The Dahlonega Nugget
Drill field will see big changes at UNG campus
By News Staff
During a presentation at the recent Military Officer’s Association of America conference hosted by the University of North Georgia, President Michael Shannon alluded to some big changes in the works for the William J. “Lipp” Livsey Drill Field. A significant renovation of the drill field is one of the seven “big bets” that comprise the new president’s October white paper, in which he outlined bold new strategies for UNG “to meet the needs of its students, communities, the state and the nation.” Other pillars of Shannon’s white paper include the construction of a new Wynne-Mathews Military Science Center for the Corps of Cadets and the introduction of new military leadership and fitness programs, with the goal of growing the corps to 1,000 students. Shannon showed an artist rendering of a gated ceremonial plaza at one entrance to the drill field, and told the MOAA members in attendance that “the gates will be locked and will only be opened when our cadets are marching onto it.” With some students expressing concerns that their access to the drill field could be limited, The Nugget reached out for clarification on the impact the proposed changes could have on policy going forward.
The Brunswick News
CCGA president to join GIYO students for recital
By Lauren McDonald
The sounds of Gabriel Fauré’s Elegy, Op. 24, floated through the rehearsal space, as members of the Golden Isles Youth Orchestra continued their preparations for their upcoming fundraising concert. They were seated in a half circle around their conductor, Jorge Peña, who led them through the piece and sprinkled critiques and encouragements during pauses in the music. Sitting quietly in the back, Michelle Johnston waited patiently to take her seat at the empty piano up front. Johnston, who serves as president of College of Coastal Georgia, will be among the guest musicians who will join GIYO during its recital, titled “A Romantic Evening,” at 4 p.m. Sunday at Forbes Farm, 2610 Lawrence Road on St. Simons.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia colleges and schools face criticism responding to Israel-Hamas war
By Josh Reyes and Vanessa McCray
Students and demonstrators, about 100 of them, gathered on the main greenspace of Georgia Tech’s campus Wednesday to talk about the war between Israel and Hamas and how the school has responded to the ongoing crisis. The demonstrators demanded an apology from the school’s president, Ángel Cabrera, for statements some feel diminished the plight of Palestinians. …As various institutions have shared thoughts about the Israel-Hamas War and expressed grief for those who have died, many have faced criticism that highlights the polarization and sensitivity related to the decades of conflict. Perhaps the clearest divisions have been drawn at colleges and schools, where leaders face difficult decisions about how to acknowledge a contentious subject and show support for their campuses’ diverse students and staff. …Georgia Tech said in a statement late Wednesday that Cabrera and other administrators have met with Muslim student leaders to answer questions, hear concerns and to provide support.
WGAU Radio
UGA Health Sciences dean earns top honor
By Lindsey Derrick, UGA Today
Dr. Shelley Nuss, campus dean of the Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership, has been named the recipient of the 2023 Lamartine Hardman Cup from the Medical Association of Georgia. One of the highest honors from the Medical Association of Georgia, the award recognizes a physician who has solved a problem in public health or made a contribution to the science of medicine, including but not limited to excellence in the field of medical education. Nuss was recognized by the Medical Association of Georgia at a ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 21 at the Hyatt Regency Savannah.
Fox28 Savannah
New GSU grant to provide childcare assistance to student-parents
by Jordan Stevenson
Georgia Southern University has been awarded a sizeable grant geared towards aiding student-parents. The $1.6 million grant will help provide childcare subsidies for eligible student-parents over the next four years through the Child Care Access Means Parents In School (CCAMPIS) program. Serving at least 30 student-parents a year, the program will provide up to $150 per week for childcare services to be paid directly to the childcare provider, according to the university.
