GPB
Georgia Match direct college admissions program seeing positive results
By: Dave Williams
The University System of Georgia’s new direct admissions program is off to a strong start, despite not getting off the ground until well after classes began last fall, system Chancellor Sonny Perdue said Wednesday. Nearly 12,000 high school seniors had requested information about the Georgia Match program through Jan. 7 or taken it a step further by claiming a spot at one of the system’s 23 colleges and universities participating in the initiative.
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Dalton Daily Citizen
Former Dalton State College president Margaret Venable may have retired following the spring semester of 2023 but her dedication and contributions to the college are still felt today. On Tuesday, Jan. 30, Dalton State College will honor that dedication and Venable with a portrait and an unveiling ceremony.
13WMAZ
Carrie Deal speaks at her mother’s name sake center at Georgia College and State University
Author: 13WMAZ Staff
Folks in Milledgeville gathered at the Deal center on Saturday to hear Carrie Deal speak at her mother’s namesake. The former first daughter of Georgia gave an inspirational speech at the Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language and Literacy at GCSU. It was all part of a volunteer reading training program, which was put on to teach adults how to be dynamic readers for children.
Albany Herald
O’Quinn completes FROG Week at University of North Georgia
From staff reports
The University of North Georgia’s 30 newest cadets began their time in the Corps of Cadets with Freshman Recruit Orientation Group (FROG) Week Jan. 3-7. The week mixed physical challenges with an array of workshops about available services and how to succeed as a cadet and a student. Jacob O’Quinn of Baconton was one of the freshmen to complete FROG Week. “FROG Week is a great opportunity for our new cadets to begin their college careers with a life-changing, transformational experience,” retired Maj. Richard Neikirk, assistant commandant of cadets, said. “Our cadet cadre do an outstanding job planning, resourcing and executing training for our new cadets. Our cadet leaders are extremely dedicated young men and women who want all cadets to strive for the best, both inside and outside the classroom.”
The Post and Courier
New Discovery Center teaches financial literacy to area students
By Samantha Winn
Combining real world businesses with financial literacy is one of the ways Richmond County and Columbia County schools are guiding middle schoolers towards career readiness. The Junior Achievement of Georgia opened up its sixth discovery center location in the state on Jan. 12. The 30,000-square-foot location at 4375 Riverwatch Parkway features 18 national and local storefronts to create an immersive experience for students. …An area teacher agreed. “The earlier the exposure, the more practice they get as they go on into the real world, we don’t have cash money available,” Tabetha Synder, a sixth grade teacher at Riverside Middle School, said. “Everything is digital so the exposure to money and real life experiences is just different to them, so if we can expose them to those marketing earlier, it will help them lifelong. ″[As they are] starting to look at careers they may be interested in and once they get to high school, they can start looking at those tracks and get that training earlier on and doing internships and joint enrollment at Augusta University here and things like that.”
Politico
One step closer to ‘Graphene Valley’
By Christine Mui
Silicon has long reigned as the material of choice for the microchips that power everything in the digital age, from AI to military drones — so much so that “silicon” is almost a synonym for tech itself. It’s anyone’s guess how long that will last. Silicon chips have been bumping against the limits of miniaturization for years, dividing chip makers on whether Moore’s law, the longstanding assumption that transistors will steadily get smaller and computers more powerful, is already dead. But the global semiconductor industry is still under just as much pressure to produce ever more powerful chips, and keep up the pace of technological progress. …Enter graphene. This month, researchers at Georgia Tech and China’s Tianjin University made a breakthrough in one of the top contenders for a silicon alternative — graphene, the one-atom-thick form of carbon that won a Nobel Prize in 2010. Georgia Tech physicist Walt de Heer and his team created the world’s first functional graphene-based semiconductor, marking what he dubbed a “Wright brothers moment” for the next-generation materials that could make up the electronic devices of the future.
