U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News Unveils 2022 Best Online Programs Rankings
The new edition ranks more than 1,700 distance education programs.
U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in education rankings, today released the 2022 Best Online Programs rankings. The new edition evaluates more than 1,700 online bachelor’s and master’s degree programs for individuals looking to complete or further their education. …This year’s edition of the rankings includes more than 1,700 programs, up from just over 1,600 last year.
2022 U.S. News & World Report Best Online Programs
Business, non-MBA
3. University of Georgia (Terry) (tie)
Education
3. University of Georgia (tie)
WABE
Grant provides scholarships for Georgia State students studying cybersecurity
Emil Moffatt
Georgia State University is set to receive nearly $4 million in federal grant money over the next five years to help fill a shortage of cybersecurity professionals. The funding comes at a time of increasing cyber threats.
WGAU Radio
Morehead delivers UGA’s State of the University Address
“I want to offer my sincere thanks to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the University System of Georgia’s Acting Chancellor and Board of Regents for their strong support “
By Tim Bryant
The University of Georgia marks its 237th anniversary: today’s Founders Day Activities, 10:30 til 2:30 at the Tate Student Center, highlight the 1785 founding of the country’s first and oldest land grant University. University President Jere Morehead, on the eve of today’s Founders Day, delivered his annual State of the University Address, doing so, as he did last year, virtually.
Silicon India
Indian-American Professor Honored with GSUs Hall of Fame Award
Dr. Arpita Saha, an Indian-American professor at the Georgia Southern University, was recently awarded the university’s Hall of Fame award and honored at a gala attended by the Governor of Georgia, Brian Kemp. The award, ‘Felton Jenkins, Jr. Hall of Fame Award,’ is the highest academic faculty honor in the state of Georgia that is presented by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents. Dr. Saha was also amongst the preeminent honorees at the 17th Annual Regents’ Scholarship Gala, which raised over $625,000 to provide need-based scholarships to University System of Georgia (USG) students across the state. The gala was hosted by the USG Foundation, where Governor Brian Kemp, First Lady Marty Kemp, supporters, donors, legislators, alumnus, and members of the Board of Regents were present, along with the presidents of USG’s 26 public universities and colleges.
Albany Herald
Education, loss of population among biggest drags on Albany area economy
By Alan Mauldin
The state of the economy is looking up, but the Albany area likely will lag the rest of the state and nation as a whole in recovering jobs lost during the “COVID recession.” That was the assessment by two experts from the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business. The state’s premier economic forecasting series, canceled in 2021 due to COVID, made a stop in Albany on Wednesday for a luncheon at the Hilton Garden Inn.
41NBC
23rd annual “College Film Series” starts in Macon this week
Mercer, Middle Georgia State and Wesleyan College are collaborating to host the event at the Douglass Theatre.
Cameron Branscomb
The 23rd Annual College Film Series begins this week. The theme of this year’s film series is “Revenge.” Mercer, Middle Georgia State and Wesleyan College are collaborating to host the event at the Douglass Theatre. Each school presents a movie of their choice that follows the theme.
The Augusta Chronicle
Lung Association says Georgia has flunked tobacco exam again
Tom Corwin
If the American Lung Association’s grades counted, Georgia would have been held back every year, metaphorically speaking, the state would be a 20-year-old first grader for lung health. Youth e-cigarette use could only be adding to the state’s problems in the future, Georgia pediatricians said. “This report card yet again is one that you would stuff in the bottom of our backpack and hide from your parents,” said Lance Boucher assistant vice president for state public policy for the lung association. In their 20th year of the Lung Association handing out grades in its annual State of Tobacco Report, Georgia once again came away with four Fs and a D. …Having large numbers of kids vaping is concerning, said Dr. Alice Little Caldwell, associate professor of pediatrics at Augusta University and the E-Cigarette Champion for the Georgia chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Henry Herald
Seed grants expand impact of UGA faculty
By Allyson Mann CAES News
How can nanotechnology and big data be used to improve diagnosis of infectious viruses like SARS-CoV-2? That’s one of the questions that will be explored through funding provided by a third round of Presidential Interdisciplinary Seed Grants. Eleven grants totaling $1.5 million were awarded in November 2021 to recipients of the third round of Presidential Interdisciplinary Seed Grants. Overall the awards went to faculty from 13 UGA departments, centers, programs, schools and colleges.