WALB
Student-run community garden helps Lowndes Co. organization, shelter at full capacity
By Brittanye Blake
The greenhouse project teaches LAMP clients how to grow their own food for when they transition out of the shelter. “If we have the resources we might as well use them to do good for our community. This is a good productive way for them to take accountability for something and have something of their own, which many people here don’t have much of their own but if they can come out here to claim a plant or garden it’s really good for them,” Kaden Marshall, Valdosta State University student and Greenhouse Project chair said. VSU Enactus is a student organization affiliated with the Langdale College of Business Administration. They have been growing lettuce, kale, peppers, peas, collard greens and tomatoes. “We saw all the can food and we thought this is great but where is the fresh food?” Jeffery Shipley, VSU Enactus faculty advisor, said. “So it started a conversation, and we thought about teaching our students how to grow fresh food and transition that to the residents to let them grow so that they have a little responsibility.”
Valdosta Daily Times
VSU issues statement on viral baseball investigation
By Kasmira Smith
Valdosta State University issued a statement Wednesday morning with its findings from the viral baseball incident investigation involving a white university baseball coach and a Black player arguing about the player’s hair. The statement said the investigation was conducted over a five-week period by a committee led from the university’s Office of Human Resources in response to allegations of racial discrimination and harassment against its current head baseball coach Greg Guilliams. …The statement continued, “Based on these findings, the allegations of racial discrimination and harassment were not substantiated. Two violations of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia’s Code of Conduct (Policy 8.2.18.1.4) were substantiated, including (1) the requirement to act as a good steward of VSU’s resources and information entrusted to its care and (2) to treat fellow employees, students, and the public with dignity and respect.”
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WGAU Radio
3 UNG alumni named to Veterans Hall of Fame
By Denise Ray, UNG
Three University of North Georgia alumni were inducted into the Georgia Military Veterans’ Hall of Fame in Columbus, Georgia. Twenty-two alumni are now among the 177 inductees in the Hall of Fame’s 11-year history. Retired Army Col. Carl Hamilton Bell III, 1st Lt. Joseph Hillman and retired Gen. Stephen James Townsend were part of the 15-member class of 2023. Bell, ‘67, a Vietnam veteran now living in Marietta, Georgia and Hillman, ‘67, also from Marietta, were among the 10 troops nominated for their valor. Hall of Fame nominees must have ties to Georgia and qualify in one of three categories: valor for heroic action in combat; outstanding achievement while in service; or significant local, state or national contributions after leaving active duty.
WJCL
Georgia Southern alumnus brewing up success with ‘Hail Southern’ craft beer
Fire Maker Brewing Company offering is a hit with Eagle fans
Frank Sulkowski, Anchor/Reporter
It’s been the talk of Statesboro this football season. While the play of the Georgia Southern Eagles has been impressive, the buzz we’re talking about, is a brew called ‘Hail Southern’. “The big hope is that this becomes the beer of Statesboro,” says Elliott Hall. Hall is a proud Georgia Southern alumnus. He’s also the owner and co-founder of Fire Maker Brewing Company in Atlanta. From his family-owned craft brewery, Hail Southern beer was born.
Athens Banner-Herald
Hog Wild: UGA study at Savannah River Ecology Lab looks at havoc wreaked by wild pigs
Erica Van Buren
Augusta Chronicle
An ongoing study dedicated to the wild pig population has revealed the impact wild pigs have on agriculture and ecosystems. “My research group has been studying wild pigs for the last 10 years,” said James Beasley, professor at the University of Georgia and Savannah River Ecology Lab located in Aiken. “Our work is dedicated to the movement and behavior of wild pigs to better understand them. We’re also looking at the impact these animals have on agriculture and ecosystems.” …Wild pigs have become increasingly detrimental in Georgia, causing significant damage to agricultural crops and natural resources throughout the state. The economic impact of damage caused by feral swine in Georgia is estimated at more than $150 million, according to the Georgia Association of Conservation Districts.
