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. “Libraries are society’s best bargain,” Walker said. “I think people can have just a wealth of resources that they can access for free. But I do believe there are many things in our libraries that we offer that people don’t know about.” Resources that are free to anyone with a library card.
Marietta Daily Journal
KSU student who started contracting business opens store in Cobb
By Skyler Heath
A Kennesaw State University student who started a home building company in 2019 to pay for college is making new plays in and around Cobb. Kevin Nguyen, 21, is owner and founder of Capital Development. He hosted family, friends and work peers at a December grand opening of his company’s first design store. Capital Development, founded in 2019, is a home building company that specializes in custom construction, remodeling and design for homeowners in Kennesaw.
Augusta CEO
Augusta University Partners with Textbook Brokers
Staff Report
Augusta University has formed a new partnership with Textbook Brokers. A project team of faculty, staff, administration and students worked for more than a year to develop a program for AU to provide course materials now and in the future. The partnership will serve as the platform for students to purchase or rent textbooks and order access codes for digital materials. Subsequent phases of the project will integrate digital course materials into the Augusta University D2L platform.
James Magazine
How the Ga. Research Alliance is training the next generation of researchers
by IAG Staff
The Georgia Research Alliance is at the forefront of growing university research throughout the state, and every year helps hundreds of Georgia students get their foot in the door in their chosen research field. See the video below from our friends at Georgia CEO about how the Georgia Research Alliance helped (Kennesaw State University graduate student) Riah Ivey pursue her dreams of working at NASA.
Athens CEO
UGA Programs Receive More than $12M in Federal Funding
James Hataway
Our University of Georgia programs will receive federal support as part of the $1.7 trillion funding package signed into law in late December. These funds will support scientific research, engineering projects and outreach programs that benefit citizens living in Georgia and throughout the nation. “I want to express my deep gratitude for the advocacy of our Georgia delegation in procuring these funds,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “Senators Ossoff and Warnock and Representatives Buddy Carter, David Scott and Lucy McBath are all helping Georgia’s flagship university address the important priorities of our nation, state and local communities. We are grateful for their strong support.”
WGAU Radio
UGA begins spring semester classes
By Tim Bryant
Today marks the start of a new spring semester at the University of Georgia. This is also the first day of classes for students at the University of North Georgia, and at Athens Technical College.
From Mike Wooten, UGA…
Anna Westerstahl Stenport, dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Rochester Institute of Technology, has been named the next dean of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Georgia following a national search. Stenport is a professor of communication and an expert in transnational cinema and media, modern literature and drama, and visual and cultural studies, with a focus on the Arctic and Nordic regions. She will join the UGA faculty as the University of Georgia Athletic Association Professor in Communication Studies in the department of communication studies on April 1, pending approval by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents. Stenport will assume the role of dean of Franklin College on June 1. Her appointment as dean of UGA’s Franklin College represents a homecoming of sorts. With a scholarship from the Georgia Rotary Student Program, Stenport, a native of Sweden, spent her first year of college as an international student at UGA.
Deep Roots at Home
Nasal Wash Recipe Lowers Hospitalization Risk for Covid by 8X
By Jacqueline
According to research led by Augusta University, a simple nasal wash which you can make at home is able to reduce the risk of being hospitalized for COVID by 8X. ACE2 receptors are plentiful on human epithelial cells in the nasal cavity, lungs and mouth. A nasal saline wash can help prevent the man-made “virus” from attaching to receptors. This is a much better preventative outcome than Paxlovid, whose users experienced rebound. Many of the people reporting Paxlovid rebound infection had been vaccinated. There been almost no reporting this in the press.
Homeland Security Today
Researchers Develop Face Mask Friendly Ear Recognition Technology
Ear recognition software could be used to enhance existing security systems, such as those used at airports around the world, and camera-based security systems.
