University System News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Judge: Ga. law barring contracts by groups boycotting Israel unconstitutional
By Eric Stirgus
A federal judge ruled against a Georgia law passed in 2016 that limits business with individuals or companies engaging in boycotts against Israel. U.S. District Court Judge Mark H. Cohen on Friday issued his findings about the state law in an ongoing lawsuit by documentary filmmaker/journalist Abby Martin against Georgia Southern University officials and University System of Georgia Chancellor Steve Wrigley. Martin sued Georgia Southern last year after officials there asked her to sign paperwork agreeing not to support a boycott of Israel before making a speech at a conference on its Savannah campus for a $1,000 honorarium, which they said was required by the current law. Martin, who works with Palestinian rights organizations, refused to sign the paperwork. The conference was canceled.
Article also appeared in:
Shadowproof
Journalist Abby Martin Had Free Speech Rights Violated By Georgia’s Anti-Bds Law, Court Rules
The Hill
Federal judge says Georgia’s anti-BDS law violates First Amendment
Georgia Recorder
Judge blocks Georgia law that banned state business from Israel boycotters
Democracy Now
Federal Court Strikes Down Georgia Bill Requiring Contractors to Pledge Not to Boycott Israel
Griffin Daily News
Gordon State holds spring commencement
Gordon State College hosted its in-person spring commencement ceremony on Friday, May 14 at Summers Field Park in Barnesville as more than 500 graduates from the summer and fall of 2020 and the spring of 2021 were recognized. This socially-distanced event marked the first commencement for GSC at Summers Field Park and the first in-person ceremony for the College since December 2019.
24/7Wall St.
America’s Top Public Universities
Grant Suneson
3. Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology is one of the three top public universities in America, according to a Niche ranking. It received perfect A+ grades for its academics, diversity, and value. As its name suggests, Georgia Tech excels in technology and other STEM fields. In fact, nearly 60% of all graduates earn degrees in engineering. These kinds of degrees set up students for financial success, as these job sectors tend to pay well. A decade after entering Georgia Tech, former students earn nearly $86,000 a year on average, one of the highest incomes of any public school.
11. University of Georgia
The University of Georgia received high marks from Niche for its academics, campus, and its value as 86% of its nearly 30,000 students received some kind of financial aid, one of the 10 highest shares among public schools. Such aid helps defray costs and push the average net price below $16,000. Like many other top public colleges, the University of Georgia awards more business degrees than degrees in any other field.
CMAJ
Is remote work affecting health workers’ sleep?
Diana Duong
The stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic appear to be driving an increase in sleep problems among health workers. But according to a recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, those working remotely may fare worse than their peers providing care in person. Researchers from Augusta University in Georgia surveyed more than 2300 physicians, nurses and other clinicians in an academic health system about their sleep before and during the pandemic. Of the 573 respondents with complete sleep data, more than three in five (64%) met criteria for insomnia disorder during the pandemic, compared with more than two in five before (44.5%).
WFXG
Parkinson’s disease study underway at Medical College of Georgia
By Eliza Kruczynski
A new study at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University is looking into what’s needed to find a cure for some neurodegenerative diseases. Danielle Mor, a neuroscientist at the Medical College of Georgia, is taking worms, known as C Elegans, which are about a millimeter long, and using them to help find some answers as to why neurons die in diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia, but she’s mostly focusing on Parkinson’s disease.
Growing America
UGA Extension to offer virtual solar energy seminar to inform rural Georgia landowners
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension is offering a new virtual seminar, “Solar Energy in Rural Georgia: Opportunities and Considerations for Landowners,” on Tuesday, June 8. The event, set for 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Zoom, is structured to help landowners understand the benefits and possible liabilities of hosting solar panels on their land. The event is free and open to the public, but participants must register at zoom.us. Investing in solar panels as an energy provider or leasing to outside companies has been a growing topic in the last few years, and UGA Extension offices have recently been fielding more questions on the subject.
