WTXL
VSU program helps rural counties grow
New institute inspires economic development
By: Channing Frampton
An inaugural institute at Valdosta State University is inspiring ideas for future economic development. Organizers said it’s a win for VSU’s students, faculty and the school’s mission to serve South Georgia. Like the train tracks connecting communities across South Georgia, the inaugural rural development institute at Valdosta State University is connecting communities with new resources for economic development.
Marietta Daily Journal
Local part of strong UNG cyber team performances
Staff reports
University of North Georgia cybersecurity students made strong showings in a pair of high-level events during the spring 2022 semester. They were fifth out of 25 teams in the national Hack the Port cyber-physical systems hacking competition. UNG also finished in second place in the Southeast Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition hosted by Kennesaw State University. U.S. Cyber Command, in partnership with DreamPort, hosted Hack the Port, which, in addition to the competition, featured speeches, lectures and panel discussions from government and industry leaders.
Athens CEO
Terry College MBA Program Earns High Ranking
The Full-Time MBA program at the University of Georgia Terry College of Business is ranked one of the nation’s 12 best public MBA programs by The Economist in its new survey of the 100 best graduate business programs worldwide, called “Which MBA?”
Columbus CEO
Meet Columbus State’s Interim President
Staff Report
Although the retirement date for Chris Markwood to end his seven years as president of Columbus State University is June 30, University System of Georgia vice chancellor for organizational effectiveness John Fuchko started working full-time on campus June 1 as CSU’s leadership transitions to Fuchko officially becoming interim president July 1.
WTOC
Hometown Hero: Georgia Southern’s students learn more about sign language
By Tim Guidera
On Georgia Southern’s Armstrong campus, students are working quietly to help alleviate the silence of others. …Southern has offered American Sign Language classes for about 10 years. But they are becoming increasingly popular with a new focus on inclusion leading to a greater interest in all cultures.
Statesboro Herald
Summer program helps bridge a learning gap
Annual camp at Georgia Southern brings 60 children of migrant workers for education and fun
By Scott Bryant/staff
Each summer, the Georgia Migrant Education Summer Program brings about 60 children to the campus of Georgia Southern University for a two weeks of camps of varied educational, artistic and athletic activities. The program is an extension of the federally funded Migrant Education Program coordinated by the Georgia Department of Education to help support the children of migrant workers with supplemental academic and social services. Georgia Southern hosts two week-long camps, each for 30 children, annually in June — one for middle schoolers and one for high schoolers. Campers receive rigorous academic instruction, primarily in English and math, in the mornings to help ease the learning gap often created by frequent moves.
Marietta Daily Journal
Student applications for ABAC Ambassadors now open
Students can now compete for a spot in one of the most prestigious organizations on the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College campus, the ABAC Ambassadors. Ambassadors’ advisor Sunny Ross Sparrow said the application process is vigorous, and only the best-qualified and -motivated students are selected to represent ABAC. “The students selected exemplify superior leadership qualities and interpersonal skills that cultivate positivity between ABAC’s students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the community,” Sparrow said. The Ambassadors represent ABAC by conducting campus tours, being the face of ABAC for new students, and assisting in events such as Stallion Day, homecoming, Honors Day, commencement, and An Evening for ABAC.
Georgia Trend
Political Notes: The Ups, Downs, and In-betweens
By Susan Percy
University System Changes: Presidents of all 26 University System of Georgia (USG) colleges and universities will receive a $5,000 raise, effective this month. In other USG news, Ashwani Monga is the new chief academic officer and executive vice-chancellor for academic affairs for the system; he was formerly provost at Rutgers University – Newark in New Jersey. Mike Hobbs assumes the president’s role this month at Georgia Highlands College. He comes from Jefferson State Community College in Birmingham, where he was vice-president for student affairs and athletic director. He replaces Dana Nichols, who served as interim president.
Savannah CEO
Jared Benko Discusses the Athletic Program at Georgia Southern University
Jared Benko is the Athletics Director at Georgia Southern University. He talks about the challenges of other universities and how Georgia Southern is actually on the rise.
WTOC
Statesboro firefighters receive rare opportunity to train on multi-level buildings
By Dal Cannady
As buildings get taller and taller in Statesboro, fire crews need the skills to be able to work on those two and three-story levels just like a single story home. High in the air, Statesboro firefighters practice the cuts they would use to open up a roof to deal with smoke and flames. Statesboro Fire and Georgia Southern teamed up to give crews the chance to tear through actual roofs, walls and windows. “I would say this is one of the most valuable training opportunities we could have. This is “real world”, just like if we came to an actual call and have to use these techniques,” Asst. Chief Jason Baker, Statesboro Fire Dept. said. They’re training inside University Villas. Southern closed the complex and will tear down the 148 apartments. But before the demo.
