University System News:

Middle Georgia CEO

MGA Surpasses $11M Goal In University’s “Legacy Of Greatness” Fundraising Campaign

Staff Report

The Middle Georgia State University Foundation’s “Building A Legacy of Greatness” private fundraising campaign – the most ambitious in the institution’s history – exceeded its $11 million goal, coming in at $11.6 million, school officials announced Wednesday, Dec. 1. Funds raised through the campaign, the public phase of which began last March, have already resulted in the construction of the University’s new Peyton T. Anderson Enrollment Center on the Macon Campus, the purchase of two new aircraft for MGA’s School of Aviation, and enhanced support for health sciences programs, including nursing. The Foundation also will use the private dollars raised to significantly increase the number of scholarships awarded to students, help develop degree programs and other academic programming, and recruit and retain high quality faculty. …Of the funds raised through the campaign, about $2.5 million is being used to increase the number of scholarships awarded to students.

WTOC

GSU continues tradition of helping those in need during the holidays

By Dal Cannady

A Georgia Southern University tradition continues this holiday season. But organizers say the pandemic presents a challenge as they try to help the less fortunate. Even without an actual Holiday Helper tree on campus, Georgia Southern still wants to help those less fortunate, and they need your help to do it. Some of the gifts already donated wait on the table for pickup. This year, they received submissions from 20 different agencies on behalf of 800 needy people – from children to senior citizens.

Statesboro Herald

Tippins family provides largest ever gift for GS Athletics

Georgia Southern University President Dr. Kyle Marrero and Director of Athletics Jared Benko announced on Wednesday the largest philanthropic gift ever committed to Georgia Southern Athletics as Anthony Tippins and his family have committed to the lead gift for the Indoor Practice Facility (IPF). Pending Board of Regents approval, the Indoor Practice Facility will be named in honor of this monumental gift. “We are extremely humbled and grateful to the Tippins family for their generosity and the impact they are making on Georgia Southern Athletics and our student-athletes,” Marrero said. “This is truly a game-changing gift for our university and certainly our athletics programs.” The Indoor Practice Facility, which has now reached over $5 million in commitments since January of this year, will be instrumental in the future success of Georgia Southern Athletics and will greatly enhance the football gameday experience for fans. The 100,000-square-foot facility will provide an elite and year-round practice and training facility for all 17 intercollegiate athletic teams and give many sports a place to practice during inclement weather.

See also:

WJCL

Georgia Southern Athletics receives historic gift from Tippins Family

Gift jumpstarts the Indoor Practice Facility

Athens CEO

UGA Helps Build Mentoring Opportunities Across Georgia

The University of Georgia has launched MENTOR Georgia to support young people across the state by bringing together the mentoring community, providing programs and access to leadership and professional development, and raising the profile of the importance of mentoring. Coordinated by the UGA J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development, MENTOR Georgia is the newest statewide affiliate of MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, which aims to help youth do better in class and enter the workforce better prepared to succeed and grow into leadership roles in their communities.

WALB

High school class ring returned 15 years after owner loses it

By Anthony Bordanaro

There was a reunion 15 years in the making on Wednesday. A former Peach County Trojan lost his high school class ring in 2006 as a freshman at Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW). Marilyn Jackson found the ring shortly after and just now discovered who the owner is. The place where the ring was found is now a part of a campus extension at GSW. The walking trail has been sequestered to now about half of what it used to be.

WGAU Radio

UNG department gets state grant

Funding from Governor’s Office of Highway Safety

By JK Devine, UNG

Each spring semester, University of North Georgia students can climb into a full-size vehicle to experience virtually driving while under the influence. Or they can don a pair of drunk goggles, hop onto a pedal cart and attempt to navigate a driving course. Both activities area designed to illustrate the dangers of impaired driving. Both exercises occur one week before students leave for spring break. They are spearheaded by UNG’s Public Safety and Campus Recreation and Wellness departments. Recently, Public Safety and Campus Rec and Wellness were recognized for these educational efforts. The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety allocated UNG’s Campus Rec and Wellness a $17,420 grant from its Georgia Young Adult Program and awarded Public Safety first place in the Governor’s Challenge for campus and university police.

