University System News:
The Tiger’s Roar
Board of Regents Chairman Sachin Shailendra and University System of Georgia (USG) Chancellor Steve Wrigley have announced Interim President Kimberly Ballard-Washington as the sole finalist for president of Savannah State University. Ballard-Washington has served as Savannah State’s interim president since President Cheryl Dozier retired in June 2019. Prior to her appointment as interim president, she practiced law for 20 years advising the public universities and colleges within USG.
Related articles:
The Telegraph
Interim Savannah State leader likely to get permanent job
WTOC
Interim president at Savannah State named sole finalist for permanent position
Savannah Morning News
Savannah State University names Kimberly Ballard-Washington president, lifting interim title
Capitol Beat
Savannah State’s interim president stepping into the job permanently
The Griffin Daily News
Savannah State’s interim president stepping into the job permanently
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Clayton County to hold stadium graduations in COVID-19 safety bid
By Leon Stafford
Clayton County will hold graduation ceremonies for the district’s 11 high schools at Southern Crescent, Tara and Twelve Oaks stadiums on May 26 and 27, the school system said Thursday. The ceremonies will start either at 8:30 a.m. or 8:30 p.m. to avoid the heat of the day, the school system said. And attendees will be required to submit to a temperature check before entering the stadiums and masks will be encouraged. The school system said it chose the stadiums because of COVID-19 concerns, but did not elaborate.
Tifton CEO
‘Starting as a Stallion’ Orientations Begin June 8 at ABAC
Students who are beginning their college careers at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College this fall semester can engage in a new and different orientation process. Donna Webb, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, said the “Starting as a Stallion” optional in-person orientation sessions will begin June 8. “I think our incoming freshmen will enjoy these sessions,” Webb said. “Like most everything else in this pandemic era, we are trying something we have never attempted before, but I believe we can accomplish the purpose and practice social distancing at the same time.” Webb said the in-person orientation sessions will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
WRDW
Georgia Cyber Center creates new program to help startup businesses
By Brady Trapnell
It’s one of Georgia’s biggest investments in entrepreneur training and it’s right here in our backyard at the Georgia Cyber Center. The goal is to teach and provide resources for people looking to start-up their own business. Anybody can be a part of this you just have to apply. They are hoping to take now empty storefronts and bring economic growth to life.
GrowingGeorgia
UGA Establishes New Blueberry Research Orchard
Native to North America, blueberries are the most-recently commercially domesticated fruit in the U.S. Just a little over a century ago researchers began studying this wild berry with an intent to develop improved varieties for commercial cultivation. Fast forward 100 years and the U.S. is now the world’s largest producer of this “super food,” with Georgia ranking No. 1 in acreage planted. Originally selected as a replacement crop for tobacco, Georgia blueberries bring in more than $220 million annually to the state’s economy. …On April 26, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Dean and Director Nick Place formally inaugurated the newly established blueberry orchard at the UGA Durham Horticulture Farm in Watkinsville, Georgia — a mere 10-minute drive from the main Athens campus. Place planted the first blueberry bush to honor the potential that this new research orchard provides for meeting the needs of our state’s blueberry producers.
Savannah Morning News
Memories of 5 years at Georgia Southern, from fun and games to unforgettable people
McClain Baxley
My first time covering a college football game went about as well as I thought it would. Georgia Southern was set to open the 2017 season against Auburn in Jordan-Hare Stadium. As assistant sports editor for the student newspaper, The George-Anne, I made the van trip with five other students from Statesboro to the Plains. We got to Auburn way too early, our phones were dead, we spent several hours charging our phones while staked out at a Chipotle, covered the first game of a 2-10 season and made it back to Statesboro early the next day. Memorable, fitting, cliche weekend for student journalists. …As my five-year-long layover at GS comes to a close next week in Paulson Stadium as I graduate college, I’ve been able to reflect on my time in Statesboro which for the most part, as many of you can attest, has been spent around the Eagles.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Gwinnett College to offer vaccines on campus
By Tyler Wilkins
Georgia Gwinnett College will start giving out vaccines Friday on its campus through a partnership with the Gwinnett, Newton, and Rockdale County Health Departments. The Lawrenceville-based college will host the mobile vaccination site at its Wellness and Recreation Center in Building F. Health providers will start administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, May 7. Vaccines will continue to be administered Tuesdays from 1-4 p.m. and Wednesdays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. until Aug. 4. The site will be open to students, faculty, staff and the general public.
