Savannah Morning News
‘Incredible assets’: AU Health, Wellstar partner to expand health care
Joe Hotchkiss, Augusta Chronicle
With a new name and a shared mission, Georgia’s only public medical school on Friday announced an agreement with an Atlanta-based health care system that its partners say will improve healthcare statewide and the number of trained physicians to help deliver it. Augusta University Health System, which includes the 205-year-old Medical College of Georgia, and Wellstar Health System now will comprise Wellstar MCG Health, whose shared resources are expected to expand medical training, care and research throughout the state. “As you all know, AU and MCG are incredible assets for our state, and I’m confident that the best days of our institution are ahead of us,” Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said Friday during a virtual press conference, joined by AU President Dr. Brooks Keel, Wellstar President and CEO Candie Saunders and former Gov. Sonny Perdue, chancellor of the University System of Georgia.
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WGAU Radio
Perdue: USG cuts “incredibly disappointing”
By AJC
University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue blasted a $66 million state funding decrease approved by lawmakers late Wednesday, which the system said will hurt schools across the state. The General Assembly passed a budget for the upcoming fiscal year with about $3.1 billion in state funding for the University System of Georgia, which oversees 26 public colleges and universities. The University System said the cut adds to the pain of revenue losses due to recent falling enrollments at 20 schools, most of which are smaller, regional colleges. The budget now goes to Gov. Brian Kemp for his approval. A spokesman said the measure is “undergoing a thorough review process” and declined further comment.
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The Times
UNG president calls state budget cuts ‘concerning’ in letter to faculty
Ben Anderson
University of North Georgia is bracing for tough times ahead after state lawmakers on Wednesday passed a budget that cuts $66 million, or just over 2%, in funding for the University System of Georgia.
WGXA News
MGA President Dr. Christopher Blake addresses budget cuts and MGA future
by Carmen Russell
Ahead of a budget cut, President Dr. Christopher Blake addresses its impact on Middle Georgia University. In a statement to the media on Friday, President Dr. Blake said there will be some level of impact on the MGA’s budget next year. However, the school is prioritizing its students and ensuring their education continues to be affordable. Just how much cutting will the school face and what will the manifestation of that impact look like? These are the questions Dr. Blake sought to tackle when addressing the media.
The Brunswick News
CCGA funding for nursing expansion gets final approval
By Hank Rowland
College of Coastal Georgia will get state funding for the proposed expansion of its School of Nursing and Health Sciences, but it may be next year before the stimulant kratom is out of legal reach of minors. The $1.4 million sought by the college for the design of the proposed expansion of the Nunnally Building and its programs is included in the $32.5 billion budget passed by the Georgia General Assembly for fiscal year 2024.
Albany Herald
ABAC, Wesleyan sign agreement to fast-track students into graduate programs
From staff reports
Graduates from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College’s Stafford School of Business will find their pathway to a master’s degree much easier after the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding between ABAC and Wesleyan College. The memorandum states that ABAC students who complete a bachelor of science degree in business at ABAC have a fast track to Wesleyan College’s graduate programs in Business Administration and Nonprofit Management. ABAC President Tracy Brundage said that this memorandum of agreement speaks to the college’s mission of providing students with every possible advantage after their academic careers here have been completed.
WGAU Radio
UGA sets record in Dawg Day of Giving
By Tim Bryant
The University of Georgia has tallied the total from last week’s Dawg Day of Giving, saying more than 11 thousand donors contributed $5.6 million on March 30. UGA says that is a single-day record for the annual event.
From Clarke Schwabe, UGA Today…
University of Georgia supporters set a single-day giving record for the second consecutive year when donors made 11,091 gifts to the university during UGA’s Dawg Day of Giving on March 30.
