Georgia Trend
President, Augusta University
Karen Kirkpatrick
Brooks Keel was appointed president of Augusta University, his alma mater, in 2015. After leading the school during a time of tremendous growth and expansion, Keel will retire in June. These are edited highlights from an interview. What are you most proud of at Augusta University during your time there? There have been so many things. First, settling on the final name for Augusta University, which happened about two months after I [arrived]. That allowed us to completely rebrand and remarket the university and consolidate the brand across all of our entities. That single thing has done more to galvanize us with the community and brought this sense of pride to the university. Second is the continuous and dramatic increase in enrollment that we’ve seen. …You can’t talk about the contributions we make without talking about the history that we have here with the Medical College of Georgia. …I’m excited about the creative ways that our faculty has come together to do things that no other university has done.
The Union-Recorder
Georgia College & State University, in an effort to keep its students on pace with developing AI technology, recently introduced its new AI Lab through the university’s J. Whitney Bunting College of Business & Technology. …[Dr. Ward] Risvold added that the lab, currently housed on the fourth floor of Atkinson Hall, will serve as a hub for students, faculty, and guest lecturers to research where the technology is heading and how it can best be applied. That is expected to extend out into the community as well through workshops with area businesses and local government entities, in addition to AI/STEM-related activities in Baldwin County schools. …GCSU’s AI Lab is set to have its first big event on Feb. 7 when retired CIA senior director Greg Lane comes and speaks on AI’s uses and other topics surrounding the technology. He’s one of the lab’s six preliminary advisory board members who all have experience in the field of AI.
Gwinnett Daily Post
How An Internship Program At Georgia Gwinnett College Is Helping Local Nonprofits
By Jacqueline Todd Special to the Daily Post
Jennah Baksh wasn’t thinking about nonprofit work as a career after graduation. But a Georgia Gwinnett College program that connects student interns with area nonprofits might change her mind. Baksh, 22, of Snellville is a GGC senior management information systems major, minoring in information technology is set to graduate later this year. When she was a junior, she participated in the college’s Nonprofit Internship Program, a collaboration between the Georgia Gwinnett College Foundation and multiple donors — including the Community Foundation of Northeast Georgia (CFNEG), which offers juniors and seniors semester-long paid internship opportunities in Gwinnett County and the greater Atlanta area.
The Union-Recorder
Dyslexia endorsement program equips teachers with tools for reading success
Special to The U-R
Wednesday was Dyslexia Day at the State Capitol 2024. Georgia College & State University has launched the second cohort of its dyslexia endorsement program as part of a state push to detect the neuro-biological condition earlier and give teachers additional resources to help all readers succeed. …Georgia College is one of 20 higher-ed institutions and Regional Education Service Agencies (RESAs) approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) to offer dyslexia endorsement programs for K-12 teachers. The university received its first grant of $106,000 last spring from the Georgia Department of Education(GaDOE), followed by another grant of nearly $92,000 to continue the program this year. Funding pays tuition and fees, making the program completely free for teachers in Georgia, like Berinda Turk, a special education instructor at the Early Learning Center in Milledgeville.
41 NBC
Baldwin County School District launches program to tackle teacher shortage
Fiona King
The Baldwin County School District has launched a new program aimed at addressing the teacher shortage and setting students up for higher education. The “Grow Your Own” program is an innovative approach that allows students to gain hands-on experience in teaching, earn dual credits and receive paid work-study opportunities. The program was officially launched on Wednesday, with Georgia College & State University and Central Georgia Technical College coming together for a signing ceremony.
Times-Georgian
How UWG is changing the narrative on prison education
By Julie Lineback Special To The Times Georgian
The University of West Georgia has moved its prison education program out of the experimental stage to become the only higher education institution in the University System of Georgia — and one of the very few in a maximum-level security prison in the country — to offer a four-year undergraduate degree program to individuals who are incarcerated. In partnership with the U.S. Department of Education, UWG currently has an initial cohort of 16 students at Hays State Prison in Chattooga County studying to earn their Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies.
