University System News:
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia’s university system awards record number of degrees
By Eric Stirgus
The number of degrees awarded by University System of Georgia schools in a recent 12-month stretch increased to an all-time high, officials announced this week. The system conferred 74,446 awards, certificates and degrees between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022, a 2.1% increase from the prior 12-month period, University System officials said. University System officials have implemented several initiatives in recent years to increase degree completion, including the Momentum Year program, which focuses on the first-year college experience. Several schools are using predictive analytics to more quickly alert advisers to when students need academic help.
See also: Northwest Georgia News; Jackson Herald; Douglas County Sentinel; MDJ Online; Statesboro Herald
JAMES Online
The Georgia Lottery Hits An Historic Milestone
By Cindy Morley
The Georgia Lottery Corp. hit the $25 billion mark in funds raised for education. … The University System of Georgia, which oversees 26 institutions…also greatly benefit from Georgia’s Lottery funding. “The funding provided by the Georgia Lottery for programs like the HOPE and Zell Miller scholarships has helped millions of students stay right here in Georgia for college,” says University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue. “Our graduates in turn have helped the state make its case to recruit companies that need highly skilled workers to fill good-paying jobs, a win not only for Georgia’s economic development but for the prosperity of all Georgians.”
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Hurricane Ian prompts Georgia universities to switch to online classes
By Eric Stirgus
Some South Georgia universities are moving to online instruction as Hurricane Ian winds through Florida, and possibly to the Georgia coastline. Georgia Southern University is closing its campuses starting at 1 p.m. Thursday, officials said. All in-person activities are canceled until officials can ensure campuses are safe, they said. “Until that ‘all-clear’ is issued, only essential personnel should be on campus after 1 p.m. on Thursday,” the university said in a statement. “Employees should check with their supervisor if they are unsure about their status as an essential employee. Faculty who are toggling over to online learning should do so from their homes. If they are hosting an in-person class close to 1 p.m. Thursday and wish to transition to online instruction, that is an authorized option.”
See also: WTOC; Savannah Business Journal; Tifton Gazette
Gwinnett Daily Post
Georgia Gwinnett College offers new bachelor’s degree in management information systems
By Collin Elder
When Bailey Rungruang, 22, started his college career, he dove headfirst into the computer science world. After spending some time learning exactly what a programming career entails, he realized that he didn’t like the “heads-down” approach to coding, where he focused only on his projects. He wanted something that allowed him to combine his love of coding with his desire to work with others. Enter Georgia Gwinnett College and its new management information system (MIS) degree, a way for students like Rungruang to experience the best of both the technology world and the fast-paced, person-to-person interactions of the business space.
WGAU
Mexican Consulate funds scholarships at UNG
By Tim Bryant
Seven students at the University of North Georgia will get scholarships through a partnership with UNG and the Consulate General of Mexico in Atlanta. It’s the second straight year for the scholarship program. For the second year in a row, the University of North Georgia and the Consulate General of Mexico in Atlanta have teamed up to offer scholarships to seven students. Recipients gain professional development in service, leadership and research skills. The $7,000 grant is funded through the Institute of Mexicans Abroad via the IME-BECAS Program; becas is the Spanish word for scholarships. UNG added another $7,000 in matching funds.
Times Georgian
Former Senator Kelly Loeffler visits UWG
By Kennae Hunter
The University of West Georgia hosted Kelly Loeffler Wednesday afternoon in the Ingram Library to allow her to discuss her journey to Washington and non-profit organization with students and faculty who were in attendance. Loeffler spoke about how she was the first in her family to attend college.
Griffin Daily News
UGA’s Archway Partnership wins regional award for outreach
By Kelly Simmons
The University of Georgia is the regional winner of the 2022 W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Engagement Scholarship Award for its Archway Partnership outreach program. The outreach program takes UGA faculty and students into Georgia communities to help address locally identified challenges.
WTOC
Georgia Southern University holds career fair
By Dal Cannady
Hundreds of Georgia Southern University students got their first taste of the job market today. A career fair put them in touch with potential employers. Even with what some consider an employee driven market, organizers of this career fair say students should be smart in looking for that first job. More than 150 employers, including WTOC, came to meet upcoming graduates, and even underclassmen, to talk about jobs and their future. Students feel the applicants have the advantage in this climate. “I’ve heard some people saying that employees really run some companies,” said student Lauren Kitchens.
