Higher Ed Dive
Georgia passes law banishing free speech zones
Jeremy Bauer-Wolf, Senior Reporter
UPDATE: May 4, 2022: Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, signed legislation Tuesday banning the state’s public colleges from creating free speech zones, areas on campus designated for protests and other forms of expression. “Freedom of expression is one of this great nation’s fundamental liberties,” Kemp said in a statement. “Here in Georgia, we will protect those rights and that which is appropriate for any place of higher learning — the ability to learn of different ideas.”
Dive Brief: April 5, 2022:
Georgia’s legislature on Monday passed a bill that would abolish free speech zones at the state’s public colleges, banning a system that critics say chills free expression. Free speech zones are places on campus designated for demonstrations and other forms of expression. At public colleges across the U.S., they are sometimes the sole areas of campus where officials permit protests. Georgia’s legislation specifies most outdoor spots on public campuses would be considered open areas for expression. Georgia’s public institutions could still create “narrowly tailored” rules governing when and how students can protest. Such rules, known as time, place and manner restrictions, are intended to avoid campus disruptions.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
Latitudes: Study Abroad’s Impact on College Completion
Karin Fischer
How study abroad may affect academic success
Students who study abroad are more likely to graduate on time — and students from underrepresented minority groups or on need-based aid benefit the most from studying overseas.
Students who studied abroad were six percentage points more likely to graduate in four years and four percentage points more likely to graduate in six years than their classmates, according to new research from the University System of Georgia. They also graduated with higher cumulative grade-point averages than their peers. As colleges push to improve completion rates, the findings suggest that education abroad is an academic experience that could have a positive impact on graduation goals. The study, which included more than 220,000 students at 35 colleges and was supported by the U.S. Department of Education, also counters a common criticism of study abroad, that it can disrupt students’ studies and delay their graduation. While students who studied overseas earned more credits than their classmates, they finished their degrees in slightly less time.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Clayton State partnering with Atlanta dropout prevention program
By Leon Stafford
Clayton State University has signed a memorandum of understanding with Communities In Schools of Atlanta, an affiliate of the nation’s largest dropout prevention program. The partnership will allow both to help southside learners overcome “the barriers that stand between them and an equitable path to education,” Clayton State said. That is especially important in communities of color where dropout rates are particularly troubling. “Our mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life,” Frank Brown, chief executive officer of Communities In Schools of Atlanta, said in a release. “A high school diploma is not enough. Ninety-nine percent of the students we serve are Black and brown kids from low-income situations. They live in communities that have been hit hardest by inflation.”
Albany Herald
Georgia Southwestern spring commencement set for May 13
From staff reports
Georgia Southwestern State University will hold its spring 2022 commencement ceremony May 13 at 3 p.m. in the Convocation Hall of the Student Success Center, also known as the Storm Dome. The ceremony will recognize approximately 300 spring graduates for their work and academic achievements. The commencement speaker will be Bárbara Rivera Holmes, who serves on the University System of Georgia Board of Regents.
Savannah CEO
Georgia Southern Receives $1.1M National Science Foundation Grant
Staff Report
Georgia Southern University’s College of Education (COE) and College of Science and Mathematics (COSM) have been awarded a five-year National Science Foundation (NSF) Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program grant with a total intended award amount of $1,199,206 to support dynamic preparation of secondary science and mathematics educators who will be teacher-leaders in high-needs schools. The grant will focus on developing prospective secondary teachers, grades 6-12, who can integrate authentic, problem-based learning experiences into their science and mathematics classrooms using regional STEM contexts.
WGAU Radio
UGA assesses appropriations from latest legislative session
“I am grateful to the Governor, General Assembly, Chancellor and Board of Regents”
By UGA Today
During the recent 2022 legislative session, state lawmakers voted to support the University of Georgia’s growing research enterprise by investing close to $49 million to complete the renovation of 186,000 square feet of laboratory space on a section of campus called Science Hill. The ongoing project is part of a comprehensive capital strategy aimed at modernizing Science Hill’s laboratories to create flexible, efficient research and instructional space that supports multiple disciplines. “Strengthening the university’s vital research infrastructure will help us attract and retain high-performing faculty, staff and students,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “I am grateful to the Governor, General Assembly, Chancellor and Board of Regents for their support of this and other institutional priorities.”
