The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
AJC On Campus: Georgia student loan numbers, DACA tuition bill
By Vanessa McCray
More than 1 million Georgians applied for or were automatically eligible for student loan relief before courts blocked the Biden administration’s debt forgiveness proposal. In this edition of AJC On Campus, we bring you more details about those numbers from Georgia, the latest education legislation from the Gold Dome and introduce you to Atlanta Metropolitan State College’s new president.
WGAU Radio
UGA cuts ribbon on Wormsloe facility
By Tim Bryant
The University of Georgia has cut the ribbon on its new facility at Wormsloe. UGA says the new $1.8 million Experiential Learning Center on the Georgia coast will serve as a classroom, laboratory, and gathering space at the Center for Research and Education.
From Camie Williams, UGA Today…
For more than a decade Wormsloe, a historic property on the Isle of Hope near Savannah, has served as an outdoor classroom and research site for University of Georgia students and faculty. With a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Feb. 2, UGA celebrated the opening of an indoor space to enhance instruction, research and outreach in this unique setting.
Patch
Georgia Southern University: New Data Shows Real Value Of On-Campus Student Engagement
Planning and attending student events on a college campus may sound like it’s all fun and games. But new data from Georgia Southern University shows there are real benefits for the students and for the university when students engage in on-campus activities. A recent analysis by Georgia Southern’s Institutional Research office of first-year students who attended at least one event during the 2021-22 school year showed that students who attended at least one event returned this year at a rate of 79.4%. That figure is more than seven percentage points higher than the University’s overall freshman retention rate of 72%.
accessWDUN
UNG hosts third annual REACH event offering college information
By Christian Ashliman Anchor/Reporter
The University of North Georgia hosted its third annual REACH event on Jan. 24 where prospective students were able to learn about the college experience. UNG has been hosting the Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen (REACH) event for three years, encouraging high school students and their parents to attend and learn more about the application process, student life and how to engage with professors. This year’s event was held in partnership with the Georgia Student Finance Commission.
Grice Connect
Coach Hugh Yaughn receives GSW Visionary Award for outstanding community work
by Brandon Robinson
On Saturday January 21, Coach Hugh Yaughn was honored with the Visionary Award from his alma mater, Georgia Southwestern State University. The award was given out as part of the GSW’s inaugural “Gold Force Gala.” The gala was a black-tie fundraiser in support of student scholarships. But alongside raising funds, the university bestowed “Outstanding Alumni Awards” to seven alumni for their community work. Among the seven recipients was Yaughn, whose work with his home-grown organization, Fostering Bulloch, earned him the Visionary Award.
WGAU Radio
UGA weather program reports rapid growth
By Navya Shukla, UGA Today
UGA’s degree program in atmospheric sciences is just five years old and growing rapidly. For years, UGA students with an interest in meteorology had to build a curriculum that touched on the subject but rarely explored it in great depth. That changed in 2000 when the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences established the atmospheric sciences certificate program within the Department of Geography.
Times-Georgian
UWG launches ‘Fuel for Performance’ station
A vision nearly three years in the making has become a reality for student-athletes at the University of West Georgia. In the summer of 2020, UWG president Dr. Brendan Kelly cast a vision to improve healthy eating on campus. Student-athletes were at the forefront of that idea, as a heavy workout and practice load combined with limited resources present a challenge with nutrition and healthy eating. Fast-forward to the summer of 2022 and that vision has become a reality, not only for student-athletes but for all students at UWG with the launch of the Fuel for Performance Station at West Commons.
Savannah CEO
Georgia Southern Starting New Software Engineering Degree
Staff Report
Georgia Southern University is launching a new Bachelor of Science in software engineering this fall, making it the only such degree offered by a public university in Georgia outside of Atlanta. This new program is a response to a growing national demand also identified by Georgia companies. Distinctive from computer science or IT degree, the software engineering program is designed to prepare graduates to immediately enter workforce jobs that have an average entry level salary of approximately $74,000. The program prepares students by building a solid foundation in the professional practices as well as the applied technical and soft skills needed for success in the field.