Morning Ag Clips
Joro Watch engages citizen-scientists to study future of Joro spiders
UGA experts collecting data about the spiders through the newly formed initiative
They have been described as palm-sized, parachuting creatures with the potential to spread up the East Coast. Now dozens of webs are appearing in trees, on fences and in gardens around the Southeast, and social media and neighborhood message boards are buzzing with Joro spider sightings. Discussions of eradication methods ranging from chemical sprays to “Joro sticks” — typically a broomstick or other long stick used to destroy or relocate the Joro spiders’ large, strong webs — are rampant. Joro season is undoubtedly here. But, according to a team of University of Georgia experts collecting data about the spiders through the newly formed Joro Watch initiative, it’s best to put down the stick (for now) and pick up a camera.
Albany Herald
Diverse landscapes at the heart of bee conservation
By Amanda Budd
New research from the University of Georgia revealed that mixed land use — such as developments interspersed with forest patches — improves bee diversity and is leading to new solutions for bee conservation. The researchers hypothesized that development would negatively affect bee diversity, but the results of the study were surprising. They found that small amounts of development actually had a positive impact on the number of bee species present in a given area. The researchers found 111 species during their study. Kris Braman, the principal investigator and head of the Department of Entomology at CAES, said she’s happy to see the immense bee diversity hosted by Athens.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Opinion: My generation can map its childhood by mass shootings
By Maureen Downey
Jordan Madden, 18, is a student at Georgia State University. He attended K-12 school in Clayton and DeKalb counties. He is an organizer with the Georgia Youth Justice Coalition: Almost 10 years ago, I sat with my classmates at Flat Shoals Elementary School in DeKalb County during our second week of school, waiting for a scheduled school fire drill to begin. When the alarm rang, we walked single file onto the school field. We started to become restless because it was nearing the end of the school day and we weren’t being called back to the building. Suddenly, teachers asked us to quiet down. We started to hear our administrators, at the top of the hill near the school building, receive information over their walkie-talkies.
Other News
MDJ Online
Georgia high school seniors continue besting the nation on SAT
By Dave Williams
For the fifth year in a row, Georgia public-school students outperformed their peers across the country on the SAT. Georgia’s class of 2022 recorded a mean score of 1052, 24 points higher than the 1028 national score but lower compared to the previous year, when Georgia students posted a mean score of 1077. The Georgia group also scored higher in the component portions of the test, with a mean score of 536 on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing portion and 516 in math.
Cybersecurity Dive
State education leaders prioritize cybersecurity, but lack funding
In a survey by the State Educational Technology Directors Association, 57% of respondents said their state provides a low amount of funding for cybersecurity.
By Anna Merod
Even though state education officials said cybersecurity and privacy are their top education technology priorities, only 6% of respondents to a recent survey by the State Educational Technology Directors Association said their state provides ample funding for cybersecurity. The survey, conducted in collaboration with the Education Commission of the States and Whiteboard Advisors, found 37% of respondents reporting their state provides cybersecurity tools to districts.
AP NEWS
People trapped, 2.5M without power as Ian drenches Florida
By Curt Anderson
Hurricane Ian left a path of destruction in southwest Florida, trapping people in flooded homes, cutting off the only bridge to a barrier island, damaging the roof of a hospital intensive care unit and knocking out power to 2.5 million people as it dumped rain across the peninsula on Thursday. One of the strongest hurricanes to ever hit the United States threatened catastrophic flooding around the state. Ian’s tropical-storm-force winds extended outward up to 415 miles (665 km), drenching much of Florida and the southeastern Atlantic coast.
Higher Education News
Inside Higher Ed
How Hispanic-Serving Institutions Are Increasing Opportunity for Community College Transfer Students
Data demonstrate strong outcomes for transfer students who attend Hispanic-serving institutions.
By Yazmin Padilla
If there is a secret to setting community college students up for transfer success, Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) are well on their way to figuring it out. Why do we think this? Because data show us that when community college transfer students attend an HSI, they are more likely than other transfer students to persist and graduate. That’s the key finding from an Aspen Institute College Excellence Program analysis of six-year outcomes for enrollment, persistence and graduation at HSIs for students who transferred in 2014, based on data from the National Student Clearinghouse.
