University System News:
Marietta Daily Journal
Kennesaw State University presidential search committees named
Staff reports
The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia has named the two committees responsible for conducting a national search for the next president of Kennesaw State University — the Presidential Search and Screen Committee and the Regents’ Special Committee. “Kennesaw State University’s next president will play a critical role in helping KSU continue to increase student success and strengthen its impact on Georgia’s educational attainment and economic development,” Acting Chancellor Teresa MacCartney said. “I’m grateful to members of the campus-based Presidential Search and Screen Committee for participating in the search process and helping fill such an important position.” The search and screening of candidates is the responsibility of the 18-member, Presidential Search and Screen Committee. Members include:
See also:
AllOnGeorgia
USG Board of Regents Names Kennesaw State University Presidential Search Committees
NewsBreak
USG Board of Regents Names Kennesaw State University Presidential Search Committees
Yahoo
Kennesaw State University presidential search committees named
Statesboro Herald
Hospital patients on ventilators at all-time high
COVID cases continue drop at GS, schools
JIM HEALY/staff
More COVID-19 patients hospitalized at East Georgia Regional Medical Center required the use of a ventilator on Monday than any single day reported previously. … New cases reported at Georgia Southern University and in Bulloch County Schools dropped significantly for the third consecutive week. Confirmed and self-reported cases at Georgia Southern have fallen from 434 across its three campuses the week of Aug. 16-22, to 72 for the most recent week – Sept. 6-12. Of the total number, 52 were on the Statesboro campus, compared to 86 the previous week, 230 the week before that and 389 for Aug. 16-22.
Columbus CEO
CSU Foundation Properties Gifts Brown Hall to University System of Georgia
CSU Foundation Properties Inc.—the charitable property arm that manages and maintains real estate holdings for Columbus State University’s benefit—gifted Frank D. Brown Hall to the University System of Georgia. This transfer of the home of the College of Education and Health Professions and a cornerstone of CSU’s RiverPark campus represents the support of hundreds of alumni and community donors who made acquiring and remodeling the historic building possible.
Gwinnett Daily Post
By Curt Yeomans
Georgia Gwinnett College is once again the most ethnically diverse regional college in the south, according to U.S. News and World Report. The magazine gave GGC the top spot in its ranking of ethnically diverse southern regional colleges in its annual college and university rankings, which were released on Monday. Smaller schools, like GGC, are considered regional colleges as opposed to larger public and private schools such as the University of Georgia, the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, which are counted in the magazine’s rankings as “national universities.” The rankings are based on data from the fall 2020 semester.
Savannah Business Journal
Georgia Southern, South University collaborate to launch pharmacy careers faster, more affordably
Savannah Business Journal Staff Report
Obtaining an undergraduate biology or chemistry degree and Doctor of Pharmacy degree will now take less time and will be more affordable for local students thanks to a new agreement between Georgia Southern University and South University. The “3+3” program between the two institutions is available now to current and incoming Georgia Southern students. The reverse transfer partnership allows qualified Georgia Southern students studying biology or chemistry to complete a bachelor of arts degree in three years and progress to South University School of Pharmacy to ultimately receive a Doctor of Pharmacy degree in an additional three years.
Douglas Now
SGSC PROVIDES STUDENT DEBT RELIEF IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19
South Georgia State College (SGSC) recently provided debt relief to a number of SGSC students thanks to the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), provided by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education. SGSC used $68,716.19 of HEERF funds to discharge student debt for overdue unpaid balances for 137 students who were enrolled on or after March 13, 2020. SGSC President Dr. Ingrid Thompson-Sellers said, “Many of our students have encountered hardships throughout the time of this pandemic. We are here to support them academically and personally, but there is also a financial need that should be addressed in order for our students to reach their goals of graduation and a fulfilling career. I am proud that SGSC finds the importance of using its federal assistance funds to ensure students can still succeed despite the roadblocks caused by the effects of COVID-19. Our SGSC team stands ready to help impacted students and to assist them in any way.”
Patch
University Of Georgia: UGA Program Equips Women For Leadership Roles
Program graduates are more civically engaged, involved as community leaders.
A women’s leadership program developed by the University of Georgia is increasing civic engagement and leadership opportunities for women in southeast Georgia.
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
HBCU Presidents Discuss Campus Infrastructure Needs
Rebecca Kelliher
On a panel at this week’s Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference, several presidents of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) shared their visible and invisible infrastructure needs on campus and the importance of more federal support for HBCUs. With the nation’s renewed attention on HBCUs given their record of lifting communities of color out of poverty and diversifying talent pipelines, particularly in STEM, the presidents argued that to support HBCU infrastructure is to support the country as a whole. …Agreeing with Burnette, Marion Fedrick, the president of Albany State University in Georgia, highlighted the ongoing infrastructure needs on her campus, which has weathered repeated flooding in hurricanes and storms. “We’re called the unsinkable university, and I love that banner, but I hope it does not set in the soul and spirit that we are just going to be struggling forever because it should not be that way,” she said. Following the panel of HBCU presidents, corporate partners weighed in on why supporting HBCU needs matters and how such support translates into bringing more underrepresented groups to the middle class and growing talent pools.
