University System News:
Savannah Morning News
Is there a doctor in the house? Physician shortage threatens future of rural Georgia
Nine Georgia counties have no doctors while many others lack specialists and surgeons, prompting state and Medical College of Georgia officials to partner on program
Dr. Brooks Keel
This is an op-ed by Dr. Brooks Keel, president of Augusta University and the Medical College of Georgia. He was formerly the president of Georgia Southern University.
Georgia is a hub for innovation, technology, hospitality, and opportunity. A leader in FinTech, aerospace, cyber, and agriculture, world renowned businesses and brands are proud to call the Peach State home. With an unmatched logistics network, beautiful natural resources, and sporting events like The Masters, there’s no doubt that people around the world always have Georgia on their minds. Dubbed the “Hollywood of the South” and recently named the “Top State for Business” for the eighth year in a row, there’s no doubt that Georgia’s economic growth and prosperity is laudable and worth celebrating. However, our state also leads the nation in cancer, stroke, and heart disease. Our maternal mortality rates are the highest in the country, while nearly 1.4 million residents have no health insurance. To compound the problem, we have a doctor shortage in Georgia, especially in rural communities, that is an undeniable threat to our state’s future.
WTOC
Savannah State University announces Spring 2021 commencement plans
Savannah State University has announced its commencement plans to celebrate the Class of 2021. The university will hold three ceremonies at Tiger Arena in May. Colleges within the university will be split up for ceremonies following this schedule:
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences: Friday, May 7 at 9:00 a.m.
College of Business Administration and College of Education: Friday, May 7 at 5:00 p.m.
College of Sciences and Technology: Saturday, May 8 at 9:00 a.m.
Savannah State University says over 380 students will be graduating this spring with master’s, bachelor’s and associate degrees.
WALB
VSU sees students lining up to get COVID-19 vaccine
By Jennifer Morejon
Valdosta State University (VSU) is seeing a positive response from students getting the COVID-19 vaccine. When the new eligibility kicked in last week, many eagerly headed to the health center. University officials said all appointments were booked last week when the new eligibility kicked in and a sign-up link was emailed out.
Fox28 Savannah
GSU continues COVID-19 vaccinations of faculty, staff and students as supply increases
by Allie Jennerjahn
Georgia Southern University is becoming part of the solution. On Tuesday they hosted their 8th Point of Dispensing (POD). It’s a place for faculty, students and staff of the university to get their COVID -19 vaccine. University spokesman John Lester said Tuesday they were able to do close to 300 students in two hours.
WFXG
Augusta University brings COVID-19 vaccine clinic to Summerville campus
By Mary Klingler
As Georgia opens vaccine eligibility to all adults over the age of sixteen, Augusta University students, faculty, and staff receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine Monday. Spring break is just around the corner for these students and that’s one of the reasons Augusta University is encouraging everyone on campus to roll up their sleeves and get vaccinated. Augusta University medical students vaccinated about 250 people on campus Monday. As they work to get as many shots into the arms of students, faculty, and staff before Spring Break starts next Monday.
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Savannah State University to Provide Every HBCU Free Hand Sanitizer
by Arrman Kyaw
Savannah State University (SSU) will give free hand sanitizer to every historically Black college and university (HBCU) nationwide, enough for their entire student populations, WSAV reported. The gift was made possible from a donation to the school made by alum Cyrus Jackson, who owns 1 Indigo Child, LLC, which produces Dr. Hobbs Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer with Aloe.
