University System News:
Metro Atlanta CEO
Chancellor Sonny Perdue Discusses the Board of Regents’ Upcoming Scholarship & Awards Gala
Chancellor of the University System of Georgia Sonny Perdue gives details on the upcoming Scholarship & Awards Gala set for September 8th at the Atlanta History Center.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Board of Regents approves Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field
By Chad Bishop
The Georgia Board of Regents approved a motion Tuesday to rename Georgia Tech’s football stadium to Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Tech and Hyundai have agreed to a $55 million deal over 20 years. The request from the Georgia Tech Athletic Association was made during the Board’s monthly meeting.
Albany Herald
Albany State set for new academic year after summer growth
From staff reports
Albany State University is preparing for the new academic year after experiencing an enrollment increase during summer 2023 totaling more than 3,200 students. This is an estimated increase based on the 2,896 students that were enrolled during the summer of 2022. “The growth in enrollment is due to the collective efforts of our faculty, staff and students who desire a successful college experience,” Albany State President Marion Fedrick said. “Programs and services such as the Summer Success Academy, University College and study tables engage faculty as they further support our mission toward providing students access to success.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia colleges and universities – when do fall 2023 classes begin?
By AJC Staff
If you know someone heading to college or returning for the fall semester – or if your daily commute takes through college traffic – here are the starting dates for fall semester 2023 at colleges near metro Atlanta; Aug. 9: First day of classes for the fall 2023 semester at University of West Georgia; Aug. 12: Clayton State University; Aug. 14: Chattahoochee Technical College; Georgia Gwinnett College; Georgia Southern University; Gwinnett Technical College; Kennesaw State University: Morris Brown College; Valdosta State University; Aug. 16: Clark Atlanta University; Spelman College; University of Georgia; Aug. 21: Berry College; Georgia College & State University; Georgia State University; Georgia Perimeter College; Georgia Tech; University of North Georgia
WGAU Radio
UGA’s new faculty members ramp up for fall semester
By Mike Wooten, UGA Today
The University of Georgia welcomed new faculty Aug. 1-2 during New Faculty Orientation, which highlighted information, skills and resources designed to jumpstart faculty members’ teaching, research and service at UGA. “Welcome to UGA, and congratulations on being selected from among the best and brightest scholars in your fields,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead, who opened the event at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education and Hotel with an overview of recent university initiatives. “UGA is on an extraordinary trajectory. It is an exciting time to be part of this institution, and I appreciate everything that our faculty are doing to make these historic achievements possible.” This semester, 239 new faculty members will join the university, including 115 tenured or tenure-track scholars. Many of the new faculty were recruited through a series of presidential hiring initiatives.
Digital Journal
Dr. Mulatu Lemma Selected as Top Professor of the Year by IAOTP
Professor Mulatu Lemma, Ph.D. Mathematics Professor at Savannah State University, has been selected as Top Professor of the Year 2023 by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP). Inclusion with the International Association of Top Professionals is an honor in itself, only a few members in each discipline are chosen for this distinction. These special honorees are distinguished based on their professional accomplishments, academic achievements, leadership abilities, longevity in the field, other affiliations, and contributions to their communities. All honorees are invited to attend the IAOTPs annual award gala at the end of this year for a night to honor their achievements.
The Augusta Chronicle
The attorney general has approved it. So what comes next in Wellstar and AU Health deal?
Abraham Kenmore
Now that the proposed merger between Wellstar and AU Health has received a stamp of approval from the Office of the Attorney General of Georgia, the deal is much closer to being finalized. But there are still a few details to iron out. …Because of the size of the transaction, the parties were required to notify the Federal Trade Commission in compliance with the Hart-Scott-Rodino premerger notification requirements, according to a statement shared by Wellstar. That process requires a mandatory waiting period of 30 days, during which regulatory agencies can choose to further scrutinize the deal or let it move forward. That waiting period expired in late May, according to Wellstar. The completion of the regulatory hurdles is only part of completing the deal, however. …The deal specifies that under Wellstar, the Augusta University Medical Associates, an entity for faculty at the Medical College of Georgia who practice at AU Health, will be wrapped up, as will certain benefits. In a letter to faculty this spring, Augusta University President Brooks Keel wrote that premium reimbursement, major medical reimbursement, dental, optical, and tuition assistance and scholarships will all end on June 30 for AUMA, along with parking reimbursement.
