University System News:
Ledger-Enquirer
CSU students soar over ‘Hooch during in-person orientation
By Mike Haskey
Columbus State University’s ROAR+, a series of interactive experiences during orientation for this year’s incoming freshman class, featured several team and skill building activities on Wednesday July 7, and ziplining on the Blue Heron Adventure.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A year into University System of Georgia’s renaming push, little to see
By Eric Stirgus
Other schools in South are also criticized for pace of reviewing buildings whose names are now seen as tainted
…The University System of Georgia, the state’s public system, created an advisory group a year ago to review building names of its 26 colleges and universities. It held its first meeting on July 9, 2020, another in September, but no public meetings since. There’s no public timetable on when the work will be completed. Some students and activists are frustrated by the group’s pace, and that no names have been changed. “If I had to put complicated feelings to it, I am disappointed, but unsurprised,” said Jay Mathias, a white University of Georgia graduate who helped start Dawgs Demand Better in June 2020 to address racial disparities at the school. “That said, I remain hopeful and optimistic that through USG’s work and continued advocacy, change is within reach.”
The Tifton Gazette
Scholarship renamed for former art professor
The newly renamed Dr. and Mrs. Vincent A. Keesee and Marian Girtman Scholarship at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College will enable art students to carry on the legacy of Dr. Vincent A. Keesee, a former ABAC art and humanities professor who passed away March 9. “Dr. Keesee was a beloved member of the ABAC faculty and shared his love of art with many on campus and in the community,” Dr. Deidre Martin, ABAC chief development officer, said. “We are honored to have this endowed scholarship bearing his name and the name of his wife and mother-in-law. It will benefit students on our campus for years to come.”
Morning Ag Clips
Harrison Foundation pledges $1M to UGA Poultry Science
Commitment is the first seven-figure gift to the Poultry Science building campaign
The R. Harold and Patsy Harrison Foundation has pledged $1 million toward the construction of a new Poultry Science Building on the University of Georgia’s Athens campus, expanding the legacy of the Harrison family in Georgia’s poultry industry. The $1 million commitment is the first seven-figure gift to the Poultry Science building campaign and the foundation’s first gift to the University of Georgia.
PBS
Why ransomware attacks are on the rise — and what can be done to stop them
A slew of disruptive ransomware attacks have rattled the U.S., including the recent massive breach of software company Kaseya, and a reported attempted hack on the Republican National Committee. In the aftermath, both the corporate sector and U.S. government officials are scrambling to address how Congress and individual businesses should handle the growing threat. …The demand for cybersecurity professionals to tackle these threats is increasing. Morgan, whose market research firm tracks the demand for jobs, says there are 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs worldwide — enough to fill approximately 50 NFL stadiums, he says. …The jobs are well-paying, too. …But Bryson Payne, professor of computer science and director of the University of North Georgia’s Center for Cyber Operations Education, says that if there are not enough young people in the pipeline for cybersecurity jobs in the next decade, existing tech staff should also be retrained. Payne teaches college and high school students how to reverse engineer ransomware and also about “ethical hacking,” so that it gives “students a chance to think like an adversary, but to behave ethically.”
WJBF
Columbia County is one of the fastest growing counties in Georgia
by: Mary Calkins
New companies are coming to the CSRA, and more business means more people. Columbia County has seen a 30 percent population increase since 2010, and much of that growth comes from new residents moving to towns surrounding Augusta. …“University Hospital is going to put a Prompt Care occupational therapy type building here, …Ft. Gordon and the Georgia Cyber Center continuously bring economic growth and new faces to the area.
Marietta Daily Journal
Man killed in weekend motorcycle crash was Lassiter grad, KSU student
Staff reports
A celebration of life will be held Saturday for Dylan Nekrasas, a Lassiter High School graduate and Kennesaw State University student killed in a motorcycle wreck Saturday. The Lassiter PTSA identified Nekrasas as a former student in a Facebook post Wednesday. Nekrasas, 19, was riding his motorcycle near the KSU stadium Saturday afternoon when he struck a BMW sedan. He was thrown from the motorcycle and pronounced dead at the scene.
News Medical Life Sciences
Intranasal COVID-19 vaccine protects animals against lethal COVID-19 infection
Reviewed by Emily Henderson
In a new study assessing the potential of a single-dose, intranasal COVID-19 vaccine, a team from the University of Iowa and the University of Georgia found that the vaccine fully protects mice against lethal COVID-19 infection. The vaccine also blocks animal-to-animal transmission of the virus. The findings were published July 2 in the journal Science Advances.
