University System News:
Savannah Morning News
Kimberly Ballard-Washington outlines goals, next steps as Savannah State’s new president
Barbara Augsdorfer
Kimberly Ballard-Washington was officially announced as Savannah State University president on Thursday, a week after being named the sole finalist for the post by the Georgia Board of Regents. Ballard-Washington had served as the school’s interim president since June 2019. Ballard-Washington shared insights about her next steps as SSU president and plans for the coming academic year in a recent interview.
What are your next steps as president? What are some of your goals that you would like to see happen at the school?
Kimberly Ballard-Washington: “We’re going to have to solidify the team that we have here. Because I was interim, we have a lot of people in interim positions. So we’re going to have to finalize a lot of those positions. We’ve already started posting positions. We’re hiring right now for the chief business officer. We’re also going to be looking for a chief information technology person and a provost. We have three interim deans right now. The vice president for advancement is a position that we need to fill. We’re going to need to solidify these positions so that we can really get started and move the institution forward. But of course, we want to make sure that we’re looking at things then moving into the institution the right direction. It’s time for us to revisit our [five-year] strategic plan. So we’ll be initiating that very quickly.”
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
New Initiative Puts Learners at the Forefront of Designing Paths to Address Educational Challenges
by Walter Hudson
Six colleges and universities from across the nation are teaming up to launch a new initiative that they say will change the future of education. REP4—or “Rapid Education Prototyping” is an effort that will partner with hundreds of high school and community based organizations to address the urgent challenges of access and completion to help deliver on higher education’s promise of social and economic mobility. “Our university’s mission has long included making education relevant, impactful and accessible for students,” said Fort Valley State University (FVSU) president Dr. Paul Jones. “Collaborating with other like-minded institutions across the nation will provide a tremendous opportunity to shift the paradigm of how we approach learning, particularly for underrepresented communities.” FVSU is one of the six colleges and universities serving collectively more than 100,000 students, who will participate in this effort which was formed in response to a growing number of challenges facing higher education, including low completion rates, lack of access and racial gaps.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
GSU program named tops in nation
By H.M. Cauley
…Culverhouse graduates this month with a master’s in health administration and a law degree with a health law certification. In the years she’s been honing her skills, the program moved from Number Two to being the top-rated one of its kind in the country, according to U.S. News and World Report. “We’ve been in the top 10 for last 15 years, but this is the first time we’ve ranked Number 1,” said Erin Fuse Brown, an associate law professor and director of GSU’s Center for Law, Health and Society. “It’s a nice recognition of the high quality program we offer.”
WGAU Radio
State money for STEM building, new poultry facility
By UGA Media Relations
Gov. Brian P. Kemp signed the fiscal year 2022 budget into law on Monday, May 10. The budget, which was passed by the Georgia General Assembly on March 31, includes funding for major university capital projects and provides increased funding for the University System of Georgia. “I would like to express my most sincere appreciation to Gov. Brian Kemp and his team, the Georgia General Assembly and the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, including Chairman Sachin Shailendra and Chancellor Steve Wrigley,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “On behalf of the University of Georgia, we are deeply grateful for their commitment to crafting a state budget that prioritizes higher education.” … Importantly, the FY22 budget provided support for several significant UGA capital projects, including $21.7 million in construction funds to build a new Poultry Science Building. The new teaching and research facility will provide lab and instructional space to address emerging issues and create novel solutions related to poultry—the largest sector in Georgia’s No. 1 industry, agriculture.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Regents decide no raises for Georgia university presidents
By Eric Stirgus
For the second year in a row, presidents in the state’s public university system did not get raises. The Georgia Board of Regents met earlier this week to approve the salaries, deferred compensation and allowances for all 26 presidents, which take effect July 1. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution received the total compensations Friday through the Georgia Open Records Act.