GPB
STUDY: Poor communities wait longer to have power restored after extreme weather events
By: Sofi Gratas
A study of over 500 counties in the Southeast finds that communities with higher than average poverty and unemployment rates wait much longer to get their power back after major storms. Co-authored by researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the study uses power outage data from eight major hurricanes that hit the Southeast over three years. Using that data, and applying the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Social Vulnerability Index to counties affected by those hurricanes, researchers looked for correlations. Controlling for the randomness and strength of these weather events, what they found, said Associate Professor Chuanyi Ji, was significant relationships between social vulnerability and longer wait times for power restoration.
The Health Site
Protective Parenting: How Is It Necessary For Kids
Written by Saumya Pandey
Protective patenting can impact kids in multiple ways, a study delves into the long-term impact of growing up in environments marked by common gunshots and unreliable heat and electricity. The research identified potential physical and mental health limitations in adulthood resulting from such challenging childhood experiences. However, the study introduced a compelling countermeasure vigilant parenting. …Published in Social Science and Medicine, this research from the University of Georgia sheds light on the enduring impact of early-life experiences on adult health. It not only identifies the potential health limitations associated with growing up in less secure environments but highlights the role of vigilant parenting as a powerful mitigating factor. The study underscores the importance of parental involvement, genuine care, and communication in shaping healthier outcomes for individuals who faced adversity during childhood.
Albany CEO
Dougherty County & ASU to Hold Joint Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Flint River Trail Today
The Dougherty County Board of Commissioners and Albany State University (ASU) will partner on Monday, January 22, 2024, to hold an official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Flint River Trail, ASU to Downtown portion of the Flint River Trail System. The ceremony will occur at 2:30 p.m. at ASU East, Lower Campus, located at 504 College Drive, at the Softball Park at the Hampton Smith Athletic Fields. “ASU is proud to be a community partner with Dougherty County. This walking trail has multiple benefits, including extending our campus into the community, connecting to Downtown Albany, and providing a scenic environment where people can focus on their health and well-being, said ASU President Dr. Marion Ross Fedrick. “This trail represents our commitment to promote a great quality of life for our community.”
ADVFN
Bionano Genomics, Inc (Nasdaq: BNGO) today announced its 2024 Symposium lineup of 33 oral presentations delivered by 26 different customers worldwide featuring the utility of optical genome mapping (OGM) across a wide range of research applications in cancer, cell and gene therapy, and genetic disease. 2024 Symposium will take place virtually from January 22 to 25, 2024. During these four days, customers will showcase their latest research findings using OGM. Each day will feature user presentations, a live panel with Q&A, and scientific posters within the virtual exhibition hall. On day 2, Bionano will unveil a new product expected to advance cytogenetics and structural variant analysis.
…January 23: New Frontiers in Oncology …Dr. Ravindra Kolhe, Augusta University, Novel Biomarkers Unveiled by Utilization of OGM in Cancer Investigations
The Tifton Gazette
Sinkfield to lead ABAC Stallion basketball program
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College has named Calvin Sinkfield as its new men’s basketball coach and assistant athletic director. “I’ve known about ABAC for a long time,” Sinkfield said. “I’ve probably driven by the college hundreds of times over the years but never stopped to see the campus. It’s amazing and it’s exciting to have the opportunity to bring back something that was such a focal point on campus and in the community.”
The Union Recorder
Exchange Bank Board of Directors elects Cullars as new advisory board member
Exchange Bank’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce the election of Kyle Cullars as an advisory member to the bank’s board. He is the owner/operator of Surcheros Fresh Mex of Milledgeville and Warner Robins and a Realtor with the Kimi Clements Team of Keller Williams Georgia Communities. Cullars was the valedictorian of his high school class at Georgia Military College and then went on to continue his education at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, graduating with honor, obtaining his bachelor of science degree from the College of Architecture. He then pursued and obtained his master’s of business administration from Georgia College & State University.