WRDW
Give Kids a Smile Program returns to local elementary school
By Staff
The Give Kids a Smile Program has returned to a local elementary school. Students in Augusta University’s Dental Hygiene Program visited A. Brian Merry Elementary School teaches students about nutrition and how to properly take care of their teeth with hands-on activities. Kandyce A’See, an associate professor of dental hygiene at Augusta University, says, “Our dental hygiene students took the time to find grade level, hands-on activities that they can spend time doing to make them understand how outside factors affect their teeth and how they can take care of them to prevent cavities and gum disease. …Leaders with Augusta University say this is something they would like to continue, and hope to bring students back to the Dental College for free cleanings and other things in the future.
AllOnGeorgia
Beginning in fall 2023, a public health pathway will be offered to high school students in Bulloch County. This three-course pathway will introduce students to the broad topic of health care. The first two courses, Introduction to Healthcare Science and Essentials of Healthcare, are currently offered to high school students in the county. The new course, Applications of Public Health, will introduce students to the knowledge and skills needed for a career in public health. The public health course was developed by the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health (JPHCOPH) at Georgia Southern University. The course will be offered in an asynchronous online format, and will be facilitated by JPHCOPH Associate Dean Nandi A. Marshall, DrPH.
WTVM
Youth of the Year winner: Elijah Adams
By Jessie Gibson
Congratulations are in order as the Boys and Girls Club of the Chattahoochee Valley crowns its 2023 Youth of the Year. Carver High School senior Elijah Adams wins the coveted title at the Bibb Mill Event Center on February 2. He’s a senior at Carver High School who plans to attend Georgia Southern after he graduates. …Those selected to participate in the Class of 2023 are as follows: …Matthew Shingler, Facilities Services Director, Georgia Southern University, Bulloch County
Statesboro Herald
GS officers complete crisis training course
Program focuses on mental health situations
From staff reports
Student mental health is a constant concern on a university campus. It is not uncommon for someone in distress to call 9-1-1. A police officer could be the first person to interact with a person who needs specialized attention. To help evaluate and properly handle such situations, every officer in the Georgia Southern University Police Department recently completed a Crisis Intervention Training course. …On top of that training, the University System of Georgia offers two additional programs to law enforcement officers:
WABE
UGA’s director of economic forecasting predicts a mild recession without a lot of job loss in 2023
LaShawn Hudson
Jeff Humphreys, the director of Economic Forecasting at UGA’s Terry College of Business, says the post-pandemic economic expansion is coming to an end in 2023 and a mild recession will start. “I think it’s going to be very difficult for the Federal Reserve to cool down the economy to contain the highest inflation in forty years without triggering a recession,” said Humphreys on Friday’s edition of “ Closer Look.” He further explained the 2023 Georgia Economic Outlook and shared why he thinks Georgia will do fairly well during the 6-month recession.
Morning AgClips
Effects of possible recession on agriculture, grocery prices
Economists at UGA say to brace yourselves for more of the same in the upcoming months
Chances are good that you have felt the pinch at the grocery store and bemoaned the price of some of your standard weekly staples. Economists at the University of Georgia say to brace yourselves for more of the same in the upcoming months. “In the case of eggs, the price increase has been dramatic and in a very quick timeframe,” said Benjamin Campbell, associate professor in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. The average price for a dozen eggs has more than doubled in recent months. Retail egg prices increased 11.1% in December 2022, reaching 59.9% above December 2021 prices. The reason for the price hike, explained Campbell, is a confluence of factors such as increased demand during the holidays and rising input costs for feed, fuel and labor. More importantly, the increase is due to the impact of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), a contagious disease that causes high mortality in poultry such as chickens, turkeys and quail.
