University System News:
Atlanta Business Chronicle
Undergraduate research at Kennesaw State provides students with a career foundation
Kennesaw State University centers itself on its nearly 43,000 students, prioritizing research opportunities and engaged learning that help students succeed and prepare them for day one of their careers. As an R2 research university, KSU’s commitment to offering every student opportunities for success reflects an education that fosters independence, critical thinking and thirst for knowledge. Student-centered faculty mentoring relationships developed at the University also provide long-term support to ensure success beyond the nest.
Middle Georgia CEO
Middle Georgia State University Aviation Student’s Excellent Adventure
Ben Templeton could fly a plane before he could drive a car. At 18, when some teenagers are still getting their driver’s licenses, Templeton has flown cross-country to 48 states. Sometime soon, he hopes to have hit all 50. A Cochran-based freshman in Middle Georgia State University’s School of Aviation, Templeton is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Science and Management and dreams of flying for a major airline.
Jagwire
Augusta University’s enrollment has increased more than 15% since fall 2015
Stacey Eidson
Despite concerns over the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Augusta University’s enrollment has increased more than 15% since fall 2015 and is averaging an annual increase of 2.4%, according to the Division of Enrollment and Student Affairs. …The increases at Augusta University were largely in the following programs, many of which are delivered online: Educational Specialist and Master of Education degrees from the College of Education; Clinical Nurse Leader and Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees from the College of Nursing; both online and in-person Master of Business Administration degrees from Hull College of Business and Master of Public Health degrees from the College of Allied Health Sciences. The Medical College of Georgia also experienced enrollment growth due to the planned increase in class sizes at both the Augusta and Athens, Georgia campuses.
Albany Herald
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College opens Melvin L. Merrill Veterans Center
From staff reports
In a fitting salute on Veterans Day, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College dedicated the Melvin L. Merrill ABAC Veterans Center to a long-standing administrator who has made his mark at ABAC in a memorable 42-year career. “Melvin Merrill has distinguished himself with his service to his country and to this college,” ABAC President David Bridges said. “He is a man who believes in doing things the right way.” Merrill served 29 years in the United States Army Reserve before he retired with the rank of Major in 1993. He also occupied an administrative position at ABAC for 42 years, first as director of development before moving on to other roles as chief development officer, president of the ABAC Foundation Inc., and director of Capital Planning. Merrill was instrumental in the design and construction of the Veterans Center, which is now located in the renovated Carlton Center.
Atlanta Business Chronicle
Georgia Tech moving forward with final phase of Tech Square
By David Allison – Editor-in-Chief
Georgia Tech is moving forward on developing the last significant parcels at Tech Square. The University System of Georgia and Georgia Tech are seeking to hire an architectural/engineering firm to provide all design services for what is known as “Phase IIIA” of Tech Square, according to a Nov. 10 request for qualifications. Tech Square Phase III will include approximately 402,000 square feet of academic, research and retail space including two twin towers, underground parking, and dedicated green space (see details here). …Phase III will house the expansion of the Scheller College of Business, Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, economic and business development programs, classrooms, retail and parking.
The Red & Black
UGA’s low-rise dorms compete in conservation competition
Eva Ponos
From Oct. 1 to Oct. 31, low-rise dorms at the University of Georgia including Boggs, Church, Hill, Lipscomb and Mell halls, went head-to-head in the Green Cup Challenge, a competition to see which dorm could conserve the most energy and water. Green Cup started from a partnership between University Housing and the Office of Sustainability. The challenge finishes with a celebration with live music, food, booths and the winning dorm revealed. …Boggs Hall showed an upward trend of conservation compared to the other residence halls, with Church Hall and Hill Hall steadily following. Ultimately, the winning dorm was Mell Hall. The end of challenge celebration included several different booths and tables where students could learn about sustainability efforts at UGA and Athens. Local sustainable vendors set up booths showcasing their products and services. …Students with ideas on how to make UGA more sustainable can apply for a Campus Sustainability Grant, offering up to $5,000 dollars to students with projects intended to promote sustainability. Those selected will receive their grants on Reading Day.