13 WMAZ
‘Dangerous’ Middle Georgia State housing needs emergency repairs
Development Authority of Bibb County approved $27M in bonds for university apartments
Author: Liz Fabian (13WMAZ)
Crumbling balconies, busted PVC pipes in the walls, and rusting stairways are not typically highlights on a campus tour of student housing, but Middle Georgia State University President Christopher Blake wanted representatives of the Board of Regents and the Chancellor of the University System of Georgia to see the condition of its oldest student residences. …With the Board of Regents’ blessing on the investment, the university successfully appealed to the Development Authority which agreed to up to $27 million in bonds for repairs. In 2011, the Authority also provided the $15 million in bonds to purchase the seven apartment buildings from a private developer.
Douglas Now
Jared Swain: From agriculture to pharmacy
When Jared Swain first connected with the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center (UGA SBDC), he had recently made a career transition from agriculture to pharmacy. After completing pharmacy school, Swain knew he could turn to Alyssa Foskey, area director at UGA SBDC at Valdosta State University, to help him develop a business plan to achieve his goal of owning his own pharmacy. Through a continued relationship with the UGA SBDC, Swain’s Pharmacy in Douglas has seen significant growth and now fills 6,000 prescriptions a month.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Opinion
Former Gov. Nathan Deal: I’ve seen the good that film tax credit’s done here
The incentive helped Georgia weather a recession and build an industry.
By Nathan Deal
When I took the oath of office as governor in January 2011, the state treasury only had enough money to cover three days of state expenses. In the depths of the Great Recession, the state – like so many Georgia families at the time – was living day to day, trying to bring in enough money to get to tomorrow. I admit the state’s then-new film tax credit was not remotely on my mind. In 2008 – right before the start of the economic collapse – legislators updated the film tax credit to create one of the strongest incentives for the industry in the world. Hollywood bean counters took note and soon were flying in crews from California and elsewhere to film here. …In those years, film companies would fly in crews from elsewhere because Georgia didn’t have the skilled workforce it needed, so I worked with legislators and educators to create the Georgia Film Academy, which now has thousands of graduates working in the state. The popularity of the subject led university system and technical college campuses across Georgia to offer film-related classes. …The film tax credit has worked as its creators intended, with film industry spending growing to $4.4 billion in the most recent year recorded.
Albany Herald
GA stroke treatment headed to clinical trials
By Leigh Hataway
A new drug based on University of Georgia research that targets inflammation and brain damage caused by strokes will soon enter clinical trials. Set to begin in the first half of 2024, the therapeutic drug is the first cell therapy cleared by the FDA to be used in the nervous system. It works by cleaning up the damaging particles released during and after a stroke.
Specialty Crop Grower
Wet Winter Weather Expected to Continue
By Clint Thompson
A wet winter is likely to carry over into early spring, according to Pam Knox, University of Georgia Extension agricultural climatologist. Knox noted in her Climate and Agriculture Blog that the latest seasonal outlook for February through April shows wetter conditions for the next three months. She emphasized that scenario can have positive and negative impacts on farmers.
Cherokee Tribune & Ledger-News
GARDENING WITH THE MASTERS: Going Native – Georgia Pollinator Plants for 2024
Marc Teffeau
Many home gardeners are interested in how to maintain an attractive landscape without a lot of external inputs. This emphasis on developing a more biodiverse, pollinator-friendly, “sustainable landscape” has been a growing gardening trend continuously over the last few years. Native plants are a great choice for a low-maintenance and sustainable landscape. They are adapted to local growing conditions and don’t require as much attention as non-natives. Native plants have a much higher rate of survival since they’re adapted to the soil and local climatic conditions. The UGA Extension Master Gardener Handbook notes “Planting natives can include an increase in species biodiversity in a personal landscape.
Cotton Farming
Firming Up Plans For The Season
…GEORGIA | Camp Hand
As I write this Jan. 8, it is an overcast, dreary day in Tifton. The last thing on my mind, and many others, is putting seed in the ground in May. However, we do need to begin preparing for the next crop, and there is one big thing that can be done now to do so. Dr. Glen Harris is the Extension soil scientist here at the University of Georgia, …Right now at the top of my list is pulling soil samples to prepare for the 2024 crop. With the prices looking the way they do, I know many are thinking about how and where to cut, and soil samples are certainly not the place to do so. UGA still recommends fertility based on yield goal, but I think one part of this that gets glossed over is that recommendations are based on realistic yield goals. Growers know their fields better than anyone, so applying fertility based on the history of a field should also be taken into account.