Metro Atlanta CEO
University of North Georgia Receives Google.org Grant for Local Entrepreneurship
The University of North Georgia (UNG) received a $200,000 grant from Google.org, Google’s philanthropy, for the development of entrepreneurial resources in rural communities. In partnership with Dahlonega-Lumpkin Chamber of Commerce, the Lumpkin County School District, and the Development Authority of Lumpkin County, the grant funding will commission a study to map the existing resources that support innovation and entrepreneurship in Dahlonega and Lumpkin County and identify needed resources that don’t currently exist in order to create a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem.
PA Homepage
Peach State Health Plan and the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University Announce 2023 Peach State Scholars
Scholars will practice in underserved or rural communities statewide, helping to close gaps in access to quality care
Last week, leaders from Peach State Health Plan, a care management organization that serves the needs of Georgians through a range of health insurance solutions and wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, and the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, announced the 2023 “Peach State Scholars.” The nine medical students were announced during an official pinning ceremony held at Augusta University. The students are the third class of Peach State Scholars participating in the Medical College of Georgia’s 3+ Primary Care Pathway Program, a program established in 2021 that focuses on alleviating Georgia’s physician shortage.
Albany Herald
UGA researchers work to engineer a better tomorrow
By UGA/CAES
Faculty and staff with the CAES Office of Research are committed to discovering, innovating and delivering the science required to feed and fuel the world. Some of the most respected researchers in the world are working in UGA labs and teaching in its classrooms to facilitate the cutting-edge research activities that lead to better food, fuel, fiber and health for everyone. UGA researchers are the innovative leaders in Georgia’s biggest industry, valued at $70 billion.
WGAU Radio
UGA’s New Faculty Tour is underway today
By Tim Bryant
We are today 9 days away from the August 16 start of the University of Georgia’s fall semester. UGA’s annual New Faculty Tour is underway today, with the University’s new educators and instructors on a week-long swing around the state that will include stops at the University of Georgia campus in Tifton and the Georgia Ports Authority in Savannah.
From the UGA master calendar…
The New Faculty Tour goal is to provide new UGA faculty members a formal and comprehensive introduction to the State of Georgia’s geography, demographics, diversity, economy, history and culture. The NFT also allows new faculty to network and develop professional relationships with peers across campus.
Times-Georgian
13 graduate from inaugural UWG police academy
By Noah Schroyer
The UWG inaugural police academy, ALETE, had their graduation ceremony Friday marking the completion of the 12-week course. The course, which involves UWG ALETE students as well as cadets from local law enforcement agencies, started on May 15, 2023, and was a first of its kind partnership between a university and the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC). The program had 13 of the original 18 participants complete the program.
Athens CEO
Applications Now Open for UGA Institute of Government’s 2023-2024 Public Finance Leadership Academy
Rhiannon Eades
When Teri Noble enrolled in the UGA Institute of Government’s Public Finance Leadership Academy (PFLA) last fall, she did not realize how quickly she would apply her new knowledge in her role with the DeKalb County School District. Noble, a 15-year DeKalb County School District employee, was promoted from payroll analyst to position control specialist shortly before the spring 2023 PFLA graduation. Noble says she learned information vital to her new position, including a deep dive into millage rates. …PFLA is a signature program presented by the UGA Institute of Government in partnership with the Georgia Government Finance Officers Association (GGFOA). Applications are open through Sept. 1 for the upcoming 2023-2024 PFLA cohort. The six-month series kicks off Oct. 16 at the UGA Center for Continuing Education & Hotel in Athens.
Atlanta News First
Gap in government funding creates nutrient deficit for Georgia children
By Savannah Louie
University of Georgia researchers say some of Georgia’s most vulnerable children miss out on thousands of dollars in nutrients every year. UGA associate professor Travis Smith pointed to a flaw in WIC, the supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children. “There’s this gap for kids where they lose WIC and they lose access to healthy foods,” said Smith. WIC allocates government funds for food up to one month after a child turns five. For most kids, the deadline coincides with kindergarten enrollment and the child gains seamless access to the school nutrition program. But a five-year-old with a weeks- or months-long gap before starting public school risks a decline in the quality of diet.
