accessWDUN
Governor Brian Kemp, UGA President Jere Morehead speak on death of Laken Riley
By Austin Eller News Director
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and University of Georgia President Jere Morehead spoke Monday morning at separate events regarding the death of a nursing student Thursday on UGA’s campus. Kemp spoke early Monday at an Athens-Clarke County Chamber of Commerce meeting, directing blame at the Biden administration following the death of Laken Hope Riley, 22, of Athens. Riley was a student at Augusta University’s Athens campus but had previously been enrolled at UGA. Kemp’s comments followed the Friday arrest of Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, who is charged with murder in connection with Riley’s death. Ibarra lived in Athens but was not a legal resident of the United States. …Morehead’s comments about Riley’s passing came in a meeting of the Gainesville Rotary Club on Monday. “I appreciate the incredible work that was done by the UGA Police Department, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Athens-Clarke Police Department, our federal partners in bringing a very rapid conclusion of the criminal investigation and making an arrest within 24 hours,” Morehead said. “While it does nothing to allay the horror and pain that the family and friends are facing at this time, it certainly reminds us that we need strong and effective law enforcement in this country.”
Athens Banner-Herald
Hundreds gather at UGA campus for vigil to honor students who died last week
Wayne Ford
As hundreds of University of Georgia students gathered Monday afternoon at Tate Plaza in the middle of campus, a somber hush befell the crowd. Heads were bowed as silent prayers were made for two students who died last week. Wyatt Banks, 19, of Atlanta, died Feb. 21 of suicide in Brumby Hall, a campus dormitory. Laken Hope Riley, 22, died Feb. 22 of homicide when attacked by an assailant on a campus recreational trail off College Station Road. One had died for a reason only he knew. The other died and never knew why.
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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia House, Senate agree to budget with $5.5 billion in new spending
About $392 million would go to Capitol Hill renovations
By James Salzer
Georgia House and Senate leaders agreed to a record midyear budget Monday that includes money for major renovations on Capitol Hill, a new medical school at the University of Georgia, roads, rural airports, local water and sewer projects, and rural economic development programs. The chambers backed most of the spending hikes Gov. Brian Kemp proposed in January, even though state tax collections have been slow for much of the past year and are not projected to improve anytime soon.
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James Magazine
Senate passes critical bills prior as Crossover Day looms
by Cindy Morley
Crossover Day is looming, and members of the Georgia Senate took advantage of a full day of voting Monday to get bills across the line before Thursday’s deadline. This included four bills that promote workforce development, another that protects small businesses, and yet another that is aimed at combating cyberbullying and addressing youth mental health as it pertains to social media. …Other bills passed by the Senate Monday include: …● Senate Bill 399 – Which encourages the Commissioner of the Technical College System and the Chancellor of the University System to coordinate efforts to expand transfer opportunities between the two systems. Sponsored by Senator Shelly Echols (R-Gainesville). …All of these bills now move on to the House for consideration.
Savannah CEO
Staff Report From Georgia CEO
Georgia Southern University’s Honors College and Office of Undergraduate Admissions will welcome more than 300 new students to the Statesboro Campus and Armstrong Campus in Savannah over the next two weeks as they interview for valuable merit scholarships from the Honors College during Honors Scholars’ Days.
WGAU Radio
UGA Dance Marathon raises more than $1 million for CHOA
By Tim Bryant
The University of Georgia has totaled the take from this year’s Dance Marathon, saying the student-organized fundraiser for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta raised more than $1 million. The 29th annual Dance Marathon was held last weekend at UGA’s Tate Student Center.
From Stan Jackson, UGA Today…
On Sunday afternoon, Feb. 25, UGA Miracle, the University of Georgia’s largest student-run philanthropy, announced they had raised $1,075,281.24 for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. More than 2,000 students representing more than 30 student organizations gathered in Tate Student Center Grand Hall overnight Feb. 24-25 for UGA Miracle’s annual Dance Marathon. The annual event took on a double purpose this year as UGA Miracle also sought to encourage comfort and fellowship as the campus community mourned and processed the recent tragic deaths of two students.
Albany Herald
Albany State students participate in ‘Retool Your School’
From staff reports
Albany State University officials announced the participation of ASU students in the 2024 Home Depot Retool Your School Campus Improvement Grant competition. The competition provides an opportunity for participants to win up to $150,000. Voting will continue through March 24 online only at retoolyourschool.com/vote. Home Depot’s Campus Improvement grant is part of the company’s commitment to invest in the growth of HBCUs. ASU is a three-time grant recipient, which has allowed for the completion of various projects that enhance the campus experience. These projects include the addition of outdoor pavilions on the lower East Campus, creation of the Mental Health and Wellness Walking Trail, and improvements to the Student Amphitheater.
