University System News:
Union Recorder
Cox settling into GC presidency
Gil Pound
It’s not often someone says losing an election is one of the best things to have ever happened to them. But that’s how new Georgia College & State University President Cathy Cox feels about her unsuccessful 2006 run for governor. From that point on, her career path turned from politics to higher education, and that road has led her to her current post as the 12th head of Georgia’s premier liberal arts university.
The Griffin Daily News
White Honored at the 17th Annual Regents’ Scholarship Gala
Gordon State College Board of Trustee member, Dan White, was honored as a recipient of the Regents’ Hall of Fame Alumni and Distinguished Friends Award at the 17th annual Regents’ Scholarship Gala on Wednesday evening, Oct. 13, at the Fernbank Museum in Atlanta. The event’s theme, “Cultivating the Next Georgia,” was hosted by the University System of Georgia Foundation. The net proceeds from generous sponsors and a live auction will support and provide student need-based scholarships for University System of Georgia (USG) students across the state during the 2021-22 academic year.
EurekAlert!
Dr. Rao honored with inaugural educator, mentor award from American College of Gastroenterology
Dr. Satish S.C. Rao, J. Harold Harrison, MD, Distinguished University Chair in Gastroenterology and founding director of the Digestive Health Center at the Medical College of Georgia and Augusta University Health, has been named the inaugural recipient of the American College of Gastroenterology’s Distinguished Mentorship and Teaching Award. The lifelong educator and mentor for medical students, residents, fellows, postdocs and young faculty, was honored by the 15,000-member, international group for his meaningful and sustained contributions to trainees and colleagues in gastroenterology.
Atlanta Business Chronicle
The 25 fastest-growing historically Black colleges and universities
By Hilary Burns – Editor, The National Observer Higher Education
While historically Black colleges and universities have collectively lost enrollment in the last five years, 33 schools have posted gains during that period. HBCU enrollment fell 4.5% between fall 2016 and fall 2020 to 279,157 total students, with institutions reporting an average enrollment decline of .1%. Fifty-one schools posted double-digit declines during that period while 19 schools reported enrollment gains over 10%, according to a Business Journals analysis of the most recent data available from the U.S. Department of Education. For comparison, total enrollment at 1,600 U.S. colleges and universities grew 1.7% in the past five years. …Rounding out the top five fastest-growing historically Black universities are Albany State University in Georgia (114% growth); Talladega College in Alabama (71% growth); Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (50% growth); and Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina (48% growth). For its part, Albany State credited its 6.3% enrollment growth during the pandemic from fall 2019 to fall 2020 to scholarship allocations, recruitment strategies and student success programs, including virtual peer tutoring.
The George-Anne
Op-Ed: “Celebrate Together” Surpassed Expectations
Event symbolized progress, unity, and commitment from Georgia Southern
Duncan Sligh, Co-Editor-in-Chief
Celebrate Together took over much of the Armstrong Campus on Thursday, Oct. 21, and students were treated to a massive number of booths representing a variety of organizations within Georgia Southern and the Savannah community. With the seemingly endless pandemic dragging on through 2021, and after many false-alarms that might have signified an end to COVID-19, an event like this was not only welcome, it was crucial. Dr. Kyle Marrero has been candid in the past about how keeping morale high is vital to creating a climate of positivity throughout Georgia Southern’s campuses. “It’s challenging for everybody, so I’m incredibly sympathetic for that and how hard it is. Particularly, our faculty and staff and students have all had to adapt and adjust,” said Dr. Marrero in an interview from Oct. 11, 2021. From my perspective, this sympathy was on full display at Celebrate Together. The event was fun, it was big and so many different people participated.
The George-Anne
Armstrong Athletic Hall of Fame to Arrive at ARC
“Hall of Champions” expected to be built by end of 2021
Duncan Sligh, Co-Editor-in-Chief
Georgia Southern’s Marketing and Communications team sent out a press release on Oct. 12, 2021 informing the Georgia Southern community about the “Hall of Champions” that the university is currently building in the Armstrong Recreation Center. The 650-square foot area will be designed as a tribute to the storied athletic history of Armstrong before the 2018 consolidation with Georgia Southern University. One of the consequences of consolidation was the removal of Armstrong State University’s 12 intercollegiate athletics programs, including an historically successful tennis program that won 11 NCAA Division II championships. According to the press release, Georgia Southern expects the tribute to be completed by the end of the year, with a formal opening pencilled in for Friday, January 14, 2022, with more concrete plans expected to be announced by the end of November 2021.
MSN
The threat of cyber-attacks is real, and we are all responsible for staying secure
Heather Roskwoski
Dr. Heather Roskwoski is assistant vice president of cybersecurity and chief information security officer at Augusta University. Rodd Arthur is director of cybersecurity operations at Augusta University.
Traditionally, cybersecurity has been primarily an information technology departmental function. An enterprise’s data is stored on computer systems, and IT is responsible for protecting it. While it remains true that many of the security measures used to protect data are IT-based, times have changed. It is the responsibility of everyone within the organization to ensure the privacy and accuracy of information. At Augusta University and AU Health System, our top priorities are our students, employees and patients, including our responsibility to safeguard personal data and protected health information. Cybercriminals are working hard to break down digital walls and gain access to this information, but we’re working even harder.
