The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia House passes budget for upcoming year with teacher, employee raises
By James Salzer
The Georgia House on Thursday overwhelmingly backed 4% raises for many state workers and more money for law enforcement, education and mental health programs. The raises are included in the spending plan for fiscal 2025 — which begins July 1 — that the House approved 172-1. t came a week after Gov. Brian Kemp signed a midyear budget that includes $5.5 billion in extra money for things such as massive renovations on Capitol Hill, a new medical school at the University of Georgia, a new prison, and miles and miles of roads. The midyear budget runs through June 30. The fiscal 2025 budget now goes to the Senate for its consideration.
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Becker’s Dental
Georgia, Arkansas and Florida are among several states that will gain a dental school in the near future. Several dental schools have been announced in recent years to alleviate workforce shortages and train professionals to work in underserved communities. Here are nine upcoming dental schools to know: …
9. Statesboro-based Georgia Southern University was granted $178 million in state funding to build a dental school in February. Gov. Kemp had previously proposed giving the university funding for a dental school to alleviate the state’s healthcare workforce shortages.
The City Menus
A legacy of love: UWG rededicates lobby in memory of alumna
By Miranda Hodges
In the heart of the University of West Georgia’s campus lies Adamson Hall, a building that holds special significance for Paul Cadenhead ’44, UWG Foundation Trustee Emeritus, and Sara Davenport Cadenhead ’44, a couple whose lives intertwined in a story that is nothing short of extraordinary. That story was shared during a recent ceremony in which Paul and members of the UWG community rededicated a space in memory of Sara Davenport Cadenhead. Both Paul and Sara came from humble beginnings and were the first in their families to pursue higher education. Their paths crossed at UWG, then known as West Georgia College, where Sara resided in Adamson Hall as a student. Paul, a hardworking student, held multiple jobs on campus, including adding coal to the boiler in the Adamson Hall basement during the night shift.
Statesboro Herald
Georgia Southern honors long-time supporter Michael Sanders
The home team tunnel at the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center will be known as ‘Mike Sanders Tunnel’
From staff reports
Georgia Southern University will name the home team tunnel at the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center now under construction as the “Mike Sanders Tunnel” in memory of the late Michael Sanders. The university made the announcement Thursday that they would honor Sanders, who passed away in December, as a “distinguished alumnus and devoted supporter of the university.” The convocation center is scheduled to open later this year. It is located at the corner of Lanier Drive and Veterans Memorial Parkway (the Bypass.)
Morgan County Citizen
7 Tips For Helping You Afford College
Georgia Gwinnett College experts share ways to help pay for a degree in higher education
From staff reports
It’s no secret that college can be expensive. According to U.S. News & World Report, college tuition costs increased in both public and private schools in the 2023-2024 academic year, leaving the average in-state tuition for public colleges at $10,662 for the year, compared with $42,162 for private colleges. The average cost for out-of-state students at public colleges came to $23,630. Those are daunting numbers for many, but Georgia Gwinnett College financial aid advocate Estephany Flores says those prices should not deter anyone from seeking a college education. …Flores said one of the most underutilized resources for incoming college students are dual enrollment programs, which permit students to earn college credits at no cost while still in high school.
Metro Atlanta CEO
Rural Communities Mark Progress Through UGA Institute of Government’s PROPEL
Margaret Blanchard
The University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government celebrated the successes of communities participating in its PROPEL (Planning Rural Opportunities for Prosperity and Economic Leadership) program at a recent workshop in Athens. Members from Appling and Pulaski counties and the Lower Chattahoochee Council of Governments (Clay, Quitman, Randolph, and Stewart counties) gathered at the UGA Special Collections Libraries to share updates on their community and economic development efforts and lessons learned during the two-year program. For many, the importance of educating and involving the public during the planning process was a key takeaway.
Futurity
After school activities may do teens more harm than good
Posted by Erica Techo-U. Georgia
The time high school teens spend on so-called enrichment activities, including tutoring, sports, school clubs, and even homework, is negatively affecting their mental health, according to new research. The study also found that any additional enrichment activities are unlikely to benefit students academically. While the ideal number of study hours will vary student by student, the researchers found that adding more enrichment activities is unlikely to benefit students. Many people think additional study time or tutoring will lead to better test scores and grades, but this research shows that students are already at their limit. Any more “enrichment” will have negative returns. “We found that the effect of those additional activities on cognitive skills, that last hour, is basically zero,” says Carolina Caetano, assistant professor of economics in the College of Business at the University of Georgia and coauthor of the study in the Economics of Education Review. “And what’s more surprising is that the last hour doing these activities is contributing negatively to the child’s non-cognitive skills.”