Other News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Map: Coronavirus deaths and cases in Georgia (updated July 8)
An updated count of coronavirus deaths and cases reported across the state
CONFIRMED DEATHS: 18,544 | 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: 906,136
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Coronavirus cases among the unvaccinated are on the rise in Georgia
By Helena Oliviero, Johnny Edwards
As a highly contagious delta variant spreads in Georgia, the number of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations is ticking upward, particularly in pockets with low vaccination rates, state data shows. The increases are only slight so far, but they mirror trends seen in other states where hospitals are filling up again. …Public health officials are concerned about the rise of the delta variant, which was first identified in India in December and detected in Georgia in May. People who haven’t been vaccinated are most at risk. But people who have only had one dose of the two-dose Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are also vulnerable.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
BREAKING: Vaccinated teachers and students don’t need masks, CDC says
By Mike Stobbe and Collin Binkley, Associated Press
Guidance reportedly calls for schools to fully reopen in fall
Vaccinated teachers and students don’t need to wear masks inside school buildings, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday in relaxing its COVID-19 guidelines. The changes come amid a national vaccination campaign in which children as young as 12 are eligible to get shots, as well as a general decline in COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths. “We’re at a new point in the pandemic that we’re all really excited about,” and so it’s time to update the guidance, said Erin Sauber-Schatz, who leads the CDC task force that prepares recommendations designed to keep Americans safe from COVID-19. The nation’s top public health agency is not advising schools to require shots for teachers and vaccine-eligible kids. And it’s not offering guidance on how teachers can know which students are vaccinated or how parents will know which teachers are immunized.
Higher Education News:
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Higher Ed Stakeholders Urge Congress to Double Maximum Pell Grant
by Sarah Wood
In the past, Federal Pell grants made the difference between whether a student could or could not afford to achieve a higher education. But now, due to the rise in affordability challenges — such as food and housing insecurity — the federal financial aid is “no longer enough,” according to Dr. John Downey, president of Blue Ridge Community College (BRCC). Though the Pell grant assists nearly seven million low- and middle-income students, the current maximum rate covers under one-third of the average cost of attendance at a four-year public institution, according to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). Given that 75% of students at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are Pell-eligible, the UNCF has been actively involved in efforts to increase the Pell grant. … “Doubling the Pell Grant would go a long way to help restore the purchasing power of the program that it had back in its’ mid-1960s origination,” said Lodriguez Murray, senior vice president of public policy and government affairs at UNCF. “It targets the funding to the students that need it the most.” Other higher education advocacy groups and institutions have followed suit. In March 2020, around 1,200 colleges, universities and organizations formed a coalition and urged Congress to take action.
Inside Higher Ed
HR Officials Expect Increases in Hybrid/Remote Employees
By Elizabeth Redden
Senior human resources officials anticipate increases in the proportion of administrative staff working in hybrid or fully remote positions, according to a new survey of 50 “human resources leaders” from Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States conducted by EAB, an education research and consulting company. Those surveyed expected the proportion of staff working in hybrid arrangements consisting of a mix of remote and on-campus work to increase from 6 percent pre-pandemic to 23 percent post-pandemic. They forecast a smaller increase in the number of fully remote staff, from 6 percent pre-pandemic to 8 percent post-pandemic. Human resources officials expect that information technology, finance and procurement offices will see the largest increases in employees working in hybrid arrangements, while they anticipate modest increases in areas including human resources and legal affairs and advancement. They expect minimal increases in hybrid work arrangements for individuals working in academic advising and facilities-related roles.
Inside Higher Ed
Major Student Loan Servicer Leaving Federal Loan Program
By Alexis Gravely
The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency said Thursday that it would not be extending its federal student loan servicing contract with the Department of Education once it expires in December. It agreed to continue working with the Office of Federal Student Aid until all its borrowers are transitioned to a different servicer. PHEAA, which operates as FedLoan Servicing, currently manages loans for 8.5 million borrowers and services the Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant programs. Richard Cordray, chief operation officer of Federal Student Aid, said the office will work with PHEAA to develop a wind-down plan to facilitate a smooth transition for both borrowers and the programs.
Inside Higher Ed
The two groups differ on what may be done to prevent racist statements in class.
By Scott Jaschik
The American Association of University Professors and the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education are both organizations with stated commitments to academic freedom and free speech. But the AAUP chapter at the University of Oklahoma says FIRE erred in its description of a program at Oklahoma where faculty members trained other faculty members on how to make minority students feel comfortable and excel in class. FIRE says the program’s speakers showed insensitivity to academic freedom and free speech.