Marietta Daily Journal
Bridget Dixon receives Bridges Award at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
Bridget Dixon, an agricultural communication major from Kite, received the David and Kim Bridges award during one of two recent commencement ceremonies at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. A total of 244 graduates participated in the ceremonies, one featuring graduates from the School of Nursing and Health Sciences and the School of Arts and Sciences, and the other involving graduates from the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Stafford School of Business. ABAC President Tracy Brundage presided over her first ABAC commencement ceremonies since taking office on Aug. 1 as the first female president in the history of ABAC.
Grice Connect
GS Parker College of Business classes donate funds to Teal House
In early December, two Georgia Southern University entrepreneurship classes instructed by Dr. Steve Stewart donated money to two local nonprofits focused on sexual assault and domestic violence. These students of the Parker College of Business donated $1,500 to The Teal House and Safe Haven. “We have done something like this for about two years now,” Stewart said. “It gives the students hands-on, practical experience, while at the same time they get to help parts of their community.” Lily Gray, Executive Director at The Teal House, said they were happy about the donations and that they would be used to help support their causes.
13WMAZ
Video Interview
Central Georgia Focus: Cathy Cox Georgia College & State University
Talks about what she has she been trying to do her first year; challenges and advantages of the way the campus is set up, etc.
Marietta Daily Journal
Tracy Brundage completes first fall term as Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College president
It won’t snow in Tifton on Mother’s Day. That’s one thing Tracy Brundage can count on as she concludes her first fall semester as president of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. Brundage was the president of Keystone College in La Plume, Pa., for the past four years before moving her family 1,000 miles to south Georgia to become the first female president in the history of ABAC on Aug. 1. “Yes, it actually snowed on Mother’s Day up there,” Brundage said with a laugh. “In fact, it snowed a lot in that area. I really won’t miss the winter weather.” …At ABAC, she will rely on 25 years of experience in higher education to guide her path. Plus, she’s joining an institution that has established quite a niche of its own.
11Alive
The library system in metro Atlanta offers several local, educational and technological resources for residents.
Makayla Richards, Sydney Spencer
Virtual reality headsets, 3D printing, and even typewriters are available to just about any Georgian with a flash of a card. The often overlooked resources, along with several other aids, are dedicated to serving the community’s needs through the Georgia Public Library Services (GPLS). “It (the library) has every possible piece of equipment that a library would need to allow their patrons to explore that and try it out,” Julie Walker, the assistant vice chancellor and state librarian for GPLS said. And if people are willing, the local libraries will help fill up their event calendars too. All of the metro Atlanta libraries offer events for kids, teens, families and adults. Bring the kids for story time, or enjoy events for patrons 21 years old or older.
Coastal Courier
GSU building ethical skills in military leaders
Georgia Southern University’s Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies recently partnered with key leaders of the U.S. Army‘s 188th Infantry Brigade from Fort Stewart for a Leadership and Professional Development session in Jenkins Hall Theater at the Armstrong Campus. Professor Leisa Schwab, a part-time member of the department and former military judge advocate, presented “Introduction to Moral Theory” to the unit’s officers and senior non-commissioned officers. The session focused on ethical leadership and communication techniques in the military. “Military leaders are people entrusted with authority in a really broad range of areas and they have difficult decisions to make,” Schwab said. “Whether in the heat of the moment or as an after- the- fact analysis, these ethical frameworks can be helpful for making sense of these decisions.” The members of the audience were introduced to three different ethical theories, which were then discussed in relation to difficult situations that leaders may encounter in the military.