The Times-Georgian
LaBreche, Young named to GSC All-Academic Team
By Darrell Redden Jr. UWG Sports
The University of West Georgia Volleyball team’s Zoë LaBreche and Sanai Young were recognized by the Gulf South Conference on Friday as the duo was named to the GSC All-Academic team. LaBreche picks up the first GSC All-Academic selection of her career after a career-year on the court, all while maintaining a high GPA in the classroom. The senior was named First-Team All-GSC back in November after recording 377 kills, 324 digs, 53 service aces, and 47 blocks on the season. Off the court, LaBreche accumulated a 3.87 GPA as a Mass Communications Major.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
GBI: Georgia pageant winner facing murder charge after death of 18-month-old boy
By David Aaro
A pageant winner in Georgia has been arrested in connection with the death of an 18-month-old boy, officials said Saturday. Trinity Madison Poague, 18, of Donalsonville, is facing charges of felony murder, aggravated battery, and cruelty to children in the first degree, according to a news release from the GBI. On Jan. 14, Georgia Southwestern State University police asked the GBI to investigate the death of the toddler, who was unresponsive when he was admitted to the emergency room at Phoebe Sumter Hospital in Americus, Georgia.
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The Augusta Chronicle
College and Career Readiness: Here is what Georgia schools scored in 2023
Miguel Legoas
The Georgia Department of Education’s College and Career Ready Performance Index measures content mastery, college/career readiness, and other important factors in Georgia schools each year. Scores are awarded for each school and school district. Each school district is given three separate scores for how its elementary, middle and high schools performed in each category. So, for example, a school district’s middle schools could achieve 80% in content mastery while its elementary schools get 90%. The index for 2023 was recently released. Here’s a look at which Georgia school districts were among the best and worst in each category. The rankings below are based on approximate data provided by the Georgia Department of Education and excludes state schools, state charter schools, the Department of Juvenile Justice, and schools with inconclusive figures.
Higher Education News:
Inside Higher Ed
A (Very) Early Admission Guarantee
California State University, Fresno, is promising admission to local high schoolers as early as ninth grade, hoping to boost enrollment and build a “culture of college-going.”
By Liam Knox
Felix Cazares is only in the ninth grade, but he’s already been accepted to a four-year college. He has the university ID, student email address and admission letter to prove it. The offer came from California State University, Fresno, which launched an early guaranteed admission program this fall called Bulldog Bound. The institution is partnering with regional K-12 districts to guarantee admission to students as soon as they enter high school, which will hopefully set them on a clear-cut path toward postsecondary education.
Inside Higher Ed
Biden Administration Doles Out Another $5 Billion in Debt Relief
By Katherine Knott
Nearly 74,000 borrowers will see their student loan balances wiped after the Biden administration announced another batch of debt relief totaling $4.9 billion on Friday. This latest action stems from fixes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program and an ongoing account adjustment for those on income-driven repayment plans. Following Friday’s announcement, the Biden administration has forgiven a total of $136.6 billion for more than 3.7 million borrowers, the Education Department said in a news release.
Inside Higher Ed
News Report Documents Conservatives’ Plan to Undermine DEI in Higher Ed
By Marjorie Valbrun
Conservative academics and politicians started organizing a campaign in 2022 to undermine efforts to increase racial diversity in American universities and turn public opinion against these initiatives by convincing policymakers that the efforts are corrupting higher education, according to a New York Times investigation. The report, published Sunday, said the plan was hatched in Texas and led by a former aide to Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, and it initially targeted well-known institutions such as Texas A&M University and researched which offices and employees should be expunged.
Higher Ed Dive
Kentucky bill would ban college DEI, end race-based scholarships
The proposal mirrors legislation passed last year in Florida and Texas that forbids public colleges from spending money on diversity, equity and inclusion.
Laura Spitalniak, Staff Reporter
Dive Brief:
A new Kentucky bill would largely ban diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at the state’s public colleges and prohibit race-based scholarships. The proposal follows similar moves in other conservative states. If passed, colleges could not have DEI offices, offer DEI training or investigate alleged bias incidents except when required by law. Institutions would also be barred from establishing scholarship eligibility criteria based on sex or race. And they couldn’t ask scholarship applicants about their views or experience with race, ethnicity, religion or national origin. Republican state Rep. Jennifer Decker introduced the proposal Friday with support from seven other Republican co-sponsors, including the House’s majority whip.
