefits that expired Dec. 31. …All full-time, part-time, on-call, temporary and student workers are eligible for the program. The 80 hours of paid leave will be prorated for employees who work less than full-time. The pay rate for COVID-19 leave days is two-thirds of an employee’s regular rate. Employees can supplement the remaining one-third with accrued sick leave, annual leave or compensatory time they have available.
Inside Higher Ed
Calif. College Groups Applaud Governor’s Budget Proposal
By Lilah Burke
Several higher education systems and organizations applauded California governor Gavin Newsom’s budget proposal this week. Those groups include the University of California system, the California State University system, the Community College League of California, the UC Student Association and the California Faculty Association. “Governor Newsom’s budget provides $136.3 million of new ongoing support to the University of California, including $103.9 million to partly restore the $300.8 million in reductions made last year to UC. The proposal also includes $32.4 million for ongoing targeted investments in other areas, such as expanding access for student mental health services,” the UC said in a statement. “We thank Governor Newsom for these critical investments in UC students and California’s future, especially given the fiscal uncertainty during COVID-19.”