In the post-COVID world of face coverings and heightened hygiene awareness, the need for new authentication methods that don’t require a person’s full face to be visible has arisen. New research from the University of Georgia (UGA) may soon have people using their ears to verify their identity rather than their face or thumbprint. The ear is one of the few body parts that remains relatively unchanged over time, making it a useful alternative for technology requiring face or fingerprint recognition, said Thirimachos Bourlai, lead author of the study and an associate professor in the UGA College of Engineering. The ear recognition system Bourlai’s team developed correctly authenticates individuals with up to 99% accuracy, according to the new study (depending on the dataset and model used for testing).
accessWDUN
Conservatives take aim at tenure for university professors
By The Associated Press
When Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick asked Texas colleges to disavow critical race theory, the University of Texas faculty approved a resolution defending their freedom to decide for themselves how to teach about race. Patrick said he took it as a message to “go to hell.” In turn, Patrick, a Republican, said it was time to consider holding the faculty accountable, by targeting one of the top perks of their jobs. “Maybe we need to look at tenure,” Patrick said at a news conference in November. It’s a sentiment being echoed by conservative officials in red states across the country. …In Georgia, the state’s Board of Regents approved a policy that made it easier to remove tenured faculty who have had a negative performance review. Elsewhere, legislation to ban or restrict tenure also has been introduced in recent years in Iowa, South Carolina and Mississippi, but failed to win passage. The pushback follows decades of declining rates of tenured faculty.
Athens Banner-Herald
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declares Monday ‘Hunker Down Day’
Will Cheney
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is once again calling for support for UGA football ahead of the national championship game. The Athens native and University of Georgia graduate announced in a Sunday proclamation that Monday would be declared ‘Hunker Down Day’ in Georgia. … Hunker down The name comes from a line by legendary play-by-play announcer Larry Munson, referencing the Georgia defense in a pivotal situation. Kemp issued a similar proclamation ahead of last year’s title game between Georgia and Alabama, urging football fans across the state to wear red and black in support of the Bulldogs.
Athens Banner-Herald
Mail for the Mailman? UGA football fans plan to honor Stetson Bennett prior to 4th quarter
Ryne Dennis
Some in Georgia football’s fanbase are pleading for other Bulldog fans attending Monday night’s national championship to bring a piece of mail to hold up at the start of the fourth quarter as a nod to quarterback Stetson Bennett. Bennett has adopted the mailman moniker because of the cap he wore to football camps when he was younger. …The idea was mentioned on an episode of SEC Network’s Paul Finebaum show. A caller mentioned that it would be a nice tribute if Georgia fans in attendance brought a piece of old mail and wave it prior to the fourth quarter.
Athens Banner-Herald
UGA football fans buzzing about no tailgating at Sofi Stadium
Will Cheney
Even the governor of Georgia has expressed displeasure over SoFi Stadium’s no-tailgating policy. For Monday’s College Football Playoff national championship game between Georgia and TCU, that part will be noticeably absent. According to the frequently asked questions section on the CFP website, tailgating will not be permitted in any of the SoFi Stadium parking lots. The lots will, however, open at 10 a.m. local time and close two hours after the game. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. eastern.
Athens Banner-Herald
Father’s health issues will keep Kirby Smart’s parents from national championship game
Marc Weiszer
Kirby Smart’s parents, Sonny and Sharon, have been a regular presence after Georgia football victories whether on the field following wins or even sitting at a postgame press conference. They won’t be at Monday’s national championship game against TCU at SoFi Stadium, the Georgia coach said on Saturday. Sonny Smart has been dealing with “some medical stuff,” according to his son.
Athens Banner-Herald
UGA assistant Chidera Uzo-Diribe on his ‘hectic’ playoff run with birth of twin daughters
Marc Weiszer
There won’t be the daily drives between Athens and Atlanta this week for Chidera Uzo-Diribe like there was last week, but Georgia’s first-year outside linebacker’s coach is keeping tabs of his growing family back home via FaceTime three time zones away. The 30-year old and wife Hana welcomed twin girls Amara and Amani on Dec. 28, three days before the national semifinal Peach Bowl game against Ohio State. …Now he’s finishing up his first season at Georgia by going up against TCU and Sonny Dykes Monday night. He coached under Dykes as defensive line coach at SMU in 2021 and followed him to Fort Worth on his new staff. Weeks into the job, Georgia coach Kirby Smart plucked him away. …Uzo-Diribe calls his year at Georgia a “great learning experience,” working with Smart and the defensive staff led by co-coordinators Glenn Schumann and Will Muschamp.