WJBF
Signing day celebrates students pursuing career in education
by: Deirnesa Jefferson
Caitlyn Guilfoyle is just one of several Richmond County students taking the next step toward a career in education. “My grandma tutored a couple of kindergarteners, and I went with her and that’s when I realized oh this is my thing. That’s when I started going into education and choosing that as my career,” Guilfoyle said. Signing Day is typically a celebration for athletes — but Tuesday it was a celebration for students planning a career in education. …Kristy Brown, the assistant dean for Augusta University College of Education said its critical to get more teachers into classrooms.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ludacris celebrates a new honor: Georgia State bachelor’s degree
By Eric Stirgus
Acclaimed Atlanta entertainer Chris “Ludacris” Bridges has won numerous awards for his rap music and acting. But he said few honors meant as much as the honorary bachelor’s degree he received Wednesday from Georgia State University. Bridges enrolled at Georgia State in 1996, but left two years later to pursue a music career when he was signed by Def Jam Records, the home of hip-hop legends like LL Cool J and Public Enemy. “I went to this school and I never finished my credits,” Bridges said in an interview after the ceremony. “For them to come back and give me this honorary degree, it means the world to me, just for the simple fact that I always knew I wanted to come back. I always wanted to finish. I’m not a person who starts things and doesn’t finish. For me, it’s a full circle moment.” Bridges, who received a music management degree Wednesday, has been involved academically with Georgia State in several ways in recent years. He’s been an artist-in-residence at the university since 2019, mentoring students and working with professors in its Creative Media Industries Institute.
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Southern Regional Education Board Launches HBCU-MSI Course-Sharing Consortium
Rebecca Kelliher
To help students across the degree finish line, the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) has announced an online course-sharing consortium for several public and private historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) as well as other minority-serving institutions (MSIs) in five Southern states. SREB is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization focused on improving education at all levels in its 16 member states throughout the South. …Inaugural participants include Benedict College in South Carolina; Albany State University in Georgia; Clinton College in South Carolina; Fort Valley State University in Georgia;
Valdosta Daily Times
Teaching financial independence
H. DeWayne Johnson, representing the BridgeBuilder Education Foundation, speaks to students in the Valdosta State University African American Male Initiative about achieving financial independence.
WJBF
Students discuss attending a two year technical college VS. four year university
by: Nikita Dennis
Around this time some students especially high schoolers are scrambling through college acceptance letters, deciding on what career opportunities best suits their future some even decide not to attend a college or university. “I considered it for about a month but I just really like school so I just decided to stay the full four “ said Jessica Steadman, Junior at Augusta University. The decision on whether to attend a two year tech school or four year university straight out of high school can become a student’s toughest choice. Students at Augusta university say their choice to attend a four year university was simple.
WTVM
Columbus State freezes school tuition for third consecutive year
By Jatavia O’Neal
Columbus State University is freezing its tuition for the third year in a row. The move comes as they’re also waiving SAT and ACT testing requirements for incoming first-year students. Beginning this Fall, CSU students will see lower bills. The decision came during a recent board meeting. The University System of Georgia Board of Regents voted to eliminate special fees during the discussion. This decision could save many undergrads over $500 a year. With tuition costs also frozen, officials say off-campus students seeking bachelor’s degrees will pay over $3,000.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jo Atchison, 95, loyally supported Georgia Tech since 1930s
By Ken Sugiura
Even at the age of 94, Jo Atchison held season tickets for Georgia Tech football games last season and attended all but one game. She bought season tickets for men’s basketball, also, but her family talked her out of going to games at McCamish Pavilion because of the heightened health risk. “She’d already bought season tickets (for football) for next season,” Atchison’s son Lee Atchison said. Atchison, whose allegiance to the Jackets crossed 10 decades, was faithful to the end to the white and gold. The longtime schoolteacher from Decatur died April 24 at the age of 95.
GPB
Georgia dairy farmers can sell unpasteurized milk starting next year
By: Alex Guevara
Georgia dairy farmers can sell raw, or unpasteurized, milk for human consumption starting in 2023, providing what some farmers say is a much-needed boost for the state’s family farms. The General Assembly approved the Georgia Raw Dairy Act earlier this month, despite testimony about the health risks of drinking raw milk. The bill will go into effect on July 1, 2023, making Georgia the 31st state to allow raw milk sales. The market for raw milk has grown in recent years due to interest from consumers who say it tastes better, is more nutritious and has health benefits… “Risks are particularly high among infants, children, pregnant women, and other immunocompromised individuals who are hospitalized at higher rates when they become sick after being exposed to pathogens like salmonella, listeria, and E. coli,” said Nick Place, dean and director of the University of Georgia College of Agriculture and Science. “The risk of these outbreaks is demonstrated not only by the numerous scientific studies, but also by the existence of these outbreaks within the national population.”