Morning AgClips
UGA crop specialist combats postharvest food waste with research and education
Nearly a third of all the food produced worldwide, is lost to food wastage each year
Agricultural producers around the world are constantly faced with risks to their crops from disease, weather and pests, but even more losses occur after crops are harvested. In fact, nearly a third of all the food produced worldwide — approximately 1.3 billion tons — is lost to food wastage each year. Angelos Deltsidis, assistant professor in postharvest physiology in the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), investigates how preharvest factors and postharvest treatments affect the quality of fresh produce. He hopes to use this information to develop methods of preserving produce quality as it travels from the field to the kitchen.
WGAU Radio
UGA ends vaccine incentive program: one hundred won $1,000 each
Program funded with federal relief dollars
By Tim Bryant
The University of Georgia says it has put the wraps on its coronavirus vaccination incentive program, having awarded one thousand dollars each to one hundred University students, staff, and faculty who won drawings after getting their vaccine shots. The University Health Center says it has administered more than 27 thousand shots since the start of UGA’s fall semester.
From Rod Guajardo, UGA Media Relations…
A total of 100 University of Georgia students, faculty and staff received $1,000 in cash each over the last month as part of the university’s COVID-19 vaccine incentive program aimed at encouraging members of the university community to protect themselves and those around them, and reward those who were already vaccinated.
The Red & Black
UGA health center to provide booster shot appointments for Moderna, J&J
Simran Kaur Malhotra
Beginning Oct. 25, UGA faculty, staff, students, retirees and dependents 18 and up who have completed a complete vaccine series and meet the Georgia Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s eligibility requirements may schedule appointments at the University Health Center to receive a booster shot, according to a Friday ArchNews email sent by the Medical Oversight Task Force. Eligible patients must have received two doses of Pfizer or Moderna more than 6 months ago, or a single dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine more than 2 months ago. Appointments may be scheduled here. Due to vaccination status being verified on-site, individuals should bring their original vaccine card to the appointment.
Other News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Map: Coronavirus deaths and cases in Georgia (updated Oct. 25)
An updated count of coronavirus deaths and cases reported across the state
CONFIRMED CASES: 1,259,464
CONFIRMED DEATHS: 24,439 | 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:
Inside Higher Ed
Enrollments Still Falling 2 Years Into Pandemic
Experts hoped college enrollments would rebound this fall. New data show that while selective institutions have seen their numbers recover, most others continue to struggle.
By Emma Whitford
The post-pandemic enrollment rebound everyone wished for has not come to pass. College and university enrollments are still on the decline for most institutions, early data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center show. Undergraduate enrollment across the board fell by 3.2 percent this fall, echoing last fall’s 3.4 percent decline. Since fall 2019, undergraduate enrollments have dropped by 6.5 percent. The top-line findings paint a bleak picture for higher education’s recovery.
Inside Higher Ed
3-Year Medical Degrees May Provide Good Alternative
By Scott Jaschik
Many in medical education advocate for three-year medical degrees as a much-needed reform. A new study of such programs by the Penn State College of Medicine, which offers a three-year degree, says the shorter programs have merit, and graduates of three-year programs are as prepared for residency as other graduates.
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Grant To Help Three Regional Networks Develop Equity-Centered Student Success Programs
Jessica Ruf
A $1.75 million grant from Ascendium Education Group hopes to help Complete College America (CCA) close race and income gaps in postsecondary education. The grant will fund a three-phase, 36-month project in which administrators, faculty and student services staff from three “CCA Alliance states,” or regional sites, will create and implement data-driven and equity-centered strategies to boost student success and graduation rates
Inside Higher Ed
Philanthropies Help HBCUs Take Their Education Online
United Negro College Fund and Complete College America support Black colleges’ efforts to upgrade their expertise and replicate their unique educational offerings digitally.
By Suzanne Smalley
Historically Black colleges and universities have confronted an unusual mix of challenges as they enter the digital age. Traditionally underfunded, they often have less money available for building digital infrastructure and ensuring online coursework is engaging than many other institutions. …Now, as the pandemic has made clear just how important it will be for colleges and universities to migrate online with effective curricula, philanthropies and private companies are stepping up to support HBCUs. The United Negro College Fund is spending $1.75 million to train faculty on how to better use learning management systems and design culturally rich curricula. And the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is supporting a $2.5 million effort by Complete College America to focus on how to improve digital learning infrastructure and bring the unique cultural attributes of an HBCU education to a digital platform.
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
HACU’s 35th Annual Conference Begins With Tips on Student Success Programs
Liann Herder
Dr. Antonio Flores opened this year’s annual Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) conference with celebrations of success and ambitious goals to increase funding. Flores, CEO and president of HACU, said he hopes to convince congress to quadruple promised federal funds and create a capital financing program, similar to the kind used by Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).