University System News:
11Alive
School delays, preps underway ahead of possible slick driving conditions as temperatures dip
11Alive Chief Meteorologist Chris Holcomb said we don’t expect any winter precipitation, but could see slick spots as temperatures drop.
As rain falls on Monday and temperatures dip below freezing overnight, there is some concern for slick spots on the roads in the early morning hours. Already, Gov. Brian Kemp has announced that state offices will have a two-hour delay on Tuesday, Feb. 16. Now, some schools and some agencies have also announced delays and changes for students. Here is a list:
Atlanta Metropolitan State College – Delayed 2 hours
Clayton State University – Delayed until 10 a.m.
Ga. Highlands (Douglasville, Paulding, Cartersville, Floyd, Marietta) – Delayed until 10 a.m.
Georgia Gwinnett College – Delayed 2 hours
Kennesaw State University – Delayed until 10 a.m.
UGA -Main Campus – Delayed until 10 a.m.; First and second period classes canceled. Classes will resume with third period at 11:10 a.m.
UGA-Griffin – Delayed 2 hours
UGA-Gwinnett – Delayed until 10 a.m.
University of West Georgia – Delayed until 10 a.m.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Tech, UGA land in top 15 of annual full-time MBA ranking
By Kiersten Willis
Despite the economic impact of the continuing coronavirus pandemic, people are still seeking a master’s degree in business administration. According to a 2019 report by Forbes, many MBA programs were experiencing double-digit declines in applications. But a global survey conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council last year found that overall, applications were up 2.4% for graduate management programs. … Two Georgia MBA programs appeared in the 2021 ranking: Georgia Institute of Technology’s Scheller College of Business and the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business. Each school did well when it came to Band Overall rankings, where Band A is the highest and Band E is the lowest; Scheller and Terry are in Band B. Tech’s business school ranked at No. 5 while UGA’s school came in at No. 14.
WTOC
GSU releases details on in-person spring commencement ceremony
Georgia Southern University has released details on their upcoming in-person spring commencement ceremony. Here is the updated schedule they have released, which takes into consideration the COVID-19 pandemic:
Valdosta Daily Times
VSU Vaccines: University rolls out vaccination plan
University rolls out vaccination plan
By Desiree Carver
Valdosta State University is rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine for its campus with the first allotment expected sometime this month. The private rollout will be for the Valdosta State University community; spanning faculty members and students as the phases continue. Robert Smith, VSU vice president of academic affairs, said having VSU as a private vaccination location just for its campus makes sense. With students living and interacting in close proximity, he said they tend to be a population prone to spread and that having their own site will alleviate some of the vaccination needs of local medical facilities.
Growing Georgia
ABAC’s Stafford School of Business Seeks Excellence Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic
Dr. Renata Elad is no stranger to Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. She has been instructing students at ABAC for over 20 years and has served the past four years as the Dean of the Stafford School of Business. “The Stafford School of Business is committed to shaping life-long learning-leaders who can discover innovative and ethical solutions to emerging and changing business conditions,” Elad said. ABAC’s Stafford School of Business is unique in that it is the only college in Georgia that offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Business. ABAC business students are given unmatched opportunities to receive an excellent education. Stafford School of Business students conducted a survey in October on labor needs in the community. It revealed that about 80 per cent of business managers were optimistic about the business climate. “This mirrors the employment trend of our graduates,” Elad said. “We had 70 per cent of the class of 2020 employed before or right after graduation.” The 2020-21 academic year has looked different due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Elad emphasizes that the business school’s outcomes were no different than normal.
Metro Atlanta CEO
Emory and Georgia Tech Students Join Forces to ‘Hack COVID-19’
During a January weekend, 130 Emory University and Georgia Tech students on 29 teams competed in the HACK COVID-19 hackathon to develop products that help schools and businesses safely reopen in light of the pandemic. The hackathon competition is a partnership between Emory Global Health Institute (EGHI) and Georgia Tech. Top prize went to Rotations, a digital platform to allow schools and businesses to quickly create safe seating charts and schedules to minimize exposure to COVID-19. As the winning team, Rotations received a $3,500 cash prize and enrollment in the CREATE-X Startup Launch program, Georgia Tech’s accelerator that helps students turn project ideas into startups. A total of $21,000 was awarded to the top teams.
Emanuel County Live
EGSC professor receives doctoral degree from GSU
Jing Kersey, Associate Professor in Mathematics at East Georgia State College, received her DrPH (Doctor of Public Health) in Biostatistics from Georgia Southern University (GSU) in July 2020. Dr. Kersey joined the Department of Mathematics at East Georgia State College in 2010 as an instructor after earning her master’s degree in Statistics from GSU. At EGSC, she teaches College Algebra, Elementary Statistics, and Calculus II & III. She is also an eCore instructor teaching Elementary Statistics and Quantitative Reasoning. Dr. Kersey received the ‘Distinguished Faculty Award’ in both 2015 and 2019.