The Bay Net
Hammerhead Worms: The Social Media Stars No One Asked For
by Bay Journal – Jeremy Cox
Move over, bats. Halloween may have a new animal icon. Meet the hammerhead worm, an invasive species of flatworm that downs its prey with the same neurotoxin employed by pufferfish and can reproduce an entirely new worm by detaching a piece of itself — no head required. It can be a gardener’s best friend because it feeds on invasive earthworms that degrade the soil. And, frankly, it’s just a weird-looking creature. These transplants from East Asia have likely been around in the Chesapeake Bay region for decades. (The present theory is they have spread across the world in plant pots.) And they probably would have continued living their strange lives in quiet anonymity – if not for social media. …Certainly, the hammerhead worms don’t appear to be as destructive as fellow invaders, such as emerald ash borers or spotted lanternflies, said Bruce Snyder, an earthworm researcher with Georgia College and State University. But people shouldn’t let their guard down, he advised.
Morning AgClips
Unveiling the fearsome hickory horned devil
Hickory horned devil caterpillar is a marvel of nature’s creativity
With a name that conjures the spookiest Halloween imagery, the hickory horned devil (Citheronia regalis) caterpillar is a marvel of nature’s creativity, boasting a fearsome-looking appearance that is both off-putting and intriguing. With its mint-green body adorned in tubercles with jet-black tips, this nightmarish caterpillar appears dangerous, but don’t let appearances deceive you. This creature is no monster, it’s a marvel of adaptation. This time of year, unsuspecting passersby may have the rare chance to spot this spectacular caterpillar as it drops from trees. Plump from months of feeding on the leaves of hickory, black walnut, sweetgum, pecan and persimmon trees, this 6-inch behemoth has all the nutrients it needs to burrow into the ground for the cooler months ahead. Entombed in an earthen cell, it will soon undergo the process of metamorphosis. Will Hudson, a professor in the Department of Entomology at the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, ensures us this gruesome-looking caterpillar is more enchanting than it is menacing.
Science Daily
Pottery becomes water treatment device for Navajo Nation
Large chunks of the Navajo Nation in the Southwest lack access to clean drinkable water, a trend that has been rising in many parts of the U.S. in recent years. A research team led by engineers with The University of Texas at Austin aims to change that. The team has developed a new water filtration solution for members of the Navajo Nation, lining clay pots with pine tree resin collected from the Navajo Nation and incorporating tiny, silver-based particles that can be used to purify water to make it drinkable. … Using pottery, working with the community, and relying on local materials were important to the effectiveness of this project. …”Navajo pottery is at the heart of this innovation because we hoped it would bridge a trust gap,” said Lewis Stetson Rowles III, now a faculty member at Georgia Southern University’s Department of Civil Engineering and Construction after earning a Ph.D. from UT in 2021. “Pottery is sacred there, and using their materials and their techniques could help them get more comfortable with embracing new solutions.”
WJBF
by: Karlton Clay
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Dr. Samantha Jones is an active participant in the fight against cancer when it comes to research and studying the major impacts this disease can have especially when it comes to the disparity in the African-American community. Thank you for joining us here on Celebrating Black Excellence. Now, Dr. Jones, you are the assistant professor with family and community medicine at Augusta University. What or who inspired you to get to start studying medicine?
11 Alive
‘Healthy meals on a budget’ | Hundreds participate in Fulton County’s fresh mobile market
The program, cooked up in conjunction with the UGA Extension Office, provides fresh produce and recipes for those living in food deserts.
Author: Joe Ripley
Darryell Moss drove to Allen Temple AME Church in Atlanta from South Fulton for a bite of food and a morsel of wisdom. A couple hundred other people packed the church’s fellowship hall to feed the body, mind and spirit. They’re participating in the Fulton County Fresh Mobile Market, a program cooked up in conjunction with the University of Georgia Co-op Extension. It feeds families by not only giving them fresh produce, sourced from the Atlanta State Farmer’s Market, but actually teaching them how to use it.
Columbus CEO
Columbus State’s Oxbow Meadows’ Birding Expansion Benefits the Region’s Most Bird-brained Visitors
A new outdoor educational space and upcoming programs at Columbus State University’s Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center are literally for the birds — but in a good way. The center held an official “vine-cutting” ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 21 for its new Walt & Frank Chambers Birding Trail. The Chambers trail system adds 2.5 miles of new walking, biking and driving trails to Oxbow Meadows. It celebrates the area’s avian diversity, provides a birding destination for novice and experienced birdwatchers, and offers an outdoor field laboratory for scientists and researchers — especially those studying migratory species. …“This new addition to our center will hopefully inspire more interest in birding and the species of birds that call our area home, as well as those species that migrate through our area as the seasons change.”
