The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Board of Regents to keep tuition steady for most schools
By Vanessa McCray
Tuition rates will remain the same next school year at all but one of Georgia’s public universities. The Georgia Board of Regents voted Tuesday to keep undergraduate and graduate tuition steady at 25 of the 26 schools within the University System of Georgia. Only Middle Georgia State University will see a tuition bump of $19 per hour for in-state undergraduate students and $66 per hour for out-of-state students effective fall 2023. Tuition rates at other Georgia public universities will remain unchanged. For Georgia Tech, that’s $5,129 per semester. At University of Georgia, it’s $4,895.
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The Augusta Chronicle
Georgia Board of Regents keep tuition steady; tackle academic, speech freedom
Abraham Kenmore
New policies on academic freedom and speech
In April, the board adopted some new principles on academic freedom, including the academic freedom proposals from the 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom from the American Association of University Professors, an organization which has censured USG over its changes to tenure protections. On Tuesday, Chancellor Sunny Perdue and Ashwani Monga, executive vice chancellor of academic affairs for USG, presented regents with newly revised policies based on the proposal adopted last month.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Kemp takes hard line on General Assembly priorities with spending cuts
By James Salzer
Gov. Brian Kemp’s decision to veto about $30 million in projects approved by lawmakers earlier this year wasn’t particularly surprising after warning of “holes” in the state budget with recession clouds looming. More shocking to lawmakers was the more than $200 million in spending that Kemp put on hold. In all, he directed agencies to ignore about 130 budget line items, many close to the hearts of lawmakers. … Kemp signed the $32.4 billion state budget on May 5 on the site of a new electric vehicle plant outside Savannah. A couple of hours later, at the close of the business day at the Capitol, he put out 33 pages of budget vetoes and what are known as budget “disregards.” …Legislative leaders were expecting some response from Kemp after passing a budget that he said had holes in it, and after cutting $66 million in funding for the University System of Georgia, which is run by former Gov. Sonny Perdue, who had a big influence on his political career. Just maybe not such a big one.
WGAU Radio
UGA Law School earns highest-ever ranking
By UGA Today
The University of Georgia’s School of Law has earned its highest ranking ever in the U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools. In the 2024 edition of the rankings published Thursday, the law school ranked 20th among the nation’s 196 ABA-accredited law schools. The ranking places the School of Law among the top seven public law schools in the nation and as the leader in Georgia for the third straight year.
WRBL
Interim CSU president says partnership with the community ‘unmatched across the university system’
by: Chuck Williams
Columbus State interim President Dr. John Fuchko finishes his yearlong tenure at the end of the month. Dr. Stuart Rayfield will become the new president when he leaves for another interim assignment at Dalton State College. On Friday, Dr. Fuchko sat down with WRBL between graduation ceremonies. Dr. Fuchko may have had the interim tag since he got here a year ago. But he hasn’t acted like an interim. Some would say he has driven CSU like he owned it.
Savannah CEO
Approximately 4,200 Degrees Conferred during Georgia Southern’s 2023 Spring Commencement Ceremonies
Staff Report
Approximately 4,200 graduates from Georgia Southern University’s Statesboro, Armstrong and Liberty campuses received associate, baccalaureate, masters, specialist and doctoral degrees in five Spring 2023 Commencement ceremonies. Georgia Southern President Kyle Marrero welcomed the graduates and their guests to the ceremonies, held at the Allen E. Paulson Stadium in Statesboro on May 9, 10 and 11, and at the EnMarket Arena on May 13. …Before degrees were conferred, Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts degrees were presented to Fred Gretsch and Dinah Gretsch, namesakes of the University’s nationally recognized school of music, who have contributed considerable time, resources and opportunities for Georgia Southern students and faculty.
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The Georgia Virtue
The journey of Rudy Madrid: An Army service member’s path to graduation and commissioning
AllOnGeorgia
Statesboro Native Jonathan Hoopaugh Catapults from Academic Suspension to Graduating with Honors
Grice Connect
Grice Connect
From the pitch to the podium: Swedish athlete earns PR degree
Grice Connect
GS graduate sets sights on joining U.S. Space Force
WRBL
Columbus State University confers 948 degrees during spring commencement
by: Chuck Williams
Friday was graduation day at Columbus State University. And … it was a great day for proud students and parents to pose for pictures with the Cougar mascot. CSU conferred 948 degrees during three ceremonies at the Lumpkin Center. A large portion of those degrees, 361, were earned from the College of Education and Health Professions – teachers and nurses.