WSB Radio
Beloved Georgia mascot not traveling to LA for national championship game
At least one bulldog won’t be in Los Angeles for the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. University of Georgia officials announced Friday that Uga X, the university’s mascot, will not be traveling to the west coast. Spokespeople said there were several options for Uga to attend the game, but the cross-country distance and time it would take to travel made it difficult for the bulldog. Instead, Uga will be cheering on his fellow Dawgs from his home in Savannah.
Other News:
Savannah Morning News
Under the Georgia Capitol’s gold dome: Everything you need to know ahead of 2023 session
Adam Van Brimmer
Georgia lawmakers open their annual legislative session Monday, Jan. 9, at the Georgia Capitol. The first day will be a short one, with many members of the House and Senate planning to attend the College Football Playoff national championship game, pitting the Georgia Bulldogs against Texas Christian. The kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Once the athletic competition ends, the legislative one begins. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is expected to submit his draft of the 2023-2024 budget before the end of the first week. The governor, who won a second term in November, will also deliver his State of the State address on Thursday, laying out his top legislative priorities. Here’s what you need to know about the Georgia General Assembly ahead of the new session.
Higher Education News:
Inside Higher Ed
Mental Health Is the Top Student Stressor
By Johanna Alonso
Fifty percent of college students cited their own mental health struggles as their top stressor going into 2023, according to a survey of 1,200 students nationwide conducted by the virtual health services provider TimelyMD. Thirty-nine percent of respondents said they were most concerned about their personal finances, and 37 percent named academics, while mass shootings and inflation were each cited by 35 percent. The survey showed that mental health needs are especially dire among students in certain underrepresented groups; while 71 percent of all students said they were struggling with stress, anxiety and depression, that number was higher among transgender students (93 percent), nonbinary students (91 percent) and Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Island Native students (83 percent).
Inside Higher Ed
Groups Seek Details on FAFSA Simplification Timeline
By Katherine Knott
The Department of Education is supposed to release an updated version of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid in October, but organizations representing financial aid officers and college access groups are seeking to confirm that timeline. The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators and the National College Attainment Network wrote to the White House and the department last month to ask whether the administration could confirm that the 2024–25 FAFSA will be ready Oct. 1, as currently planned. The organizations have not yet received an answer to the letter, which was made public this month.
Inside Higher Ed
Opinion
Students: Just Say No to Remedial Classes
In light of research showing traditional remediation is ineffective, community college students should stand up and refuse remedial course placements, Maggie P. Fay writes.
By Maggie P. Fay
A growing number of community college systems, in California, Florida, Louisiana, Tennessee, Texas, New York City and elsewhere, have stopped requiring students to take remedial courses before they can enroll in college-level courses—the long-standing model for remedial education. With this policy change, states have lifted a significant barrier to college progress that affects millions of students and disproportionately impacts first-generation and low-income students and students of color. These systems are setting an example for other systems and individual community colleges to follow. Hopefully, others will follow suit. However, hundreds of thousands of students across the country attend colleges that still require traditional remedial courses. These students should not have to wait for system leaders to adopt policies in line with over a decade of research finding that traditional remediation is ineffective at preparing students for college. Instead, community college students should go directly to college administrators and say no to remedial placements. They should point out that these courses add time and cost to the pursuit of a college degree and, most importantly, don’t work.
