WFXL
USG Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs named
by Takyia Price
Today, May 11, University System of Georgia (USG) Chancellor Sonny Perdue announced the appointment of Dr. Ashwani Monga as the system’s chief academic officer and executive vice chancellor of academic affairs, effective July 1, 2022. … In his role as USG’s chief academic officer, Monga will oversee the academic enterprise of a university system with 26 public colleges and universities, including academic innovation and development with the institutions; student affairs and enrollment management; student success initiatives; faculty development; the Georgia Film Academy; academic collaborative programs; distance education; academic and public libraries; and the Georgia Archives, says the University System of Georgia.
Albany Herald
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College president presides over final commencement ceremonies
From staff reports
Two commencement ceremonies in Gressette Gymnasium on Thursday will cap off the 2021-22 academic year at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. For ABAC President David Bridges, it will mark his final graduation duties before he retires later this summer. “Graduation days are my favorite days at ABAC,” Bridges said. “All the graduates have a chance to go out and make their mark in the world. They all have college diplomas from ABAC. “We have said for years that students get more education for less money at ABAC, and our continued enrollment increases prove that students and their parents recognize that fact.”
Columbus CEO
Columbus State University’s Spring 2022 Graduates: by the Numbers
Staff Report
Eight graduation-related events from May 12 through 14 will celebrate the 941 Columbus State University students who comprise the university’s spring 2022 graduates. Five separate ceremonies on Friday, May 13 and Saturday, May 14 will mark the university’s 123 commencement exercises. During these ceremonies, Columbus State anticipates conferring 10 doctoral degrees, 23 education specialist degrees, 243 master’s degrees, 610 bachelor’s degrees, 18 associate degrees, four nexus degrees, and 33 certificates. …This spring’s ceremonies will also mark the last for President Chris Markwood and Provost and Executive Vice President Deborah Bordelon.
accessWDUN
University of North Georgia combats physics teacher shortage with new partnership
By Natalie Sadler Anchor/Reporter
Many high schools across the nation have difficulties hiring teachers who have a background in physics. However, the University of North Georgia has created a potential solution to this physics teacher shortage through a new department partnership. UNG’s physics and astronomy department joined forces with the college of education to give physics majors more teaching opportunities. April Nelms, associate dean of UNG’s college of education, said that professors created this program after witnessing an effective collaboration between local elementary school teachers seeking science endorsements.
AllOnGeorgia
GSU Graduate Student Discovering Savannah History ‘From the Ground Up’
A Georgia Southern graduate student is sharing the stories of community leaders from Savannah’s past. His self-guided tours bring visitors to their graves and shows how they helped build their communities.
Mark O’Dell will graduate with a public history master’s degree through the College of Arts and Humanities in the 2022 Spring Commencement ceremony. In his free time, you can find him scouring through the archives of the Georgia Historical Society. Other times, you can find him working in a cemetery. “A few years back, I took photos for the cemetery conservation department as a fun way to do volunteer work,” said O’Dell. “When it came time to decide what my thesis project was going to be, I wanted to see if I could incorporate some of the stories that I had been gathering.” That’s exactly what he did.
VPM NPR
Written by Debbie Mickle
Diversity is low in many STEM fields, particularly in the ecological and environmental sciences. But aquatic ecologist Daniel McGarvey, an Associate Professor in the Center for Environmental Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, is working hard to change that. He and a group of colleagues from the University of Georgia, University of California-Berkeley and Georgia Southern University are driving a major effort to increase diversity in freshwater science; together, they lead the Emerge program. Now their work will be featured in the 2022 STEM for All Video Showcase, funded by the National Science Foundation. Scheduled from May 10th – 17th, 2022, the STEM for All Video Showcase will feature over 250 innovative projects aimed at improving science, technology, math, engineering and computer science education, all of which have been funded by the National Science Foundation and other federal agencies.
Public Now
Twelve Georgia Urology Physicians Make Georgia Trend Magazine’s 2022 Top Doctors List
Georgia Urology is proud to announce that 12 of our physicians appear in the May issue of Georgia Trend magazine and rank among its exclusive list of Top Doctors for 2022. Georgia Urology would like to recognize the following doctors for outstanding patient care: Drs. Andrew J. Kirsch, Wolfgang Cerwinka, Michael Garcia-Roig, Edwin A. Smith, Warren Todd Oberle, Lambda Msezane, Carl Capelouto, Shaya Taghechian, Lewis S. Kriteman, Harry Rutland, Allen Futral, and Bert Chen. Georgia Trend’s third annual listing of the state’s top doctors was created in partnership with DataJoe Research. The process included peer voting and a review of government sources.