The Houston Home Journal
STEM JOB MARKET SERVED SUNNY SIDE UP AT REGIONAL CHAMBER’S EGGS AND ISSUES
Brieanna Romero
Movers and shakers in the world of business, government and education met Thursday morning for another edition of Robins Regional Chamber’s “Eggs and Issues” series. This time, the event focused on the future of workforce development and the upward mobility of STEM related fields. Once again, the event transpired in an interview format, moderated by Angie Gheesling, executive director for the Development Authority of Houston County. Multiple speakers during the event, representing area colleges and outreach programs, explained how they can help those interested in a science career achieve their dreams. Speaking first during the interview was Middle Georgia State University (MGA) President Dr. Christopher Blake, on how he believes the university is looking towards the future and delivering students that contribute to what he called a “knowledge economy.”
Griffin Daily News
Fields, Williams named 2023 classified employees of the year for UGA Griffin
By Ashley Biles Special To The GDN
The University of Georgia Griffin campus recently named Ben Fields and Seth Williams as the 2023 Classified Employees of the Year. The award is presented to classified personnel who have made the most significant impact on the programs at the UGA Griffin Campus.
WGAU Radio
UGA Ecology School gets new dean
By Tim Bryant
The University of Georgia names a new dean for its Odum School of Ecology: Dr. Mark Hunter comes to Athens from Ann Arbor, where he has been a professor of ecology and biology at the University of Michigan.
From UGA provost Jack Hu…
Following a nationwide search, the University of Georgia has named Mark D. Hunter as the next dean of the Eugene P. Odum School of Ecology. Dr. Hunter is currently the Earl E. Werner Distinguished University Professor and Henry A. Gleason Collegiate Professor in the department of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Michigan.
Forsyth County News
How The Place and UNG are helping Forsyth County students attend prom
Sabrina Kerns
The Place and the University of North Georgia partnered for the first time this year to host the Gift of Prom, an event giving all Forsyth County students a chance to take part in a high school tradition.
Albany Herald
Albany State alumni turn out for 120th Founder’s Day weekend
By Alan Mauldin
For William A. Hopkins, Founders Day at his alma mater is a pilgrimage he has made nearly every year for more than 50 years. And on Friday, he was among those from near and far celebrating the 120th anniversary of the establishment of Albany State University. The Atlanta resident, who is a former professor and retired pastor, has attended nearly every Founder’s Day weekend since he graduated in 1968, with the exception of the four years his military service put him in Europe. He was among the audience on Friday at the Founder’s Day Convocation and was anticipating the Blue and Gold Scholarship Gala that was held on Saturday.
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Albany Herald
PHOTOS: Albany State’s Founder’s Day convocation brings alumni back to campus
Albany Herald
Albany State Blue-Gold Spring game draws big crowd
Joe Whitfield Sports Editor
Hundreds of students and fans were on hand Saturday afternoon for the annual Blue-Gold game at the Albany State Coliseum to see the newest edition of the Golden Rams football team under new head coach Quinn Gray. Quarterback Larry Edwards III gets loose for a big gain with Kevary Jenkins (44) in pursuit. The defense dominated early but a 65-yard touchdown pass from Isaiah Knowles to Rashad Jordan on the first play of the second quarter showed the Golden Rams will have some explosiveness next season.
Essence
Black Teens Reportedly Solve “Impossible” Problem That Stumped Mathematicians For Centuries
New Orleans Students Calcea Johnson And Ne’kiya Jackson Presented Their Discovery At A Recent Math Conference, Where They Were The Only High Schoolers.
By Malaika Jabali
Two New Orleans-based teenagers have cracked the code of an impossible math problem that hasn’t been discovered for nearly 2,000 years, according to a presentation they gave at a recent mathematics conference. On March 18, high school students Calcea Johnson and Ne’Kiya Jackson presented a session called “An Impossible Proof Of Pythagoras” at the American Mathematics Society’s Spring Southeastern Section Meeting at Georgia Tech in Atlanta.
The GW Hatchet
Bacteria in grocery-store meat causes about half a million UTIs annually: study
By Anna Zell and Sophia Goedert
E. coli bacteria found in grocery-store chicken, pork and turkey can cause more than half a million urinary tract infections annually, according to a Milken Institute School of Public Health study released late last month. Lead researchers Lance Price and Cindy Liu, both professors of environmental and occupational health, managed a team that found extraintestinal E. coli strains – bacteria from outside of the intestines commonly originating from meat – cause between 480,000 and 640,000 UTIs annually in the United States. …Francisco Diez-Gonzalez, a professor in the department of food science and technology and the director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia, said the study acts as a warning for people who are prone to UTIs so they can become aware of safety precautions like the proper cooking temperatures to prevent UTIs. He said the link between E. coli and UTIs isn’t surprising because humans consume many microorganisms daily, which can come from animal products.
