WJBF
MCG leading the way in preparing doctors and immunology research
by: Brad Means
The Means Report is kicking off the its new year by taking a look at the State of the Medical College of Georgia with the dean of the college, Dr. David Hess. As he prepares to give his state of the college address, we discuss all things facing the school, including how they are preparing doctors to fill the shortage Georgia is facing, specifically in rural areas, and the launch of an exciting new center for immunology.
Forsyth County News
‘Serving our community:’ University of North Georgia students offering free tax preparation
From staff reports
Undergraduate and graduate students in accounting and finance majors at the University of North Georgia are offering free tax preparation through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or VITA, program sponsored by the IRS. According to a press release, the service is available by appointment from 5-8 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays from Feb. 1 to March 1.
The Savannah Business Journal
Jan. 27 – Georgia Southern receives slew of high rankings in U.S. News best online program rankings
Savannah Business Journal Staff Report
Georgia Southern University scored high in several categories of the U.S. News & World Report 2022 Best Online Program rankings. Georgia Southern’s highest ranking was No. 44 in Best Online Master’s in Criminal Justice Programs.
Georgia Recorder
Georgia college students with criminal records campaign to move ‘Beyond the Box’
By: Ross Williams
Applying for college is a stressful time for any student, but Abigail Cook faced more difficulties than most. When she was 17, Cook said she made a decision that still haunts her. She got behind the wheel with a blood alcohol content of .04. That is half the legal limit for an adult, but Georgia has a zero-tolerance policy for drivers under 21. A friend exited the vehicle while it was still moving and hit the pavement, later dying from her injuries. Cook served three months in jail following the incident. Cook, who had previously been taking college-level courses under dual enrollment, now had a criminal record, and she felt like her future opportunities were closing off. The school she had been planning to attend canceled her acceptance, and she found herself dictating her application essay to her mother over the jail phone, including a statement about what she had done. …Now majoring in art and film with a minor in criminology at Georgia State University, Cook is a leader with Beyond the Box Georgia, a group working to make it easier for people who have been incarcerated to get an education by eliminating the question on college applications about criminal history.
Savannah CEO
‘Living Well Together’ Course Aims to Help Families with Disabled Children
Jan. 6, The Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society wants to share with its member families and other families raising children with developmental or physical challenges news about a special 10-week program intended to help such families prepare for transition while setting, and reaching goals for a healthy lifestyle. The Living Well Together program is a 10-week program – five-weekend sessions spread out from January through March, plus an orientation – that is being offered by Georgia Southern University’s Center for Rehabilitation and Independent Living. This peer-led health promotion program aims to help families caring for a child with a disability prepare for life’s transitions. As part of that, the whole family is encouraged to adopt a healthy lifestyle, and this program teaches how to set realistic goals and achieve them in that regard.
Patch
Georgia Southern University has been selected to be part of a new mentorship program that is designed to increase the pool of available teachers, especially teachers from a broader and more diverse background. … Georgia Southern is now one of three higher education institutions in Georgia that offers the mentorship program named Call Me MISTER, an acronym that stands for Mentors Instructing Students Toward Effective Role Models. The program originated at Clemson University and will be offered at Georgia Southern’s Armstrong Campus in Savannah. Calvin Walton, Ph.D., lecturer in the College of Education (COE), has been named the program director.
ACTUSDUWEB
Augusta University Forms High-Performance Computing Research Cluster
Augusta University has invested $1 million in creation of the High-Performance Computing (HPC) Services Core, a joint university research initiative supported by Augusta Universitys Division of Information Technology and the School of Computer and Cyber Sciences. The formation of the HPC Services Core is an extension of a provost-initiated effort to assist researchers in accessing and using high-performance computing.
Athens CEO
UGA President Morehead Praises an ‘Unyielding Commitment to a Shared Mission’
James Hataway
University of Georgia President Jere W. Morehead delivered the annual State of the University address Wednesday, expressing gratitude to the entire university community for their service during a challenging but successful year. “When I look back on the past 12 months—a year with no shortage of obstacles—a clear and compelling story emerges: a story of a community bound by a deep sense of purpose, driven by an unyielding commitment to a shared mission,” Morehead said. “This commitment led us to confront the worst of the pandemic, summoning the best of who we are in pursuit of a noble calling. And it propelled our university to exceptional achievements—achievements that reveal a community powerfully shaping a better tomorrow for our state, nation and world.” Morehead detailed some of the institution’s accomplishments, while also unveiling a series of new initiatives that he said promise to make the university even stronger.
WGAU Radio
UGA faculty members are elected to AAAS
James Byers, Jessica Kissinger, Patricia Yager
Three University of Georgia faculty have been named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In a tradition stretching back to 1874, these individuals are elected annually by the AAAS Council for their extraordinary achievements leading to the advancement of science. Fellows must have been AAAS members for at least four years. …Including these three, 37 faculty at UGA are Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Clayton State University names Jim Pete interim technology officer
By Leon Stafford
James “Jim” Pete, executive director of digital business at Georgia Tech’s Office of Information Technology, has been tapped to be interim vice president of Clayton State University’s information technology and services and chief information officer. Pete will succeed Bill Gruszka, who is retiring from the university after seven years as the vice president of ITS and chief information officer. In his new role, Pete will report T. Ramon Stuart, Clayton State’s president, and serve as a member of Stuart’s cabinet while the university searches for a permanent CIO.