Rome News-Tribune
Hobbs named sole candidate for GHC president role
By Imani Beverly-Knox
The University System of Georgia’s board of regents named Mike Hobbs as the sole finalist for the vacant Georgia Highlands College president position, closing out the year long hunt to fill the seat. With a single announced candidate, the process appears to be a done deal and the board will take action to confirm the new hire within five days, a release stated After the committee whittled it down to three, Hobbs was the only finalist to continue in the hiring process.
Inside Higher Ed
26 Georgia College Presidents Receive $5K Pay Bump
By Josh Moody
Presidents at 26 public universities in Georgia, the entire state system, will receive a $5,000 raise after the state Board of Regents approved the move at a meeting Tuesday. The six presidents at the highest salary levels who are in line for a $5,000 pay bump are Brooks Keel at Augusta University, who currently makes $1.2 million; Ángel Cabrera at the Georgia Institute of Technology, who earns $980,000; M. Brian Blake at Georgia State University, who has a salary of $955,000; Jere Morehead at the University of Georgia, who makes $916,729; and Kyle Marrero at Georgia Southern University and Kathy Schwaig at Kennesaw State University, each of whom command an annual salary of $490,000, according to reporting in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
WGAU Radio
UGA dedicates new museum at Botanical Garden
“The new facilities and gardens are transformative”
By Kelly Simmons, UGA Today
With the snip of a red ribbon, a cheer and a lot of smiles, State Botanical Garden of Georgia donors, faculty and staff watched as UGA leaders officially dedicated the garden’s newest additions: the Porcelain and Decorative Arts Museum, Discovery and Inspiration Garden, and accessible main entrance. “The new facilities and gardens are transformative,” said Jenny Cruse-Sanders, garden director. “They increase accessibility, provide for an enhanced experience at the garden and will attract new audiences to the garden and UGA. Each also helps guide us in understanding the important role that nature plays in our lives.” The museum was a longtime dream of garden board member and donor Deen Day Sanders, who donated her 50-year collection of porcelain and art from around the world to the garden.
The Red & Black
MLC to introduce app feature to locate open study rooms, other changes for fall
Lauren Minnick
This fall, University of Georgia students can expect to see changes to the Zell B. Miller Learning Center. The changes include updated furniture, a system to help students find open study rooms, expansions to the writing center and technology rentals and study spaces more conducive to online learning and remote meetings. Many of the changes are reflections of emerging needs to keep up with evolving student demand, as well as some updates that have been a long time coming. Kathleen Kern, director of the MLC, said it’s important to provide a variety of study spaces to students.
Morning AgClips
Student works to revolutionize seaweed industry
Allison Fortner, a UGA doctoral student, is doing her part to help raise profile of marine species
When you hear the word agriculture, seaweed might not be the first thing that comes to mind. But Allison Fortner, a University of Georgia doctoral student pursuing a degree in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication, is doing her part to help raise the profile of this important marine species. Fortner recently completed an eight-week international internship both in Paris and on France’s Brittany Coast, where she worked as a science communicator with the Safe Seaweed Coalition, a global partnership established in 2021 to support a safe and sustainable seaweed industry. The internship fulfilled the requirements of Fortner’s International Agriculture Certificate in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
The Tifton Gazette
ABAC Fillies make quarterfinals at national tennis tournament
The word “quarterfinals” is going to be ringing in head coach Dale White’s head for some time. At the NJCAA national championships tournament results this week, five of his six singles players advanced to that level before being eliminated and all three of his three doubles teams.
Augusta CEO
Dr. Gene Rhodes Discusses UGA’s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory
Dr. Gene Rhodes is the Director of UGA’s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. He discusses the lab and its mission and impact on the community and around the world.