The Houston Home Journal
MGA HOSTS PANEL EDUCATING STUDENTS ON LOCAL NATIVE TRIBES
Sandra Hernandez/HHJ Staff Writer
Middle Georgia State University kicked off the School of Arts and Letters Arts Festival by hosting a Reclaiming the Native South humanities panel on the Macon campus. The panel started at 4:30 p.m. in the Arts Complex Theater and invited professors from the University of Mississippi and University of Georgia with a background in history of Native Americans. Among the panelists were Beau Carrol and Tracie Revis, who have a Creek and Cherokee background and are trying to bring Muscogee (Creek) culture back to middle Georgia. Revis is the Director of Advocacy at Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve Initiative and gives a mini history lesson on mounds along the Ocmulgee and nearby rivers.
Athens CEO
University of Georgia and Georgia Tech to host ‘Run the State Blood Battle’
Staff Report
The University of Georgia and Georgia Tech will face off in a Run the State Blood Battle as they take their rivalry off the field for a friendly competition to help save lives. Join us to help either school become a champion to patients in need by giving blood! …With a goal to collect 50 units of blood each day, totaling 100 lifesaving units of blood, the American Red Cross, the University of Georgia, and Georgia Tech encourage you to help save a life. All presenting blood donors will receive food and a special Red Cross T-shirt while supplies last!*
WALB
ASU alumni sorority partners with local church to host vaccination event
By Felicity Felder
An Albany State University alumni sorority has partnered with a local church to help vaccinate the community. The Albany Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc and the Conference of National Black Churches (CNBC) will be partnering with Bethel AME Church for the event. The event has been set for Saturday, April 1 from 9:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Pfizer and Moderna boosters will be offered, as well as the first and second dosages.
WTOC
Georgia Southern University student released on bond after threatening social media posts
By WTOC Staff
A Georgia Southern University nursing student arrested on charges of making threatening social media posts has been released on bond. Kimberlie Bennett is charged with terroristic threats and acts based on a post she’s accused of making Monday morning. Today a judge released her on a seven-day bond for evaluation. She has been banned from all Georgia Southern Campuses and is not allowed to have any contact with anyone from the nursing program.
Higher Education News:
Higher Ed Dive
Most Americans don’t see value in a four-year college degree, new survey finds
Jeremy Bauer-Wolf, Senior Reporter
Dive Brief:
More than half of Americans do not believe a four-year college degree is worth the cost, according to a new Wall Street Journal-NORC poll released Friday. About 56% of respondents said college graduates leave without specific job skills and with high amounts of debt, versus 42% who said a four-year degree is worth the price. This represents a new low in confidence. In 2017, 47% of respondents reported skepticism with higher ed’s ability to lead to good jobs and increased earnings. The organizations also found greater skepticism in the youngest age bracket, 18 to 34, than in other groups. NORC, a research center at the University of Chicago, helped poll more than 1,000 adults in March.
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Struggling Schools Should Look to Merge Much Earlier, Say Experts
Jon Edelman
As colleges struggle to cope with declining enrollment as the influx of federal COVID-19 money dries up, a wave of closures is widely expected. Already this year, at least six campuses are expected to shutter, including Finlandia University, Cazenovia College, and, after an announcement last week, Iowa Wesleyan University. But experts believe that some institutions could be saved if their leaders were more open to a different option: merging with other schools before their circumstances grow desperate.
Higher Ed Dive
Ed Department directs colleges to get eligible students on SNAP before expansion expires
Laura Spitalniak, Associate Editor
Dive Brief:
Colleges should immediately reach out to students who qualify for federal food benefits and help them enroll before a COVID-19-era expansion to the program expires, according to new guidance released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Education. During the pandemic, emergency government aid opened the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to all college students enrolled at least half-time who were eligible for work-study programs or had an expected family contribution of $0. The Education Department is now urging higher ed institutions to connect their students to SNAP resources before the expansion ends in the coming weeks.