Georgia Recorder
Georgia State awards diplomas to first graduating class at Walker State Prison
By: Ross Williams
It’s the time of the year when young men and women turn their tassels, toss their caps into the sky and dream about a bright future. But one group of graduates from Georgia’s class of 23 stands out from the rest. “The thing that makes us want to do it, those of us who have taught there, the reason we love it so much is that they’re the best students we’ve had,” said Georgia State University Perimeter College geology professor Polly Bouker. “I’ve worked 23 years in higher education, and this has been my absolute top experience.” On May 5, Perimeter College graduated its first class of students who earned their associate’s degrees while incarcerated, part of Georgia State University’s Prison Education Project. The nine graduates from Walker State Prison in Rock Spring earned their degrees in general studies, taking classes in a variety of subjects. According to the college, three graduated with GPAs above 3.9 and the rest were above 3.7.
Augusta CEO
Augusta University College of Allied Health Sciences Grad Earns Annual Beard Award
Valerie Emerick
Augusta University President Brooks A. Keel, PhD, presented the prestigious John F. Beard Award for Compassionate Care to Amanda A. Valentini during the university’s Spring Graduate Hooding and Commencement Ceremony on May 11. Keel also conferred Valentini with her Master of Health Science in Occupational Therapy diploma from the College of Allied Health Sciences during the ceremony. … During her time at the university, Valentini created and implemented a literacy-based occupational therapy class for 169 students at Jenkins-White Elementary School, a Title I school in South Augusta, where 100% of the children live at or below the national poverty level.
Albany Herald
ASU receives Sen. Paul Simon Spotlight Award
From staff reports
Albany State University has been awarded a 2023 Sen. Paul Simon Spotlight Award for Campus Internationalization by NAFSA: Association of International Educators. Named for the late Sen. Paul Simon of Illinois, the award celebrates outstanding innovation and accomplishment in campus internationalization within a specific program or initiative. “We are honored to receive this prestigious award that recognizes the importance of intentionally creating a globally enriching environment for students to develop and learn,” ASU President Marion Fedrick said in a news release. “Our mission is to prepare students to compete in a globally diverse society. We foster this through continuous innovation within every aspect of their college experience, both academically and in extracurricular programs.”
The Tifton Gazette
Hicks selected for Roy R. Jackson Award
Doug Hicks has been selected as the 2023 recipient of the Roy R. Jackson Award for Staff Excellence, presented each year to the top staff member at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. Presented in memory of Roy R. Jackson Sr., award recipients must have completed at least 10 years of continuous full-time service to ABAC, college officials said in a statement. Award criteria states the staff member must be dependable, loyal, reliable and one who contributes to the growth and development of the college beyond the normal call of duty. Hicks, an agriculture specialist in the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources, has been at ABAC for 20 years. He currently serves as the ABAC beef herd manager.
Americus Times-Recorder
GSW Baseball Team sweeps Young Harris to win the Peach Belt Conference Tournament
From Staff Reports
The Georgia Southwestern State University Baseball Team extended its winning streak to eight games by sweeping Young Harris College in the best of three series to win the Peach Belt Conference Tournament and secured an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
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Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
Georgia law enforcement leader who helped train more than 1,000 officers has died
Mark Rice
Archie Rainey, a law enforcement leader and teacher for decades who helped train more than 1,000 police executives through the college he started in Columbus, has died. Rainey founded the Georgia Law Enforcement Command College at Columbus State University in 1995 and served as director until 2016. He died Monday at the age of 82, according to Striffler-Hamby Mortuary. …Upon receiving a Meritorious Service Award from the Peace Officers Association of Georgia, a 2013 resolution of commendation adopted by the Georgia House of Representations describes the impact Rainey made on the state. …Rainey was recruited to Georgia in the early 1970s by CSU (called Columbus College at the time) and then-Columbus Police Chief Curtis McClung. During the next 21 years, Rainey was an instructor in CSU’s criminal justice program. In 1995, the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police asked Rainey to develop the idea that became the Command College to provide advanced education for police executives statewide, “a challenge he eagerly accepted,” the resolution says.