Athens Banner-Herald
Clinical trials for new drug to treat strokes and based on UGA research soon to get underway
Leigh Hataway
University of Georgia
A new therapeutic for stroke based on University of Georgia research will soon enter clinical trials. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared the new drug, known as AB126, to enter a Phase 1b/2a clinical trial, which is expected to begin in the first half of 2024 and will require significant funds to complete. This is the first stage of the trial and will test the safety and efficacy of the therapeutic in ischemic stroke patients. Ischemic strokes are caused by clots that reduce or block blood flow to brain tissue, preventing the brain from getting adequate oxygen. These strokes are a leading cause of long-term disability and mortality worldwide.
Farms
Labor Shortages, Input Costs Concern Producers
Video: Labor Shortages, Input Costs Concern Producers
John Holcomb reports from UGA’s annual Ag Forecast as farmers voice concerns over labor shortages and rising input costs.
Morning AgClips
Farm Stress Summit to Address Mental Health Challenges
Will be held March 20, at Appalachian Campus of Chattahoochee Technical College
The prevalence of mental health challenges experienced by farm families and farming communities in Georgia is staggering. Faced with unfavorable weather, unfriendly economic conditions, labor shortages and more, farmers of all types often feel forced to cope with the pressures of their profession in unhealthy ways, including considering suicide. On March 20, University of Georgia faculty, farmers, farm family members, agricultural community members and agricultural mental health stakeholders will convene at the 2024 Farm Stress Summit to look for opportunities to support Georgia’s farm families in ways that promote improved well-being. The event will be held at the Appalachian Campus of Chattahoochee Technical College in Jasper, Georgia.
Golfdom
University of Georgia releases new SeaBreeze seashore paspalum turfgrass
By Golfdom Staff
The University of Georgia (UGA) recently released a new vegetative seashore paspalum turfgrass called SeaBreeze. Developed at the university’s campus at Griffin, Ga., after 16 years of research, this is the fifth paspalum released by UGA, the third under the leadership of Paul Raymer, Ph.D. Raymer is a professor of crop and soil science at the Institute of Plant Bleeding, Genetics and Genomics at UGA. SeaBreeze is suitable for use on golf courses from tee to green. It offers a long list of benefits including superior drought tolerance.
The Atlanta Voice
Bill that creates Community Impact Districts near Georgia’s HBCUs passes out of Georgia Senate
Sen. Sonya Halpern sponsors legislation designed to provide additional funding for Georgia’s HBCUs
by Itoro N. Umontuen
Senate Bill 235 passed the Georgia Senate by a margin of 46-7 Monday afternoon. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Sonya Halpern, a Democrat from Atlanta, seeks to establish the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Innovation and Economic Prosperity Planning Districts Commission under the University System of Georgia. The bill is a byproduct of a recommendation from the bipartisan 2022 Excellence, Innovation and Technology at Georgia’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities Study Committee. …Additionally, the legislation provides for Community Improvement Districts for the following HBCUs in Georgia: The Albany State University planning district; The Atlanta University Center Consortium planning district; The Fort Valley State University planning district; The Paine College planning district; and The Savannah State University planning district.
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The Union-Recorder
ONE OF THE BOYS: Kuehn joins KA, grand marshals GCSU homecoming parade
Gil Pound
The grand marshal of Georgia College & State University’s homecoming parade stood around somewhat nervously as participants were lining up Friday. Kevin Kuehn, the 30-year-old parade leader living with Down syndrome, only loosened up and found his million-dollar smile when his brothers showed up to join him. Brothers, not in the traditional sense, but in the fraternal one as GCSU’s chapter of the Kappa Alpha Order made one of Kuehn’s dreams come true a few weeks ago when they initiated him into their fraternity. So how does a 30-year-old non-college student with a genetic disorder be invited to join a fraternity? If you have to ask that question, you probably don’t know Kevin.
Savannah Morning News
With Fetzer Lakes development withdrawn, Pembroke city manager addresses housing needs, options
Latrice Williams
In mid-February, developer James Dasher of Fetzer Lakes LLC withdrew his application for the rezoning and annexation of land that would have ultimately produced hundreds of homes in Pembroke. However, with Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America expected to have more than 8,000 employees by 2031, an increase in housing in the Pembroke area seems inevitable. …“We have a development department and that consists of one staff member that plays multiple roles,” said City Manager Chris Benson. …“Pembroke’s proximity to the Savannah metropolitan area, Fort Stewart, Statesboro and Georgia Southern University makes the city a small community located at a major crossroads of economic opportunity,” said Benson. “As Pembroke and Bryan County continue to grow in size and diversity, there is the potential for the city to harness this momentum and bring about huge changes while preserving its rural and historic character.”
Middle Georgia CEO
Harold Mock of GCSU, Ticket Sales Now Open for Leadership Ideas Festival
Director of Leadership Programs at Georgia College & State University Harold Mock talks about the upcoming Leadership Ideas Festival set for April 11th-13th and how to get tickets.