Marietta Daily Journal
School of Data Science and Analytics established at KSU
Kennesaw State University has announced the establishment of the School of Data Science and Analytics, building on the institution’s history of industry research and academic programs related to one of the fastest growing disciplines in higher education. Housed within the College of Computing and Software Engineering, the school unites the resources of the former Analytics and Data Science Institute and the Department of Statistics and Analytical Sciences under one banner, serving more than 4,200 students at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
The Red & Black
UGA honors business school’s first Black woman instructor with new award
Janelle Ward | Race Reporter
The University of Georgia announced the establishment of a new award on Tuesday to honor the career and dedication of Dawn D. Bennett-Alexander, the Terry College of Business’ first Black woman faculty member. The Dawn D. Bennett-Alexander Inclusive Community award will be given annually to a faculty member making strides to facilitate diversity and inclusion on campus. The winner will be honored at the university’s annual Embracing Diversity Celebration. “This award recognizes the significant contributions of our faculty in our diversity, equity and inclusion work,” said Michelle Cook, UGA’s vice provost for diversity and inclusion, in a UGA Today announcement. “And it also signals to our faculty that the university values their effort in diversity, equity and inclusion overall.” The university will begin accepting nominations April 1 and will present the award during the fall of 2021.
WSB-TV
Full circle: UGA’s first African American graduate meets school’s other Black student groundbreaker
As we celebrate Black History Month, we’re introducing you to two people with two historic firsts for the University of Georgia. UGA’s first African American graduate had a chance to meet the school’s first African American Rhodes scholar. Channel 2 Action News was there the moment Dr. Mary Frances Early and Phaidra Buchanan met virtually for the first time. “You’re going to impress students and you’re going to make pathways for them as I hope I’ve made pathways for others,” Early said. “I mean hearing that from you is unreal,” Buchanan said. This was the moment that both groundbreakers had been waiting for.
Albany Herald
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College plans Black History Month activities
From staff reports
Black History Month activities at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College start Monday when students can attend the screening of “Selma” at 6:30 p.m. in the ABAC Lakeside lobby. Other events include an African American Professionals Panel on Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. in Howard Auditorium. To maintain social distancing guidelines, the maximum capacity is 50 people, and all attendees must wear a mask. Individuals can also participate via Microsoft Teams.
Savannah Morning News
Georgia Southern offers program of African folktales in virtual Black History Month event
Donnell Suggs
An African proverb originating from the Ewe tribe, a West African group nation whose largest population (over 3 million) currently resides in Ghana, reads as follows: “Wisdom is like a baobab tree; no one individual can embrace it.” The celebration of Black History Month can represent the wisdom mentioned in that proverb and how with each generation after generation, it gets passed down throughout the ages. …The Georgia Southern University Center for Africana Studies is doing their part for Black History Month by hosting a virtual event focused on African folktales. “Go Back and Fetch It!: African Folk Tales, Traditions, Meanings and Relevance.” The event will feature Armstrong State University alumna Lillian Grant-Baptiste, a master Gullah-Geechee storyteller, and will be broadcast via Zoom as have a number of monthly events the Center for Africana Studies has hosted since September 2020.
WALB
South Ga. museum encourages community to visit during Black History Month
By Jennifer Morejon
The Copeland African American Museum’s collection spans more than 150 years of history and features more than 75 pieces. In honor of Black History Month, they’re expanding their hours so you can enjoy it before it changes. …If you would like to visit the museum, admission is free. It is located on the second floor of Thaxton Hall at Valdosta State University’s North Campus, at the intersection of Pendleton Drive and Patterson Street.
The Brunswick News
Pulitzer Prize-winning author to speak at college event
By Lauren McDonald
College of Coastal Georgia’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion has partnered with the Coastal Georgia Historical Society to present a lecture by Pulitzer Prize-winning author and journalist, Hank Klibanoff. The lecture will take place virtually at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Fox5
Former Georgia educator weighs in on state budget
By Elizabeth Rawlins
Former University System of Georgia employees who lost their job during the pandemic are now weighing in as thousands of state employees are expected to get a pandemic-related bonus. The coronavirus recovery efforts are underway in Georgia as federal and state lawmakers attempt to stimulate the economy and help those who have been laid off. This week, Gov. Brian Kemp signed the amended the Fiscal Year 2021 Budget, which included giving 57,000 state employees a bonus. This included K-12 public school educators and staff. This comes just six months after the state mandated that all 26 public colleges and universities make cuts, including layoffs and furloughs. “I just don’t understand how they can now turn around and give these bonuses,” said Louise Irizarry, former Kennesaw State University employee.
Other News:
WRDW
Kemp issues new executive order on COVID-19 in Georgia
By Tyria Goines
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has issued a new executive order on COVID-19 guidance in the state. The order modifies sanitation guidance for businesses and events in accordance with the latest data about COVID-19 spread. The order also adds a requirement for restaurants, non-critical infrastructure businesses, and events to ensure their ventilation systems operate properly. Critical Infrastructure businesses are encouraged to ensure proper ventilation as well, and all Georgia businesses and events should increase air circulation and purification as practicable. A provision is included to allow an individual to apply for a renewal of their weapons carry license up to 120 days after the expiration date if the license expires during the ongoing Public Health State of Emergency.