Savannah Tribune

BYU vs Georgia Southern Football Donation Drive

…BYU hosted a tailgate party on the Georgia Southern campus where over 2,500 fans showed up. As a way to give back to Georgia Southern and Statesboro for hosting all the BYU fans, they had a charity drive at the tailgate. They asked their attendees to bring donations to benefit Fostering Bullock, Statesboro First United Methodist Soup Kitchen, and the Statesboro Food Bank.

WRBL

Winterfest 2021 rebounds post 2020 virtual event and a bigger success

by: Bob Jeswald

Take a look at this… Columbus State University is excited to welcome visitors back to campus this year for our annual WinterFest event. This year, visitors will have a chance to walk through campus to see local performers, the tree lighting ceremony, Santa with his reindeer, and more. CSU’s director of university relations Greg Hudgison shared with News 3 how this years events compared to previous.

WinterFest is a celebration of all religions, cultures, and traditions.

WGAU Radio

UGA COVID cases hit another semester low

Just 18 positive tests in latest report

By Tim Bryant

With just two weeks left in UGA’s fall semester, reported cases of COVID 19 at the University of Georgia hit an all-time low for the semester, dropping 22% from the previous week. 18 positive tests were reported for the week that ended on the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

From UGA…

The positivity rate for UGA’s surveillance testing was low again this week, with two of 282 asymptomatic individuals testing positive for a rate of 0.7%. The UHC can test up to 800 individuals a day, and this service is offered free to the campus community.

Americus Times-Recorder

GEORGIA 4-H’ERS EXPLORE HIGHER EDUCATION PATHWAYS IN ATHENS

By Tracy K. Hall

High school students from more than 30 counties explored pathways to higher education at a statewide gathering of Senior 4-H’ers in Athens on November 13 and 14. This special event is known as Weekend in the Classic City and provides a comprehensive picture of diverse collegiate options in Georgia. Emily Kent, a County Senior 4-H’er participated in this annual event that began in 2001 when Collegiate 4-H Club members from the University of Georgia invited high school students to campus as part of a class project. The initiative has grown to include nearly 100 students each year from widely varied backgrounds who enjoy a day at the birthplace of higher education.

yahoo!life

The #1 Best Nut to Lower Your Cholesterol, New Study Says

Samantha Boesch

We know by now that nuts come with tons of added health benefits, like improving the health of your arteries, providing you with essential minerals, and potentially lowering inflammation. On top of all that, nuts have also been found to help improve your cholesterol levels, which can improve your overall health. And according to a new study done by the University of Georgia Athens and published in the Journal of Nutrition, pecans may have the ability to improve total cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins (LDL cholesterol), and triglycerides, especially in people at higher risk for cardiovascular disease.

Clear Publicist

Tech Alumnus Elected Mayor of Atlanta

By Jasmine Andrade

Alumnus and former Georgia Tech staff members member Andre Dickens will be the 61st mayor of Atlanta. …He joined Ga Tech as a employees member from 2010 to 2016. Through his time as assistant director of outreach initiatives for OMED: Academic Services, he led a number of programs: the African American Male Initiative, the Problem software for to start with-year students, and the Concentrate software for future graduate students. “From his beginnings in Atlanta Public Educational institutions to his time as a Yellow Jacket, and beyond, Andre proceeds to make his Georgia Tech family members proud and we congratulate him as he will become Atlanta’s future mayor,” mentioned Ángel Cabrera, president of Georgia Tech. “I know he will provide the Atlanta community very well and we look ahead to functioning with him.” Dickens, a member of Tech’s Alumni Association Board of Trustees, will be the next alumnus to provide as the city’s mayor, joining Ivan Allen Jr. He retains a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Georgia Tech and a Master’s of Community Administration from Ga Point out College.

GPB

Political Rewind: Dickens wins Atlanta runoff; SCOTUS hears arguments in landmark abortion case

By: Bill Nigut, Natalie Mendenhall, Sam Bermas-Dawes, and Sarah Kallis

Wednesday on Political Rewind: The United States Supreme Court takes up one of its most significant cases in decades today, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The Mississippi case could overturn the landmark decision giving women the right to choose how to deal with their own pregnancies. A conservative court could abandon Roe v. Wade, which has been the law of the land since 1973. Our panel discussed the arguments on both sides of the case and take a deep dive into the history of abortion rights before and after Roe. What happens if states are left to make their own laws about the legality of abortion? How will the eventual decision in the Mississippi impact Georgia’s own restrictive abortion law? But first: Atlanta city councilmember Andre Dickens was elected the next Mayor of Atlanta. What can we expect from his tenure in the job?