WGAU Radio
COVID testing, vaccines today at UGA
Activities at Tate Student Center
By Tim Bryant
The University of Georgia is still incentivizing coronavirus vaccinations: twenty dollar gift cards are handed out while supplies last in a COVID vaccine event set to start at 10 o’clock this morning at UGA’s Tate Student Center.
The Augusta Chronicle
Got severely ill from COVID? Genetics may have made that more likely, MCG researchers find
Tom Corwin
Scientists may finally have found genetic clues for why some patients get sicker from COVID-19 and similar patients do not, according to findings from an international consortium hosted at Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University.
Georgia Recorder
House bill to extend ‘free speech’ areas campus-wide spurs First Amendment debate
By: Ross Williams
On Tuesday, Matthew Wiersema strapped his GoPro to his chest, grabbed his megaphone and came to downtown Atlanta next to the Georgia State University campus with a large sign bearing an image of what appeared to be a bloody, mangled fetus. Wiersema is a street preacher with a mission to outlaw abortion in the United States. …College campuses tend to attract controversial speakers hoping to engage with young scholars, but the speakers are often restricted to designated free speech zones. A bill filed last year by Fayetteville Republican Josh Bonner to open up campuses to free speech is getting a new push in the Gold Dome.
GBPI
4 Ways Georgia Lawmakers Can Make College More Affordable in 2022
By Jennifer Lee
In 2022, Georgia lawmakers can follow through on initiatives begun last year to invest in college affordability and reduce excessive student debt burden. Georgians without postsecondary credentials are still most vulnerable in the economy, and many ambitious and persistent Georgians struggle to graduate because of challenges balancing work, family, health and finances. The following targeted strategies and investments can boost graduation rates, transform lives and reduce racial, ethnic and income-based inequalities so college is not just a privilege for the wealthy few.
1. Sustain the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Funds Pilot Program
2. Remove the Special Institutional Fee From Tuition Bills
4. Stop Adding to Student Debt Burden and Provide Student Access Loan Debt Relief
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
How Dual Enrollment Varies Across Southern States
Rebecca Kelliher
The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization focused on improving education in its 16 member states in the South, released a report outlining key issues in dual enrollment across those member states—and how each addresses them. Challenges include student access, eligibility, and cost as well as program quality, funding, and data reporting. …Of SREB’s 16 member states, Winkler pointed out that 14 have passed dual enrollment legislation in the past three years. But even though all 16 SREB states offer dual enrollment, how these programs work and the students they reach—or leave out—can vary greatly.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Senate GOP joins fight to limit how race is discussed in Georgia schools
By Ty Tagami
After promising to define what they say is a problem with the way race is discussed in Georgia classrooms, Republicans in the state Senate introduced legislation Wednesday that mirrors some of the language in a bill already filed in the House. The new legislation, introduced by Sen. Bo Hatchett, a Cornelia Republican, would prohibit teaching “divisive concepts” in both K-12 classrooms and in public higher education. At issue is critical race theory. It is used in higher education to examine the effect of racism on society. Public school leaders say the theory itself is not taught in K-12 classrooms, but critics say its tenets about systemic inequity have influenced teachers and curriculum.
Other News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Map: Coronavirus deaths and cases in Georgia (updated Jan. 26)
An updated count of coronavirus deaths and cases reported across the state
CONFIRMED CASES: 1,791,344
CONFIRMED DEATHS: 27,284 | 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.