Augusta CEO
Augusta University and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Forge Promising Alliance in the Field of Computer and Cyber Sciences
Caroline Eaker
Augusta University’s School of Computer and Cyber Sciences(SCCS) and Israel’s Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) have recently forged an exciting alliance in computer and cyber sciences. The two universities signed a memorandum of understanding to explore collaborative opportunities in graduate education and research, including faculty and student exchanges, collaborative research projects, and a joint/dual doctoral degree program. The two universities decided to name this partnership CONSENSUS. Beyond being a meaningful name, “consensus” is also the name of one of the key concepts in distributed and fault-tolerant computing. Solutions to the distributed consensus problem allow multiple computers to agree on action without the need for centralized control. Such solutions serve as a foundation for blockchain technology.
Food Safety
Researchers Warn Polymers Used on Machine Harvesters Harbor Microbes, Pose Food Safety Risk
A recently concluded project funded by the Center for Produce Safety has collected information about, validated, and evaluated the efficacy of the cleaning and sanitation practices for harvest equipment among blueberry harvesters and packers. The project was carried out from January 1, 2021–January 31, 2023 by researchers from the University of Georgia and Oregon State University. The project was conducted in order to answer questions about the different practices that blueberry growers and packers have adopted to clean and sanitize harvesting containers, flats/crates, and machine harvesters, and whether such practices do not have equal efficacies in decontaminating harvesting equipment and utensils.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
UGA fires football recruiting staffer who sued over fatal crash
Attorneys for recruiting analyst Tory Bowles claim termination is retaliation for suing UGA athletics
By Dylan Jackson
The University of Georgia has fired the football recruiting staffer who survived the January crash that killed recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy and football player Devin Willock, less than a month after she filed a lawsuit against the university’s athletic association. Victoria Bowles, who goes by Tory, learned of her termination on Friday. Her attorneys, Rob Buck and Phil Boston, claim the University of Georgia Athletic Association retaliated against her for filing the lawsuit in July.
Higher Education News:
Higher Ed Dive
Appeals court blocks Biden’s borrower defense rules
Career Colleges and Schools of Texas, which represents for-profits in the state, brought the legal challenge.
Natalie Schwartz, Editor
Dive Brief:
An appeals court on Monday temporarily blocked the Biden administration’s new regulations governing the borrower defense to repayment program, which clears the debts of students whose colleges defrauded them. The blocked regulations, which initially took effect in July, also cover closed-school loan discharges. Consumer advocates had praised the rules, while for-profit college representatives blasted them, saying they deprive institutions of due process rights. In Monday’s order, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said a three-judge panel would hear the case in early November. Career Colleges and Schools of Texas, an association representing for-profit institutions in the state, brought the legal challenge.
Inside Higher Ed
Minimum Wages Rise, 2-Year Enrollments Fall
By Sara Weissman
Community college enrollments decline in response to state-level minimum wage increases, according to a new working paper released by the National Bureau of Economic Research Monday. However, minimum wage changes had little effect on degree attainment, the paper said. The study detailed in the paper found that enrollment at two-year institutions dropped by 4 percent in the year following a significant state-level minimum wage increase. Furthermore, enrollment at these colleges remained down for five years after a minimum wage hike.
Higher Ed Dive
Asian American students face tougher admissions odds than their White peers, study says
A working paper found that, even among similarly-qualified students, Asian Americans are 28% less likely to get admitted to selective colleges.
Laura Spitalniak, Associate Editor
Dive Brief:
Asian American students are 28% less likely to be accepted at selective colleges than their White counterparts with similar academic qualifications, according to an August working paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research. The gap was worse for students of South Asian descent, who were 49% less likely to gain admission than their White peers with comparable applications. East Asian and Southeast Asian applicants’ odds were 17% lower than their White peers. Much of the disparity stemmed from legacy admissions policies that favor the children of alumni, who were more likely to be White, the paper said.