The Union-Recorder
JMA girls Final Four bound, boys done
Gil Pound
It’s been over a decade since Georgia College’s Centennial Center played host to the Final Four for the Georgia Independent Schools Association. Now called the Georgia Independent Athletic Association (GIAA), the league’s Class AAA and AAAA state semifinals are making their return to Milledgeville Wednesday, so it’s entirely fitting that a Milledgeville school is represented among the teams trying to make the championship round. … The Class AAA finals are slated for Friday at Columbus State University, so the JMA and Deerfield girls will be playing for a seat there.
Slaying of Georgia student becomes part of U.S. immigration debate
By Maria Sacchetti and Nick Miroff
The killing of a Georgia nursing student allegedly by a Venezuelan migrant has quickly intensified the country’s immigration debate as President Biden and leading Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump prepare trips to the border this week. …On average, immigrants commit fewer crimes than native-born U.S. citizens, data show, but Republican leaders have been galvanized by record numbers of illegal border crossings since Biden took office in 2021. “It’s just outrageous,” Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, told Fox News on Monday. “People are so frustrated. And this is something that we’ve been talking about for years now, about the porous southern border.”
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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After arrest in Laken Riley’s death, safety concerns persist at UGA
University of Georgia touts $16 million in safety spending over eight years
By Vanessa McCray, Josh Reyes and Fletcher Page
University of Georgia students returned to class Monday assured by school leaders that police had arrested the man charged with murder in the death of Laken Riley. But a sense of unease still permeates Athens, and parents are demanding UGA do more to ensure their children’s safety on a campus that, before Riley’s death on Thursday, hadn’t seen a homicide since 1996.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
GSU officials weigh more security after latest killing near campus
By David Aaro
Georgia State University’s president said he is looking into bolstering security following the latest deadly shooting near the downtown Atlanta campus. M. Brian Blake’s comments came after a 21-year-old man was shot to death Sunday afternoon when fighting between two groups escalated to gunfire, police said. No one involved in the shooting has been identified as students or staff of the university, officials said.
Higher Education News:
Higher Ed Dive
Are policymakers overlooking key higher education data?
College earnings data often only includes students who graduated, but adding those who didn’t can unearth revealing information, a recent report suggests.
By Lilah Burke
Dive Brief:
College earnings data often only includes students who finished their programs, but excluding those who didn’t complete their credentials could result in policymakers overlooking important information, a recent report from the Urban Institute suggests. The median earnings of graduates are a key piece of the gainful employment rule, which ties federal financial aid eligibility to debt and earnings outcomes for some programs. But the rule doesn’t account for noncompleters. However, some types of institutions have significantly lower median earnings when considering their noncompleters alongside their graduates, including community colleges and for-profit institutions that predominantly award bachelor’s degrees, researchers found.
Inside Higher Ed
View
What Are the Values of a University?
Now more than ever, we need to affirm what a university stands for, Dan Edelstein writes.
By Dan Edelstein
The ongoing controversies over diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at American universities might be reframed more constructively as questions about how we should identify and assert the values of academic institutions. Understandably, both progressive and conservative activists seek to promote the values they hold dear. But this approach often descends into a raw power struggle, with both sides fighting to impose (or depose) their administrators of choice. What’s more, this approach turns the declaration of academic values into a political exercise, at a time when there is a growing call for universities to remain politically neutral. If we hope to move past these controversies and regain public trust in higher education, we need to reframe the debate and reaffirm the values already embedded in the missions of our colleges and universities.
Higher Ed Dive
Albert Einstein College of Medicine will go tuition free after $1B donation
The Bronx institution will make the change in August, and it will reimburse all fourth-year students for their spring 2024 semester tuition.
By Lilah Burke
Dive Brief:
Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in New York, will offer free tuition following a $1 billion donation from its board chair — a gift the institution called the largest ever to an American medical school. The Bronx institution, which is affiliated with New York’s Montefiore Health system, will go tuition free beginning in August, according to a Monday announcement. It will also reimburse all fourth-year students for their spring 2024 semester tuition. The donor, Ruth Gottesman, is a former professor at the medical school and current member of the Montefiore board. She is also the widow of Wall Street financier David Gottesman. The couple previously donated $25 million to the college in 2008.
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Inside Higher Ed
Arizona Governor Demands Meeting With Regents on Finances
By Josh Moody
Following a war of words between the University of Arizona Faculty Senate chair and the chair of the Arizona Board of Regents over financial issues—which has since escalated to legal action—Governor Katie Hobbs is demanding a meeting with regents and UA leaders. The request arose after UA Faculty Senate chair Leila Hudson questioned whether past business dealings by ABOR chair Fred DuVal represent a conflict of interest. DuVal denied the charge and sent a cease-and-desist letter to Hudson. Now, after DuVal and another regent took aim at the UA Faculty Senate, the Democratic governor is taking the board to task over its handling of the university’s financial crisis, which was discovered in November. The university is currently facing a projected $177 million shortfall.