Cotton Grower
Don’t Lose Sight of the Weed Management System
By Pam Caraway
A dropped rock might cause only a ripple in some ponds, but a dropped practice in weed control can devastate a cotton field. “It’s the system that protects you,” University of Georgia Extension Weed Scientist Stanley Culpepper says. “The system. You have to understand the concept of the system. You have to write a prescription that fits your management, that fits your capabilities, that fits your farm. Then you have to stick to it. You have to overlap those residuals. You have to be on your game.” Culpepper hears the concern about herbicides with strong residuals that damage stands. He understands the fervent wish for a simple solution to managing resistant weeds like Palmer amaranth. He knows the temptation to relieve the pressure of tight margins by popping an herbicide application out of the program. His response: intense focus on research that supports tightly focused prescription management programs – data that earns a farmer’s trust.
PBL Magazine
New Study Reveals UV Nail Dryers May Damage DNA
Natalia Kulak
Not so long ago, Gel Manicures revolutionised the nail industry however, during this time, there have been growing concerns about the potential health risks associated with ultraviolet (UV) nail dryers that are used to set the gel polish. …Despite the new findings, researchers say that more research is needed to make definitive conclusions about the cancer risk associated with gel manicures. Maria Zhivagui, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, San Diego and one of the authors of the new study, said, “we don’t know if it’s carcinogenic.” According to Dr. Curtis, it may take another ten years to study the effects of UV nail dryers in actual humans, given the slow pace of research. In the meantime, several dermatologists suggest that people should weigh the risks associated with gel manicures. Dr. Loretta Davis, the chair of the dermatology department at Augusta University in Georgia, says that “UVA is aging us and increasing our risk of skin cancer.” Dr. Davis suggests that people who get gel manicures regularly may be putting themselves at risk for skin cancer and other long-term health effects. The harmful effects of UV rays accumulate over time, and Dr. Davis’s research has suggested that the more frequently people get manicures with UV nail lamps, the greater their risk of damage might be. Using a UV nail dryer every other week is “probably too much,” according to Dr. Davis.
Athens Banner-Herald
Athens man convicted in assault on UGA student that left her unconscious
Wayne Ford
An Athens man was convicted on Friday in a vicious assault of a University of Georgia student. The attack on the woman, who was then 19, occurred early on Sept. 18, 2021, inside the North Campus Parking Deck off South Thomas Street, where she was beaten then body slammed so hard it knocked her unconscious. The defendant, 25-year-old Tritavious Malik Harris, faced a dozen charges as a result of the assault. The Clarke County Superior Court jury convicted him of the felony crimes of attempted rape, aggravated assault, robbery, and aggravated battery. Additionally, the jury convicted him of six misdemeanor counts ranging from simple assault to theft.
Higher Education News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Opinion: DeSantis balked, College Board blinked on Black studies class
Get Schooled with Maureen Downey
In an advanced class on African American studies, it might seem high school students would be well served if they discussed the contention, “We are a society that has been structured from top to bottom by race. You don’t get beyond that by deciding not to talk about it anymore. It will always come back; it will always reassert itself over and over again.” Students won’t have the opportunity because the speaker is Columbia University law professor Kimberlé W. Crenshaw, one of the most prominent scholars on race and racism in America today. Nor will students explore the views of acclaimed author Ta-Nehisi Coates on the persistence and pervasiveness of racism. These noted African American scholars and writers and their work have been axed from the AP’s curriculum for its new African American Studies class, which is being piloted this year in 60 high schools, including Atlanta’s Maynard Jackson High School. The pilot will be greatly expanded in the 2023-2024 school year. … A letter of protest signed by 600 African American Studies faculty including Georgia college professors stated, “We will not mince words. The contention that an AP curriculum in African American Studies ‘lacks educational value’ is a proposition supported by white supremacist ideology, because it fundamentally demeans the history, culture, and contributions of Black people.
Inside Higher Ed
What If Colleges Lose at Supreme Court?