Medical Xpress
An algorithm that can speed up by years the ability to identify from among thousands of possibilities, two or more drugs that work synergistically against a problem like cancer or a viral infection has been developed by bioinformatics experts. The new algorithm enables investigators to use large existing databases with information about how one cancer drug changed the gene expression of a particular breast cancer cell line, and how well it killed the cell, then mathematically combine those results with the impact of another drug to see if they could work better together, says Dr. Richard McIndoe, director of the Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia.
Higher Education News:
Barron’s
College Still Matters, Now More Than Ever
COMMENTARY
By Stanley Litow
A three-word phrase has recently entered into America’s discourse: “college doesn’t matter.” This is anathema to many Americans who grew up in the mid to late 20th century, but it has increasingly gained attention. Why? First, there’s a crisis among employers who are struggling to find the right talent. Some see value in a short-term credential directly connected to an immediate need in the workplace that could be met with a short-term skill, like coding. Second, the cost of college has increased markedly. College debt is a very real problem being debated but not acted upon in Congress. Finally, we have seen the rise of an anti-learning culture fueled by those who pick apart the basic value of learning and knowledge. This was best exemplified by the anti-science cult that emerged during Covid, but it continues. Certainly, microcredentials can be valuable for some, though they’re hardly as important as a degree. College debt is a real problem as well. And knowledge and learning aren’t restricted only to those with degrees; they need to be valued as a critical part of our culture. But facts don’t lie. College does matter, in many ways now more than ever. It’s likely to matter even more in the future.
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Arrman Kyaw
Students from different fields of study – such as the humanities or STEM – do not perform any differently on tests of critical thinking, problem solving, and written communication skills, according to new research from non-profit The Council for Aid to Education, Inc. (CAE). The research indicates that these valuable skills can be measured without worry for the interaction a student’s field of study has on their results. The Council For Aid To Education, Inc (cae) The study, “Assessing Students’ Differential Performance of Critical Thinking and Written Communication Skills Across Fields of Study,” was authored by Dr. Doris Zahner, CAE chief academic officer; Olivia Cortellini, CAE senior reporting and data analyst; and Dr. Tess Dawber, CAE senior measurement scientist.
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
COVID-19 Pandemic Exacerbates Mental Health Issues for Black Students
Autumn A. Arnett
Nearly three in four students surveyed for the Fall 2021 American College Health Association National College Health Assessment reported experiencing moderate or severe psychological distress. Data from a Healthy Minds survey the same year found 34% of respondents of college students surveyed struggle with anxiety, and 41% with depression. The surveys indicate the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the social isolation it forced and the lack of access to on-campus providers during remote learning, exacerbated this reality for many of today’s college students. But for Black college students in particular, the outcomes are even more bleak.
Inside Higher Ed
Author explains his book on “how the complexity of college pricing hurts students and universities.”
By Scott Jaschik
Cover of A Problem of Fit: How the Complexity of College Pricing Hurts Students and Universities, by Phillip B. Levine, a blue book cover with a white price tag outline around the title.
In A Problem of Fit: How the Complexity of College Pricing Hurts Students and Universities (University of Chicago Press), Phillip B. Levine explores just how confusing the college pricing system is to a typical student or parent. For example, more expensive colleges (in sticker price) may be less expensive for a student to enroll at than less expensive colleges (in sticker price) because of the aid offered at the more expensive institutions. Levine, the Katharine Coman and A. Barton Hepburn Professor of Economics at Wellesley College, tackles the issues that confuse many people about tuition and financial aid.
Higher Ed Dive
OPINION
One year in, momentum builds from the Postsecondary Value Commission’s work
Three members of the commission take stock of what higher ed has accomplished — and what is still to come.
By Mamie Voight, Mildred García and José Luis Cruz Rivera
One year ago today, the Postsecondary Value Commission released a clear definition of equitable postsecondary value, an innovative and practical framework for measuring value, and an action agenda to guide federal and state policymakers, college leaders and families. This group of 30 higher education experts and national leaders, supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and managed by the Institute for Higher Education Policy, sought to define the value of postsecondary education in the United States. In the 365 days since, we have been deeply encouraged by the momentum toward ensuring our nation’s system of higher education recognizes that, per the commission’s definition, “students experience postsecondary value when provided equitable access and support to complete quality, affordable credentials that offer economic mobility and prepare them to advance racial and economic justice in our society.” In our roles leading the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, the Institute for Higher Education Policy and Northern Arizona University, we are energized by this demonstrable shift in the field, as evidenced in the use of data, ambitious institutional strategic plans and bold statewide goals.