Griffin Daily News
UGA garden holds Scarecrow Celebration
By GDN STAFF
Organizers said this year’s Scarecrow Celebration was a “huge success.” The event, held Saturday at the UGA Research and Education Garden, featured scarecrows decorated by local businesses and organizations. Other activities included face painting, pumpkin art and even an “Insectival” with live insects.
The Union-Recorder
GCSU forming new athletic association for Bobcats’ future
The main objective is three-fold: boost scholarship offerings, assistant coaching positions and facility upgrades. Georgia College & State University’s athletic administration loves how the Bobcats are conducting themselves on and off the playing fields. Being the NCAA Division II leaders at 94 percent in academic success among public universities for two years in a row is and always will be a point to smile and brag about. They also know it’s time to step up their competition level in the Peach Belt Conference. “We are formalizing, for the first time ever, through the university structure with fundraising specifically designated for athletics,” said GCSU Executive Director of Athletics Wendell Staton about the new GCSU Bobcat Athletic Association. “We have a full-time development officer (Caroline Attaway) devoted to athletics. We are creating a board to oversee this.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Former UGA football player convicted in RaceTrac clerk’s shooting in 2021
Ahkil Crumpton faces a maximum of 30 years in prison on 2 charges
By Jozsef Papp
A former University of Georgia football player was found guilty Wednesday in federal court for his involvement in the 2021 shooting death of an Oconee County gas station clerk, officials said. Ahkil Nasir Crumpton, of Philadelphia, was convicted by an Athens jury on one count of interference with commerce by attempted robbery and one count of false statement during the purchase of a firearm, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia. Crumpton, 26, faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for the attempted robbery charge and a maximum of 10 years in prison for the firearm charge. …Crumpton, who played wide receiver for UGA in 2017 and 2018, was a student until 2021 but did not graduate. “We were stunned to learn that the suspect in this horrific crime is a former UGA student-athlete,” the UGA Athletic Association said in a statement shortly after Crumpton was arrested. “We offer our heartfelt sympathy to Elijah Wood’s family.”
Higher Education News:
Higher Ed Dive
Undergraduate enrollment rises 2.1% this fall, preliminary figures show
Although overall headcounts grew, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center found declines in first-year students.
Natalie Schwartz, Editor
Undergraduate enrollment is 2.1% higher this fall than last year, marking the first time student headcounts have increased since the coronavirus pandemic broke out, according to preliminary figures released Thursday by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. All major sectors saw undergraduate enrollment growth. But a 4.4% enrollment uptick at community colleges accounted for over half of the increase — a major reversal after the sector saw some of the largest student losses during the pandemic’s early days. …Community colleges enjoyed gains across the board. The new data shows a 3.6% increase in students pursuing associate degrees, as well as an 8.8% rise in dual enrollment, which allows high school students to earn college credit.
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Inside Higher Ed
Undergrads Benefit Most From New Income-Driven Repayment Plan
By Jessica Blake
The benefits of a new income-driven repayment plan for federal student loans are largest for those who used the loans to pay for undergraduate degrees, especially certificates and associate degrees, according to a recent report by the Urban Institute. The report uses College Scorecard data to model how the new plan would affect loan repayment patterns for more than 25,000 postsecondary programs. According to the report, borrowers who complete certificates will typically only be required to pay back 35 percent of their original balances under the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan. Those who complete associate degrees would repay 69 percent. Under prior IDR options, the typical borrower in both groups would generally repay loans in full.
Inside Higher Ed
Overhaul of Financial Aid Formula Will Boost Pell Grant Eligibility
A new report by the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association estimates nearly 220,000 more students will qualify under the pending new federal aid formula.