Some colleges are starting to plan for what is widely expected to happen: the end of affirmative action. They just aren’t saying so.
By Scott Jaschik
Colleges aren’t saying so publicly, but a few are starting the process of figuring out what they would do if the U.S. Supreme Court, as expected, rules this year against affirmative action. The American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers last week recommended that colleges “establish a review team in early 2023 that includes your institution’s legal counsel” to prepare.
Cybersecurity Dive
Microsoft surpasses $20B in security revenue as enterprise customers consolidate
The company’s cybersecurity business is growing, but CEO Satya Nadella warned that customers, in an uncertain economy, are exercising caution.
David Jones, Reporter
Microsoft surpassed $20 billion in revenue from its cybersecurity business over the past 12 months, double the total reached just two years ago. CEO Satya Nadella shared the revenue milestone during the company’s fiscal second quarter earnings call last week. After acquiring a number of niche security vendors, Microsoft has positioned itself as one of a handful of security companies that can claim an end-to-end platform for the enterprise customer.
Higher Ed Dive
What can work colleges teach the rest of higher ed?
Amid high worries about higher ed’s value in the job market, work colleges offer lessons on integrating classroom learning with employment opportunities.
Laura Spitalniak, Associate Editor
Work colleges, while scarce, have been around for well over 100 years, maintaining a small but steady presence in the U.S. since before the Civil War. To qualify as a work college, an institution must be nonprofit, offer four-year degrees and provide students with employment through a work-learning-service program that will contribute to their education. …The earned tuition discount is a significant enough difference to affect students’ lives, both in college and after they graduate, he said. That difference has the attention of some higher education leaders. The cost of higher education is often at the center of debates around the value of a college degree. And moves previously considered dramatic to address the cost of college — like tuition resets and state free college programs — are becoming more common. Community colleges, which are on the front lines of the accessible college conversation, don’t always incorporate work experience into education. Nor can they always offer students the opportunity to earn a four-year degree. So, can work colleges provide a work-oriented model from which other institutions could borrow?
Higher Ed Dive
OPINION
DeLauro: For-profit online program management companies are the new predators in higher education
The ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee calls for an end to OPM tuition sharing based on enrollment.
By Rosa DeLauro
Rep. Rosa DeLauro serves as ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee and the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee. She is a Democrat representing Connecticut’s 3rd Congressional District. For years, my colleagues and I have fought to protect students and taxpayers from the predatory practices of for-profit colleges. While the Biden administration is working to address these abuses through strong gainful employment regulations, I am disturbed by the loose regulation and nonexistent oversight over a similar, newer phenomenon — the proliferation of for-profit online program management, or OPM, companies across our higher education landscape. Just like predatory for-profit colleges, these OPMs mislead students, drive up costs and leave student borrowers with a low-value education, excessive debt and low-paying jobs after graduation.
Inside Higher Ed
Protests Planned for First Day of Sasse’s Presidency
On his first day as president of the University of Florida, former Republican senator Ben Sasse faces a list of demands that call for him to defy Governor Ron DeSantis’s pledged reforms.
By Josh Moody
Ben Sasse promised political neutrality as the incoming president of the University of Florida. But that may be impossible for the former Republican senator from Nebraska, given the heated political environment Governor Ron DeSantis has created by introducing reforms to end what he called “woke activism” and which his critics say threaten academic freedom. Recent rhetoric and actions from the DeSantis administration have sent a clear message to leaders of Florida’s public colleges: get in line. And, so far, that’s exactly what they’ve done. Last month 28 presidents signed off on a joint statement denouncing critical race theory, a once-obscure academic concept examining the role of racism embedded in American society that conservatives have turned into a national issue by conflating it with diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Sasse—who resigned from the Senate in January after serving for eight years—formally begins his tenure at UF today. He faces organized protests and a list of demands from campus constituents urging him to reject DeSantis’s efforts to impose his conservative vision on the state’s institutions of higher education.