University System News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gov. Brian Kemp visits Savannah State, discusses vaccine hesitancy and equity
By Sean Evans
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp made a stop in the Hostess City today visiting Savannah State University. He discussed the COVID-19 vaccine on the campus of one of Georgia’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Kemp noted the issue of vaccine hesitancy and equity in minority communities is an issue he’s been talking a lot about over the past few weeks, even as late as this Monday. Today’s visit to Savannah State’s campus follows a call the governor says he was on with all of Georgia’s HBCU presidents to talk about vaccines and vaccine hesitancy. Kemp talked about the partnership the state has forged with the educational institutions on the topic in recent weeks. “I certainly appreciate Savannah State, but really all of our HBCUs that are volunteering and want to help get the vaccine out when we get the supply, when we can do more than we’re doing now.
WGXA
Georgia College receives national award for focus on undergraduate research
by WGXA Digital Staff
Georgia College has been named a recipient of the 2021 Campus-wide Award for Undergraduate Research Accomplishments (AURA) by the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR). This annual award recognizes institutions with exemplary programs that provide high-quality research experiences for undergraduates. “We are grateful for this award as it recognizes the hard work and effort we’ve put into making undergraduate research a priority for our students,” said Dr. Steve Dorman, president of Georgia College. “This could not have been done without the dedication of faculty, department chairs, deans, staff, the provost and others who have worked for many years to establish a strategic way to engage our students in research.”
13WMAZ
Middle Georgia State’s BROS Initiative helps Black male students graduate
BROS members help each other with coursework, and offer friendship and encouragement in situations outside the lecture halls.
Author: Katelyn Sabater
A new study reveals college graduation rates continue to vary widely between races, with Black students obtaining the lowest rate. Brothers Reaching Out for Success, or BROS, is a Middle Georgia State University initiative trying to increase the number of Black graduates. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, half of Black students who attend a four-year public institution make it to graduation.
Growing Georgia
ABAC’s First Virtual Career Connections Event Begins February 23
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, students at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College will try an alternative to the traditional in-person job fairs in the first virtual ABAC Career Connections event. The virtual event launches Feb. 23 and continues through March 9. The virtual event will offer live sessions with employers, post presentations for students to view, and allow students to schedule meetings with employers. Over 250 companies, agencies, and organizations have been invited to attend the virtual event, giving the event a global reach.
Columbus CEO
President Chris Markwood on the Core Values of Columbus State University (Video)
Columbus State University’s President Chris Markwood talks about COVID’s impact on the university and witnessing creativity, commitment, and compassion at Columbus State throughout the pandemic.
WGAURadio
DPH updates Athens vaccination tally, UGA reports COVID test results
Athens Tech will open vaccination site
By Tim Bryant
The Georgia Department of Public Health says there have been more than 1.5 million coronavirus vaccines administered in Georgia, with more than 26 thousand of those in Athens. Oconee County has 26 hundred coronavirus vaccinations so far. Athens Technical College will be opening a coronavirus vaccination clinic next week: the Athens Tech drive-up site opens next Monday for residents of Clarke and Oconee counties. It’s for those who are in the categories eligible to receive the vaccine, and appointments will be required. It will be set up across the street from the hospital in Elberton. Reports of positive cases of COVID 19 among faculty, staff, and students at the University of Georgia dipped again last week. The latest report from UGA shows 105 individuals reported positive tests through the DawgCheck system for the week that ended on February 14. Of those, 82 were students, 22 were staff, and one was a faculty member. More than 2,300 tests of asymptomatic University community members were administered at Legion Field: 31 were positive.
The George-Anne
GS counseling center staff members receive outstanding awards
Davis Cobb, Correspondent
At the 2021 Georgia College Counseling Association awards, two of Georgia Southern University’s Counseling Center Staff came home with prestigious awards for their work and efforts. Licensed professional counselor Nikita Robinson was named the Sylvia Shortt Counselor of the Year, while staff psychologist Mark Taracuk received awards for Clinical Program of the Year and Outstanding Professional Contribution to Knowledge.
