University System News
Marietta Daily Journal
Kennesaw State ushers in new semester with annual cake celebration
Pacing a stretch of sidewalk that guides students to Kennesaw State University’s Campus Green, Amani Johnson greeted her peers with hefty slices of cake in each hand. The president of KSU’s Student Government Association, Johnson was participating in her fourth straight First Day of School Cake celebration, an event held annually during KSU’s Week of Welcome as a lighthearted way to usher in the fall semester. Beyond signaling the start of the new school year, it also presented an opportunity to engage in some comradery with fellow students between classes, she said.
WALB
GSW heads back to class, preps for COVID
By Gabrielle Ware
Wednesday was the first day back for Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) students, even as COVID-19 cases are surging in the Sumter County area. Elysia Lewis is a junior at Georgia Southwestern and she feels safe returning to school. “I feel safe because I know a lot of people who are vaccinated. And although it’s not required to wear a mask, we have the option to sit away if we want to. I’m extremely happy that the precautions have been lifted right now, and I’m excited to get back to normal,” Lewis said.
The Red & Black
PHOTOS: UGA welcomes back class of 2024
On Wednesday, the University of Georgia held a Second-Year Welcome Back event for the class of 2024 at Tate Plaza and Sanford Stadium. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the class of 2024 was unable to kick off freshman year with a celebration and “Super G” photo as many classes have before.
Albany Herald
Albany State partners in Governor’s School Leadership Academy
The School of Education at Albany State University has been selected as one of several strategic partners in the Governor’s School Leadership Academy, which provides high-quality, selective, statewide leadership preparation and support designed to develop high-capacity school leaders across Georgia. Each summer, the program hosts statewide kickoffs for those who have been nominated and accepted into this unique program that supports educators at all levels of experience.
Savannah CEO
Georgia Southern Education Faculty Receives 2021 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity
By Staff Reports
Georgia Southern University assistant professor of elementary education Beverly Miller, Ph.D., received the 2021 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education. The Inspiring Programs in STEM Award honors members of colleges and universities that encourage and assist students from underrepresented groups to enter the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Miller was recognized for her efforts in coordinating STEM camps for underrepresented populations. The first camp, Ventaja Panamá, began in 2017, offering STEM and literacy to underserved students in the country of Panama.
The College Post
Augusta University professor addresses barriers to LGBTQ healthcare
By Joe Saballa
An assistant professor at the Augusta University College of Nursing made a presentation highlighting ways to improve healthcare services to the LGBTQ community during a virtual event hosted by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses. Titled “Providing Safe, Sensitive Care to the LGBTQ Community,” the discussion addressed various stereotypes surrounding the LGBTQ population. It also emphasized the importance of overcoming communication barriers between patients and healthcare providers.
Tifton CEO
ABAC’s Georgia Museum of Agriculture hosts Girl Scout Day
Girl Scouts and their families are invited to Girl Scout Day on Sept. 18 at the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Georgia Museum of Agriculture (GMA). The event will feature an assortment of interactive experiences relating to Girl Scout badges.
WSAV
Savannah State urges students to get vaccinated, mask up
By Kalyn Jackson
Over the past few weeks, universities around the country have implemented mask mandates, even establishing incentives to get their students vaccinated. With the COVID-19 delta variant at play, Savannah State University officials said they are urging students to roll up their sleeves.
Other News
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Map: Coronavirus deaths and cases in Georgia (updated Aug. 18)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is keeping track of reported coronavirus deaths and cases across Georgia according to the Department of Public Health. See the DPH’s guide to their data for more information about definitions.
CONFIRMED DEATHS: 19,087 | 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: 1,005,806
Savannah Morning News
Savannah-Chatham district reports more than 4,000 students in quarantine after first week
By Barbara Augsdorfer
After the first full week of school for more than 36,000 students in Savannah-Chatham County public schools, just over 4,000 have been reported as in quarantine. The district’s numbers posted on Tuesday afternoon for the week of Aug. 7-13, show a sharp increase from the first week of school, which included only three days of school, Aug. 4-6.