Athens CEO
UGA SBDC Hosting Business Loans Made Easy Webinar Series
Staff Report
The University of Georgia Small Business Development Center (SBDC), a Public Service and Outreach unit of the University of Georgia, and Synovus Bank invite small business owners and entrepreneurs to a two-part, no-cost webinar series on successfully obtaining a business loan.
Newnan CEO
Ice Cream Store Grows into Sweet Success with Guidance from the University of Georgia SBDC
Staff Report
Jim Rafferty, one of the owners of butter’dudder ice cream stores, and Todd Anduze, a business consultant at the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center (UGA SBDC), have been connected for many years through community events in West Georgia. But it wasn’t until Rafferty was ready to open his third store that he turned to Anduze to utilize the resources of the UGA SBDC to grow the business.
Athens Banner-Herald
Avian flu strain has Athens researchers seeking vaccines to protect Georgia poultry industry
Abraham Kenmore
Augusta Chronicle
It may be called the Peach State, but Georgia is the top poultry state in the nation. The state’s poultry industry produces 1.3 billion broiler chickens each year. Not only does it lead the nation in producing chickens, it also has some of the leading laboratories working to confront threats to poultry production, including an ongoing strain of an avian influenza outbreak that is outlasting most previous strains. This spring, the Biden administration floated the possibility of vaccinating America’s poultry against avian flu. “The discussion of vaccination has been really brought to the forefront because of the duration of the outbreak of avian influenza that we are seeing in commercial poultry,” said Karen Grogan, clinical associate professor with the Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center at the University of Georgia. “It’s lasted over a year, whereas previous outbreaks will last … four to six months.” One organization on the forefront of confronting this and other avian influenza outbreaks is the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory in Athens.
Step to Health
Probiotic Soda Drinks: Are They Good for Your Intestinal Health?
Want to improve your gut health? Find out if sodas with prebiotics and probiotics are the refreshing solution you’ve been looking for.
More and more people are recognizing that gut health can have a significant impact on their overall well-being. As a result, they’re looking for ways to improve it. One of the most popular ways, at present, is through the consumption of prebiotic and probiotic soda drinks. Despite the growing interest in these beverages, the benefits of taking prebiotic and probiotic soda drinks are still the subject of scientific debate. In addition, there are some possible side effects of overconsumption. …In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in the consumption of prebiotic and probiotic soda drinks. Generally speaking, this is good news. Probiotics have benefits for intestinal health, backed by science, and soft drinks with probiotics will always be preferable to regular sodas. However, it’s important to consume these beverages in moderation. It’s also worth clarifying that some sweeteners and additives may not be of the best quality. This is a relevant point of discussion about their production, which is echoed in a publication by Gut Microbes. In addition, excessive consumption of probiotics can lead to overdoses, resulting in diarrhea and flatulence. This is according to a study carried out by Augusta University, in the United States.
Hay & Forage Grower
Can the South help curb the alfalfa trend line?
By Joe Bouton
The author is a professor emeritus with the University of Georgia in Athens and owner of Bouton Consulting Group LLC.
The first “Alfalfa Conference,” which was later to become the North American Alfalfa Improvement Conference, took place in Washington D.C. on January 13, 1930. Its chief purpose was “to discuss the problems that seem to be concerned with the decline in acreage of alfalfa in certain alfalfa districts, with special attention being given to the wilt problem; the relation of subsoil moisture to the yields of alfalfa; and to the causes of the decline in production in the Mississippi Delta and the black lands of Mississippi.” It was the final part of that 1930 conference quote that caught my attention.
Augusta Business Daily
Mondays with Rick: Use your pain points for new business opportunities
By Dr. Rick Franza
Dr. Rick Franza, Professor of Management at the Hull College of Business, discusses a different, timely business topic each Monday in this column. This week, he talks about how and when to take advantage of business opportunities. The interview has been edited for clarity and impact.