Athens CEO
UGA Launches Streamlined Tech Licensing for Startups
Tyler Duggins
The University of Georgia’s Innovation District is offering a new tool to support university entrepreneurs pursuing commercialization of their research discoveries. Georgia Startup License is an express program that combines business and technical assistance with a streamlined technology licensing process to help UGA startups get off the ground. Created by Innovation Gateway, UGA’s technology transfer office, Georgia Startup License leverages UGA’s momentum in moving ideas from the laboratory to the marketplace. To date, more than 200 startup companies and 850 products based on university research have reached the market.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
NCAA alleges rules violations by ex-Georgia Tech coach MaChelle Joseph
By Ken Sugiura
Georgia Tech, the subject of a sex-discrimination lawsuit brought by former women’s basketball coach MaChelle Joseph, is involved in an NCAA infractions case regarding alleged rules violations against her, as well. After its investigation, the NCAA found that Joseph committed Level II violations, or significant breaches of conduct, while at Tech. In its response to the NCAA’s notice of allegations, Tech stated that the NCAA’s findings regarding Joseph were “substantially correct” and lay responsibility for the violations at the feet of the coach who was fired in March 2019 near the end of her 16th season as coach of the Yellow Jackets.
Other News:
WRDW
Vaccine updates: Weather elsewhere hurts shipments to 2-state region
Edgefield County holds walk-in clinic: Scroll down for details
By Staff
Shipments of both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID vaccines are arriving in the two-state region later than expected. The arctic blast taking over much of the country is delaying those doses from getting to our area. Officials are expecting delays nationwide because of weather conditions at major shipping hubs in Memphis and Louisville. Now providers are being forced to reschedule vaccine appointments. The Georgia Department of Public Health says some vaccines are on the way, and officials are asking the public to be patient as we wait for weather conditions to improve. …AU Health says appointments at its mass vaccination hub on Washington Road aren’t filling up as quickly as they had, and some slots are still available. Vaccine supply, however, is a problem for University Hospital.
13WMAZ
White House report: Georgia among worst COVID death rates in nation
While Georgia’s death rate is falling slightly, its relative position to other states is not.
Author: Jonathan Raymond (11Alive)
The latest White House Coronavirus Task Force report paints an increasingly grim picture for Georgia’s COVID-19 mortality situation – the state currently has among the worst death rates in the country, and the situation isn’t improving much. A number of indicators have trended positively for Georgia – cases are down drastically, as are hospitalizations and test positivity. But deaths tend to lag by about a month after case surges, and the continued elevated death totals in the state reflect the peak of the winter surge Georgia saw in the middle of January.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Map: Coronavirus deaths and cases in Georgia (updated Feb. 17)
An updated count of coronavirus deaths and cases reported across the state
CONFIRMED DEATHS: 14,254 | 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: 796,547 | Cases have been confirmed in every county.
Higher Education News:
Inside Higher Ed
Cases Rise, Restrictions Begin
Cases are going up at colleges and universities, despite more testing. Some colleges have put in place tight restrictions. Others have been more flexible.
By Lilah Burke
COVID-19 cases are on the decline nationwide. College campuses are another story. Though the large, mostly public universities that set records for their high case counts last semester are actually doing better than they did last term, other campuses — including those that kept cases low in the fall — are seeing numbers rise. …Other institutions have suggested their higher numbers are due to generally high case counts across the country. While the trend line for nationwide daily counts is currently in steep decline, colleges and universities started their semesters during a countrywide high point. When more students arrive on campus with COVID-19, there is likely to be more spread. …Many colleges are testing more of their students more frequently this semester. However, they also have brought more students to their campuses and are holding more in-person classes.
Inside Higher Ed
Biden Rejects $50,000 Loan Forgiveness
President says his plan to support free public higher education will make a difference to future students.
By Kery Murakami
Top Senate Democrats and progressive groups continued to press President Biden on Wednesday to use his executive powers to wipe away up to $50,000 from the debts of all student borrowers — after Biden said for the first time he has no intention of doing so. Biden addressed the debate over canceling student loans in the strongest terms yet during a town hall meeting sponsored by CNN Tuesday night. Asked by a member of the audience to make that level of debt relief happen, as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic senator Elizabeth Warren have called on him to do, Biden replied, “I will not make that happen.”