Albany Herald
UGA professor receives SEC Faculty Achievement Award
By Sam Fahmy CAES News
Peggy Ozias-Akins, D.W. Brooks Professor and Distinguished Research Professor in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, has been named the University of Georgia’s recipient of the Southeastern Conference Faculty Achievement Award. The honor recognizes professors with outstanding records in teaching and scholarship and is administered by provosts at each of the 14 universities in the conference. Ozias-Akins is a global leader in the application of biotechnology to the improvement of crops that are a vital source of nutrition for millions of people around the world. In addition to her research accomplishments, she is an innovative instructor and dedicated mentor to students, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Albany Herald
Georgia State professor, student create winning educational tool
From staff reports
A student and professor from Georgia State University are among the winning teams in an international competition to promote innovative ways to help kindergarten through 12th-grade students get back on track with learning in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Joon Suh Choi, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Applied Linguistics & English as a Second Language, and Scott Crossley, a professor in the same department, were recognized for a software application they have been working on for about two years: The Automated Readability Tool for English (ARTE). ARTE is a free application that allows users to assess the reading level of text or other source material to help instructors ensure the material they are using matches the reading level of their students.
WFMZ
Intelligent.com Announces Best Master’s in Sports Management Degree Programs for 2021
Intelligent.com, a trusted resource for online degree rankings and higher education planning, has announced the Top 50 Master’s in Sports Management Degree Programs for 2021. The comprehensive research guide is based on an assessment of 160 accredited colleges and universities in the nation. Each program is evaluated based on curriculum quality, graduation rate, reputation, and post-graduate employment. …2021 Master’s in Sports Management Degree Programs featured on Intelligent.com (in alphabetical order): Georgia Southern University
Herald&Review
The 50 best value public colleges in America
Leah Pace, Stacker
Best value public colleges in America
This ranking includes only public, four-year colleges and weighs the cost of tuition with each school’s acceptance rate, quality of professors, diversity, and the median earnings for alumni six years after graduation. …Stacker looked at Niche’s 2021 list of the best value colleges in America. This ranking includes only public, four-year colleges and weighs the cost of tuition with each school’s acceptance rate, quality of professors, diversity, and the median earnings for alumni six years after graduation.
#2. Georgia Institute of Technology
#34. University of Georgia
WGAU Radio
UGA grad programs earn Top 10 rankings
Ed College, also School of Public and International Affairs
By Sam Fahmy, UGA Today
Several graduate programs in the University of Georgia’s School of Public and International Affairs, Mary Frances Early College of Education, and Institute of Higher Education have earned top 10 rankings in the 2022 edition of the U.S. News and World Report Best Graduate Schools.
WABE
The Georgia Tech Library Presents A Bilingual Exploration of the Work Of Hin Bredendieck
Shelley Kenneavy
The Georgia Tech Library showcases the life and work of Bauhaus-educated designer Hin Bredendieck in a new exhibition, “From Aurich to Atlanta.” Bredendieck was a founder of the department of industrial design at Georgia Tech. “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes spoke to Kirk Henderson, the exhibitions program manager for the Georgia Tech Library, about the connection between Bredendieck and Georgia Tech.
Valdosta Daily Times
PSST! to livestream summer musical
By Dean Poling
Peach State Summer Theatre reached for a past success when deciding how to return to the stage during the pandemic. PSST! will present “The Marvelous Wonderettes: Dream On” as the only show for the 2021 season, Valdosta State University announced this week. While PSST! is a professional music theatre company, it operates under the umbrella of VSU Theatre & Dance.
News Medical Life Sciences
Prime editing enables more precise correction of genetic problems than traditional CRISPR
The latest gene editing technology, prime editing, expands the “genetic toolbox” for more precisely creating disease models and correcting genetic problems, scientists say. In only the second published study of prime editing’s use in a mouse model, Medical College of Georgia scientists report prime editing and traditional CRISPR both successfully shut down a gene involved in the differentiation of smooth muscle cells, which help give strength and movement to organs and blood vessels. However, prime editing snips only a single strand of the double-stranded DNA. CRISPR makes double-strand cuts, which can be lethal to cells, and produces unintended edits at both the work site as well as randomly across the genome, says Dr. Joseph Miano, genome editor, molecular biologist and J. Harold Harrison, MD, Distinguished University Chair in Vascular Biology at the MCG Vascular Biology Center.