The West Georgian
UWG’s DDEI Promotes Inclusion For All Students
By Keshawn Allen
Since The University of West Georgia features many students with different and unique cultural backgrounds, they ensure that every student gets the representation they deserve. They go out of their way to make sure that the students feel represented and get to learn about different cultures by leaving the responsibility to the Department of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. This department is under the Center for Student Involvement and Inclusion, which organizes events that cater to student’s entertainment and help them become more educated about their world. CSII works over the DDEI to advocate that representation matters in West Georgia, regardless of race, gender or religion. Graduate Assistant Lilly Mallette has worked in this department for over a year and has had a great experience showing inclusivity on campus. She stated that she enjoys working for the Department of Diversity, Equity, and inclusion and how she gains knowledgeable experience.
Forbes
Society’s Wicked Problems Require Collaboration Not Silos
Marshall Shepherd, Senior Contributor (Director of the University of Georgia’s (UGA) Atmospheric Sciences Program)
Recently, I have given an invited lecture around the nation entitled, “Cloudy with a chance of science.” Using the lens of weather and climate, I discuss how public perceptions (and misperceptions) about science evolve. Near the beginning of the lecture, the words “wicked problems” appear. Those words frame many of the challenges that we face today: climate change, pandemics, geopolitical conflict, and so forth. By definition, wicked problems are defined by layers of complexity and unclear pathways to solutions. Herein, I argue that collaboration across many disciplines is required to address society’s wicked problems.
The Augusta Chronicle
Campbell Vaughn: Vertical farming is a growing trend for growing crops up instead of out
Campbell Vaughn, Columnist (UGA Agriculture and Natural Resource agent for Richmond County)
It has been a thought-provoking progression to watch over the time I have been in the UGA Extension service. I was talking to a nice fellow the other day, and he was discussing how interesting it was that home vegetable gardens are starting to circle back. Throughout history, most people had to rely on growing something to eat if they want to eat. The last big event that forced so many to grow their own food was WWII, when rationing was common and to eat outside of what had limited availability, you had to have a garden. …Along the lines of vertical gardens comes another popular area for growing produce in a controlled environment. Aquaponics are soil-less cultivation techniques that use water and nutrient solutions to grow plants. Aquaponics combines plant cultivation with fish farming, creating a symbiotic relationship where fish waste provides nutrients for plants, and plants help filter the water for the fish. You can grow fish to eat at the same time as you grow vegetables. It is not easy, but it is a cool system.
Health
FDA to Consumers: Stop Using Certain Ground Cinnamon Products With Elevated Lead Levels
By Korin Miller
Consumers should stop using certain cinnamon products sold by retailers, including Family Dollar, Dollar Tree, and Save A Lot, due to elevated levels of lead, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Wednesday in a safety alert. The warning comes following the October 2023 recall of cinnamon apple puree and applesauce products found to contain lead, which have since been linked to 468 cases of lead and chromium poisoning in 44 states. …“Cinnamon can be naturally contaminated from the environment,” Francisco Diez-Gonzalez, PhD, director of the University of Georgia Center for Food Safety told Health. Even things like a spice grinder that contains lead can be an issue, he added. In some cases, lead may also be intentionally added to certain products, like spices, as a way to increase product weight or add color. This is more likely to happen with spices purchased abroad—those that come from Georgia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, and Morocco may contain high levels of lead.
Successful Farming
World record soybean yield winners share how to take soybean yields to next level
The key: A systems approach with a focus on data-driven decision-making.
By Adrienne Held
A crowd of farmers and industry leaders gathered at the Successful Farming Main Stage at Commodity Classic last week to hear from soybean contest world record holder Alex Harrell and Randy Dowdy, along with agronomist Dewey Lee. The three shared a wealth of knowledge and experiences of what it takes to grow world-record soybean yields. …Dewey Lee has 35 years’ experience as an corn and small grain agronomist with Extension at the University of Georgia. He recently retired and has served as an agronomic adviser to Alex Harrell and is currently a state executive for the Georgia Corn Growers Association.
Successful Farming
Understand how EPA’s proposed herbicide strategy will impact use moving forward.
By Adrienne Held
Whether you are a private applicator and apply your own herbicides or utilize custom applicators, complex changes to labels and recordkeeping will alter how, when, and where herbicides can be applied. Last July, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its draft herbicide strategy, which proposed mitigations for more than 900 species and critical habitats. The mitigations are designed to reduce the potential impact of herbicides to comply with the Endangered Species Act (ESA). EPA received over 20,000 comments on the proposed herbicide strategy. Stanley Culpepper is a weed science specialist at the University of Georgia who has been actively involved with the EPA regarding the science behind the proposed mitigation measures.
Blue Ridge Country
by Nancy Henderson
Whether you want to attract or repel ‘em, here’s what you need to know.