ABD: Several weeks ago, we talked about the importance of innovation in business success, but often, innovation involves taking advantage of new opportunities. What should we view as opportunities? Rick: Author, Clayton Christensen, who developed the idea of “disruptive innovation,” said that business opportunities come from jobs or things that need to be done, the pain points. What are your pain points? What things are you dissatisfied with? If you realize you’re having a problem getting something done, it may be an opportunity to start a business. What things can you do that aren’t being done? Amy Richardson of Richardson Professional Solutions is an awesome example of that.
WGAU Radio
Local briefs: Commissioners meet at City Hall, students register at UGA
By Tim Bryant
Today is a registration day at UGA: students can sign up for spots in classes in the University of Georgia’s upcoming Maymester and summer sessions. …The University of North Georgia and its Cottrell School of Business say two of its degree programs will be offered on line. Management and technology management degrees can be obtained virtually starting with UNG’s upcoming fall semester.
accessWDUN
Out of this world: UNG astronomical observatory open all summer
By Joy Holmes Multimedia Journalist
The public is welcome year-round to visit the University of North Georgia’s astronomical observatory to catch views out of this world merely four miles from its Dahlonega campus, according to UNG officials. “If you haven’t seen Saturn through a telescope, it’s remarkable,” Associate Professor of Astronomy Gregory Feiden said. The university has had an observatory on its campus since the 1960s; however, the current facility was revamped in 2020 and has been on the same grounds since the 1990s, Feiden said.
WTVM
Muscogee County School District, Coca-Cola Science Center to hold robotics competition
By Tiffany Maddox
Hundreds of Muscogee County School students are preparing to show off their skills at an area robotics competition on Saturday, May 13. Muscogee County Schools, along with Columbus State University’s Coco-Cola Space Science Center, will host the competition at Downtown Magnet Academy.
Albany CEO
Albany State University to Host 2023 Athletics Golf Classic for Third Time
Staff Report
The Albany State University (ASU) Third Annual Athletics Golf Classic will be held at the Flint River Municipal Golf Course on Friday, June 16, 2023. In 2022, the event raised $36,663 in ASU Foundation scholarships for student-athletes. This year, the university hopes to increase the funds raised, and asks community members to show support by registering a team or sponsoring a hole.
Washington Examiner
Opinion
Georgia can destroy DEI in higher education by defunding it
By Mike Gonzalez
Don’t look now, but the Peach State may soon join Florida and Texas in eliminating the curse of diversity, equity, and inclusion from colleges and universities. The chancellor of Georgia’s public universities, Sonny Perdue, is locked in a battle with state lawmakers after the state Senate cut $66 million from the higher education system’s fiscal 2024 budget. But Lt. Gov. Burt Jones has offered him a way out: Figure out what you’re spending on DEI, and get back to us. Perdue, chancellor of the University System of Georgia, with its 26 colleges and universities, should pay heed and catalog how many university officials are pushing DEI in Georgia. The obvious next step would be to eliminate this wasteful and damaging endeavor.
Higher Education News:
Higher Ed Dive
Report: Many borrowers who could benefit from income-driven repayment don’t know about it
Laura Spitalniak, Associate Editor
Dive Brief:
Student loan borrowers who would stand to benefit the most from income-driven repayment plans, or IDRs, are less likely to know about them, according to a new report from left-leaning think tank New America. Around 2 in 5 student-debt holders earning less than $30,000 a year reported being unfamiliar with the repayment plans. Under a proposed plan from the U.S. Education Department, IDR minimum monthly loan payments for low-income earners, such as this group, could drop to $0. Just under half of borrowers in default had not heard of IDRs, despite the plans offering a pathway to becoming current on their loans, the report said. Only one-third of currently defaulted borrowers had ever enrolled in IDR.
Inside Higher Ed
DeSantis Signs Bill to Defund DEI
By Josh Moody
Florida governor Ron DeSantis has officially signed legislation that will ban state dollars from going to diversity, equity and inclusion programs at public institutions, ultimately defunding such efforts. The Republican governor has taken aim at DEI programs in recent months, echoing criticism from right-wing critics who claim the initiatives are divisive and tantamount to liberal indoctrination. On Monday, DeSantis said that the DEI acronym ultimately represents “discrimination, exclusion, and indoctrination,” according to The Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
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Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Northwestern University to Rename African American Studies Department
Arrman Kyaw
Northwestern University’s African American studies department will be renamed the Department of Black Studies. The change will become official in the next few months, pending final trustee approval. The department – housed in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences – is making the change to better reflect the range of its scholarship and teaching, according to the formal name change proposal. “African American studies” is often interpreted as being U.S.-specific.