Food Management
Plant-forward pop-up Vegebond takes over, greens up Aladdin Campus Dining
Tara Fitzpatrick
This veggie-tastic takeover is pitching cool new plant-based ideas to college campus kitchens so the community can eat more greens. Vegebond is Aladdin Campus Dining’s traveling road show of cool, plant-based takeover events that have real menu staying power. The pop-ups are basically trend-forward tours of the latest in plant-forward eats, featuring items like kung pow carrot bowls, spicy miso salmon fried grain bowls, plant-based chorizo nachos, walking tacos and more. Celebrity partner Terrence J, known for his work with Historically Black Colleges and Universities is lending his star power to the project. The recipes and menus of Vegebond are approachable in every college dining setting, including smaller operations, says Aladdin Corporate Wellness Dietitian Kayleigh Jackson, RD, LDN. …Unlike strict, scorched-earth vegan menus of the past, Vegebond recipes and menus can “draw and audience full of a variety of different eaters…these recipes really resonate with our students.” Click through to see how the Vegebond takeovers have wowed at Southern Oregon University, Georgia Gwinnett College, Savannah State University, and Roosevelt University in Chicago.
University Business
What 3 elements are driving the attacks on tenure, free speech in higher education?
The severity of sanctions is increasing, so what does that mean for the best and brightest faculty?
By: Chris Burt
At least 19 states have legislative restrictions on teaching, learning and reading in K-12 schools and institutions of higher education. The banning of books is just one example of gag orders that affect more than 120 million Americans. In recent months, conservative politicians and governors have increasingly targeted state universities, exerting control over the hiring of administrators and what faculty can teach to students, including critical race theory. In the ultimate show of power, they are trying, and even succeeding, to eliminate tenure. …Similar policies have taken root in many southern states, including Georgia, where the Board of Regents for the university system all but eliminated due process for tenured faculty who come under investigation; and in Florida, where Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed a bill that, among other things, puts tenured professors in the crosshairs of potential “standards of accountability.” A release from the Department of Education states, “Previously, tenured faculty had to be retained despite repeated instances of political motivations, ineffective teaching practices and overall bad behavior in the classroom.” Not anymore.
Gwinnett Daily Post
Georgia Gwinnett College tennis programs earn No. 1 seeds for NAIA National Championships
From Staff Reports
The Georgia Gwinnett College men’s and women’s tennis teams earned the No. 1 seeds for the upcoming 2022 NAIA National Championships from May 17-21 at the Mobile Tennis Center in Mobile, Ala. The tournament seedings and bracket were announced Wednesday, May 4, by the NAIA office. The GGC women (13-0) are scheduled to open the national tournament on Wednesday, May 18, at 2 p.m. against the winner of Tuesday’s opening-round match between No. 16 seed Ave Maria University (Fla.) and No. 17 seed University of Saint Katherine (Calif.). …The seven-time defending NAIA national champion Georgia Gwinnett College men’s tennis team is scheduled to open the tournament on Wednesday, May 18, at 10 a.m. against the winner of Tuesday’s opening-round match between No. 16 seed Cumberland University (Tenn.) and No. 17 seed Ave Maria University (Fla.).
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta Public Schools to pay $320,000 for Georgia Tech graduation venue
By Vanessa McCray
The site will be used for 11 commencement rehearsals and ceremonies
The Atlanta school board this week signed off on an estimated $320,015 contract to host this month’s graduation ceremonies at Georgia Tech. Atlanta Public Schools already had announced that commencement exercises for the class of 2022 would take place at the university. The ceremonies will take place later this month at the McCamish Pavilion. APS moved its graduation ceremonies to the basketball arena in 2019, after using the Georgia World Congress Center for several years. The Georgia Tech venue will host 11 commencement rehearsals and ceremonies from May 22-27. The district’s contract is with the Georgia Tech Athletic Association.
Gwinnett Daily Post
Gwinnett Tech’s Jeff White named state’s top technical college instructor
From staff reports
The Technical College System of Georgia recently named Gwinnett Technical College physics instructor Jeff White the winner of the Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction at the State Leadership Conference. …In its 31st year, the Rick Perkins Award highlights excellence in technical instruction and recognizes the most outstanding instructors at the 22 TCSG colleges. As the award winner, White will make public appearances as a representative for technical education next year, including meeting with the governor and addressing the Georgia General Assembly. …White holds a master’s of science in physics from Georgia State University and a bachelor’s of science in science education from the University of Georgia. He also earned his specialist degree from the University of Georgia in school leadership. As the 2022 Rick Perkins award winner, White received a crystal award and a check for $2,500.