Marietta Daily Journal
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College personnel donate to Pediatric Plushies Program
What began as a generous gesture from one nurse in Tift Regional Medical Center’s Emergency Department has turned into a cause that resonates with many around the community. At Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College’s annual holiday luncheon, ABAC employees were glad to do their part. Destiny Garmon, an ABAC alumnus, began the Pediatric Plushies Program at the hospital, collecting stuffed animals, or “plushies,” that are used to comfort children preparing for medical procedures. She joined other guests from TRMC at the luncheon to talk about the effort and thank ABAC employees for their donations of stuffed animals, kiddie band-aids, coloring books, and crayons to be used in the program. …Jessica Gandy serves as chair of the ABAC Staff Council and got the idea to contribute after reading a story about the program when it received a DAISY Award, which is presented annually to a nursing team that goes above and beyond its regular duties to address a need. Gandy thought the idea would be a perfect fit for the school’s employees to get behind.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Election-year spending spree gives way to more conservative approach this year
By James Salzer
Fewer big promises as recession clouds loom and no election on the calendar
After years of tight state budgets, the 2022 election-year legislative session had the feel of a fiscal Mardi Gras parade with krewe members throwing doubloons and trinkets to the crowd. …With talk of a possible recession this year, and despite continued growth in income and sales tax collections, the Kemp administration and legislative leaders say they expect more conservative budgeting when the General Assembly reconvenes Jan. 9. Many Georgians may not notice, but it’s important to hundreds of thousands of teachers, education staffers, state employees, retired workers and contractors who depend on what legislators allocate every winter when they meet. …The $33 billion or so the state spends helps it educate 2 million children, provide health care to more than 2 million Georgians, manage and improve parks, investigate crimes and incarcerate criminals, and regulate insurance firms, utilities and dozens of professions. The state issues driver’s licenses and helps pay for nursing home care for the elderly. The state is a major provider of treatment for mental health and drug addiction, and it helps fund public health programs. Besides paying salaries, it helps make sure former teachers, university staffers and state employees receive pensions and health care. …Economists at the University of Georgia’s annual Georgia Economic Outlook last month predicted a mild, short recession for the state in the second quarter of 2023. It isn’t expected to be anything like the Great Recession, when governments slashed billions of dollars in state spending and cut jobs, a downturn the state budget took nearly a decade from which to recover.
GPB
Study aims to help Georgia farmers transition to certified organic farming
By: Devon Zwald
To answer increasing demand, University of Georgia researchers have launched a study looking at ways to help Georgia farmers transition to growing certified organic vegetables on out-of-use farmland or pasture. Kate Cassity-Dufffy, an assistant professor of horticulture at UGA and one of the study’s researchers, said while dormant land is often more available and affordable than active farms, it can suffer from a major obstacle for organic growers: a lot of Bermuda grass and other perennial weeds. …Cassity-Duffy said one way organic farmers deal with weeds is by tilling the land — and tilling can cause erosion and other soil problems. This three-year study will test a method called “no till drill cover cropping,” where farmers plant cover crops directly into the land with the hope that the crops can outcompete the weeds. It’s a technique that Cassity-Duffy said is not necessarily new.
WJBF
MCG scientists find new target in fight against heart disease
by: Tiffany Hobbs
According to the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States…and in the CSRA. Scientists at MCG have discovered a new target in the treatment of the incurable disease. And regulating that target could save hundreds of thousands of lives each year. Coronary artery disease- the most common type of heart disease- occurs when cholesterol and fat block the passage of blood flow to your heart. Scientists at MCG have found that the smooth muscle cells that give those blood vessels strength respond by getting bigger and multiplying. Unfortunately, this further contributes to the disease.
Lifestyle Asia
How raw honey can help improve your blood sugar and cholesterol levels
Stephanie Brown
Unprocessed raw honey, especially from a single floral source, may improve blood sugar control and cholesterol levels, according to a new study published in Nutrition Reviews. Although honey is about 80% sugar, consuming around 2 tablespoons of raw honey per day may reduce blood sugar and LDL—the “bad” cholesterol. …Dietary guidelines recommended limiting sugar intake to 10% of daily calories, which includes honey, said Emma Laing, PhD, RDN, director of dietetics at the University of Georgia. She recommends using honey in place of other sweeteners only if you enjoy the taste or want variety in your diet. Since honey is sweeter than table sugar, you might be able to consume less honey to enjoy the same level of sweetness.
WSB Radio
American Lung Association makes case for 2023 to be the year Georgia drops smoking
Dr. Rabih Bechara, MD, is a pulmonologist at the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care for Augusta University of Medicine. He’s got a message for Georgians coming up on New Year’s Eve: Make 2023 the year you quit smoking. “Nearly 16% of people still smoke in the State of Georgia,” he said, representing a decline from historical numbers, but still good for #24 in the national ranking of states’ smoking rates Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in disease across the country, with smoking-related cancer and chronic lung conditions ranking in the top 10 causes of death in Georgia.