New America
Cybersecurity Clinics Create Online Defense for the Public Good
By Chuck Kapelke
Cybersecurity is emerging as an important technical field within public interest technology because it fulfills a core need faced by all vulnerable communities: a secure, stable digital infrastructure. To begin to address this need, a growing number of “cybersecurity clinics” are operating on college campuses across the country. At the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), a team of students helped secure the networks of a non-profit that supports migrants arriving in Greece from the Middle East and Africa. Over on the East Coast, students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) prepared confidential digital vulnerability assessments for three New England cities and a hospital. And students at the University of Georgia provided a cyber-risk assessment for a local county government and school system. Based on the model of clinics at schools of law and medicine, these cybersecurity clinics are hands-on, practicum-style courses that train university students to provide digital security assistance to organizations with limited resources, such as non-profit organizations, local governments, and small businesses.
Statesboro Herald
Georgia Southern Museum invites public for Shark Week
Actual operating hours during the week 2-5 p.m. Sunday; 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. Tues.-Fri.
The Georgia Southern University Museum will celebrate July 10-16 as Shark Week, publicly showcasing the museum’s considerable collection of fossil shark teeth and related material, offering fun activities such as a shark scavenger hunt and even aiming to counteract misconceptions for viewers of certain televised Shark Week programming. …The GS Museum has three exhibition halls: the Hall of Natural History, which highlights the natural history of Georgia’s Coastal Plain and regularly exhibits fossils, such as fossil shark’s teeth, including those of the giant, long extinct megalodon; the Hall of Cultural History, featuring artifacts and information on the prehistoric and historic peoples of the region; and the Temporary Gallery.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Tech star Demaryius Thomas suffered from CTE at time of death
By Ken Sugiura
Georgia Tech football star Demaryius Thomas, who died in December at the age of 33 of an apparent seizure, was found to have been suffering from the degenerative brain disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. The announcement was made Tuesday by the Boston University CTE Center, which had received Thomas’ brain from his family. Thomas was diagnosed with CTE stage 2. According to the release, symptoms of a stage-2 diagnosis include impulsivity, depression, executive dysfunction and memory loss. The release also said that Thomas had suffered from daily headaches, chronic pain and vision issues in his 20s, and in his 30s had experienced anxiety, depression, apathy and worsening memory loss.
Columbus CEO
Columbus State’s Bridget Markwood Bestowed Local Mary Reed Annual Rotary Service Award
Staff Report
When someone at Columbus State University mentions a Markwood who is making the news, most would assume its President Chris Markwood. However, it was his wife, Bridget, who made news last week in local Rotary International circles as the recipient of the Rotary Club of Columbus’ annual Mary Reed Award. The Mary Reed Award is bestowed on a Rotarian whose dedicated, personal effort over a sustained period enhances the quality of life in the Columbus area and/or the quality of Rotary International programs, as well as exemplifies Rotary’s “service above self” motto. Central to Markwood’s 18 years of Rotary membership and 23 years of Rotary engagement—which has spanned several clubs throughout the United States—has been her involvement in the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, or RYLA. This intensive leadership program organized by Rotary clubs and districts typically spans a three- to five-day period and provides high schoolers and college-aged youth ways to develop their leadership skills while having fun and making connections.
Albany Herald
Refugees at higher risk for persistent infections, according to UGA-led study
By Jennifer L Reynolds
The destruction caused by war is evident both in its toll on human life and its impact on infrastructure. Those who are lucky enough to escape violence face many challenges, from finding a safe place to live to securing employment, but another threat could further jeopardize their ability to survive — an increased risk of illness. University of Georgia Assistant Professor Issmat Kassem recently led an authoritative study that examined how refugee populations are affected by infectious diseases. Collaborating with colleagues Marwan Osman and Kevin J. Cummings from Cornell University and Khaled El Omari from the North Lebanon Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, the study included COVID-19, antimicrobial-resistant pathogens, and the impact that susceptibility has on refugee health and the health of the global community at large.
The Poultry Site
Poor IBV vaccine performance in broiler study underlines need for surveillance
An interview with Brian Jordon, associate professor at University of Georgia.
Lower-than-expected infectious bronchitis vaccine performance in a whole-complex study of broiler breeders highlights the need to carry out well-timed surveillance of vaccination programs, according to Brian Jordan, associate professor at University of Georgia. With the DMV 1639 variant of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) posing a considerable threat to the broiler industry, Jordan’s team surveyed birds across all ages, 15 from 32 flocks, at a broiler breeder complex in Northeast Georgia. The aim of the work was to observe DMV 1639 in flocks and seeing how current vaccine programs were performing, with all birds in the complex having received the same mix of live and killed vaccines. Tracheas were removed for PCR testing, while blood samples were also taken for serology using ELISA.