Newsweek
U.S. COVID Cases Are Down, but the Virus Isn’t in Retreat
By Kashmira Gander
COVID cases, deaths and hospitalizations in the U.S. have plummeted in recent weeks. However, experts have told Newsweek it may be too soon to view the pandemic as in retreat, particularly as the threat of new variants looms and people may grow complacent amid the biggest vaccine roll-out in the country’s history. On Sunday, the U.S. reported 72,000 new COVID cases, 67,000 people hospitalized with the disease, and 1,363 deaths, according to the COVID Tracking Project. That was down from the all-time high at the start of January when 1.7 million cases were reported in a week. Similarly, hospitalizations have fallen from their record of 132,000 in early January, and fatalities were down for the second week in a row as of Thursday.
Statesboro Herald
State sees big drop in COVID cases
So far, Bulloch has administered 11,548 vaccines
Jim Healy/staff
For the first time since Nov. 29-30, Georgia recorded two consecutive days of reporting fewer than 2,000 new COVID-19 cases. The state had 1,726 cases on Sunday followed by 1,736 on Monday, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. Also, the total of 2,462 cases for Feb. 14-15 was 3,230 fewer new cases than reported for the previous Sunday and Monday, Feb. 7-8.
WRDW
Vaccination slots open up through AU Health
By Staff
New COVID-19 vaccination appointments are available this week, Augusta University Health announced Monday morning. About 400 appointments are available Tuesday at AU Health’s Aiken vaccination clinic and about 1,000 are available Wednesday at its mass vaccination hub at 2834 Washington Road in Augusta. Individuals meeting criteria for vaccinations in Georgia and South Carolina are eligible to register at https://covid.augustahealth.org/vaccine/.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Why Georgia lags in vaccinating teachers
By Ty Tagami
With the nationwide push to reopen schools, most states have begun vaccinating teachers, but not Georgia. Here, teachers are farther down the vaccination schedule after state leaders moved more older Georgians ahead of them. The change has angered educators. Some have protested school reopenings as COVID-19 has infected and even killed colleagues.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Map: Coronavirus deaths and cases in Georgia (updated Feb. 15)
An updated count of coronavirus deaths and cases reported across the state
CONFIRMED DEATHS: 13,997 | 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: 792,509 | Cases have been confirmed in every county.
Higher Education News:
The Washington Post
Resident assistants, campus housing staffers push for access to coronavirus vaccines
By Lauren Lumpkin
As colleges allow more students to live on campuses again, staffers who keep dorms running say their jobs carry more responsibilities — and new risks. In addition to hosting virtual floor events and mediating conflicts, resident assistants, community directors and other residential staff members say they’re counseling students thinking about suicide or struggling with homesickness. In many cases, they’re also enforcing mask-wearing and social distancing and escorting their sick peers to isolation housing. While schools have made some modifications — assigning students to single bedrooms, requiring negative coronavirus tests before move-in and issuing masks and other protective gear to staff members — some campus housing staff members are pushing to make sure they’re vaccinated alongside other essential workers.
Inside Higher Ed
A new report from the National Council for Teacher Quality argues that raising admissions standards for teacher training programs can also increase diversity in the field.
By Greta Anderson
Efforts to diversify the teacher workforce have long relied on the unfair and unproven belief that admissions standards for college teacher training programs had to be lowered in order to attract people of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, according to the National Council for Teacher Quality. Ten states have eliminated a basic skills test requirement for aspiring teachers to enter preparation programs just in the last five years in an effort to increase the number of Black and Hispanic candidates, a new report published today by the council said. Policy makers’ decisions to drop the tests were due to a “problematic narrative” backed by federal regulations published by the U.S. Department of Education under President Obama in 2016, the report said. The regulations permitted states to lower the selection requirements “to allow programs to recruit a more diverse student body” as long as the programs “maintain a high bar to exit.” Kate Walsh, president of NCTQ, said it’s time to set aside such notions and practices.
National Review
When Colleges Reopen, Students Will Again Confront Parking Costs
By GEORGE LEEF
Sooner or later, America’s colleges and universities will get back to normal, and for many students that means confronting the high cost of parking. In today’s Martin Center article, Megan Zogby, a student at North Carolina State, looks at this as a matter of administrators paying insufficient attention to students. One slip-up, such as having your car’s battery die, and students are hit with heavy fines.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The perplexing math of college admissions
Get Schooled with Maureen Downey
An admissions dean says, ‘We know it doesn’t make sense’
Adrienne Amador Oddi grew up in Woodstock, Georgia, and now serves as the dean of admissions and financial aid at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. In this essay, Oddi discusses the hard realities of admissions to colleges like hers that receive more applications than they can accept.
By Adrienne Amador Oddi
15,000. 5,000. 500.
I studied math. That pattern is pleasing to me. Years of outreach and engagement with future college students distilled to a few numbers: Those who inquire. Those who apply. Those who join us. If only college admissions were that simple.