The Post-Searchlight
Getting To Know Our Community- Michael Kirkland
By John Wells
The Post-Searchlight is starting a new weekly column called Getting to Know Our Community. Each week, we will profile one person in our community, and hopefully, each reader will learn something about their community members and what makes our community so special. This week, we will get to know Michael Kirkland.
My name is Michael Kirkland and I currently serve as the Executive Director of the ABAC Bainbridge campus. My career in higher education started in 1998 at a small private college, but all I really wanted, like a kid wanting to play for the Braves, was to be at Bainbridge College. Many people both inspired and influenced me on this campus. They were passionate about their work and impacted generations of students. And so I consider myself extremely blessed to have been here now for over two decades, continuing the best I can the rich tradition started by giants such as Dr. Edward Mobley. The evolution of the campus over that time has witnessed growth, decline, and consolidation. But whether it’s Bainbridge College, Bainbridge State College, or ABAC Bainbridge, there are still students to serve.
AEGIS Dental Network
Practice Websites Are No Longer Optional
An appropriate design and content are necessary to attract patients, even direct referrals
Richard P. Gangwisch, DDS (Richard P. Gangwisch, DDS, a master of the Academy of General Dentistry and a diplomate of the American Board of General Dentistry, is a clinical assistant professor at the Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University…)
For a modern dental office, a great website is a must for continued growth. Prospective patients are getting more and more tech savvy, and many depend on the Internet to help them make decisions about things such as dental care. Even if you don’t want to “advertise,” having a well-designed website is still important to connect with patients. …Therefore, having a great website to showcase your practice is important whether you are advertising or not.
Statesboro Herald
Student Eli Compton, teacher Ashley Thompson are Bulloch’s 2024 STARs
6 STAR students from 5 local high schools share honor with teachers they chose
Al Hackle/Staff
With an SAT score of 1590, just 10 points short of perfect, Bulloch County’s 2024 STAR student Eli Compton plans to go to Georgia Tech to study aerospace engineering and hopes to have a career in designing vehicles for autonomous and staffed missions in space. “ …While still a Statesboro High student he is dual-enrolled at Georgia Southern, currently taking Calculus III and Physics I. …William Wu, son of Ji Wu and Xueqian You, plans to attend Georgia Southern, where he is currently dual-enrolled, and major in computer engineering. …Bulloch Academy’s 2024 STAR student Sammy Mendez, has been accepted to the Georgia Institute of Technology… …Garrett Suggs, Trinity Christian School’s 2024 STAR student, plans to pursue a degree in computer engineering. His parents are Vince and Tammy Suggs. Garrett has applied to Georgia Tech, Duke, the University of Georgia,…
Athens CEO
Former SBDC Area Director Gives Back to the Organization
Kelly Simmons
Richard Montanaro grew up with an inside view of small business, working in his family’s textile company in Calhoun, Ga. His father, the late Richard Montanaro Sr., ran the company, Astro Dye Works, Inc. But he also volunteered in the local community as chairman of the Gordon County Hospital Board, the Gordon County Chamber of Commerce and Gordon County Commission. That commitment to public service stuck with Montanaro throughout his career. When he left the UGA Small Business Development Center in June 2022, he made a significant pledge to the organization. Montanaro’s gift, which was matched by the UGA Foundation, established The Next Best Fund. …Montanaro designated his gift to be used by the SBDC staff to assess the needs of small community business owners in the state of Georgia.
Statesboro Herald
Statesboro Y’s Heart Run set for Feb. 10
From staff reports
Organized by the Statesboro Family YMCA, the 2024 Statesboro Heart Run is set for Saturday, Feb. 10. The three-mile run/walk event is dedicated to raising awareness and funds to combat heart disease, the leading cause of mortality in Georgia, said Hannah Beggs, executive director of the Statesboro Y. The race/walk will begin and end at the Y, which is located at East Jones Ave. and Gentilly Road. “All proceeds from the Heart Run will directly benefit our newly launched Phase 3 Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, which is a collaborative effort with East Georgia Regional Medical Center and Georgia Southern University,” Beggs said in a release Tuesday afternoon. “This program strives to offer free cardiac rehabilitation services to participants, ensuring comprehensive care for those recovering from heart-related issues.”