Article also appeared in:
See also:
Clayton Crescent
Tech’s Pete joins Clayton State as interim CIO
Albany Herald
PHOTOS: Albany State University Presents Stalking Awareness Month
Statesboro Herald
‘Americans and the Holocaust’ to come to Henderson Library
Georgia Southern University’s Henderson Library is one of 50 U.S. libraries selected to host “Americans and the Holocaust,” a traveling exhibition from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum that examines the motives, pressures and fears that shaped Americans’ responses to Nazism, war and genocide in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s.
Gwinnett Daily Post
Georgia Gwinnett College women’s tennis unanimous No. 1 in national poll
From Staff Reports
After opening the 2021-22 season with commanding victories against quality NCAA Division II and III opponents, the Georgia Gwinnett College women’s tennis team is the top ranked team in the 2022 NAIA Preseason Poll, announced by the national office. The Grizzlies, led by head coach Chase Hodges, garnered all 14 first-place votes in the poll conducted by a nationwide panel of coaches. The team now has been ranked No. 1 for 42 straight polls, has won six national championships, and had a 23-0 record in 2021.
WALB
UGA economist talks with WALB on Ga. agriculture economy
By Jim Wallace
Dr. Jeffery Dorfman, a state fiscal economist with the University of Georgia, talked with WALB’s Jim Wallace Wednesday concerning the status of the State of Georgia’s agriculture economy going into 2022.
GBPI
Overview: 2023 Fiscal Year Budget for Higher Education
By Jennifer Lee
Gov. Brian Kemp’s proposed 2023 budget allocates $3.1 billion for the Board of Regents and $439 million for the Technical College System of Georgia.
University System of Georgia
Funding for the Teaching portion of the university system’s operating budget is set to increase by $633 million to $2.8 billion. Major highlights include the following:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia bill proposes longer jail time for hazing college students
By Eric Stirgus
Anyone convicted of hazing a college student in Georgia could serve up to five years in prison under legislation introduced this week by more than a dozen state senators. Senate Bill 378 would also strengthen requirements for colleges to report hazing violations on their websites.
The Augusta Chronicle
Board of Regents sends initial guidance on tenure changes at college campuses
Abraham Kenmore
Changes to tenure policy have been sent to University System of Georgia campuses, beginning the implementation process. The Board of Regents altered their policies on tenure and post-tenure review last year. The American Association of University Professors have called the changes the end of tenure. Mostly the document re-iterated the changes and solicited feedback from provosts and presidents.
Article also appeared in:
Louisiana Illuminator
New Board of Regents administrator has professors concerned about job security
Regents and LSU provost say hire has nothing to do with changing tenure policies
By: JC Canicosa
A new addition to the staff at the Louisiana Board of Regents has turned the heads of some professors at state colleges. Dr. Tristan Denley, deputy commissioner of academic affairs and innovation, comes from the University of Georgia System where he helped institute a controversial performance review policy for tenured academics. Professors with tenure typically enjoy solid job security, but critics of Denley’s efforts in Georgia say the reviews make it difficult to attract and retain faculty. The new policy allows little to no input from faculty when a tenured professor is being removed. A spokesperson for the Louisiana Board of Regents said Tenley’s current role has no effect on the tenure process.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
AJC Poll: Georgians oppose permit-less gun carry, repeal of Roe v. Wade
By Maya T. Prabhu
Nearly seven in 10 Georgia voters responding to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll say they are opposed to legislation to allow people to carry concealed weapons without a license, and more than two-thirds oppose overturning the decades-old U.S. Supreme Court decision that guaranteed the right to an abortion. The results suggest that Georgians do not want a return of the “culture wars,” the pursuit of hot-button topics that play to each party’s political base that are common during statewide election years. The AJC poll involved 872 registered Georgia voters and was conducted Jan. 13-24 by the University of Georgia’s School of Public and International Affairs. The margin of error is 3.3 percentage points. …
Other News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Map: Coronavirus deaths and cases in Georgia (updated Jan. 27)
An updated count of coronavirus deaths and cases reported across the state
CONFIRMED CASES: 1,808,462
CONFIRMED DEATHS: 27,375 | 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:
Marietta Daily Journal
Now is the time to explore opportunities for summer programs, and Breakthrough Atlanta — a nonprofit organization with a dual mission to increase academic opportunity for underserved students; and to develop the next generation of teachers — is accepting applications for its signature programs available to middle schoolers and college students. These programs are competitive, and applicants are encouraged to apply now. …Program Overview: Breakthrough Atlanta provides a six-year, tuition-free, year-round program that provides a pathway to college for Atlanta’s middle and high school students. For three summers, students attend Breakthrough’s fun and challenging six-week summer program, as well as several Saturday sessions throughout the year. As Breakthrough Atlanta scholars prepare for high school, they transition from the high school readiness program to the college prep program designed to help them prepare for and succeed in college.
