Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Finalist chosen to be next University of North Georgia president
By Vanessa McCray
A top administrator at Georgia Tech is the sole finalist for the presidency of the University of North Georgia. The Georgia Board of Regents on Wednesday announced it has selected Michael P. Shannon for the post following a national search. The board will vote to make the appointment official at a future meeting. …Sonny Perdue, chancellor of the University System of Georgia, touted his credentials in a written statement. “Dr. Shannon’s nearly three-decade career in the military, as a researcher and in higher education has demonstrated tremendous leadership and effective communication while building solid relationships with his colleagues, peers and students,” Perdue said in a statement.
See also: Gainesville Times: UNG announces sole finalist for president. Professor criticizes ‘closed-off’ search process; Capitol Beat: Retired Army officer named finalist for president at University of North Georgia
Albany Herald
ASU holds two days of active-shooter training at its East Campus
What do Kansas City, Mo.; Thibodaux, La.; Renton, Wash., and two Mississippi cities — Jonestown and Clarksdale — have in common? On Sunday, they were all the locations of mass shootings. … With schools and colleges not immune, and having been among some of the worst scenes of gun carnage, area law enforcement agencies gathered at Albany State University over two days this week to prepare to deal with such an occurrence should it strike close to home. “We’ve been preparing the active shooter training for a few months,” Albany State Police Lt. George Frye, who organized the training conducted by two officers each from the University of West Georgia and University of Georgia, said.
See also: WALB: 1 year later, Uvalde shooting still changing ASU active shooter training; South Georgia TV: ASU Police hosts active shooter training
Augusta Chronicle
Augusta University continues to grow, says Brooks Keel in annual address
By Abraham Kenmore
Augusta University is growing in all directions, from enrollment to research to buildings. That was the message of Brooks Keel, president of the university, during Wednesday’s annual State of the University talk. AU’s strategic plan, focused on innovation, engagement and diversity, equity and inclusion, aims to have 16,000 students by 2030 and to expand research funding and community engagement.
Statesboro HeraldFountain to lead Institutional Advancement at EGSC
Casey Fountain was recently named the Director of Institutional Advancement at East Georgia State College. Fountain will oversee facility reservations, coordinate event requests, assist with communication strategies and oversee alumni relations.
Albany Herald
Researchers find improved treatments for removing ‘forever chemicals’
By Emily Cabrera
University of Georgia researchers in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the College of Engineering are wrapping up the final year of a study to develop improved, cost-effective treatment systems with advanced technologies for removing polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water, wastewater and biosolids.
EdTech
What is UDL, and how can it be used in higher education?
By Alexandra Shimalla
Think about the last time you went inside a medical building. They often have large, wide elevators and automatic doors; big, bold signs for easy directions; and translators for people who speak languages other than English. Though wider elevators are meant to allow passage to those using wheelchairs, they also help staff to more easily navigate the building. A person pushing a cart of supplies will have a smoother experience using automatic doors. These examples relate to a physical space, but the same concept can be applied to education and learning. … At the University of West Georgia, audiovisual equipment exists in every classroom, so all in-person courses can be recorded and captioned for students’ future use.
Fox 5
Georgia-Florida game to remain in Jacksonville through 2025
The “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” will remain in Jacksonville for at least two more seasons. The Georgia Bulldogs and Florida Gators made that announcement on Wednesday. The teams exercised a contract option to hold the game at the neutral site of TIAA Bank Field.
See also: Albany Herald: Georgia vs. Florida game to remain in Jacksonville two more years
The Daily Item
Where the boys aren’t – college graduations
By Maureen Downey
I attended two graduation ceremonies earlier this month, including the University of Georgia gala replete with fireworks at Sanford Stadium. At both events, I was struck with how many more women than men crossed the stage. As my husband saw the UGA grads line up in our daughter’s major, he joked that if she had wanted an all-women’s environment, she could have saved us all the parking fees (and parking tickets) by walking the four blocks from our house to nearby Agnes Scott College.
Statesboro Herald
‘Social Studies Storytelling’ debuts at library Saturday
“Social Studies Storytelling in Statesboro,” curated by students from Georgia Southern University’s College of Education under the guidance of Assistant Professor Ariel Cornett, Ph.D., will debut with a free public program, 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 27 in the community room of the Statesboro-Bulloch County Library.
Higher Education News:
Higher Ed Dive
State funding for higher ed surpasses pre-Great Recession levels
By Natalie Schwartz
State funding for higher education increased 4.9% in 2022 when adjusted for inflation, rising for the 10th straight year, according to an annual report from State Higher Education Executive Officers Association. This also marks the first time since 2008 that per-student funding exceeded levels seen before the Great Recession, which ushered in massive state funding declines. In 2022, funding per full-time equivalent student reached $304, up 3.1% compared to 2008.
Inside Higher Ed
Texas tenure, anti-DEI bills near passage—or death
By Ryan Quinn
Texas bills that would affect tenure and ban an expansive definition of diversity, equity and inclusion programs and policies at public institutions are on the brink of passage. But they are also running out of time. The legislature adjourns Monday, and any bills not passed to the governor by then die—unless resurrected later in a special legislative session.
Diverse Issues in Education
By Arrman Kyaw
The resulting self-censorship and fear among people caused the Gov. Ron DeSantis administration’s efforts to alter higher education are damaging the quality of Florida’s public higher education, according to a new American Association of University Professors (AAUP) report. And these negative sentiments are also affecting the state’s private schools. These findings come from a preliminary report from a special AAUP committee that was created earlier this year. The group found that academic freedom, tenure, and shared governance in Florida’s public colleges and universities are facing a politically and ideologically driven assault unparalleled in U.S. history.
Inside Higher Ed
When governors seek the presidency
By Josh Moody
Following months of speculation, a book tour and multiple visits to early-voting primary states, it’s official: Florida governor Ron DeSantis is seeking the Republican nomination for president in 2024. … Now that he’s officially a Republican presidential candidate, DeSantis intends to export the Florida blueprint for higher education—and more—by taking his brand national.