Article also appeared in:
Inside Higher Ed
No Raises for Public University Presidents in Georgia
CBS46
UGA makes changes to COVID-19 protocol
Lauren Sennet
University of Georgia announces changes to their COVID-19 protocol for students, staff, and members of their community. The University is dropping the mask mandate for fully vaccinated people while unvaccinated individuals are strongly encouraged to war a face mask.
WRDW
MCG doctor helps man regain sight after double-eye strokes
By Celeste Springer
One local man has a big thank you for a doctor with the Medical College of Georgia. Bill Jones was about to be completely blind after having a stroke in each of his eyes. When the first stroke came on, it was a typical day for Jones. He was browsing the web when he began to see weird patterns in one eye. “And then, I didn’t see anything,” he said. And his eye doctor didn’t have answers. Jones later learned he had an eye stroke. His vision in that eye was gone forever. Fast forward to 2021, where it happened again in the other eye. It’s something his interventional neurologist at MCG, Dr. Dan-Victor Giurgiutiu, says he’s only seen twice in his eight years. Now, time was a critical component to save the rest of his sight. … MCG tells us our hospital is the only one in Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina that can perform that type of procedure for an eye stroke.
WRBL
Columbus State University holds drive-in graduation
by: Michaela Leggett
The sound of car horns filled the Civic Center parking lot as Columbus State University had its drive-in graduation. The university presented over 950 degrees and certificates during their drive-in commencement. The drive-in graduation was broken into three different ceremonies, the first ceremony was held at 9 a.m. for the college of Arts and Turner College of Business. The college of Letters and Sciences had their ceremony at 12 p.m., followed by the college of Education and Health Professions ceremony at 2:30 p.m. While the ceremony was taking place, graduates and their guests were seen in the parking lot with decorated cars.
Statesboro Herald
Georgia Southern University holds spring commencement ceremonies
Georgia Southern University held its 2021 undergraduate commencement ceremonies May 8 at Savannah Convention Center, and May 10, 11 and 12 at Paulson Stadium. Graduate ceremonies were held May 13, also at Paulson Stadium.
Northwest Georgia News
Graduate eager to return and officially earn his degree from GHC
Chris Lundy has his bachelor’s degree. He has his master’s. He’s even working on his doctorate. But this week, he joins other Georgia Highlands College graduates in receiving his associate degree. The reason? He wants to officially graduate from the place he feels gave him a strong foundation to go on and do everything he’s doing right now. “It was always a goal of mine to earn this degree, and I’m thankful the University System of Georgia has this system in place that allows me to earn this degree after so many years,” Lundy said. “I’m what you consider a ‘reverse credit transfer’ — since I completed my master’s degree in a university system institution, I was able to come back and get my associate degree.”
WJCL
‘Push yourself. Never give up’: Savannah sisters both named valedictorians of their class
“We just want to see the best in each other.” Two sisters at two different Savannah-Chatham County high schools were both named valedictorian of their class this year.
Brooke Butler
Anchor/Reporter
Two sisters at two different Savannah-Chatham County high schools were both awarded with one of the highest academic honors this year. They were both named valedictorian of their class. Jazlyn Manthei and Shailyn Frazier both share the same drive for success. …Manthei was named valedictorian at Alfred E. Beach High School. …But their valedictorian status and work ethic aren’t the only things the sisters have in common. They also share a passion for science and medicine, something they’ll both be pursuing in college. …Manthei will be attending Georgia Southern University in the fall.
Albany Herald
Child reporter, Albany State University graduate who interviewed President Obama dies at age 23
By Melissa Alonso, CNN
Damon Weaver, who as a child landed an interview with President Barack Obama in 2009, has died at the age of 23, according to a medical examiner. At age 11, Weaver was selected to meet and interview President Obama at the White House to ask questions primarily about education. Weaver died on May 1, according to the Palm Beach County, Florida, medical examiner. His cause of death has not yet been disclosed. …Weaver graduated from Royal Palm Beach High School in 2016 and went on to graduate from Albany State University in 2020, according to his Facebook page.
