Ledger-Enquirer
Columbus State University is on track to have its first ever woman president
By Mark Rice
The person on track to be the next president of Columbus State University has been determined — and she’s a familiar face. In a unanimous vote Wednesday by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, interim executive vice chancellor for academic affairs Stuart Rayfield was named the sole finalist for the position that’s been vacant since Chris Markwood retired June 30 after seven years as CSU’s fifth president. Rayfield would be the first female president of the institution that was founded in 1958 as Columbus College and gained university status in 1996. She’s a former CSU faculty member and administrator.
See also:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Tech grad earns master’s degree at 71
By Lesly Gregory
‘Nobody really thought about age,’ Beth Quay said
When Beth Quay received her bachelor’s degree in 1974 from the Georgia Institute of Technology, continuing on for her master’s was the plan. But, life can sometimes get in the way, and although she put her plan on hold, she circled back. In 2022, at 71, she collected her master’s diploma, 48 years later. “My mother and father always taught me I could do anything I wanted, and growing up, it was always expected I’d go to college,” Quay told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. …When Quay received her undergraduate degree in applied statistics, college was very different than it is today. Female students on Georgia Tech’s campus had only been there since 1952 when the Board of Regents voted to admit women. There were only 80 women, according to Quay, in the whole College of Engineering, which is where her program was. Often, she was the only woman in her class.
WGAU Radio
Student turns time at UGA into work with Tesla, NASA
By Abby Carney, UGA Today
…Graduating fourth in his high school class, Glover entered the University of Georgia with both music and engineering scholarships. …Throughout his undergraduate career, he’s been pursued for competitive internships at high-profile companies, spending last spring at a Tesla factory in California—a “breathtaking, fresh experience,” he said. Most recently, he worked for ABSL Space Products, a lithium-ion battery manufacturer that focuses on space applications. …He’s been in such high demand that he’s had to make the difficult decision to delay the start of his master’s program in engineering at UGA. When NASA came knocking, it was an opportunity he couldn’t refuse, so this fall, Glover relocated to the Johnson Space Center in Houston. There, he’s working closely with his mentor, Eric Darcy, the space program’s battery technical lead, and the spearhead of this technology.
WGAU Radio
UGA: Class of ‘22 is already at work
By Tim Bryant
The University of Georgia says its graduating class of 2022 is already at work: data from UGA’s Career Center shows 96 percent of last year’s graduates are either employed or in grad school.
From Emily Ann Munnell, UGA Media Relations…
Class of 2022 results are in, and once again, University of Georgia graduates have shown that their experience as UGA students prepared them to succeed beyond graduation. According to career outcomes data released by the UGA Career Center, 96% of UGA Class of 2022 graduates were employed or continuing their education within six months of graduation. This year marks UGA’s 11th consecutive year with a career outcomes rate of 90% or higher.
WJBF
Social media as a tool for mental health help
by: Hannah Litteer
Social media is having an impact on mental health, and how young people are seeking help. NewsChannel 6 spoke with college students and professionals about the good and bad influences it can have. It shows that the “mental health” hashtag on the TikTok app has been searched more than 70 billion times, and it’s becoming a way that users are self-diagnosing mental health issues. “I call them the ‘fast fix-it apps,’ and that’s no way empirically validated or what we use when we’re diagnosing and treating mental illness,” said Dr. Tonjanika Jackson, a Licensed Professional Counselor in Augusta. However, healthcare providers at Augusta University do think that people who use social media have brought more attention to the topic of mental health.
WTOC
Georgia Southern University recognized for diversity in higher education
By Dal Cannady
A magazine that focuses on diversity in higher education ranks Georgia Southern University for its efforts. According to their rankings, Southern finished Top 6 nationally for the number of African American students receiving doctoral degrees in public heath, as well as degrees in physical science, in communication sciences, and several other categories. The university vice president for inclusive excellence says Southern looks at recruitment as well as retention. …Southern is also recognized for success with first-generation college students and those who are military veterans or active duty.