WSAV
‘When is it going to stop?’ — Augusta physician, nurses shed light on working in COVID-19 ICU
By Chloe Salsameda
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, healthcare workers in Augusta did not expect it would stretch to into August 2021. “This is worse,” Dr. Varsha Kulkarni, a pulmonary diseases and critical care physician at Augusta Lung Associates, explains. “This is unlike what we saw the last time.”
The Gainesville Times
With NGHS beds full of COVID cases, patients being treated in waiting ambulances
By Conner Evans
As COVID-19 continues to surge, the Northeast Georgia Health System is near capacity and some patients have had to wait in ambulances for treatment. Since the latest wave of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations started in late July, NGHS has had to treat some patients while they were still in their ambulances waiting for a bed, said Beth Downs, a spokeswoman for NGHS. At one point Wednesday, Aug. 18, there were nine ambulances in the bay waiting to deliver patients, Downs said.
WRDW
COVID-swamped AU Health putting elective surgeries on pause
By Sloane O’Cone
Augusta University Health is “essentially functioning in a triage and disaster mode” as hospitals fill with new COVID patients. AU Health is putting many elective surgeries on pause. University Hospital is also evaluating and delaying some elective procedures requiring an overnight stay, as well. They tell us it’s due more to a shortage of nurses than it is having the beds available for patients. At last check, AU Health has 98 patients in the hospital with COVID and 10 of them are kids. University Hospital reporting 110 patients hospitalized with the virus. And 10 are on ventilators. University says unfortunately one of the patients on a ventilator did get the vaccine, the first vaccinated patient they’ve had to ventilate.
Albany Herald
Report: Georgia among slowest states for COVID recovery
By Nyamekye Daniel
Georgia is recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic slower than most states, a new report shows. Looking at metrics from July 29 through Aug. 4, financial website WalletHub ranked Georgia the ninth slowest out of the 50 states and District of Columbia for its recovery status. Georgia was among the states with the lowest amount of COVID-19 vaccines administered and the lowest share of vaccinated people, said the report, which was released Tuesday.
Higher Education News
Fortune
U.S. universities face another school year of too few Chinese students
By Grady McGregor
In the coming weeks, tens of millions of students are set to descend on college campuses across the United States in what many universities had hoped would kick-start the first normal and mostly in-person academic year since the onset of the pandemic. The rise of the Delta variant may be complicating those plans, but there is another factor threatening a return to college as usual: U.S. universities may be losing their luster in China, the U.S.’s largest source of international students.
Inside Higher Ed
‘Survivors can’t wait’
By Alexis Gravely
A campaign launched Monday by several advocacy organizations is demanding the Department of Education immediately begin rolling back changes made to Title IX last year, as a new academic year begins on campuses and the number of students at risk of experiencing sexual violence doubles.
Diverse Issues in Education
Can a postdoc program upset barriers for faculty of color? These new hires and deans say yes.
By Rebecca Kelliher
Dr. Rhodesia McMillian just started her new job at The Ohio State University (OSU) as assistant professor of education policy at the College of Education and Human Ecology. In April, she also received a Spencer Foundation grant for her research on courts and K-12 schools. “It took awhile to get here,” she said. Before OSU, McMillian worked on her doctorate at the University of Missouri, during the 2015 racial justice protests that engulfed the campus. She wanted to stay at the University, but found it hard to do so without more support.
The Epoch Times
University in Connecticut to fine, block internet access to unvaccinated students
By GQ Pan
Students at Connecticut’s Quinnipiac University will be fined up to $2,275 and lose internet access if they fail to comply with the university’s COVID-19 vaccination policies. The private liberal arts college in New Haven County announced the new penalties on Aug. 16 in an email sent to some 600 students who haven’t yet provided proof of COVID-19 vaccination or requested an exemption.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
Most research administrators would switch jobs for flexibility at work
By Oyin Adedoyin
A recent survey of more than 1,600 research administrators found that most prefer flexible work arrangements and are willing to find another employer that offers them, if necessary. The National Council of University Research Administrators, a professional association, polled its members in July on whether they want to continue working remotely or return to campus.