Panelists:

Greg Bluestein — Political reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Dr. Karen Owen — Political science professor, University of West Georgia

Dr. Randy Beck — Professor of constitutional law, University of Georgia

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Step into the holiday season with 30-day walking program

By Avery Newmark

Join the 30 for 30 Walk-a-Weigh challenge on Facebook

While the holidays are a time for love, joy and thankfulness, they can be quite stressful for many people. But Bradley Averill, a University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Family and Consumer Sciences agent, is determined to change that by stepping into the holiday season with health at the forefront.

WRDW

How are local doctors actively tracking COVID-19 variants in the CSRA?

By Will Volk

The omicron variant has officially been found in the U.S. The first case was detected in California on Dec. 1. And with more and more cases popping up around the world, scientists are now racing to understand this new variant and just how contagious it may be. Health officials say there’s cause for concern because this variant has a number of spike proteins that have never been seen before. Those spike proteins are what the virus uses to enter the human body. Right now, researchers at the Medical College of Georgia are tracking the strains in our area and looking for any omicron cases.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Prominent Georgia Tech donors revisit their optimistic preseason projections

By Ken Sugiura

Before Georgia Tech began its 2021 season, Steve Zelnak and Gregg Garrett shared optimism about the Yellow Jackets’ season ahead. Their perspective was worth listening to for at least a few reasons. Both are Golden Jackets, the highest honor given to athletic-department donors, supporters whose lifetime cash gifts are $1 million or more. They also have been avid observers of the Jackets. Further, their financial support has granted them access to coach Geoff Collins and insights not readily available to the general fan base. Their history of significant giving also means that they know well Tech’s football hurdles and aren’t given to wild expectations.

Savannah Morning News

Georgia Southern Extra: Clay Helton lets all on-field coaches go except for Kevin Whitley

Kevin Whitley, chosen by Georgia Southern to navigate the football team for eight games as interim head coach, will be the lone member of the 2021 on-field coaching staff retained by new head coach Clay Helton, an athletic department spokesperson has confirmed. Whitley was in his third season as cornerbacks coach when director of athletics Jared Benko promoted him on Sept. 26 following the firing of head coach Chad Lunsford after a 1-3 start. Helton was hired Nov. 2 and allowed the coaching staff to continue doing the jobs they started through the completion of the schedule as he focused on evaluating the players and staff, recruiting and setting up his program for 2022. Whitley’s role on Helton’s staff has not been determined, according to an athletic department spokesperson. Helton and the department also will be announcing replacements for the remainder of the on-field staff and other positions amid a flurry of coaching hirings and firings in college football Sunday, Monday and beyond.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Opinion: Fewer Georgia students are going to college. That’s a problem

Get Schooled with Maureen Downey

There are about 30,000 fewer college students today than just before pandemic

In a guest column, Tina Fernandez discusses the pandemic’s toll on Georgia’s high school and college students, citing a weakening path from high school to college. Fernandez is executive director of Achieve Atlanta and a member of the Pathways to Adult Success network.

By Tina Fernandez

The full effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on Georgia’s students may not be known for many years. But already, there are warning signs we would be foolish to ignore. After a decade of progress in getting more high school students across the graduation stage, the latest data show that progress has slowed or stalled. Georgia’s graduation rate ticked down to 83.8%, the first decline since the state began using the current graduation rate measurement in 2011. While this drop is not as severe as many feared, and the rate in Atlanta Public Schools actually increased, there are signs the pathway from high school to college is eroding for many students. Financial aid applications, a critical step toward college enrollment, are down. Compared to fall 2019, undergraduate enrollment in Georgia has fallen by 5.8%. That means there are roughly 30,000 fewer college students in Georgia today than just before the pandemic.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Report: Bill to give state retirees benefit boost would cost Georgia $5 billion

By James Salzer

Tens of thousands of retirees from state government jobs in Georgia haven’t received a cost-of-living pension increase in more than a decade, and a new audit report could dim their chances of getting one consistently in the future. The report from the state auditor estimates that proposed legislation granting state government retirees the same annual 3% raises that former teachers now receive would cost $523 million in the first year and $5 billion over 20 years. …State House Appropriations Chairman Terry England, R-Auburn, who has been supportive of giving state retirees a boost, said the costs would be less, but he is skeptical the General Assembly will pass a measure backed by Senate Democrats to mandate a 3% annual cost-of-living adjustment for state government retirees

NBC News

Georgia destroyed a Black neighborhood. Now former residents want justice.