Augusta CEO
Jordan Named Chair of MCG Department of Surgery
Jennifer Hilliard Scott
William D. Jordan Jr., MD, a vascular surgeon with nearly three decades of leadership experience in academic medicine, has been named chair of the Department of Surgery at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. Jordan, the John E. Skandalakis Chair in Surgery and chief of the Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy at Emory University, will join MCG July 1. Pending approval by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, he also will be named the Moretz/Mansberger Distinguished Chair in Surgery.
Forsyth County News
Why UNG and Forsyth County Schools are encouraging students to learn more about cybersecurity
Sabrina Kerns
The CyberStart America in Georgia Task Force, led by the University of North Georgia, recently recognized Forsyth County Schools and nine other districts in Georgia for their efforts in getting students more involved in its cybersecurity program.
WTVM
Columbus State University offers elective class on War in Iraq
By Jatavia O’Neal
Columbus State University offers a class focusing on the War in Iraq or Operation Iraqi Freedom. Later this month, March 20, 2003, will mark the 20th anniversary of the war’s beginning. Fort Benning was at the center of it, with thousands of infantry soldiers deploying from the Army installation to the Middle East. Just a few months ago, CSU hired a nationally renowned military history scholar. One of the classes Dr. Dave Kieran now teaches is an elective on the War in Iraq. They discuss how soldiers and other Americans grappled with the challenging question of the conflict. He and his students believe this military town is an ideal place to study that history.
Augusta CEO
Augusta University’s Forest Hills Campus Shows Off a New Look
Miguelangelo Hernandez
Students, faculty and fans of Augusta University Athletics will experience an exciting new environment when entering Christenberry Fieldhouse and watching games at Jaguar Field. Athletics, in collaboration with Communications & Marketing and Facilities Services coordinator Jason Gribek, began planning the updates in August, which included several on-site walkthroughs. Once new Director of Athletics Ryan Erlacher arrived in October, he met with C&M to see concepts and mockups of potential artwork throughout the facility. Erlacher said everyone involved saw the tremendous potential for branding opportunities within Christenberry Fieldhouse. He added that Athletics wanted students to have a space that elicits Jaguar pride.
Albany Herald
Alumni couple tout UGA business center for successful microbrewery
By Claire Sanders UGA/CAES
Mark Davis and Jennifer Berry credit the University of Georgia’s Small Business Development Center with helping them get their microbrewery in Comer off the ground. “If you ever need someone to help with bartending at the pub, just give me a call and I’d be happy to come over one night and help out.” This was the parting offer from local landscaper Craig Kellogg to the owners of Soldier of the Sea Distillery, Mark Davis and Jennifer Berry, at the close of a discussion about future plans for a patio and outdoor space at their newly opened distillery in Comer.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
GSU forecaster: White-collar jobs at risk as Georgia slouches toward recession
By Michael E. Kanell
The Federal Reserve’s determination to cut inflation can only end later this year with job losses and an economic slowdown, if not a full-fledged recession, according to the Economic Forecasting Center at Georgia State University. But the pain will not be spread evenly, said Rajeev Dhawan, the center’s director. “This is going to be a white-collar job recession,” he said Wednesday. “No one will be laying off bartenders and servers or managers of hotels.” Georgia’s economy has continued to add jobs thus far. And the state is in position to ride out the downturn with less pain than many other states, thanks to a boom in factory expansions and growing trade traffic through the Georgia ports, he said. The return of leisure travel and in-person dining has so far also bolstered hospitality, Dhawan said. Nobody will get rid of their person-to-person contact workers.”