WRBL
College grads enter workforce, feeling pressure with diplomas in hand
by: Sakura Gray
College students across the country celebrated their graduations this weekend, but as they flip their tassels some are concerned the pandemic was a roadblock towards getting essential workplace experience. Compared to 2020, things are looking optimistic for the class of 2021. According to a new report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers, employers project hiring 7.2% more new college graduates this year than last year. “It’s looking good, looking stable,” Jovan Johnson, Director of Career Design at Columbus State University, said. “We can see from current trends that the jobs that are available might not be the jobs that students are looking for, but it is a good sign that the market is growing and expanding and we’re willing to take on new graduates and new employees in the workforce.” Some recent graduates, however, are feeling the pressure even with diplomas in hand. When the pandemic hit, many had internships cancelled, which prevented them from getting necessary work experience for the jobs they are now striving for. …Networking events were also put on pause, making it difficult for students to build in-person connections with people in the career fields. …College career centers, however, are making sure students are as prepared as possible for the job application and interview process.
Americus Times Recorder
From campus to court room: One GSW graduate is trading her gavel for the scales of justice
By admin
Savannah Hall, a political science major and outgoing Student Government Association (SGA) president, just graduated from Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) after only three years and is headed to Mercer Law School in the Fall to pursue a career as a criminal defense attorney. Savannah wants to spend her time bringing about justice for people who are often forgotten and left behind in our society.
Polk Today
PSD celebrates dual enrollment grads, but legislation to leave future students out in the cold
Tuesday afternoon saw another group of Polk School District seniors celebrated for their academic achievements in high school and college at the same time. It might be the last for a long time, thanks to an update by the 2021 General Assembly to the laws governing how much the state will pay for dual enrollment. Here’s an outline of the dual enrollment program from the Polk School District on how many have participated in the program, and how many have graduated with an Associate Degree as well: Over the past six years, the partnership between Polk School District and Georgia Highlands College (GHC) has proven to be a tremendous asset for the students we serve and the Polk County Community as a whole. Throughout our partnership, 139 students have taken Dual Enrollment courses with Georgia Highlands College. Of these students, 59 have completed an Associate Degree from Georgia Highlands College–two weeks before they graduated from their respective high school.
GrowingGeorgia
Luke-Morgan Receives Teaching Excellence Award at ABAC
Dr. Audrey Luke-Morgan has been selected as the 2021 recipient of the W. Bruce and Rosalyn Ray Donaldson Award for Teaching Excellence at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. First awarded in 1965, the purpose of the prestigious award is to publicly recognize superior instruction and exemplary service to the college by honoring one faculty member each year, as chosen by a special representative committee of faculty and students. The recipient is honored with a recognition plaque and a monetary award.
WTOC
American flags planted on Georgia Southern campuses to honor fallen military members
By Dal Cannady
Drive up to Sweetheart Circle over the next week and American flags planted for Memorial Day will be almost impossible to miss. The 570 flags moved with the wind Monday morning. Members of Georgia Southern’s Military & Veterans Services posted them early to give people more than a week to view them. Organizers say it is one of the things they’ve done to mark Military Appreciation Month.
WALB
ABAC will not require vaccines for fall semester
By Molly Godley
Several colleges say they will be requiring COVID-19 vaccines for the fall semester, according to the Wall Street Journal. Colleges like Duke, Syracuse and Notre Dame are just some that will be requiring the vaccine. But what about colleges in Southwest Georgia? ABAC President David Bridges said they encourage students to get the COVID-19 vaccine, but they aren’t going to require it.
Other News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Map: Coronavirus deaths and cases in Georgia (updated May 24)
An updated count of coronavirus deaths and cases reported across the state
CONFIRMED DEATHS: 17,930 | 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: 893,624 | Cases have been confirmed in every county.
Higher Education News:
The Chronicle of Higher Education
Now I Have to Write a ‘Covid Impact Statement’?
An academic-writing specialist answers your questions on pandemic-productivity quandaries.
By Rebecca Schuman
Question: The past year has obliterated my productivity, and I am languishing, at best. Now my university wants me to write a ‘Covid Impact Statement’ so that I can qualify for a course release in the fall. I am beyond burnt out and desperate for the time free from teaching, but whenever I even start to write this thing, all I want to do is just curl up in the corner of my bed. What should it even say? How do I begin?
Signed,
Please Release Me
Dear Pre-Release:
How’s that for irony? In order to keep hanging on by your fingernails after a literal year of hanging on by your fingernails, the Powers That Be on your campus now want you to do what compassionate pedagogues explicitly tell faculty members not to make students do — prove your trauma.