New York Post
Opinion
State schools could give THOUSANDS of students full rides if they closed divisive DEI departments
By Liesel Crocker Liesel Crocker is a senior research fellow at the Foundation for Government Accountability.
Spreading angry ideology is good work if you can get it. At public universities nationwide, “diversity, equity and inclusion” officials make huge sums while spending even more pushing division and discrimination on students and faculty alike. They claim they’re promoting disenfranchised groups, but they’re wasting money that would be better spent giving a broader range of students a high-quality education. In a new report, I reviewed DEI spending at public universities across the country. I focused on red and purple states since they are most likely to have the political will to reform higher education. While DEI bureaucracies are generally largest at universities in blue states — see the $25 million the University of California, Berkeley, spends on 400 DEI staff — there’s no chance leaders such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom roll them back. Blue states would probably allocate more money toward DEI, not less.
Higher Ed Dive
Lincoln University hires law firm to investigate personnel issues following administrator’s suicide
Antoinette “Bonnie” Candia-Bailey, who died earlier this month, alleged that she had faced harassment at her workplace.
By Lilah Burke
Dive Brief:
Lincoln University, a historically Black institution in Missouri, announced Thursday that it hired the law firm of Lewis Rice to investigate allegations of improper management after an administrator died by suicide earlier this month. Antoinette “Bonnie” Candia-Bailey, who had worked as the university’s vice president of student affairs, accused President John Moseley of bullying and mistreatment in a letter sent hours before she died on Jan. 8. Candia-Bailey’s death has left the campus reeling. Moseley volunteered to go on paid administrative leave until the investigation concludes, but college protesters are calling for his immediate removal.
Inside Higher Ed
A Crisis Handbook for College Presidents
University of Idaho president Scott Green discusses the new book he co-authored and the unexpected challenges of the job that prompted it.
By Josh Moody
Since decamping from the corporate world and taking the helm of the University of Idaho in 2019, President Scott Green has led his alma mater through a series of crises. First came financial issues, followed by the coronavirus pandemic. Then the mysterious murders of four students in fall 2022 captured headlines and left the campus and small community of Moscow, Idaho, on edge for months until the alleged killer was apprehended. Green has distilled lessons learned from those crises into a new book, co-authored with writer Temple Kinyon: University President’s Crisis Handbook: How a Non-Traditional Leader Took His Alma Mater From Insolvency to Sustainable Success (Wiley). He recently spoke with Inside Higher Ed via Zoom about the book and the events that inspired it.
Higher Ed Dive
Two final Title IX regulations will likely be delayed — again
The Education Department set a March deadline for the regulations but hasn’t yet cleared a key procedural hurdle, potentially pushing their release back by months.
By Jeremy Bauer-Wolf
The U.S Department of Education appears as though it will again miss the deadline it set for finalizing two highly anticipated Title IX regulations. The Biden administration has prioritized remolding policies around Title IX, a law banning sex-based discrimination, including sexual assault, in federally funded colleges and K-12 schools. One of the Education Department’s regulatory plans would direct how colleges investigate and potentially punish sexual assault. The other would prohibit blanket bans on transgender athletes participating in sports teams aligning their gender identities. However, colleges and schools could bar transgender players from joining teams if they decide they need a sex-based restriction to preserve fairness or prevent injuries.
Cybersecurity Dive
CISA’s 1,200 pre-ransomware alerts saved organizations millions in damages
The federal agency’s early warning system notified organizations across multiple critical infrastructure sectors of potential impending attacks.
Matt Kapko, Senior Reporter
Dive Brief:
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s pre-ransomware notification initiative, which aims to reduce risk by alerting organizations of early-stage ransomware activity, resulted in more than 1,200 pre-ransomware notifications in 2023. The federal agency’s effort had a busy and productive first year in operation, including 294 alerts that were also shared with 27 partner countries, according to CISA’s 2023 year in review. Notifications were sent to more than 100 K-12 school districts and colleges, respectively, and more than 150 U.S. healthcare organizations. Other sectors that received alerts include organizations in emergency services, water and wastewater, transportation, energy, and state and local government.