As a wildlife biologist, Michael Mengak hears from two camps of homeowners with two very different views about bunnies in their backyards. “There are the gardeners, the master gardeners, master naturalists, the people that like to work in their yards with flowers and plants, who are happy to have the squirrels, who are happy to have a rabbit,” says Mengak, who teaches at the Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources at the University of Georgia. “And then there’s the group that are like, ‘Keep those deer and those squirrels [and rabbits] away from me.’ I get all kinds of people, both wanting to attract, and wanting to repel, wildlife.” …Here, Mengak offers a few tips on how to draw or deter bunnies, depending on your preference.
The George-Anne
DUI’s On Georgia College Campuses
Emma Mary McBride, Journalist
Emma Mary McBride, Journalist
Although the DUI rate of Georgia is steadily decreasing throughout the years, some college counties are still full of DUI convictions and Georgia Southern University is no stranger to this statistic. According to the 2020 DUI report released from the Georgia Department of Driver Services, ‘Bulloch County had 170 drivers that were caught driving under the influence’. …Comparing the Bulloch County rate of DUI convictions…it is almost 3 times higher than Clarke County where the University of Georgia is located, being 59 convictions in 2020. …According to the Department of Education, 30% of students in college have a DUI conviction on their record.
WRBL
Columbus 65-plus community surveyed on STDs after cases rise
by: Olivia Yepez
Last year, surveys revealed Columbus as having one of the highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) nationwide. One population that doesn’t always get factored in are those 65-and-over. As stated in a May 2023 article by Georgia Public Broadcasting, research by Innerbody showed Columbus had 906 STD cases per 100,000 residents. This number ranked the city 21st nationwide, higher than larger metropolitan areas like Los Angeles and Nashville, Tenn. Though not the most impacted age range, those in the 65-plus community are more affected than many might think. “We’ve seen an incredible increase of STIs [sexually transmitted infections], especially chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea in [the 65-plus] age population,” said Columbus State University’s Rebecca Toland, an assistant professor of health science in the Kinesiology and Health Sciences department. According to the Cleveland Clinic, STI and STD are interchangeable umbrella terms used to describe conditions passed through sexual activity.
Columbus CEO
Columbus State Plans Annual March 27 Legacy Celebration Program
Staff Report From Georgia CEO
Columbus State University will focus on inclusion and belonging during its annual Legacy Celebration Awards Banquet on Wednesday, March 27. The dinner event, and a professional development workshop earlier that afternoon, will take place in its Cunningham Conference Center on the university’s Main Campus. The evening’s Legacy Celebration Banquet will begin at 6 p.m. and will honor the work of individuals who have fostered inclusion and belonging at Columbus State and throughout the community. A dozen Legacy Awards will recognize students, employees, alumni and community partners for their advocacy, leadership and accomplishments.
BVM Sports
Women’s Basketball Downs Clayton State, Advances to PBC Tournament Semis
The third-seeded Columbus State University women’s basketball team defeated sixth-seeded Clayton State University in the quarterfinals of the Peach Belt Conference Tournament on Thursday, March 7. With the win, CSU advances to the semifinals on Friday, March 8. Columbus State got the lead early and maintained it throughout the entirety of the game. Clayton State held CSU to seven points in the fourth quarter and scored 18, but it wasn’t enough to beat the Lady Cougars.
Higher Education News:
Higher Ed Dive
FAFSA submissions from high school seniors are down 38%
Members of the class of 2024 sent in roughly 1.1 million forms by Feb. 23, according to a recent analysis from the National College Attainment Network.
Natalie Schwartz, Senior Editor
Dive Brief:
Roughly 1.1 million high school seniors submitted a Free Application for Federal Student Aid through late February, down 38% compared to the same time last year, according to a recent analysis from the National College Attainment Network. About 26.4% of the class of 2024 submitted the FAFSA through Feb. 23. But an even lower share of students attending low-income public high schools, 22.5%, sent in the form by that date. About 47.1% fewer seniors at these high schools submitted the form by late February compared to the last cycle. The dropping submissions rates come after the U.S. Department of Education made the FAFSA available about three months later than usual in order to streamline the form.
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Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Higher Ed Dive
DEI at public colleges, medical schools comes under congressional attack
Republicans on the House’s education committee took aim at diversity, equity and inclusion during a two-hour hearing Thursday.
By Lilah Burke
Dive Brief:
Republicans on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce took aim at colleges’ diversity, equity and inclusion practices during a two-hour hearing Thursday. Republicans focused much of their attention on diversity in medical education, antisemitism, and the budgets and staffing of DEI offices at colleges. The hearing could give insight to Republicans’ legislative priorities. Republicans control the committee, which oversees federal higher education initiatives and influences legislation affecting colleges.