Atlanta Business Chronicle
UGA names 2022 Bulldog 100 fastest-growing businesses
By Maegan Smith – Digital Editor
Eighty-eight Georgia businesses made the University of Georgia’s 2022 Bulldog 100 list, which ranks the fastest-growing businesses owned or operated by UGA alumni. To qualify for the list nominated companies must have been in business since January 2017, have verifiable revenues of $100,000 or more in 2018, and be headed by a former UGA student. They’re then measured by the business’ compounded annual growth rate during a three-year period — in this case 2018, 2019 and 2020. …The companies include those in industries such as agriculture, technology, real estate and more. The list was rounded out by companies in three countries and nine states.
Athens CEO
UGA’s Georgia Economic Outlook Returns to In-Person Events, Delivering Business Intelligence for the New Year
Staff Report
As Georgia emerges from two years of economic uncertainty, University of Georgia Terry College of Business experts will address Georgia’s recovery from the COVID-19 recession, the booming housing market and what to expect in the year to come at the 39th annual Georgia Economic Outlook series. The state’s premier economic forecasting series — coming to eight Georgia cities — will return to its traditional format of luncheon programs this winter. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m., and the programs begin at 12:30 p.m. The statewide tour will kick off Dec. 13 in Atlanta. …The Selig Center for Economic Growth at the Terry College of Business provides the forecast data and analysis.
Other News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Map: Coronavirus deaths and cases in Georgia (updated Nov. 17)
An updated count of coronavirus deaths and cases reported across the state
CONFIRMED CASES: 1,276,020
CONFIRMED DEATHS: 25,469 | 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
Academic Minute: Using AI to Detect COVID-19 Deterioration
By Doug Lederman
Today on the Academic Minute: Farah Shamout, assistant professor and emerging scholar in computer engineering at NYU Abu Dhabi, examines whether artificial intelligence can help us in the fight against COVID-19.
Inside Higher Ed
Higher Ed, From Static to Dynamic
The numbers paint a clear picture of change in demand for higher education. Still unclear is if colleges will adapt from static schools to dynamic institutions in time to survive and thrive.
By Ray Schroeder
Businesses are accustomed to changes in the marketplace: the demographics of customers and clients change through time. Products and services are constantly under scrutiny to ensure that they are finely tuned to the needs and desires of the marketplace. Efficiency, effectiveness and cost savings are encouraged and rewarded among employees and managers. Innovation tapping the newest technologies and techniques are integral to the research and development process. Surveys and focus groups are employed constantly to assess products and services matched to the customer. Higher education, on the other hand, over the past decades has become too comfortable in serving an unchanging market with a largely unchanging product, year after year, decade after decade. Other than gross number analysis, many colleges previously did not take a deep dive into demographics of students every semester to detect and adapt to subtle changes in other than the broadest terms. This is especially the case for comparison to competitors that are not degree-granting, such as code academies, Google, Amazon, LinkedIn and others.
EdSurge
Can Higher Ed Help Early Ed Grow Up?
By Rebecca Koenig
When Texas cleared the way for community colleges to create bachelor’s degree programs in fields with high demand for workers, leaders at Dallas College jumped at the chance. They considered three career tracks—nursing, IT and early childhood education—and decided to start with the latter. One reason why was the need in North Texas for thousands more people trained to serve children from birth through third grade. Another was a push to prepare future teachers specifically for those young learners, rather than for elementary schools more broadly. …A third motivation was to design a program around the needs of current and aspiring early childhood teachers and caregivers, who sometimes find college beyond their reach due to cost or the challenges of scheduling classes around their work. …It’s an example of the strategies some colleges are using to help train more people to provide high-quality early childhood education. A new report from the National Association for the Education of Young Children explores how to make schooling and care for infants, toddlers and children through age eight a bigger priority at colleges and universities—and assesses what the barriers are to making that happen.