U.S. News & World Report
Signs of Colleges on the Rise: What to Watch
Diverse achievements, equity and focus on student success are key factors, experts say.
By Sammy Allen
Students, faculty and communities want to be associated with colleges and universities that are thriving. Factors such as curricula, research activities, rankings, studies abroad, distinguished alumni lists, ethnic diversity programs, state-of-the-art facilities and return on investment can indicate an institution’s growth in academic status and influence, some experts say. Others say colleges and universities that embrace a generational cohort that includes diverse millennials and Generation Z students – postmillennials born between 1997 and 2012 – are part of a high-profile trend among colleges on the cutting edge. Experts in the higher education realm point to some distinct attributes of colleges that are rising, as opposed to schools that are holding steady or declining.
The Press-Enterprise
OPINION
If students don’t return soon, community colleges are facing a financial crisis
By Marc Joffe
Despite an offer of free tuition, Californians are shying away from community colleges. Although public investments in two-year public institutions have animated many political leaders at the state and federal levels, it may be time for California’s 73 community college districts to downsize and adapt to an environment where there’s reduced demand for their services.
EdSource
How a Florida public university helps more students to graduate sooner
Above: Statues of mascot bulls front University of South Florida’s student center.
Improvements include closing gaps for Latino and Black students
By Larry Gordon
University of South Florida can count Nicholas Bennett as one of its victories in its campaign to bolster the Tampa school’s graduation rates over the past decade. As the pandemic pushed classes online, Bennett fell into a downward spiral of poor grades. He stopped, started and stopped attending classes. But then, counselors and campus advisers helped get him back on his degree path. With special petitioning, he was able to turn some F grades into withdrawals, limiting damage to his grade average, and switched majors from mechanical engineering to accounting. Bennett returned to school this spring and still hopes to graduate by 2025, using some credits from summer school. During the worst of it, Bennett, 20, said he thought that “college might not be for me.” But the welcoming attitude from advisers and their proposal for another way toward graduation changed his mind. Without all that effort, he said. “I don’t think I would have gone back.” His story marks one of the many efforts across the Florida public university campus to help more students – especially the many low- and moderate-income ones — stay in school and graduate.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
Will a More Open Search Produce a Better President at Oregon State?
By Eric Kelderman
After being chosen in a closed search process, F. King Alexander didn’t last a whole year as president at Oregon State University. Now, the university’s Board of Trustees is taking a different approach to appoint his successor. Alexander resigned under pressure in March 2021 after an investigative report raised questions about whether he had dealt appropriately with sexual-misconduct allegations against the football coach as president of Louisiana State University. The Oregon State board named Alexander president in December 2019, after considering four finalists who were not named publicly. Finalists met only confidentially with a “stakeholder group” of 25 members that included a handful of faculty members and students. To find their next president, Oregon State’s board is making the search more open by announcing a group of finalists who will visit campus later in May for public forums. The new approach comes in response to concerns the board heard from the campus and community after the previous search, said Julie Manning, a member of the board and chair of an ad hoc committee created to advise the board on the search process.
Inside Higher Ed
A New Plan to Fix Old Buildings
Many public universities face a costly backlog of facilities maintenance and renewal projects. The University of Nebraska is trying a new approach to finance infrastructure repairs well into the future.
By Liam Knox
The University of Nebraska system has an $800 million problem. That’s the cost of its backlog of capital renewal projects on 900 buildings across the system’s four campuses, which include roof repairs, waterline maintenance and whole buildings in need of renovation or replacement. It’s a daunting sticker price for a public higher education system, especially in a cash-strapped state like Nebraska. But system officials have partnered with state legislators to come up with an innovative solution, hashing out a deal that would yield more funding and cover 40 years of maintenance costs. The system took advantage of record-low interest rates during the pandemic to make the first of two planned state bond purchases, each worth $400 million, and successfully sold the first tranche to finance long-delayed repairs and renovations. By 2030, Nebraska plans to purchase another $400 million in bonds for the same purpose. The goal is to use the bond sales to address as much of the capital renewal backlog as possible in the next decade, rather than going to the state every five or 10 years to fund urgent needs.