GPB
‘The perfect time to double down’: What the Port of Savannah’s expansion means for Georgia’s economy
By: Benjamin Payne
…But at Ocean Terminal, the days are numbered for bulk carriers like this, as the terminal is undergoing a major expansion and overhaul that will see it deal entirely in containerized cargo. …Trade has slowed down in recent months. In January, for example, import and export cargo fell by 16% and 11.5%, respectively, compared to the same month last year. But the drop-off doesn’t bother Georgia Ports Authority executive director Griff Lynch. “The best time to build out facilities in a containerized or terminal operation environment is probably when it is a little bit slower,” Lynch said. “So, for us, we think this is the perfect time to double down, make sure we build out our capacity while it’s slow. These projects take time. The lead time is two to three years. So, the hope is that when this project comes online, we’ll be ready to go and then absorb any new business that wants to come to Georgia.” The keyword is business, not just cargo: Lynch expects tens of thousands of new jobs will be created as a result of the increased container capacity — not just at the port itself, but in factories and warehouses in the Savannah area. To back up that claim, Lynch pointed to a study from the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business, which estimated that the Ports of Savannah and Brunswick account for roughly one out of every nine jobs in the state.
Neuroscience News
Tiny Worm Plays a Big Role in Learning Whether Parkinson’s Really Starts in the Gut
Key to the condition known to produce uncontrollable shaking, but also characterized by cognitive problems and gastrointestinal distresses like constipation, is a sticky, toxic form of the protein alpha-synuclein, which literally gums up the works of our neurons and kills them. Although it may seem counterintuitive, there is evidence from science labs like Neuroscientist Danielle Mor’s, PhD, that the toxic protein aggregates in the neurons in the gut before it interferes with neurons in the brain. The collection of destructive alpha-synuclein, called Lewy bodies, also has been found on autopsy in neurons embedded in the wall of the gastrointestinal tract of patients with early Parkinson’s. “This is now a hot area of research,” says Mor, a faculty member in the Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. “I think we need to be intervening at the stage of the gut and that is honestly pretty exciting.”
Public News Time
Should You Replace Your Toothbrush After Being Sick? Here’s The Truth
After you’ve been sick, it’s always a safe bet to clean your home. You can strip your bedsheets, wash your clothes and wipe down surfaces. Doing this may not only provide you with peace of mind, but also get rid of lingering germs. Does that mean replacing your toothbrush, too? After all, it’s possibly the item that had the most direct contact with your illness. The short answer is yes. The general recommendation is to replace your toothbrush after you’re sick. According to Dr Gary Liu, a pediatric dentist at Kind Smiles in California, this is particularly important if you’re dealing with infections like oral herpes, flu, strep throat and even common colds. Germs can live on a toothbrush for between 24 hours and a few weeks, depending on the specific type of illness or bacteria. (For example, the flu virus can last on a toothbrush for up to three days, according to The Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University.) There’s also a small risk of getting reinfected, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.
The McDuffie Progress
Three THS students recognized by Black Scholar programs
The Augusta University Black Scholar Recognition Program, an annual tradition since 2004, serves to celebrate local Black high school juniors who are excelling academically, showcasing student leadership or exemplifying Augusta University’s values in their schools. This year 84 students across the area were recognized Feb. 13, including three Thomson High School students.
WALB
Did you know Jimmy Carter took classes at ABAC?
By Alicia Lewis
President Jimmy Carter took courses sponsored by ABAC long before he became involved in politics. He took a class on pesticide use and fertilizers. The staff described him to be a peanut farmer from Plains that always wanted the latest and most up-to-date information. Dr. Mark Kistler, ABAC dean of agriculture, said those same courses are helping students prepare for post-graduation life. …In 2014, Carter addressed students at ABAC on how voting and politics have changed since he was in office. Prior to that, he visited ABAC in 2011 when he opened an exhibit at the Georgia Museum of Agriculture and Historic Village titled “Jimmy Carter: Georgia’s Native Son.” …Other students told WALB News 10 they admire Carter’s willingness to always come back to ABAC to teach and inspire them.
Jagwire
Stacey Eidson
As the recently elected 85th mayor of Augusta and the president and owner of two multi-million-dollar local businesses, Garnett Johnson has a lot of bragging rights. But Johnson is not that kind of man. Instead of boasting about his accomplishments, Johnson, a proud alumnus of Augusta University, is a humble leader who wants to lift up his hometown and help others achieve their goals in life.