Best Life
Chronic Stress Spikes Your Risk of Dying From Cancer: Experts Say This Is How to Combat It
LEARNING HOW TO RELAX CAN ADD YEARS TO YOUR LIFE.
By Adam Meyer
If chronic stress has you at your wit’s end, you may be among the one-third of U.S. adults who report feeling extreme stress consistently. Sure, we all experience some form of stress in our daily lives, but chronic stress—the kind that involves a consistent sense of feeling pressured and overwhelmed over a long period—can wreak havoc on your body and mind. According to The American Institute of Stress, every day an estimated one million people in the U.S. miss work due to stress, and around 75 percent of Americans say chronic stress negatively impacts their physical and mental health. In a study published in SSM Population Health in September 2022, cancer researchers from the Medical College of Georgia found that chronic stress can make your risk of fatal cancer soar. Read on to learn how to alleviate stress and protect your long-term health.
Bryan County News
GSU: Economy slows in third quarter
Georgia Southern University’s latest Economic Monitor, which reflects the third quarter of 2022, reports the Savannah metro economy continued to grow, albeit at a slower and more sustainable pace. “While overall employment demonstrated strong growth, important underlying sectors of the economy wavered somewhat,” said Michael Toma, Ph.D., Georgia Southern’s Fuller E. Callaway Professor of Economics. “Port activity eased slightly while retail sales and hotel room sales dipped. Further, electricity sales – a broad indicator of industrial, commercial and residential activity – declined.” Notably, the business forecasting index fell for the second consecutive quarter as weakness in the housing and labor markets pulled the index down. Issuance of building permits for single-family homes declined significantly again. Further, new claims for unemployment insurance jumped. With two quarters of decline in the forecasting index, it is now more strongly signaling potential weakness in 2023, said Toma.
Henry County Times
UGA Extension offering Journeyman Farmer Certificate Program
Timothy Daly
UGA Extension Henry County will be hosting the Journeyman Farmer Certificate Program, which is for those interested in starting a farm business or those who have recently begun farming and want to improve their operation. USDA defines a beginning farmer as anyone who has been farming less than ten years continuously. It consists of two parts: the Small Farm Business Planning and the Fruit and Vegetable Production Section.
The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education
T. Ramon Stuart to Lead the West Virginia University Institute of Technology
T. Ramon Stuart was appointed campus president at West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Beckley, effective January 1. The institute enrolls just over 1,600 students according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Education. African Americans make up 4 percent of the student body. …Dr. Stuart most recently served as the president of Clayton State University in Morrow, Georgia. In 2016, he was named provost and vice president for academic affairs at Fort Valley State University in Georgia. Before joining the staff at Fort Valley State University, Dr. Stuart served on the faculty at West Virginia State Community and Technical College, where he was elected president of the Faculty Senate.
Other News:
Savannah Morning News
SEVERE
Tornado watch issued for several Georgia counties
Cheryl McCloud
Tornado watches have been issued for more areas as strong thunderstorms move east.
A tornado watch is in effect across much of southeastern Georgia. The watch is in effect until 2 p.m. as a line of strong storms moves east. Counties in the tornado watch area include: Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Camden, Candler, Charlton, Chatham, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Columbia, Cook, Echols, Effingham, Emanuel, Evans, Glynn, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Jenkins, Lanier, Liberty, Lincoln, Long, Lowndes, McDuffie, McIntosh, Montgomery, Pierce, Richmond, Screven, Tattnall, Telfair, Thomas, Tift, Toombs, Treutlen, Ware, Wayne and Wheeler. Showers and thunderstorms will continue across north and central Georgia this morning and afternoon ahead of an advancing cold front. Several storms could become severe, capable of producing damaging wind gusts, brief tornadoes and frequent lightning, according to the National Weather Service.
Higher Education News:
Inside Higher Ed
‘Adaptation Across the Higher Ed Landscape’: A Special Report
By Doug Lederman
“Adaptation Across the Higher Ed Landscape” is a new special report from Inside Higher Ed. The free report explores how colleges and universities are responding to the financial, enrollment and other pressures swirling around them, with a focus on distinctive strategies that institutions are embracing to ensure their long-term sustainability. A copy of the report can be downloaded here. The report takes a deeper look at the issues facing three particular sectors: community colleges, regional public universities and nonselective private nonprofit colleges. Interviews with dozens of experts inform the report’s findings, which include several case studies for each sector.