By Jessica Blake
Nearly 220,000 students will gain eligibility for the Pell Grant, a key tool for helping low-income students access college, when the federal government finalizes revisions to the system for applying for financial aid later this year, according to a new report from the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association. The increase in Pell-eligible students could mean more than $617 million in additional federal aid going to students and colleges. About $29.8 billion was available for students in Pell Grant funding in 2023–24, according to federal budget documents. The report precedes the highly anticipated overhaul of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and the underlying formula that determines how aid is disbursed, which are both scheduled to be released by the U.S. Department of Education in December. The report examines the impact the revamp will have not only on Pell Grant eligibility but also on anticipated out-of-pocket costs for students in specific states, higher ed sectors and demographic groups.
Cybersecurity Dive
LastPass working through ‘systemic’ security overhaul
“We didn’t just address the issues that were the cause of the breach,” CEO Karim Toubba said. Still, nearly 1 in 10 customers are fleeing the password manager.
Matt Kapko, Senior Reporter
At LastPass, a security overhaul is underway in a monthslong effort to win back customer trust after the password manager was hit by a cyberattack in August 2022 that unraveled into one of the most notorious intrusions last year. “We invested across platforms, infrastructure and systems — we believe all of which will mean a more modern and secure customer,” LastPass CEO Karim Toubba said via email. “This has been a multiyear and multimillion-dollar investment. We’re still looking for ways to continue to invest and we’re not done,” Toubba said. This “systemic change,” as Toubba describes it, is critical for customers’ security and the company’s future outlook.
Higher Ed Dive
SUNY Potsdam reduces number of academic program cuts from 14 to 9
The New York public college, which has lost significant student numbers, is looking to close a $9 million budget gap.
Jeremy Bauer-Wolf, Senior Reporter
Dive Brief:
The State University of New York at Potsdam said Tuesday it is now seeking to cut nine academic programs instead of the originally planned 14 as it tries to close a $9 million budget shortfall. Degrees that SUNY Potsdam administrators initially picked to eliminate — bachelor’s in biochemistry, chemistry, and public health, and a master’s in public health — will continue. Top officials decided financial goals established for those programs are attainable and that they have adequate demand, Alan Hersker, interim provost, wrote in a message to the campus Tuesday. The university will also preserve a bachelor’s in art management, though the program will go inactive, meaning it will not enroll new students for three years. SUNY Potsdam may revise or drop the art management degree later.
Higher Ed Dive
Wisconsin lawmakers seek to ban race-conscious scholarships
The bill’s authors cited the Supreme Court decision against race-conscious admissions in their memo, even though that ruling did not address college aid.
Laura Spitalniak, Staff Reporter
Dive Brief:
Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin introduced a bill Tuesday to ban consideration of race in state financial aid and scholarship awards for college students. Wisconsin has several grant programs designed to aid college students from racial minority groups. For instance, the state provides retention grants ranging from $250 to $2,500 annually for students from racial minority groups who are enrolled in private nonprofits or technical colleges. If the proposal legislation passes, those aid programs would be made open to all disadvantaged students. Officials could not weigh students’ race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation or religion when deciding if they qualify for assistance, the bill said.
Inside Higher Ed
Senate Bill Would Require Colleges to Report Hazing Incidents
By Katherine Knott
Colleges and universities would have to report more information about hazing incidents under a new Senate bill formally announced this week that has bipartisan backing and support in the House of Representatives. The Stop Campus Hazing Act is co-sponsored by Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat, and Louisiana senator Dr. Bill Cassidy, the top Republican on the Senate education committee. It would require higher education institutions to educate students about the dangers of hazing and give parents and students more information about which on-campus student organizations have a history of hazing incidents. Colleges also would have to list hazing incidents in their annual crime reports, which currently isn’t required. …Similar legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives as well.