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Seton Hall University Students Protest Alleged Lack of Support for Africana Studies Program
Arrman Kyaw
Dozens of Seton Hall University students and supporters staged a sit-in at Presidents Hall on campus last week to protest the school’s alleged lack of support for its Africana Studies program, NJ.com reported. Protestors said the program has no tenured professors and that it was impossible to complete majors or minors in it. The students are demanding that the school hire three or four full-time professors; restore the Africana Studies Department by next spring; appoint a full-time tenured program director; and allow students to serve as search committee liaisons with voting power for hiring.
Inside Higher Ed
Rising Hispanic Enrollment, Degree Attainment
By Sara Weissman
The Hispanic population in the U.S. has made significant gains in college enrollment and educational attainment since 2005, according to recently released U.S. Census Bureau data. Over half of Hispanic people between the ages of 25 and 34 had attended some college by 2021, up from just a third in 2005. Over that time period, the number of Hispanic people with a high school degree rose 28.3 percent, and the number who attended some college increased 76.5 percent. Those with a bachelor’s degree or higher rose 145.2 percent, a jump from fewer than one million people to 2.2 million. Hispanic students also now make up a greater share of those enrolled in college.
Inside Higher Ed
Universities Foot the Bill for Paid Internships
To capitalize on the benefits of paid internships, two university systems have created funds to support students who might not otherwise seek such opportunities.
By Johanna Alonso
At Binghamton University, the Summer Scholars and Artists program has long allowed a small group of students to spend their summers on campus working under the instruction of a faculty mentor—composing operas, say, or studying local fauna—for a stipend. But thanks to a new pilot program focused on providing paid internships to more low-income, first-generation and minority students, the opportunities have expanded this summer. Binghamton has added eight new positions for Summer Scholars and Artists, offering internships to a total of 20 students. Each receives $3,500 for the eight-week program, while their mentors receive $1,000 apiece. The pilot is also creating additional paid internships in three summer research programs.
Higher Ed Dive
New York lawmakers again seek to ban legacy, early decision college admissions
Jeremy Bauer-Wolf, Senior Reporter
Dive Brief:
New York lawmakers are again trying to ban public and private colleges in the state from offering legacy preferences or early decisions in admissions. Bills in the New York Assembly and Senate would fine institutions that violate the prohibition. The fine would equal 10% of the number of full-time equivalent first-year students enrolled the prior year multiplied by an institution’s tuition and fees. The state would dedicate money collected from the penalty to student financial aid. The bills’ sponsors made a similar proposal last year, though it did not pass the state legislature.
Inside Higher Ed
White House Picks Cancer Surgeon to Lead NIH
By Katherine Knott
President Biden has selected Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, director of the National Cancer Institute, to lead the National Institutes of Health, the White House announced Monday. Dr. Bertagnolli, a cancer surgeon, has overseen the National Cancer Institute for seven months and was diagnosed with a treatable form of breast cancer early in her tenure. The National Cancer Institute is the largest of the 27 institutes that are part of NIH, which has a $47 billion annual budget and plays a key role in funding research into new diseases and treatments.
Higher Ed Dive
OPINION
Politicians as commencement speakers remain a risky proposition
Dividing the audience with speaker choice can undercut the joy of graduation, says George Mason professor emeritus.
By James Finkelstein
James Finkelstein served as the founding vice dean of the School of Public Policy at George Mason University, in Virginia, where he is now Professor Emeritus of Public Policy.
Less than a day after George Mason University announced Gov. Glenn Younkin as its spring commencement speaker, a graduating senior launched an online petition demanding the administration ensure the official would not speak or attend the ceremony. As of this writing, more than 8,000 individuals have signed the petition. This should come as no surprise. As longtime New York Times reporter Katharine Seelye wrote in 2018, “Protests at college commencements are almost a rite of spring.” …Given the ever-widening political divide, it might be time to rethink the wisdom of having politicians as commencement speakers since this seems to be the group most likely to provoke student protests.