The Red & Black
ANALYSIS: UGA COVID-19 cases remain same, county and state cases increase
Simran Kaur Malhotra
Major updates
COVID-19 cases have remained consistent at the University of Georgia, according to the university’s reporting system. UGA reported 41 new cases during the week of April 25-May 4 compared to the 40 cases from April 18-24. The surveillance testing positivity rate slightly decreased during the week of April 25-29 to 4.196% compared to 4.386% during the week of April 18-22. The university conducted 143 surveillance tests during the week of April 25-29 compared to the 114 tests during the week of April 18-22.
13WMAZ
GBI investigating shooting on Fort Valley State University campus
Sheriff Terry Deese with the Peach County Sheriff’s Office says it is unclear if the shooting was self-inflicted or someone shot the person.
FORT VALLEY, Ga. — UPDATE, 10:45 p.m.:
The lockdown has been lifted.
UPDATE, 9:05 p.m.:
The Fort Valley State University is on lockdown as the investigation to the shooting continues, according to campus police. The length of the lockdown is undetermined at this time.
———-
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Peach deputies are investigating after a shooting on Fort Valley State University’s campus Wednesday evening. According to Sheriff Terry Deese with the Peach County Sheriff’s Office, it happened around 7 p.m. He says it is unclear if the shooting was self-inflicted or someone shot the person.
Higher Education News:
Inside Higher Ed
Monitoring Free Speech on Oklahoma’s Campuses
A new law will task state regents with overseeing free speech polices and censorship complaints at Oklahoma’s public universities. Opponents say it’s unneeded and unfairly maligns state institutions.
By Josh Moody
A new committee in Oklahoma devoted to free speech will soon oversee the state of campus discourse at public institutions of higher education. Signed into law last month, a new statute will establish a committee within the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to monitor the state of free speech on college campuses, respond to complaints and provide recommendations. The law will go into effect Nov. 1. Proponents of the law say it will safeguard speech on campus. But detractors say the committee is another foray into the broader culture wars that have seeped into education, arguing that it unfairly implies wrongdoing by colleges and serves as a distraction from real issues.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
Why Talk of Student-Debt Cancellation Is Creating Headaches for Colleges
By Adrienne Lu
After years stuck in limbo, the idea of widespread federal-student-loan cancellation has suddenly picked up momentum over the past week. But with the details yet to be determined, colleges are struggling to explain to current students what debt forgiveness could mean. Meanwhile, some advocates remain concerned that the national discussion has not included ways to solve student debt on a more structural level for future students and borrowers. “Forgiveness by presidential fiat is not sustainable or good public policy,” said Justin Draeger, president and chief executive of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, whose members have been dealing with a deluge of questions from students and their families about whether they might be eligible for student-loan forgiveness. …For now, however, campus staff members are having to muddle through uncertainty. Draeger said financial-aid counselors, who work to help students stay in good standing on loans and provide them with information about tools to deal with debt, are torn between explaining current programs, evolving changes, and everything they’re reading in the news. He said the national conversation about possible debt relief also plays into how colleges are thinking about their own loan policies — which was a challenge even before debt cancellation was on the table.
Higher Ed Dive
Coursera launches skills training academy for colleges and companies
Experts say the move could help the company strengthen its focus on selling courses to colleges rather than consumers.
Natalie Schwartz, Editor
Coursera, like other popular MOOC platforms, has made its name by bringing online classes to the masses. But lately, the company has been expanding efforts to provide these offerings to colleges and employers rather than solely to consumers. The company doubled down on that strategy Wednesday, when it announced the launch of a career training academy that enables users to earn entry-level certificates from companies like Meta and IBM in fields such as data analytics, social media marketing and user experience design. Institutions — including colleges, businesses and government organizations — can sign up to make the platform available to their students or employees.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
‘Uncharted Territory’: What the Overturn of Roe v. Wade Could Mean for Colleges
By Nell Gluckman
The news had been anticipated, but it was still jarring. The U.S. Supreme Court will vote to overturn Roe v. Wade, the almost half-century-old legal precedent that established access to abortion as protected by the Constitution, according to a draft opinion that was leaked to Politico and published on Monday night. The justices are slated to issue their final ruling on the relevant case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, this summer. If it strikes down Roe and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the 1992 case that largely reaffirmed it, more than a dozen states would quickly criminalize abortion and a dozen others would follow. Many institutions in those states, including colleges, would be left scrambling to adapt. As instructors already report striking levels of disenchantment among students — some of it due to life events getting in the way of education — abortion restrictions could, in some cases, add more complications to tumultuous private lives. Medical schools could be left puzzled about what they’re allowed to teach. And, in the years to come, colleges may find themselves struggling to attract top talent as professors balk at moving to states with aggressive abortion laws on the books.