The News Courier
Georgia report offers district solutions to teacher burnout, retention
Asia Ashley
Top education officials in Georgia are looking reduce the number of teachers leaving the workforce due to teacher burnout, which educators say has increased during the pandemic. Approximately 31 percent of educators say they are unlikely or highly unlikely to remain in education for another five years, according to a 2022 PAGE Legislative Survey conducted by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, comprised of more than 4,500 members. “I have seen it personally as a classroom teacher and in my role as Georgia Teacher of the Year: Every year, Georgia is losing talented teachers to burnout,” stated Cherie Bonder Goldman, 2022 Georgia Teacher of the Year. “This is to the detriment of Georgia’s students, whose success depends on having excellent, experienced teachers in the classroom.” At the request of Georgia Department of Education, University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute facilitated a “Task Force on Teacher Burnout” this year comprised of teachers across Georgia to address factors contributing to teacher burnout and solutions. The report indicates that while testing requirements have been reduced at the state level, the number of district-level tests has increased.
Healthline
Why Childhood Obesity Rates Are Rising and What We Can Do
Researchers say the rate of childhood obesity in the United States continues to increase. They note that the COVID-19 pandemic led to a rise in stress-related eating as well as a decrease in physical activity. Experts say parents, doctors, and educators can all play a role in helping children eat a healthier diet and exercise more often. Childhood obesity is on the rise, according to a study published today in the journal Pediatrics that looked at obesity in children ages 6 through 11. The researchers looked at the obesity rates of children in kindergarten through fifth grade in the United States using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Studies and compared those with children 20 years prior. …
A continuing issue
Since 2010, childhood obesity rates have continued to rise. In 2017-2019, the obesity rate for children ages 2 to 19 was 19 percent. During the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers at the University of Georgia reported that pediatric obesity rates hit a new high. They found that children with a higher BMI were more likely to show signs of visceral fat and artery stiffness, both risk factors for cardiovascular disease. There was also a higher rate of children diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Film to focus on Georgia Tech, fight against segregation at 1956 Sugar Bowl
By Erika LeFlouria
A pivotal moment in college football history is coming to the big screen with Georgia Tech and the University of Pittsburgh at the forefront. The film will focus on the impact Pitt football player Bobby Grier and Georgia Tech President Blake Van Leer made on the 1956 Sugar Bowl that shined a light on segregation in the Deep South. In November 1955, the Sugar Bowl committee invited No. 7 Tech to take on No. 11 Pittsburgh on Jan. 2, 1956. However, the spotlight shifted from football to segregation when Georgia Gov. Marvin Griffin demanded that Tech forfeit the game if Grier, Pitt’s Black fullback, were allowed to play against their all-white team. “The South stands at Armageddon,” Griffin said in a telegram to the Georgia Board of Regents. “The battle is joined. We cannot make the slightest concession to the enemy in this dark and lamentable hour of struggle. There is no more difference in compromising integrity of race on the playing field than in doing so in the classrooms. One break in the dike, and the relentless enemy will rush in and destroy us.” In response to the governor’s demands, Van Leer threatened to resign if the governor dared to block Tech’s participation. …Students and players from the Tech community erupted in dismay at the governor’s stance. Ultimately, the Board of Regents voted 10-1 that the Yellow Jackets could compete in New Orleans in what would be the first integrated bowl game in the Deep South.
Other News:
WJBF
Local COVID increase means mask up, get booster, health official says
by: Renetta DuBose
Health experts say this is the time to take infection precaution and get boosted after a local increase in coronavirus cases. “Richmond County’s community COVID-19 level, as classified by the CDC, is now at medium, which means we are seeing an increase in the number of cases as well as hospitalizations,” Dr. Phillip Coule, VP & Chief Medical Officer for Augusta University Health System told NewsChannel 6. He said this is happening as people head indoors to beat the heat. A New York Times chart of new cases in Georgia shows a significant drop from January through April of this year. And then those same cases begin to trend upward, spiking by July. It’s a similar story in South Carolina with cases high at the start of the year, going down in February and then by May, surging to present day.
WRDW
What does the spike in COVID cases mean for the CSRA?
By Hallie Turner
If you’ve noticed more of your friends are getting COVID, the numbers may back that up. The Department of Health says COVID deaths in Georgia are up 55 percent. In total numbers, it’s nothing like what we saw early in the pandemic. Augusta University tells us that 19 people are hospitalized with COVID, and four are in the ICU. We spoke with the hospital to get a snapshot of what these numbers mean. Doctors say the severity of this spike is not as bad as before. Dr. Phillip Coule with AU Health has been tracking COVID since the start.
Higher Education News:
Inside Higher Ed
Higher Ed Funding Package Advanced by House Committee
Large increases to the Pell Grant proposed by President Biden did not pan out in the House. A more modest increase was proposed instead.