Nature Index
Online mentoring fills a gap for young researchers
Study finds that virtual programmes offer a useful pathway for careers in science.
Clare Watson
When the COVID-19 pandemic upended research and forced lab groups online in 2020, summer research-internship opportunities evaporated for many US undergraduate students. But according to a study undergoing peer review with Life Sciences Education, many internship administrators who switched to virtual programmes succeeded in providing quality mentorship and a sense of community for undergraduates who are conducting research remotely. The authors concluded that with the right structure, technological support and inclusive mentorship, virtual research programmes could provide an effective pathway to research careers for students who might otherwise be marginalized in settings such as labs or fieldwork. Student outcomes in 2020 were on par with previous years, despite pandemic disruptions, says Erin Dolan, a biochemist at the University of Georgia, who led the study. Biology students gained confidence in their ability to do research, and said they could see themselves pursuing a career in science and felt supported to do so.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Exclusive: New study of ‘Buckhead City’ adds fuel to debate
By J.D. Capelouto, Ben Brasch
Supporters see new city as financially feasible; opponents say impact on Atlanta not addressed
A study paid for by supporters of the Buckhead cityhood movement has found the city would be financially viable, but critics say it doesn’t address the larger questions facing Atlanta. Based strictly on the financials and barring any “social, political and governance issues,” the study commissioned by the Buckhead City Committee found that a new city could sport a $100 million surplus on its annual budget, thanks to its large tax base. But the report doesn’t address the big question: How would the new city’s formation affect Atlanta’s budget and how would Atlanta handle the financial losses if Buckhead City were created? …The study does not address initial costs nor how to fund the potential prolonged legal battle. White said those costs were not supposed to be in this study and should be part of an upcoming review that he expects will be released in several months. Valdosta State University’s Center for South Georgia Regional Impact conducted the study after several other large research centers that typically conduct cityhood feasibility studies declined, citing conflicts of interest with Atlanta.
The George-Anne
Georgia Southern’s New “Normal”
How does the faculty and staff really feel?
Lauren Sabia, Campus Editor
Just like that, it is a new school year, a fresh start. It is safe to say that the 2020-2021 academic year was extremely difficult, and most likely won’t be too missed by the Georgia Southern community. From courses being fully online, to hybrid, face mask requirements, lottery systems for football tickets, virtual “events” and certain stairwells being only for “up” or “down”, students were giddy for the “normal” Fall 2021 semester that they were promised. There is just one slight problem. We are still in a global pandemic.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia professors demonstrate for tougher COVID-19 guidelines
By Eric Stirgus
Group wants Gov. Kemp to give college leaders local control to implement a mask mandate
Faculty members, students and several Democratic state lawmakers demanded Monday that Gov. Brian Kemp and the state’s Board of Regents give leaders at Georgia’s public colleges and universities power to implement stronger COVID-19 safety measures. Their most pressing demand, as new cases rise on campuses in recent weeks: a mask mandate. The push for “local control” is the latest strategy by mandate supporters in the ongoing battle to mitigate the spread of the virus on campuses. The University System of Georgia has not mandated masks or vaccines, but instead has urged both. Kemp has said several times he’s opposed to mask or vaccination mandates, describing them as divisive.
GPB
GPB Morning Headlines for September 14, 2021
By: GPB Radio News
Protests for stronger COVID policies continued on the University of Georgia and Georgia Southern University campuses yesterday.
WJBF
Some Augusta University faculty members call for mask mandate
by: Renetta DuBose
A group of Augusta University faculty wants to send a message to the University System of Georgia about safety concerns in the classroom and their thoughts on the need for stronger efforts to be made to prevent COVID. Anyone who takes a walk through the middle of campus now will find chalk messages telling people to mask up. Faculty members are calling on the Board of Regents to implement a mask mandate or allow local campuses to do it.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
‘Morale Is in the Ditch’: Distressed by Light Covid Precautions, Georgia Faculty Members Take Action
By Emma Pettit
Joseph H.G. Fu knew he was breaking the rules. In August, the University of Georgia mathematics professor told students that they must wear a mask to attend lectures or office hours, and that he reserved the right to cancel all in-person interactions and conduct them over Zoom. That runs afoul of University System of Georgia policy. Instructors at the system’s 26 public colleges aren’t allowed to require masks or unilaterally change their course modality. The system also distributed a template to provosts for disciplining faculty members who move a class online without prior approval, or who miss a lecture without either prior approval or a “documentable illness.” The steps range from a verbal warning to suspension or a reduction in duties and pay, depending on the conduct. Consideration for dismissal “will commence according to USG and university policy,” the guidance says. (Lance Wallace, the system’s associate vice chancellor for communications, said in an email the disciplinary framework is intended to help institutions “fashion their own policy or procedure” and does not carry the authority of a policy.)