Higher Ed Dive
International applicants using the Common App increased by over a third
Jeremy Bauer-Wolf, Senior Reporter
Dive Brief:
The number of international students seeking admission to colleges through the Common Application rose by 63% over a nearly decade-long period, according to new data from the organization. The data shows 31,456 international applicants used the Common App in the 2014-15 academic year, jumping to 51,426 applicants in 2020-21. A similar rise, 61%, came in domestic applicants using the Common App — an online portal enabling students to apply to more than 1,000 member institutions — during this period. Over each of the eight years, international applicants comprised between 4% and 5% of the overall applicant pool. They submitted about 13% of all applications.
Inside Higher Ed
Can Turnitin Cure Higher Ed’s AI Fever?
The plagiarism detector will introduce its AI detection tool tomorrow, hoping to protect academic integrity in a post-ChatGPT world. The speedy launch and lack of an opt-out have academics worried.
By Liam Knox
An image of a page with purportedly AI-generated text highlighted. A preview of Turnitin’s new AI detector, Originality, set for a trial release on April 4. Some faculty and technology specialists have raised concerns about the tool’s accuracy and Turnitin’s product rollout. (Screenshot from YouTube)
When Turnitin was launched in 1998, the early ed-tech start-up promised a solution to one of the most pressing threats to academic integrity in the nascent internet era: easy plagiarism from online sources. Twenty-five years later, the question on every classroom instructor’s lips has shifted from “how do I know if my student is copying someone else’s work?” to “how do I know this essay wasn’t written by a robot?” That question has been asked more frequently, and more frantically, since the March release of the fourth evolution of ChatGPT, the generative artificial intelligence that has demonstrated an uncanny talent for imitating human language and thought.
Higher Ed Dive
Lindenwood University acquires Michigan-based for-profit vocational college
Laura Spitalniak, Associate Editor
Dive Brief:
Lindenwood University, a nonprofit in Missouri, Thursday finalized its acquisition of Dorsey College, an 89-year-old for-profit technical institution based in Michigan. Neither institution has publicly shared the purchase price. Lindenwood’s purchase allows it to expand into the career education sector and create a higher education system that can support a more diverse set of students, according to an FAQ on the university’s website. The acquisition will also diversify Lindenwood’s revenue streams, the private university said. The institutions will continue to operate separately, keeping their respective names and employees. Dorsey’s leader, John Barnes, will stay on as president and CEO and will report to John Porter, president of the Lindenwood Education System. Porter will also continue to serve as Lindenwood’s president.
Inside Higher Ed
N.D. Senate Narrowly Rejects Bill on Firing Tenured Faculty
By Ryan Quinn
The North Dakota Senate on Friday narrowly rejected the bill that would’ve let the presidents of two state institutions review and then fire tenured faculty members—without review from, or the right to appeal to, a faculty committee. The Senate vote was 21 for and 23 against, with three senators absent. That body has only four Democrats, who all voted against the legislation, House Bill 1446. The state’s House of Representatives had passed the bill 66 to 27 on Feb. 20. Mike Lefor, who leads the Republican House supermajority, filed the legislation. It would’ve affected Dickinson State University and Bismarck State College.
Inside Higher Ed
Amherst, Williams to Merge? UVA to Become UV? Ban on Caffeine?
By Scott Jaschik
In a shocking development, Amherst and Williams Colleges announced on April 1 that they would merge. In a joint announcement on the colleges’ Instagram pages, Amherst president Michael A. Elliott and Williams president Maud S. Mandel said, “Neither of us came to our respective roles imagining such a move. Over time, as we worked together, we recognized how deeply our schools were in sync: our missions, priorities and educational philosophies had so much in common. Our school colors even used the same purple. Of course, there are also real differences, and we’ve long been rivals in varsity athletics. But given that Amherst was founded two hundred years ago by a group of faculty and students from Williams, in many ways this feels less like a merger and more like a family reunion.”