Inside Higher Ed
The Great Resignation at Community Colleges
Community colleges underwent major staffing losses during the pandemic. Now they’re suffering from the ripple effects, and campus leaders are trying desperately to recruit.
By Sara Weissman
Community colleges across the country are struggling to recruit and hire new people after losing faculty and staff members in droves during the pandemic. The institutions lost 13 percent of their employees nationally from January 2020 to April 2022, according to an estimate from EAB, a higher education consulting firm. A recent data analysis from EAB shows that four-year colleges mostly recouped their losses after also experiencing sharp declines in staff, unlike community colleges, which have lagged in their recovery. These data points are part of an ongoing research effort to study attrition at community colleges and were shared late last month in a webinar hosted by EAB and the League for Innovation in the Community College, an organization dedicated to helping community colleges innovate to improve student success outcomes.
Cybersecurity Dive
Cybersecurity trends in 2023 that will directly impact everyday life
The scale of cyberthreats are growing, spilling into the mainstream. In 2023, expect the spotlight to add pressure to businesses that have underinvested in security.
By Sue Poremba
There are a few certainties in cybersecurity: Ransomware will cause headaches for companies; Third parties will spark cyber incidents; And every December, cybersecurity analysts will put together lists of their predictions and trends they believe will have an impact in the coming year. Most of the predictions are designed to help organizations build out their security programs, but every so often a trend will build slowly over time until its impact is clear. Sometimes these trends will reach far beyond an individual company and impact society at large. Here are some of the biggest trends Cybersecurity Dive is watching this year
Cybersecurity Dive
After LastPass hack, only its master passwords remain uncompromised
The password manager warned customers to lookout for brute force attacks, phishing or credential stuffing.
Matt Kapko, Reporter
LastPass on Thursday conceded customer data is significantly compromised as fallout grows from a previously disclosed breach in August. An unknown threat actor accessed and copied a cloud-based backup of customer vault data, including encrypted passwords, usernames and form-filled data, CEO Karim Toubba said in a blog post. “These encrypted fields remain secured with 256-bit AES encryption and can only be decrypted with a unique encryption key derived from each user’s master password using our zero knowledge architecture,” Toubba said. The master password is not stored or maintained by LastPass, according to Toubba. The escalation of compromise resulting from an incident almost four months ago suggests LastPass failed to contain the breach and its aftermath.
Inside Higher Ed
Colleges and universities are creating more housing aimed at transgender and nonbinary students, not only to ensure their comfort and safety but also to build community.
By Johanna Alonso
Ithaca College in New York has long been considered a safe and welcoming place for LGBTQ+ students, and its residence halls are no exception. For years, the institution has offered gender-neutral housing, allowing students to live with roommates of any gender; transgender students are invited to contact Residential Life if they need help meeting any additional needs. For a while, that was enough. But now a group of transgender students wants their housing to be more than simply a place where they feel safe from discrimination. …Colleges have been working for years to make transgender and nonbinary students feel comfortable living on campus. Many institutions have established a process for such students to make specific roommate requests; others offer gender-neutral halls, where students of any gender may live together. And some institutions are entirely gender-neutral, allowing students living anywhere on campus to request a roommate of any gender. But few campuses have halls or communities dedicated to creating a welcoming, inclusive community for LGBTQ+ students, and even fewer offer such spaces specifically for transgender and nonbinary students.
Inside Higher Ed
NCAA Panel Urges Slew of New Benefits for Division I Athletes
By Doug Lederman
A committee charged with envisioning a “transformation” of big-time college sports appears to have opted for an evolutionary rather than revolutionary approach, recommending more benefits for athletes and more control for conferences and institutions over some of the more dramatic proposals it was purportedly considering. The final report of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division I Transformation Committee, published Tuesday, proposes a raft of new benefits for athletes who compete in the association’s top level, including medical coverage for athletics-related injuries for two years after they graduate or stop playing, 10 years’ worth of funding to complete their degrees, and more mental health support. It also recommends raising the bar for colleges to join Division I and putting much more decision-making authority related to specific sports in the hands of new committees that would be made up of experts in those sports.