Inside Higher Ed
Kansas Bill Would Fine Colleges $10K for Diversity Statements in Hiring
By Jessica Blake
The Kansas House Committee on Higher Education Budget approved a bill Thursday that would charge public colleges and universities up to $10,000 in penalties if they were to require prospective students or employees to “pledge allegiance” to what the bill called the political ideologies of “diversity, equity [and] inclusion.” The legislation—House Bill 2460—was approved along party lines. It adds Kansas to a growing list of states where lawmakers are trying to end the use of so-called DEI litmus tests in recruiting and hiring faculty members or admitting students. The bill will proceed to a vote before the full House, but its prospects for becoming law are uncertain. The bill underwent several amendments in the committee meeting, including reducing the penalty from $100,000 to $10,000 per instance of using a diversity requirement and giving an institution multiple opportunities to correct its wrong before being fined.
Inside Higher Ed
Democrats Make Their Case for DEI
A Republican described diversity, equity and inclusion offices as a “cancer.” Democrats pushed back, calling their understanding of the concept flawed.
By Johanna Alonso
During a contentious House hearing Thursday, Democrats batted back attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives on college campuses, blasting Republican attempts to blame the programs for the rise in campus antisemitism. In his opening remarks at the House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development’s hearing, titled “Divisive, Excessive, Ineffective: The Real Impact of DEI on College Campuses,” Utah Republican Burgess Owens called DEI initiatives “a cancer that resides in the hearts of American academic institutions.” His Democratic colleagues offered a forceful renunciation of that characterization. Oregon representative Suzanne Bonamici argued that changing demographics and persistent prejudice on college campuses are important reasons to keep such offices in place.
Inside Higher Ed
Senate Democrats Press Education Department for FAFSA Fix
By Katherine Knott
Twenty-six Senate Democrats are urging the Education Department to permanently fix an error in the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid that blocks some students whose parents don’t have a Social Security number from completing the form. The department has announced a temporary workaround for those students and said a permanent solution is coming this month. In a letter sent Wednesday, the senators said that although they appreciated the temporary patch, which they called a “small-scale” option, they are concerned about the department’s plan to fix the issue. The letter highlights the bipartisan pressure the department is facing. The Education Department was already under fire from congressional Republicans, who have been critical of its messy FAFSA launch more broadly. The Democrats requested more details by March 12 about the department’s timeline, how it will share information about the fix with students and what resources it plans to make available to families to help them complete the application.
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Yale Pledges $10M Toward HBCU Partnerships, Following Slavery Apology
Johnny Jackson
Yale University has pledged $10 million toward an initiative to strengthen its relationship with historically Black colleges and universities in the realm of research, teaching, and student access. The initiative is part of a redress following Yale President Dr. Peter Salovey and Senior Trustee Josh Bekenstein’s Feb. 16 acknowledgement of the university’s historical role in and associations with slavery and apology for the ways its early leaders participated in slavery.
Inside Higher Ed
Jewish, Muslim Students Fear Their Views Put Them in Danger
A new report says Jewish and Muslim students fear “personal danger” related to their positions on the Israel-Hamas war and view controversial protest slogans differently.
By Sara Weissman
More than half of Jewish and Muslim students, and a fifth of all college students, feel unsafe on campus because of their stances on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to a new report from the University of Chicago Project on Security and Threats, a nonpartisan research center on international politics and security. The report explores students’ fears and beliefs in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel and Israel’s ongoing assault on the Gaza Strip. The findings are based on national surveys of 5,000 students attending at least 600 four-year colleges and universities and 5,000 adults in the U.S. between December 2023 and January 2024. The surveys found students have reason to be afraid, with real acts of violence happening on campuses and antisemitic and Islamophobic sentiments expressed by a significant number, albeit a minority, of their peers.
Cybersecurity Dive
What’s behind the demand for MDR and IAM system
It’s not just the front door businesses need to protect. Organizations also have to recognize the damage threat actors can do once they’re inside.
By Sue Poremba
Finding the right tools for your security system can be a real struggle, especially for smaller businesses. While there is a tendency for organizations to jump on the security technology bandwagon, onboarding the newest and hottest tools, it’s vital for security analysts to take a step back and evaluate what tools are garnering the most investment, and why they are so popular. Managed detection and response systems — and anything dealing with identity management — are gaining more attention, thanks to what’s happening in the threat landscape. The tools address top security issues organizations face today: the expanding threat landscape, where attacks are growing more sophisticated and stealthy, and the rising number of identity-based attacks. MDR’s role in the security system Organizations, both large and small, want MDR services that will help reduce false positives and improve overall threat detection, investigation and response, according to research from Gartner.