Higher ED Dive
Why aren’t people going to college?
Many of those who didn’t enroll or complete degrees say college was too expensive — but they also cite stress and career uncertainty, new research finds.
By Rick Seltzer
Why aren’t more people enrolling in college? Why are many of those who do enroll leaving before they complete their degrees? And what can be done to get them back? Those questions grew even more pressing in the last few years as enrollment fell across the country — flying in the face of a long nationwide push to increase students’ access to college. And there are no easy answers, according to a study of 18- to 30-year-olds without college degrees that was released Wednesday. The research, supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, describes a complex group of students who’ve walked away from colleges’ doors.
See also: The Chronicle of Higher Education; Inside Higher Ed
Higher ED Dive
William & Mary will cover tuition and fees for in-state Pell students, aims to boost their numbers
By Rick Seltzer
Dive Brief:
- William & Mary last week announced two initiatives for students who receive federal Pell Grants, which are a proxy for low-income students.
- The public institution in Virginia will award enough scholarship funding to cover tuition and fees for in-state Pell-eligible undergraduates beginning in fall 2023. The policy will cover new, returning and transfer students alike.
- Leaders also plan to enroll larger shares of in-state undergraduates who are eligible for Pell Grants. They hope to increase the percentage from 17% today to 20% over the next four years.
The Chronicle of Higher Education
California Is Confronting Its Student-Housing Woes. But There’s No Quick Fix.
By Carolyn Kuimelis
This week, officials at the University of California at Los Angeles made an $80-million bet that they hope will, in part, bolster the institution’s limited student-housing capacity. The university announced plans to acquire two sites from Marymount California University, a now-defunct college 30 miles south of UCLA’s main campus, in Westwood. The purchase — the largest land acquisition in UCLA’s history — includes Marymount’s former main campus and a residential site. The new satellite location will help UCLA fulfill a new directive to expand enrollment.
Inside Higher Ed
Pay, Flexible Formats and Networking Are Key Components to Successful Internships
It’s time to evolve experiential learning to keep pace with business and create greater equity and inclusion, writes Kim Churches.
By Kim Churches
As employers grapple with economic constraints of the post-pandemic world and workers re-evaluate their expectations for flexibility, equity and respect in the workplace, higher education continues to lag in preparing the workforce’s rising generation. By fostering greater access to equitable and paid internships, higher education can be a force for change, helping break down barriers and better position students and employers for the future.
Inside Higher Ed
A new program spearheaded by the University of Wyoming seeks to prepare rural students for college and bridge a divide between far-flung communities and higher ed institutions in the state.
By Sara Weissman
The University of Wyoming is launching a new program focused on boosting enrollment and graduation rates among rural students in the state. Campus administrators hope the initiative builds stronger ties between higher ed institutions and rural communities in Wyoming at a time when some rural residents across the country feel ideologically distant from academic institutions and are increasingly questioning the value of a college degree. The three-year program, called the UW High Altitude Pathway, is a partnership between the university and College for Every Student (CFES) Brilliant Pathways, an organization that runs college-access and career-readiness programming focused on low-income K-12 students in rural areas.
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Penn Faculty Voice Opposition to University Disciplinary Actions Against Student Protestors
By Arrman Kyaw
Seventy-three University of Pennsylvania faculty signed a letter against the school’s disciplinary action to students’ alleged involvement in disrupting Convocation with protests, The Daily Pennsylvanian reported. The letter – sent Sept. 23 – showed faculty support of student protest and opposition against Penn attempting to reprimand two students accused of violating the University’s Guidelines on Open Expression and Code of Student Conduct due to alleged involvement in the protest that interrupted Convocation approximately a month ago.
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Madea Goes to College: Tyler Perry Class Begins at Emory
By Jon Edelman
As the fall term picks up speed, college students around the country are digging into the works of Shakespeare, One Hundred Years of Solitude, and Between the World and Me. But for 14 freshmen at Emory University’s Oxford College, the syllabus may include House of Payne and Madea’s Family Reunion. “In the Language of Folk and Kin: The Legacy of Folklore, the Griot, and Community in the Artistic Praxis of Tyler Perry,” is the first class focusing on the life and work of the Atlanta-based multihyphenate behind Madea, the fiercely protective gun-toting grandmother character whose films have grossed almost $700 million at the box office.