Gwinnett Daily Post
Georgia Democrats call for mask mandates on college campuses
Dave Williams
Democrats on the Georgia House Higher Education Committee urged Gov. Brian Kemp Monday to drop his opposition to mask mandates and leave the decision to administrators at the state’s public colleges and universities. The lawmakers’ plea came as University System of Georgia professors and students launched a weeklong series of demonstrations on campuses across the state demanding mask mandates to prevent the spread of COVID-19. “We need our leaders to fight against the virus, not against our students and faculty,” said Rep. Jasmine Clark, D-Lilburn.
The Augusta Chronicle
AU: Delta variant causing COVID-19 now mutating across Augusta
Tom Corwin
In a month, the number of offshoots from the Delta variant that causes COVID-19 have sprung up rapidly among the largely unvaccinated population in Augusta. It’s creating concerns that a different disease than the original infection will arise and could lead to adaptations that evade vaccines and treatments, the director of sequencing laboratory at Augusta University said. The Mu variant, still relatively rare in the U.S. but coursing across South America, is also now present in Augusta. The Georgia Esoteric and Molecular Laboratory at Medical College of Georgia completed, on Sunday night, sequencing 360 samples of the virus from local patients. Their findings reveal some expected and concerning results.
Inside Higher Ed
Colleges’ COVID Policies Vary by Region
Survey finds big differences in colleges’ mask and vaccination policies across regions, and a majority of faculty and staff say they’re prepared to pivot to remote learning if needed.
By Elizabeth Redden
Faculty and staff members reported stark differences in their colleges’ fall semester COVID-19 protocols and plans across institutions and geographic regions, according to a new national survey. Sixty-five percent of respondents said their institutions planned to open for normal in-person classes, while 31 percent said their campuses would offer a mix of in-person and online instruction, the August survey by the admissions management company Liaison International found. While the numbers of colleges with vaccine and mask requirements have likely increased since the survey closed Aug. 20, fewer than half (48 percent) of the approximately 900 survey respondents said their colleges were requiring vaccination for students, and 43 percent said their institutions were requiring vaccination for students and employees. Slightly more than two-thirds (68 percent) said their institutions were mandating masks. …David Joyner, executive director of online education for Georgia Tech’s College of Computing, said he is not surprised faculty reported confidence about teaching online.
Other News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Map: Coronavirus deaths and cases in Georgia (updated Sept. 13)
An updated count of coronavirus deaths and cases reported across the state
CONFIRMED CASES: 1,164,634
CONFIRMED DEATHS: 20,705 | 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.
Higher Education News:
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Report Spotlights Public Opinion on the Value of a College Education
Lois Elfman
While employers largely value a college education, not all Americans agree. A research brief from the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) and the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) compares employer and public views about the return on investment in a college education. While nearly nine in 10 employers answered that a college degree is worth the personal investment, only 60% of Americans agree.
Inside Higher Ed
Blackboard, Anthology to Merge, Creating Ed-Tech Behemoth
Combined entity will work with thousands of colleges across administrative and academic departments.
By Doug Lederman
Anthology, which emerged a year ago from the combination of three higher education administrative software firms, will merge with Blackboard, long the most visible company in learning technology, the two companies announced today. The deal will result in the end of Blackboard as a freestanding company, and could bring the end of its well-known, and sometimes controversial, brand. The companies did not share any financial data, but the combined entity is likely to be among the sector’s biggest educational technology firms. Blackboard’s current owner, Providence Equity Partners, bought it in 2011 for $1.64 billion, and Blackboard was shopped (but not sold) in 2015 for about $3 billion. “Our combined footprint, from both a product perspective and from the more than 4,000 colleges and universities we serve worldwide, likely makes this the largest education technology company selling into higher education,” Jim Milton, Anthology’s chairman and chief executive officer, said in an interview this morning. Milton will lead the combined company, whose name has not yet been decided.
Inside Higher Ed
House Members Want Rollback of Title IX Rules to Begin Soon
By Alexis Gravely
Fifty-nine members of the House sent a letter Monday to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Suzanne Goldberg, urging the Department of Education to issue proposed changes to the Trump administration’s Title IX rules in October. The department has said that proposed rule changes to the controversial regulations for Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 — put into place in 2020 under former secretary Betsy DeVos — won’t be released until May 2022. That’s far too long for students to wait, the representatives wrote.