Jumbo News
Rotating black holes may serve as gentle portals for hyperspace travel
One of the most cherished science fiction scenarios is using a black hole as a portal to another dimension or time or universe. That fantasy may be closer to reality than previously imagined. Black holes are perhaps the most mysterious objects in the universe. They are the consequence of gravity crushing a dying star without limit, leading to the formation of a true singularity – which happens when an entire star gets compressed down to a single point yielding an object with infinite density. This dense and hot singularity punches a hole in the fabric of spacetime itself, possibly opening up an opportunity for hyperspace travel. That is, a short cut through spacetime allowing for travel over cosmic scale distances in a short period. Researchers previously thought that any spacecraft attempting to use a black hole as a portal of this type would have to reckon with nature at its worst. …Flying through a black hole. My team at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and a colleague at Georgia Gwinnett College have shown that all black holes are not created equal.
The Red & Black
UGA students share experiences with anti-Asian discrimination
Liset Cruz | Staff Writer
Nurie Langlois, a junior linguistics and Asian languages and literature major at the University of Georgia who is half Korean and half white, shared her previous experiences with racism and discrimination. Socially-enforced stereotypes, such as the model minority stereotype, molded some of her experiences. … Experiences at UGA
Most of these incidents occurred during Langlois’s high school career, and she said “UGA has been a lot more accepting.” Although UGA has been more accepting in Langlois’s life, racially-insensitive experiences continue throughout her time at UGA, including microaggressions from other students. Langlois has received videos of peers mocking Hibachi chefs while doing an imitation of a Chinese accent and being a recipient of “bat jokes” as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Inside Higher Ed
Academic Minute: Crackdown on Red-Light Districts
By Doug Lederman
Today on the Academic Minute, part of University of West Georgia Week: Stephanie Chalifoux, associate professor of history, explores how sex workers took to the road when Southern states cracked down on local prostitution. Learn more about the Academic Minute here.
Other News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Map: Coronavirus deaths and cases in Georgia (updated March 30)
An updated count of coronavirus deaths and cases reported across the state
CONFIRMED DEATHS: 16,533 | Deaths have been confirmed in every county. 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: 851,306 | Cases have been confirmed in every county.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Kemp poised to ease virus restrictions as officials worry about ‘fourth surge’
By Greg Bluestein
Gov. Brian Kemp is poised to roll back many of the state’s remaining coronavirus restrictions to speed a return to “normal life” as President Joe Biden and federal health experts warn of a potential “fourth surge” of the pandemic if Americans let down their guard. The governor has said loosening the rules is a crucial step to returning to normal as the number of new infections in the state declines and millions of Georgians secure at least one dose of the vaccine. But the timing comes amid sharpening concerns that new, more worrisome variants of the disease could take hold despite a growing inoculation campaign. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, spoke of “impending doom” if Americans don’t remain vigilant.
Higher Education News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
OPINION: With billions in COVID relief, invest in Black and brown students
Get Schooled with Maureen Downey
Advocate: Seek direction from Black and brown educators who understand experiences and needs of children of color
In a guest column, Sharhonda Bossier, CEO of Education Leaders of Color or EdLoC, says the federal government is sending unprecedented billions to states to support the safe reopening of schools. Bossier urges policymakers to use the money for programs that support an equitable recovery in education for Black and brown children, who have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. A membership organization, EdLoC works to expand the leadership, voices and influence of people of color in education. Before joining EdLoC, Bossier worked with Education Cities, a national non-profit that supports and advises city-based education organizations on their efforts to grow great public schools. She also co-founded Families for Excellent Schools where she developed their training program and overall parent engagement strategy. By Sharhonda Bossier
Bloomberg
Students Won’t be Taxed on Emergency Pandemic Aid, IRS Says
By Laura Davison
Students who received emergency financial aid grants related to the coronavirus pandemic won’t owe taxes on that money, according to the Internal Revenue Service. Students also do not have to reduce the total of their tuition and related expenses by the amount of an emergency financial aid grant, which is important because that total could qualify for tax breaks. Students who used some or all of the grants to pay for qualified tuition and related expenses before the end of 2020 may be eligible to claim a tuition and fees deduction, the American Opportunity Credit or Lifetime Learning Credit, on their 2020 taxes. Colleges and universities will also not be required to send additional tax forms to the students or to the IRS to report these grants since the funds won’t be included in taxable income, the IRS said.