WGAU Radio
Local notes: UGA preps for Maymester, Athens high schools gear up for graduation
Jackson, Elbert Co Commissioners meet
By Tim Bryant
The University of Georgia’s spring semester is over, with three days of socially-distanced commencement exercises held late last week: registration for UGA’s Maymester classes is set to begin today. The University’s May session classes start tomorrow.
Albany Herald
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College faculty member co-executive produces documentary
From staff reports
Thomas Grant, an associate professor of journalism at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, serves as co-executive producer of the new documentary, “In the Valley of Sin,” which recently premiered on Fox Nation. Grant said the documentary is six hours long and is about a story he broke as a reporter 25 years ago for a Spokane, Wash., television station. “My reporting was the impetus for getting 18 innocent people released from prison,” Grant said. “After I began working on the story, there were also reports by the Wall Street Journal, Washington Times, Dateline NBC, and 48 Hours.”
Atlanta Business Chronicle
Unmatched Expansion: JA launches Discovery Centers in Dalton and Savannah
It seems counterintuitive that in a year marked by a sudden ‘pause’ in nearly all aspects as life as we knew it, we in fact made more physical expansion progress than any other year to date. JA of Georgia has had significant presence outside of metro Atlanta for decades, primarily in two markets – Dalton and Savannah. Summer and fall were spent making headway in both of those areas, leading to exciting reveals in the spring. …The JA Discovery Center of Greater Dalton opened in March, thanks to the partnership with Dalton Public Schools and support from Engineered Floors, and more than twenty local and national partners. Alliant Health Plans, Chick-fil-A Northwest Georgia Operators, City of Dalton, Community Foundation of Northwest Georgia, Dalton State College, Dalton Utilities OptiLink, Dorsett Industries, Engineered Floors, First Bank of Dalton, …all have a physical presence in the space.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Chris Bosh becomes Georgia Tech’s first basketball hall of famer
By Ken Sugiura
Chris Bosh, who starred for one season at Georgia Tech before achieving greatness in the NBA, received the ultimate accolade for his career Sunday when he was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “I don’t think you could have a player who epitomizes what it means to be a great team player more than Chris Bosh,” Paul Hewitt, Bosh’s coach at Tech, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Sunday. Bosh is first former Tech player to earn enshrinement among the game’s all-time greats.
Other News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Map: Coronavirus deaths and cases in Georgia (updated May 16)
An updated count of coronavirus deaths and cases reported across the state
CONFIRMED DEATHS: 17,804 | 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: 890,267 | Cases have been confirmed in every county.
Higher Education News:
Inside Higher Ed
Where Do Public Research Universities Recruit?
Some seem to rely on out-of-state high schools — many of them private — without many nonwhite students, study finds.
By Scott Jaschik
Where do public universities recruit students? Most universities would like the public to think that they focus on their states, visiting every possible high school, particularly those with talented disadvantaged students. But that’s not what Karina Salazar of the University of Arizona, and Ozan Jaquette and Crystal Han, both of the University of California, Los Angeles, keep finding out. Two years ago, they found that public universities focus on high schools that are out of state and more likely than not to be high income and largely white. Further, a disproportionate number of the high schools visited are private schools. They have returned to the subject with a new paper, published Friday, in The American Educational Research Journal. Its conclusion: “Results reveal socioeconomic, racial, and geographic disparities in recruiting patterns. In particular, most universities made more out-of-state than in-state visits, and out-of-state visits systematically targeted affluent, predominantly white localities.”
Inside Higher Ed
No More SAT or ACT at U of California
By Scott Jaschik
The University of California on Friday agreed to stop considering the SAT and ACT in admissions decisions, settling a court decision that the university lost. A California judge in September issued a preliminary injunction barring University of California campuses from considering SAT or ACT scores in admissions or financial aid decisions. An appeals court upheld the ruling in November. The ruling came after the University of California Board of Regents voted, in May 2020, to approve a five-year plan to phase out the use of the SAT and ACT.