By Meghan Brink
The House Appropriations Committee approved a funding plan on June 30 that would increase funding for the Education Department by 13 percent for fiscal year 2023. The bill, approved by the committee in a vote of 32 to 24 along party lines, would allocate over $3.9 billion for higher education, a $968 million increase from fiscal year 2022, and $24.6 billion for federal student aid programs, a $59 million increase. Funding for Pell Grants is the most significant difference between the House committee’s budget plan and the executive budget proposal released by President Biden in March. The House budget plan would expand the maximum annual Pell Grant award by $500, to a total of $7,395. This falls short of Biden’s proposal to expand the maximum Pell Grant award by $2,175, which would have brought the total annual award to $8,670.
Inside Higher Ed
Judge: University Can’t Silence Students’ Religious Views
By Susan H. Greenberg
A district court judge has issued a preliminary injunction against the University of Idaho, which filed a no-contact order against three Christian law students whose expressed views on marriage as between one man and one woman left an LGBTQ+ student feeling threatened, according to the ruling. In April, the four students all attended a “moment of community” rally at the law school on the University of Idaho campus in Moscow, Idaho, after someone on the Boise campus anonymously posted an anti-LGBTQ+ slur on a classroom whiteboard. The three plaintiffs, members of the Christian Legal Society, “gathered in prayer—with members of their society and others—in a showing of support for the LGBTQ+ community,” the decision reads. One student, described only as Jane Doe, engaged the plaintiffs in a discussion about their traditional view of marriage, taking issue with the claim that it was dictated in the Bible. But they parted ways without incident. …A few days later, at a meeting concerning the law school’s accreditation, students including Jane Doe raised concerns about the CLS’s “bigoted and anti-LGBTQ+” views, according to the ruling. One of the plaintiffs defended CLS, arguing “the biggest instance of discrimination he had seen on campus was actually against CLS and the administration’s failure to timely recognize and register it as a group.” Jane Doe subsequently filed a report with the university’s Office of Civil Rights and Investigation, stating that the plaintiffs’ actions made her feel “targeted and unsafe.” The OCRI then issued a no-contact order, prohibiting the plaintiffs from any contact with Jane Doe. When efforts to resolve the conflict with the university failed, the plaintiffs filed suit, arguing that the no-contact order violated their First Amendment rights, among other things. U.S. District Court judge David Nye ruled with the plaintiffs, finding that the university overstepped in issuing the no-contact order.
Inside Higher Ed
The Long Road to Reinstatement
A former lecturer in business at the University of Connecticut wins his lawsuit against the university—11 years after he initially filed. What does this mean for whistle-blowers in academe?
By Colleen Flaherty
A professor who first sued the University of Connecticut in 2011 following his non-reappointment has finally prevailed in court: a state judge ordered that the university reinstate Luke Weinstein and award him benefits and approximately $736,000 in damages and back pay. The more than decade-old legal case involves claims by Weinstein, a former non-tenure-track instructor of business at UConn, that the university ignored numerous ethics concerns he raised—including those about his onetime dean—and then failed to protect him from retaliation. Weinstein initially pursued First Amendment–related claims against UConn, but federal and state courts sided with the university, citing limitations to free speech protections for public employees. His related whistle-blower retaliation claim ultimately satisfied Judge Susan Peck of Connecticut Superior Court following a bench trial this spring.
Inside Higher Ed
A ‘Strong’ Investment in California Higher Ed
California governor Gavin Newsom signed a massive 2023 budget that promises billions of new dollars to higher ed institutions and programs.
By Sara Weissman
Higher education leaders and advocates are celebrating the $308 billion California budget signed by Governor Gavin Newsom last Thursday for including $41.6 billion for higher education institutions for the 2022–23 academic year. However, some higher ed leaders were disappointed that long-awaited reforms to the state financial aid program were included in the budget but not funded. General funding for the University of California and California State University systems increased 5 percent. The California Community Colleges are set to receive an increase of $600 million in ongoing base funding. The budget also invests in adding thousands of class seats for California residents to UC and CSU campuses, which have long lacked capacity to serve high demand among eligible local students.
Inside Higher Ed
180 Organizations Press Biden to Extend Student Loan Payment Pause
Meghan Brink
A group of 180 national and state organizations urged President Biden to extend the student loan payment pause, which is set to expire in just under two months on Aug. 31, in a letter sent June 30. The payment pause, which was first enacted in March 2020 and has since been extended multiple times, has kept millions of federal student loan borrowers from making payments on their loans during the pandemic. Biden has stated that he plans on canceling at least some student debt, however, he has yet to unveil a final proposal. Biden is expected to cancel at least $10,000 in student debt per borrower, capped at individuals making under $150,000, by late summer. The administration has not yet hinted at whether there will be another extension to the payment pause, but many organizations in favor of debt forgiveness argue that forgiveness must come before repayment begins in August if the pause is not extended.