Savannah Morning News
Savannah River Fire Festival provides education on prescribed burns, preventing wildfire
John Caesar
Fire is often considered one of the most destructive forces in nature. Still, as it turns out, they can be used as a force of good if prescribed correctly. Prescribed burns are controlled fires intentionally started for the purposes of forest management. When underbrush builds up within a forestry environment, it causes the risk of wildfires to rise. Prescribed burns rid the forest of excess underbrush, keeping the odds of these fires happening low. But it can do that and so much more; prescribed burns also promote plant diversity by reducing the build-up of organic debris, thus releasing nutrients in the soil. …Many are completely unaware of this method of preventing wildfire, which is why the University of Georgia’s Mary Kahrs Warnell Forest Education Center is hosting its annual Savannah River Fire Festival to help spread awareness about the concept.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Long before season, Georgia Tech president found football performance ‘worrisome’
By Ken Sugiura
About a year ago, Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera sang the praises of then-athletic director Todd Stansbury. Up for his annual performance review in February 2022, Cabrera affirmed Stansbury for his leadership of the athletic department throughout 2021 – as the forces of the pandemic, the transfer portal and the rule changes that permitted athletes to be compensated for their name, image and likeness unsettled the world of college athletics. “I thank you for leading the program throughout this time of transformation and doing so without accruing losses or increasing our outstanding debt – a result not many programs achieved this year,” Cabrera wrote. There was one particular issue that Cabrera raised in the annual performance evaluation, dated Feb. 24, 2022 and obtained through an open-records request that was made Sept. 27, 2022 and received Feb. 10. (By state law, University System of Georgia sports programs are required to respond to records requests within 90 business days.) “My biggest concern this year was our poor performance in football, which is worrisome given its outsized impact on our reputation, student and alumni engagement, and the revenues of the entire program,” Cabrera wrote.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In federal case, Ron Bell pleads guilty to extorting Georgia Tech, Josh Pastner
By Ken Sugiura
The person who conspired to ruin Georgia Tech coach Josh Pastner with allegations of sexual assault admitted in a federal case that he made it all up in an attempt to extort Pastner and the institute. Ronald Bell, a former colleague of Pastner’s, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit extortion, according to a Wednesday news release from the U.S. Department of Justice. After a personal falling out with Pastner in 2017, Bell sought the termination and disgrace of the Yellow Jackets coach first by claiming he committed NCAA infractions and then with allegations that Pastner sexually assaulted Bell’s girlfriend. He also demanded bribe money from the institute in exchange for not reporting the claimed assault. When Tech did not comply, Bell and his girlfriend, Jennifer Pendley, filed a lawsuit with the allegations of sexual assault.
Higher Education News:
Higher Ed Dive
K-12 enrollment lagged projections by 2% in 2021, revealing college pipeline cracks
Rick Seltzer, Senior Editor
Dive Brief:
The number of students in public K-12 schools in fall 2021 fell 2% below projected levels, meaning about 833,000 fewer seats were filled and a higher education sector already bracing for an enrollment cliff now faces heightened risks. Reports of students struggling in class amid the COVID-19 pandemic could also foreshadow the number of high school graduates falling more sharply after 2025 than was previously expected, according to a new report from the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. Enrollment changes reflect some students shifting to homeschooling or private schools. But they also show particularly deep pandemic effects for several traditionally underserved racial and ethnic groups.
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Senators Reintroduce Bills to Help Inform Students about College Loans and Financial Aid
Arrman Kyaw
Sens. Tina Smith, D-Minn, and Chuck Grassley R-Iowa, have reintroduced three bills to help students and families make informed decisions about borrowing for college. The bills aim to make sure that students are informed and educated about college search and selection, loans, and financial aid. The Net Price Calculator Improvement Act aims to improve effectiveness and access to net price calculators. The Understanding the True Cost of College Act would create a universal financial aid offer form and standardize terms used in financial aid.