Many who lived in Linnentown are urging leaders in Athens to pay for destroying their community more than 50 years ago to make way for the University of Georgia.

By Char Adams

Hattie Thomas Whitehead has fond memories of her childhood in Linnentown, a 22-acre neighborhood in North Georgia. Born in 1948, Whitehead was among the fourth generation of families living in the all-Black neighborhood off Baxter and Church streets in Athens where a majority of the families owned homes. Linnentown, once a thriving, self-sustained Black neighborhood full of plumbers, electricians, construction workers, beauticians and more, was destroyed in the 1960s to make way for the University of Georgia, according to Athens-Clarke County documents. …Soon, the project was extended to building colleges and universities, according to the county documents.  …More than 50 years later, Whitehead and a group of fellow former residents and descendants of residents created the Linnentown Project to memorialize the lost community and urge the city to recognize and provide redress for the loss. The group was formed in 2019; by this year, Athens Mayor Kelly Girtz and the Clarke County Commission had approved a resolution in support of the effort. However, members of the group have said that while the county is willing to make amends, University of Georgia officials have been dragging their feet.

Other News:

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Map: Coronavirus deaths and cases in Georgia (updated Dec. 1)

An updated count of coronavirus deaths and cases reported across the state

CONFIRMED CASES: 1,286,391

CONFIRMED DEATHS: 25,748 | 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.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

1st US case of COVID omicron variant confirmed in California

By Michael Balsamo and Zeke Miller, Associated Press

A person in California has become the first in the U.S. to have an identified case of the omicron variant of COVID-19

A person in California who had been vaccinated against COVID-19 became the first in the U.S. to have an identified case of the omicron variant, the White House announced Wednesday as scientists continue to study the risks posed by the new virus strain. Dr. Anthony Fauci told reporters the person was a traveler who returned from South Africa on Nov. 22 and tested positive on Nov. 29. Fauci said the person was vaccinated but had not received a booster shot and was experiencing “mild symptoms.” The Biden administration moved late last month to restrict travel from Southern Africa where the variant was first identified and had been widespread. Clusters of cases have also been identified in about two dozen other nations.

WRDW

2-state region waits, watches and worries about omicron variant

By Staff

With concerns growing over the newly discovered omicron variant of coronavirus, health experts here are watching the situation carefully. Both the Georgia Department of Public Health and South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control say no cases of the variant have been found in the region, although the U.S. reported its first confirmed case Wednesday. The Georgia and South Carolina agencies joined the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in saying the emergence of omicron reinforces the need for initial and booster vaccinations.

Higher Education News:

Diverse Issues in Higher Education

Report: Student Debt and the Class of 2020

Rebecca Kelliher

The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS) recently released a report on student debt loads among borrowers who graduated in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree from public and private non-profit colleges. Key findings from the report, titled “Student Debt and the Class of 2020,” noted that debt at many institutions stayed high amid the pandemic, though with regional and institutional differences.

Inside Higher Ed

Report Offers Universities Big Data Research Tips

By Suzanne Smalley

A new report examining how big data research is pursued in academic contexts was released Tuesday by Ithaka S+R, a non-profit organization focused on helping the academic community use digital technologies to advance research and teaching. The findings of the report, “Big Data Infrastructure at the Crossroads: Support Needs and Challenges for Universities,” were drawn from a partnership with librarians at more than 20 colleges and universities who conducted interviews with more than 200 faculty working across a variety of disciplines. The report also studied methodologies, workflows, outputs and struggles confronted by big data researchers. Ithaka S+R said the report was intended to provide guidance to universities, funders and others focused on improving how institutions support big data research.