See also:
Inside Higher Ed
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Report Tracks the NCAA’s Progress Toward Gender Equity
Lois Elfman
Two years after a scathing report on gender equity issues, the NCAA commissioned an external, independent review of its progress at championships. “A continued commitment to equity must be at the center of everything in college sports,” said National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) President Charlie Baker. When huge disparities were exposed between the 2021 Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments, ranging from workout facilities to food to swag bags, the NCAA retained the law firm of Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP to examine gender equity issues throughout the organization.
Higher Ed Dive
Eastern Gateway ends free college program after battle with Education Department
The agency argued the community college’s program unlawfully charged students who receive Pell Grants more than those who do not.
Jeremy Bauer-Wolf, Senior Reporter
Dive Brief:
Eastern Gateway Community College, in Ohio, will no longer offer a free college program that the U.S. Department of Education accused of being illegal. The move ends a protracted policy battle between the two entities. Michael Geoghegan, Eastern Gateway’s president, said in a statement last week that “to move forward with productive settlement negotiations” with the Education Department, which it sued in September, the college agreed to no longer maintain the tuition-free college deal. A couple of days after Geoghegan made his statement, college officials said in court filings they were dropping the lawsuit against the Education Department after reaching a tentative settlement with the agency. Court records do not detail the settlement’s terms, and the Education Department did not provide a comment by publication time Tuesday.
Inside Higher Ed
OPINION
What If the Campus Speech Crisis Is a Hoax…
…and we create a better university for nothing? Leon Sachs argues there’s no harm—and much benefit—in taking concerns about the campus speech climate seriously.
By Leon Sachs
We should think about campus speech debates the way my hometown political cartoonist, Joel Pett, suggested we think about climate change. Some years ago, Pett published a political cartoon satirizing climate change denial: a speaker onstage at a climate summit is explaining the many benefits of greener environmental policies. In the crowd, a defiant climate skeptic stands up and exclaims, “What if it’s a big hoax and we create a better world for nothing?” If we replace meteorology with the university, this cartoon captures today’s debates about campus speech climates. It also suggests a better way to think about them. …Regardless of whether the speech is as chilled as some claim, regardless of the degree to which self-censorship thwarts the exchange of ideas, we all stand to benefit from the proliferation of discussions these concerns have set off. Because of the mushrooming of organizations like Heterodox Academy, the Constructive Dialogue Institute, Braver Angels and many others, as well as the civil discourse initiatives of a growing number of colleges and universities, more people than ever before are talking about how we ought to talk with one another in an academic community. We’re beginning to have a discussion, beyond the realm of specialists and experts, about the meaning of academic inquiry, the search for truth and the advancement of knowledge.
Cybersecurity Dive
CISA seeks to address visibility, resilience in 3-year strategic plan
The agency outlined a major push to recognize and respond to immediate cyberthreats and make secure development practices a priority.
David Jones, Reporter
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency outlined plans to more actively focus on responding to immediate threats Friday, part of its fiscal 2024-2026 strategic plan, which also calls for pushing the tech sector to embrace secure-by-design development methods. The three-year plan comes just weeks after the release of the Biden administration’s implementation plan for the national cybersecurity strategy. The White House plan details a vision of to secure U.S. infrastructure against a surge in criminal and nation-state threat activity.
Cybersecurity Dive
Ransomware attack on Prospect Medical Holdings impacts hospitals across 4 states
Multiple hospitals in the system are still experiencing complications or closures as of Monday.
Matt Kapko, Reporter
A ransomware attack against Prospect Medical Holdings disrupted healthcare services across multiple states last week, prompting multiple hospital closures as response and recovery efforts are underway. “Prospect Medical Holdings recently experienced a data security incident that has disrupted our operations,” the healthcare provider said Friday in a statement. The California-based company operates 16 hospitals and more than 165 clinics and outpatient facilities in California, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. …Cyberattacks and breaches in the healthcare industry is a long-running problem. Healthcare breaches exposed 385 million patient records from 2010 to 2022, according to federal records.