Atlanta Business Chronicle
The Great Resignation is changing how higher education approaches employee flexibility
By Hilary Burns – Editor, The National Observer Higher Education
When the Alamance-Burlington School System in North Carolina moved to remote learning in the 2020-21 academic year, Elon University’s leaders identified a pain point for its employees. How would they focus on their day jobs while helping their children navigate online classrooms? The university sought out the local YMCA to run a program on campus for grade school students, staffed by Elon students and YMCA employees. Elon employees received a steep discount for their children to attend. …Elon, like most employers, is in the process of evaluating the future of its workforce as millions of U.S. employees part ways with their jobs in the ongoing “Great Resignation.” Higher-ed is not immune to the employment trends, higher-ed experts said. In fact, retention and recruitment have become top concerns for university and college leaders, especially as other (often higher-paying) industries adopt more flexible remote and hybrid models. …Some higher-ed experts especially worry about the “Great Resignation’s” impact on women working on campuses, as research shows that women have reported higher burnout rates and have left the workplace in greater numbers than men.
Inside Higher Ed
Report: Ripple Effects of the Pandemic on Student Retention
By Sara Weissman
A new report from the education consulting firm EAB, released today, examines some of the ripple effects of the pandemic that could hurt student retention over the long term, including social disengagement and worsening mental health among college students, as well as lower transfer rates. The report also offers advice to higher education leaders on how to address these issues. “The impacts of the pandemic on enrollment and student success could ripple through higher education for years to come,” the report reads. The report cites a March 2021 survey from Inside Higher Ed and College Pulse, which found that 73 percent of students said “friends and social life” was the aspect of campus life they missed most. A November 2021 survey that followed found that 52 percent of students surveyed reported socializing less than ever before, or more than in the spring but less than before the pandemic.
Inside Higher Ed
Evaluating Colleges by Economic Mobility Upends Rankings
By Emma Whitford
A new report from Third Way, a public policy think tank, evaluates colleges by ranking them on an economic mobility index, which looks at the return on investment for low-income students and the percentage of Pell Grant–eligible students that each institution enrolls. The institutions that provide the greatest economic mobility for their students are Hispanic-serving Institutions in California, New York and Texas, according to the report. Historically Black colleges and universities also perform better using Third Way’s economic mobility index than on traditional rankings.
Inside Higher Ed
Concerns About Online Cheating Decline
A new survey found instructors are less concerned about students cheating in online courses than they were at the start of the pandemic. But experts say there is still plenty to worry about.
By Maria Carrasco
Faculty concerns over academic integrity in online courses have eased since 2020, when the transition to online learning first began, according to a new study from Wiley. The research and education company found that 77 percent of instructors surveyed last year believed students were more likely to cheat online than in person—a decline of 16 percent over Wiley’s spring 2020 survey, in which 93 percent of instructors responded that way. Jason Jordan, senior vice president of digital education, said the shift most likely stems from instructors’ adjustment to online learning.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
What’s the State of Free Expression on Campus?
Scholars and college leaders discuss speech, campus politics, and the crises of the present.
By Len Gutkin
How are attitudes toward free expression evolving on college campuses? How do college leaders respond to claims that their institutions have become unwelcoming places for certain views? How can colleges mitigate potential conflicts when they do arise? I talked with Michael S. Roth, the president of Wesleyan University; Eduardo Peñalver, the president of Seattle University; Amna Khalid, an associate professor of history at Carleton College; and Robert Sellers, the vice provost for equity and inclusion at the University of Michigan. The conversation, which was supported by the Knight Foundation, was a spirited and substantive attempt at coming to grips with what is, as Sellers put it, “the most stressful time that any of the panelists can recall — not only in our college campuses, but our society as well.”
The Chronicle of Higher Education
This Professor Was Suspended for Calling His Students ‘Vectors of Disease.’ Now He’s Suing.
By Abbi Ross
A Ferris State University professor is suing the institution after he was suspended for a now-viral video for a course in which he refers to his students as “vectors of disease.” The Michigan university placed Barry Mehler, a tenured history professor, on administrative leave this month and said it had started an investigation into the video, which the institution’s president, David L. Eisler, said had left him “shocked and appalled.” …In the 14-minute video, posted the day before spring-term classes began, Mehler goes through typical syllabus information — like grades and plagiarism — in an avant-garde fashion. He kicks off the video in a helmet, talking to the students as if he were someone from another planet and referencing the Covid-19 pandemic. As he introduces class expectations, Mehler refers to students as “vectors of disease” and recommends using Zoom to contact him. He then touches on his plagiarism policy during a profanity-laced segment based on a scene from the HBO show Deadwood. At one point he notes that students can complain to the dean if they want to, but he’s about to retire and couldn’t care less. The lawsuit argues that Mehler’s colorful teaching style is well known and that it, along with any critical remarks about the university’s Covid-19 protocols, is not grounds for suspension and is a violation of his First and 14th Amendment rights.