Associated Press
IRS warns of phishing scam targeting colleges, universities
The Associated Press
The Internal Revenue Service issued a warning Tuesday about a phishing scam targeting students and staff at educational institutions who have an .edu email address. The IRS said it has received complaints about the scam aimed at students at both public and private, profit and non-profit institutions. The fraudulent emails display the IRS logo and use various subject lines, such as “Tax Refund Payment” or “Recalculation of your tax refund payment.” The emails ask people to click a link and submit a form to claim their refund. The phishing website then requests people provide personal information, such as their name, date of birth and Social Security number.
Inside Higher Ed
Colleges Break From Corporate Dining Services
Propelled by the racial justice movement and the pandemic, student activists are pressuring colleges to implement dining services free from corporate influences.
By Greta Anderson
Organizers for Real Food Generation, a national group that leads campus-based campaigns to push colleges to break contracts with the “big three” private companies that provide most campus food services — Aramark, Sodexo and Compass Group — are experiencing new energy behind their movement and getting results on some campuses. Their successes are occurring as colleges’ partnerships with third-party campus dining services providers are attracting renewed scrutiny and criticism and have become intertwined with the national movement for racial justice being led in part by college students. Students and social advocacy groups have long pushed for fairer and more sustainable practices by these companies and called out their mistreatment of employees of color, as well as the connections large food corporations have to American and international prison systems. But the critiques have been amplified by the social justice movement and are resonating with students committed to changing various college policies and practices with which they take issue. The economic recession, widespread unemployment and campus closures caused by the pandemic have also prompted students to more deeply examine how and where their dining dollars are spent.
Inside Higher Ed
Where Caregiving and Gender Intersect
It’s not just about gender or caregiving, it’s both: new analyses suggest colleges need COVID-19 faculty relief policies that target female caregivers in particular.
By Colleen Flaherty
Numerous recent studies highlight the coronavirus pandemic’s disproportionate blow to female academics’ productivity. Other studies highlight the pandemic’s toll on academics who are caregivers. A new study of thousands of professors from Ithaka S&R, out today, highlights the particular struggles of female caregivers working in academe — and what institutions can do to help them.
Lasting Impacts
First, a question: Why does another study on this topic matter, especially now that people are getting vaccinated and colleges are planning for a return to something like normal come fall? The answer? Experts say that given the time-consuming nature of academic research and the relatively prolonged academic publishing cycle, female academic caregivers are likely to be feeling the professional effects of the last 12 months for a long time. And while more data are almost always better data, as far as academics are concerned, each new paper hopefully encourages institutions to develop and honor meaningful policy changes.
Inside Higher Ed
Cyberattacks Pose Credit Risks for Higher Education
By Rick Seltzer
An increase in cyberattacks against colleges and universities, which comes as institutions rely heavily on digital infrastructure to deliver online learning amid the pandemic, is a negative factor weighing on higher education’s credit profile, according to Moody’s Investors Service. The ratings agency published commentary on risks associated with cyberattacks this week, about two weeks after the FBI issued a warning about rising numbers of cyberattacks against colleges and universities. Attackers can steal sensitive information, block access to essential systems and demand payment before they return access. They have also been known to threaten to publish stolen sensitive information if institutions do not meet their demands. Cyberattacks have disrupted online learning at a number of institutions this year.