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
AAUP Calls on School Leaders to Protect Faculty Expression on Gaza Conflict
Arrman Kyaw
As the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza continues, the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) has urged schools to not punish faculty for expressing their views on the matter. The organization’s response follows “a number of apparent academic freedom issues nationwide involving faculty speech on the Israeli-Hamas conflict.” “It is in tumultuous times that colleges’ and universities’ stated commitments to protect academic freedom are most put to the test,” an AAUP statement read. “As the Israel-Hamas war rages and campus protests proliferate, institutional authorities must refrain from sanctioning faculty members for expressing politically controversial views and should instead defend their right, under principles of academic freedom, to do so.”
Inside Higher Ed
Lawmakers Criticize Campus Responses to Hamas-Israel War
By Katherine Knott
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced a resolution Wednesday to condemn antisemitism on college campuses as part of a growing chorus of criticism on Capitol Hill about how students have responded to the Hamas-Israel war. Tennessee senator Marsha Blackburn, a Republican, and Nevada senator Jacky Rosen, a Democrat, co-sponsored the resolution along with Republican Oklahoma senator James Lankford and Democratic Maryland senator Chris Van Hollen. The resolution calls on higher education leaders to engage with Jewish students and to condemn speech that incites or celebrates violence against any people based on their religious beliefs, national origin or ancestry. …A similar resolution from House Republicans criticizes higher education administrators who, they say, have failed to speak out against student protests in support of Palestinians. University presidents’ responses to the conflict have drawn criticism from supporters of both Israel and Palestinians.
Inside Higher Ed
Florida Bans Students for Justice in Palestine on Some Campuses
The State University System of Florida chancellor, in consultation with Governor Ron DeSantis, has ordered chapters of the pro-Palestinian group “deactivated.”
By Johanna Alonso
The head of Florida’s State University System has ordered the campus chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine to shut down, according to an Oct. 24 letter to the system’s presidents from Chancellor Ray Rodrigues. The directive, he wrote, was issued “in consultation with Governor DeSantis.” The letter said it is a felony under Florida law to “knowingly provide material support … to a designated foreign terrorist organization,” noting that the national SJP “has affirmatively identified” with Hamas’s Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel. Rodrigues cited SJP’s Day of Resistance Toolkit, a document outlining advice and tips for campus chapters planning to host protests in support of Palestinians. The tool kit describes Hamas’s attack on Israel as “the resistance” and, in a section advising SJP chapters on how to frame discussions about the conflict, states, “We as Palestinian students in exile are PART of this movement, not in solidarity with this movement.”
Inside Higher Ed
Palestinian Campuses Head Into Abyss as Israeli Retaliation Grows
With mobility severely limited and no connection or contact from Gaza colleagues, West Bank academics describe atmosphere of anguish.
By Pola Lem for Times Higher Education
Israel’s bombardment of Gaza and crackdown in the West Bank have led to, respectively, a complete shutdown of and serious disruptions to universities in both territories—with the ongoing war posing a devastating setback to Palestinian higher education in the long run, according to scholars there. In the weeks since Hamas killed 1,400 Israelis, Israel has bombarded the densely populated Gaza Strip. More than 5,000 people have been reported killed by the strikes, amid a mounting humanitarian crisis. Both the Islamic University of Gaza and Al-Azhar University have sustained serious damage to numerous buildings, according to reports. The Israel Defense Forces claimed that the former was used as a Hamas training ground. The status of other Gaza-based institutions is unclear, with almost no information leaving the territory. Academics from three West Bank institutions told Times Higher Education that the conflict has made education impossible in Gaza.
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Arrman Kyaw
Participating in policy debate programs in grade school is associated with improvements in English language arts (ELA) and better odds of graduating and going to college, according to findings from a new study in Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis. Policy debate is a competitive activity in which students engage in structured argumentation about public policy issues, often requiring in-depth learning about policy areas. Such debate programs are usually disproportionately found in private and high-income public schools, but nonprofit Boston Debate League serves a student population mostly made up of low income and students of color. …Researchers found that students in policy debate programs during their middle and high school years saw improvements in ELA achievement and increases in the likelihood of graduating and enrolling in four-year colleges and universities.