Higher Ed Dive
Here are the top risks college leaders are worried about this year
Rick Seltzer, Senior Editor
Dive Brief:
College leaders are sharply more concerned about risks from recruitment and hiring than they have been in recent years, according to a new survey. Half of college leaders identified recruitment and hiring — employing talented staff and faculty — as one of the most pressing risks facing their institutions, an annual survey from insurer United Educators found. Recruitment and hiring was the 14th most-cited risk in last year’s survey, but it vaulted to the third slot in newly released data. Rounding out the top three risks were enrollment in the top slot and data security at No. 2. Both spots are unchanged from last year.
Higher Ed Dive
5 higher education lawsuits to watch in 2023
Rulings are expected in several high-profile cases, including those that could determine the fate of race-conscious admissions and the DACA program.
Natalie Schwartz, Editor
Pending lawsuits stand to reshape the higher education landscape in the next year. The U.S. Supreme Court, which now has a strong conservative majority, is expected to rule on a handful of cases concerning higher education. That includes lawsuits over new policies, such as the Biden administration’s attempted plan to forgive broad amounts of student loan debt, and longstanding practices, such as affirmative action in college admissions. Legal challenges have also stemmed from controversial borrower defense to repayment regulations, which allow students to have their debts cleared if their colleges misled them. And more lawsuits could be on the horizon as the Education Department implements an ambitious regulatory agenda that attempts to crack down on for-profit colleges and make it easier for borrowers to have their loans forgiven. Below, we rounded up five lawsuits to keep tabs on throughout the year.
Cybersecurity Dive
What’s at stake for 33M compromised LastPass users?
Cybersecurity professionals criticized the password manager’s response to an incident that escalated to alarming levels. “This is about as bad as it gets,” one researcher said.
Matt Kapko, Reporter
A seemingly run-of-the-mill breach at LastPass in August produced one of last year’s most alarming security incidents. Downstream impacts mounted as the year came to a close, months after the password manager claimed the threat contained. LastPass users and business customers should be on high alert and change all passwords immediately, following a subsequent breach that exposed password vault data, according to cybersecurity analysts and threat researchers. …While LastPass CEO Karim Toubba maintains the encrypted fields and master passwords remain secured, cybersecurity professionals take issue with that claim and criticized the company for how it’s responded to the incident thus far. “The way LastPass has handled this breach to date is a master class on how not to do things,” Katell Thielemann, VP analyst at Gartner, said via email. “LastPass seems to be delaying communications, obfuscating the size and severity of the problem, and staying conspicuously silent about how they are dealing with the issue,” Thielemann said. Analysts and researchers also pushed back on Toubba’s assertion that master passwords of at least 12 characters would take “millions of years” to guess using generally available tools.
Cybersecurity Dive
6 security experts on what cyberthreats they expect in 2023
Organizations will keep a close eye on geopolitical tension and supply chain attacks. But at the core, the biggest threats are built on mistakes.
By Naomi Eide, Matt Kapko, and David Jones
Consider cyberthreats variations on a theme — the new and novel are rare. Instead, at their core, many of the top cyberthreats organizations encounter stem from human error and mistakes. That’s why experts are quick to call out the perils of phishing and spear phishing attacks. Those initial mistakes can serve as a bridge to a larger incident. Cybersecurity Dive asked researchers and analysts what cyberthreats they expect to emerge this year and if they have any predictions on what attacks we’ll see. Is there a trend or prediction you think we should highlight? (Responses have been edited for length and clarity)
Inside Higher Ed
DeSantis Taps Anti-CRT Conservatives as Trustees
By Josh Moody
Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, tapped six new trustees for the New College of Florida on Friday, including Christopher Rufo, a political activist who has fueled the recent conservative backlash against critical race theory by conflating the once-obscure academic theory with diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, which have then come under fire in statehouses across the U.S. “We are now over the walls and ready to transform higher education from within. Under the leadership of Gov. DeSantis, our all-star board will demonstrate that the public universities, which have been corrupted by woke nihilism, can be recaptured, restructured, and reformed,” Rufo tweeted Friday. Rufo, according to his website, does not live in Florida but in the Pacific Northwest. …Friday’s appointments are the latest efforts by DeSantis to reshape Florida public higher education in a conservative fashion.