The Red & Black
UGA expands vaccine eligibility for dependents, partners of students
Simran Kaur Malhotra | Health Data Reporter
The University Health Center will broaden eligibility for vaccines to include dependents of UGA faculty, staff and students, according to a Thursday afternoon ArchNews email from the University of Georgia Medical Oversight Task Force. Those eligible must be 16 years of age or older to receive the vaccines. New eligible members include UGA retirees, spouses and significant others of UGA retirees, faculty, staff, and students, visitors to campus engaged in research and academic or non-academic summer engagement/transition opportunities.
The Moultrie Observer
Archway helps Moultrie police examine mental health response
By Jack R. Jordan
Graduate students of the University of Georgia Archway Partnership presented a Mental Health Response Project to the Moultrie Police Department Friday. In recent years the Moultrie Police Department has been attempting to educate and train its officers in dealing with individuals who are in the midst of a mental health crisis. Moultrie Police Chief Sean Ladson has been at the forefront of this movement.
Coastal Courier
LCSS receives 10K grant from GSU
Special to the Courier
Georgia Southern University recently presented a $10,000 Critical Resource Award to the Liberty County School System. Through this award, GSU gives back to the organizations who serve the youth in our area. Funds will be utilized by Liberty County Schools to implement the Second Step program in all elementary schools for addressing students’ socialemotional needs. The award will also be used to provide attendance incentives to promote student attendance and improve academic success.
Statesboro Herald
State museum conference represents return of visitor events to Statesboro
Hybrid event drew in-person and virtual participants
AL HACKLE/Staff
Statesboro and Georgia Southern University hosted museum professionals from around the state when the Georgia Association of Museums held its annual conference here April 26-28.
yahoo!news
GBI hosts terrorism intelligence training project
The Albany Herald, Ga.
Law enforcement agencies from across Georgia participated in the annual Georgia Terrorism Intelligence Project (GTIP) training at the Classic Center in Athens, co-hosted by the Athens Clarke County Police Department. GBI Director Vic Reynolds addressed participants thanking them for their service and participation in the program, which promotes partnership, collaboration and information sharing. The training had representation from 18 state and local law enforcement agencies and featured presentations and panel discussions concerning the domestic extremist threat. GTIP was created and developed by the GBI and Georgia Information Sharing and Analysis Center, also known as Georgia’s Fusion Center, in late 2004 to develop effective strategies to meet the various needs of intelligence sharing between agencies at all levels. …Agencies in attendance were Athens-Clarke County Police Department, Atlanta Police Department, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Clayton County Police Department, Cobb County Police Department, Columbus Police Department, Georgia Department of Corrections, Georgia Southern University Police Department, Georgia Technology Authority, Georgia Tech Police Department,
WJCL
Police: Georgia Southern student held at gunpoint, robbed outside Paulson Stadium
Police at Georgia Southern University are investigating a reported armed robbery that happened at the bus stop outside Paulson Stadium. According to police, it happened on May 1st around 5:45 p.m. The victim said he was approached by two men wearing all black and with black masks. The police report indicates authorities were able to obtain footage of the suspects from nearby surveillance cameras. The victim said the two men stole the victim’s bookbag and other personal items, including cash and a debit card.
Other News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Map: Coronavirus deaths and cases in Georgia (updated May 6)
An updated count of coronavirus deaths and cases reported across the state
CONFIRMED DEATHS: 17,644 | 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: 884,283 | Cases have been confirmed in every county.
Higher Education News:
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Higher Ed’s Most Common Rationale for Diversity Favors White Students More than Black
by Jessica Ruf
“Why does your school value diversity?” Ask a university administrator that seemingly simple question and they’ll likely give you one of two rationales. One is instrumental in nature: “diversity provides varying viewpoints that are educationally fruitful for everyone.” The other is moral: “diversity is intrinsic to building a just society and undoing years of systemic racism.” But is one rationale more effective than the other? And do certain students prefer one over the other? These were the driving questions behind a recent study conducted by a team of researchers at Princeton University. Titled “How University Diversity Rationales Inform Student Preferences and Outcomes,” the study analyzed diversity statements at universities across the U.S. and surveyed roughly 1,200 participants, including students, admissions officers and parents/caregivers.
Inside Higher Ed
Title IX Public Hearing Scheduled for June
By Alexis Gravely
The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights will hold a virtual public hearing on improving Title IX enforcement beginning June 7. The hearing is scheduled to last until June 11. The department is seeking public comments on what it can do to ensure schools and colleges are providing learning environments free of sexual harassment and assault and have grievance procedures that lead to “fair, prompt, and equitable” resolutions.