The Union-Recorder
New coach: Every Bobcat softball player out for the team
Matthew Brown
The defending national champions or the last-place team in the conference. Up by 20 runs or down by 20. The Georgia College & State University softball dugout is expected to be of the same mindset no matter what the circumstances. So far, that is what first-year head coach Kenneth Bellamy is seeing, a team full of players out to help each other achieve the overall goals, not fill their own stat-line. After the 2023 Bobcat softball season ended at 26-24, a time of transition began. Jamie Grodecki stepped down as head coach after 13 seasons and 355 wins. Bellamy, her assistant for the past two seasons, moved into the top chair of that dugout. One thing about that transition that was quite unusual, one that seems to be defining such changes in other college sports of late, is that so many players opted to remain a Bobcat.
The Union-Recorder
Newcomers propel Bobcats to home PBC win
Matthew Brown
There was a coming-out party for some college basketball careers Saturday at The Centennial Center. In Ryan Aquino’s starting lineup for only the fourth time in the 2023-24 season, redshirt freshman Aidan Kudlas didn’t have any team-leading numbers when Georgia College & State University faced the 12-5 Georgia Southwestern State Hurricanes. Another redshirt freshman, Oscar Lynch, played for only the 10th time as a Bobcat. A struggling GCSU men’s club took the Hurricanes to double overtime Saturday, and it was these two newcomers who made the second extra five minutes the last in favor of the home team. The Bobcats outscored the Hurricanes 16-6 to take the victory 97-87. It was only the second Peach Belt Conference win of the season for Aquino’s group, but it was the second in a row after an eight-game losing skid that included six in the PBC.
Higher Education News:
Higher Ed Dive
Utah governor signs law banning DEI at public colleges
Republican lawmakers had fast-tracked the bill, which made its way to the governor’s desk in just over two weeks.
Laura Spitalniak, Staff Reporter
UPDATE: Jan. 31, 2024: Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed a bill into law Tuesday barring diversity, equity and inclusion trainings and programs on public college campuses, one of the broadest bans in the country. The law, which takes effect July 1, will replace DEI offices with student “success and support” centers open to everyone, a move Cox praised. “I’m grateful to the Legislature for not following the lead of other states that simply eliminated DEI funding with no alternative path for students who may be struggling,” Cox said in a statement. “Instead, this funding will be repurposed to help all Utah students succeed regardless of their background.”
See also:
Inside Higher Ed
House Committee Advances GOP Plan to Overhaul Higher Ed
In a lengthy hearing Wednesday, Democrats argued the Republicans’ College Cost Reduction Act wouldn’t actually lower costs.
By Katherine Knott
Declaring that it’s time to stop ignoring the cost of college, a House committee advanced sweeping legislation that could reshape how federal dollars are doled out to students and institutions. “As a society, it is time to face the music,” said North Carolina representative Virginia Foxx, the Republican chairwoman of the education committee, in her opening remarks. “We are scamming young Americans. College prices are skyrocketing, and college value is stagnating.” The 223-page College Cost Reduction Act passed on a party-line vote after a more than four-hour markup Wednesday that included more than 30 proposed amendments from Democrats on the committee—all of which were voted down by the majority Republicans.
Inside Higher Ed
A Call for Deadline Extensions After FAFSA Delay
By Liam Knox
A coalition of higher ed professional associations and advocacy organizations issued a letter Wednesday urging colleges to extend their typical May 1 commitment deadline for accepted students in light of a nearly two-month delay in the delivery of FAFSA information to colleges. The nine signatory organizations—which include the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, the American Council on Education and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, among others—asked colleges to grant students more time between when they receive financial aid offers and when they’re required to commit to an institution.
See also:
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
NBA Foundation, College Possible Team Up to Help Close Access and Success Gap
Johnny Jackson
College Possible is renewing its collaboration with the NBA Foundation to help remove barriers to college access and entry for young people of color and students from low-income communities. … “Higher education and mentorship is a proven pathway to opportunity and economic mobility,” said Greg Taylor, executive director of the NBA Foundation. “Through our continued collaboration with College Possible, we help today’s aspiring students – and the next generation of leaders achieve their full education and career potential. We’re investing in a future where every young person, regardless of background, has the opportunity to succeed.”