Hechinger Report
OPINION: Let’s pay more attention to colleges that educate the vast majority of Americans
It’s time to worry less about the elites and more about schools that are helping all kinds of students
by Julie E. Wollman and Jacqueline M. Wallis
There are about 2,800 four-year public and nonprofit private colleges and universities in the United States. Yet as we await the Supreme Court’s decision on the use of affirmative action in college admissions, the nation’s gaze is once again narrowed to the most elite and selective 100 institutions: the so-called top 5 percent. Administrators at these top-ranking colleges, along with college counselors at elite high schools, are strategizing how they might manage what many anticipate will be a vastly altered admissions landscape. No doubt, there is a lot at stake for a small sliver of students and institutions. For the great majority of prospective college students in this country, however, none of this latest hand-wringing is relevant.
Cybersecurity Dive
White House releases national cyber strategy, shifting security burden
The long-anticipated policy will push the technology industry to shoulder more of the load for cyber risk, while promoting long-term investments and global cooperation against common threats.
David Jones, Reporter
The Biden administration unveiled its highly anticipated national cyber strategy Thursday, a policy blueprint designed to combat the rising threat of malicious activity against the U.S. from foreign adversaries and criminal cyber actors. Developed after years combating a surge in ransomware and nation-state threat activity, federal authorities will seek to reorder priorities in how the nation manages digital security. Officials want to shift the burden for cyber resilience away from under-resourced consumers of technology and place more responsibility on multibillion-dollar technology giants that for years have sold their customers software and computer systems full of technical flaws.
Inside Higher Ed
Index: Academic Freedom Declining for Over Half the World
By Ryan Quinn
The 2023 update to the Academic Freedom Index, released Thursday, paints a bleak picture for the U.S. and the world. “Academic freedom is in retreat for over 50 percent of the world’s population—4 billion people,” the accompanying report says. “This year’s update of the AFI identifies 22 countries and territories where universities and scholars enjoy significantly less freedom today than 10 years ago. During the same period, academic freedom has improved in only five small countries, which benefits a mere 0.7 percent of the global population. Academic freedom is stagnating in most countries (152), often at far too low a level.” The United States is among the countries that have “undergone significant and substantial declines in academic freedom since 2012,” the report says.
Inside Higher Ed
Iowa Bill Aims to Defund College DEI Efforts
By Josh Moody
Iowa lawmakers are the latest to take aim at diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, with a Republican legislator filing a bill this week to ban spending on DEI efforts at state universities, according to The Gazette. Filed Tuesday night, the bill would ban colleges from spending any state dollars on DEI. It would also require institutions to reallocate unspent money from the current budget year away from campus DEI offices and toward scholarship programs instead.
Higher Ed Dive
Columbia University becomes first Ivy League institution to go permanently test-optional
Jeremy Bauer-Wolf, Senior Reporter
Dive Brief:
Columbia University will no longer require applicants to send SAT or ACT scores for undergraduate admissions, making it the first Ivy League institution to adopt test-optional policies indefinitely.
The university said in a message posted Wednesday that it crafted its application to allow flexibility “for students to represent themselves fully and showcase their academic talents,” but that entrance exams are not mandated. Columbia dropped its testing requirement in 2020 and continually extended that waiver.
Ivy League institutions don’t directly affect most students in the higher education space, as only a fraction attend private nonprofit colleges compared to open-access institutions. However, Columbia’s decision resonates across the sector, which often follows the lead of the most prestigious and visible colleges.
Inside Higher Ed
22 Jobs Cut in Montclair State, Bloomfield College Merger
By Josh Moody
Nearly two dozen employees, or 13 percent of the workforce, at Bloomfield College will lose their jobs as part of the merger with Montclair State University, according to NJ.com. Of those 22 employees, 10 are faculty members, NJ.com reported. The workforce reduction comes as the two institutions prepare to merge this summer. Montclair State University will absorb Bloomfield College in a deal minted last fall after Bloomfield president Marcheta Evans made a public appeal for help in 2021 to stave off a potential closure. The merger is a unique example of a public institution, Montclair State, acquiring a struggling private college, which is uncommon in higher education.