AP News
Georgia regents choose John Fuchko as new president for Dalton State College
John Fuchko is the new president of Dalton State College, Georgia’s Board of Regents confirmed Wednesday. Fuchko had been named the sole finalist for the position last month, typically a prelude to be named president of a public college or university in Georgia. He took over as the interim president at Dalton State in June following the retirement of Margaret Venable, who led the college for eight years. He will assume the permanent post Thursday at the 4,500-student college in Dalton.
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WGAU Radio
UNG president outlines “big bets” strategy
By Clark Leonard, UNG
University of North Georgia President Michael Shannon on Oct. 3 released a white paper outlining seven strategic “big bets” to position UNG to meet the needs of its students, communities, the state, and the nation. See the full white paper. “We are part of the University System of Georgia, one of the strongest public university systems in the country. We are a State Leadership Institution, the Military College of Georgia, and are one of only six senior military colleges in the nation,” Shannon said. “UNG is an incredible university, steeped in tradition, with tremendous opportunity, value and promise. We have something here at UNG that no one else does and we need to deliver it.” He formed the strategy through feedback gained in his 45-day listening tour, as well as other conversations with students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members since starting as UNG president July 1. …Shannon said these big bets are necessary to meet the dual challenges of fewer college-age students in 2025-2030 and a lower college consumption rate even as high school graduation rates increase.
Albany Herald
District 2 students receive U.S. State Department scholarships
From staff reports
Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, D-Ga., recognized 15 college and university students from throughout Georgia’s Second Congressional District, including five from Albany State University, who were recently awarded prestigious federal scholarships for international studies. The students were awarded either the Bejamin A. Gilman International Scholarship or the John S. McCain International Scholarship for Military Families by the office of the U.S. Department of State. “I would like to congratulate these accomplished and deserving students. Through these scholarships, they will experience diverse communities and cultures, form new relationships, and gain a broader perspective that will enhance their education,” Bishop said in a news release. “They will also serve as our cultural ambassadors of our country, sharing our ideals, values and interests. Programs like this are vital to both the quality of our education and our country’s leadership in the world.”
Griffin Daily News
Gordon State College biology professor wins national award
By Karolina Philmon GSC Marketing Manager
Amanda Duffus, Gordon State College professor of biology, has been named the 2023 recipient of the Mentor Award (Mid-Career) by the Biology Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research. This national award honors biology mentors for their sustained efforts in supervising undergraduate research students. “The professional dedication and sacrifice that Duffus has made to ensure all students have an opportunity to participate in meaningful (undergraduate research) is commendable,” said Jessica K. Clark, committee chair.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Metro Atlanta colleges offer help for Art Institute of Atlanta students
By Eric Stirgus
Two metro Atlanta schools are opening their doors for Art Institute of Atlanta students in the wake of last week’s abrupt closing of all local and national Art Institute campuses. Clayton State University, through an initiative called “Next Wave,” will allow students to take courses in online, hybrid or in-person formats. University officials said the courses are scheduled to begin Oct. 11 and will allow Art Institute students to remain on target to continue their academic progress without interruption. Clayton State has scheduled online informational sessions on Tuesday and Thursday, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Students can click here to register for one of the sessions.
Augusta CEO
Augusta University Introduces ‘Game Changer’ Program to Foster Inclusive Excellence
Jennifer Lask
The Office of Diversity and Inclusion at Augusta University has introduced a new certification program designed to foster a deeper understanding of inclusive excellence. The Certificate in Inclusive Excellence, which launched in early September, is free for faculty and staff. Chief Diversity Officer Garrett Green, EdD, called the certificate a game changer for the university.
FIOR Reports
By Becca Roberts
Augusta University’s College of Science and Mathematics celebrated the completion of the fourth floor and interdisciplinary research laboratories with a ribbon cutting on September 21. The new research laboratories will be open to researchers across the university to promote collaboration between the various disciplines represented at Augusta University. This is consistent with the College’s move to the Health Sciences Campus to enable more interdisciplinary research. The creation of these laboratories is consistent with the vision that Rickey Hicks, PhD, the founding dean of the College of Science and Mathematics, had when he first proposed relocating the college. In his address, AU President Brooks A. Keel, PhD, recalled Hicks’ vision.
WJBF
JENNIE: Artificial Intelligence and its uses in education, the media, and more
by: Jennie Montgomery
Artificial intelligence, or AI, you hear it all the time now, is a very hot topic. And it is not going away. AI is a machine’s ability to perform the cognitive functions we associate with human minds, such as perceiving, reasoning, learning, interacting. So what are its implications in the media, in the job market, and in education? Leaders at Augusta University are addressing that right now. Two people in particular have helped mold how it should be used in education, at least at Augusta University.
Savannah Morning News
Monarch butterfly is not endangered, conservation authority decides
The eye-catching long-haul migrators are now listed as “vulnerable,” following a challenge to conservation status data
By Dennis Normile
In an unusual reversal, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has decided North America’s monarch butterfly is not “endangered.” Instead, the insect is only “vulnerable” to extinction, the group said last week—adding that it could lower the alarm still further, changing the listing to “near threatened” if an upcoming census suggests the population is stable or growing. The 27 September decision followed a researcher’s challenge to population models an IUCN team used to justify the endangered designation, conferred just 14 months ago. The team committed a “scientific injustice” by ignoring data showing monarchs are “doing really well,” argued ecologist Andrew Davis of the University of Georgia.
AARP
8 Ways to Get More Energy Fast
Healthy tricks for quickly getting a boost when you feel tired
By Beth Howard, AARP
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 15 percent of women and 10 percent of men in the United States regularly feel tired or exhausted. But there’s often a simple solution.
…3. Get moving There’s clear evidence that exercise can make you more energetic — and you don’t have to go all out to get the benefit. University of Georgia researchers found that sedentary people who complained of fatigue were able to increase their energy levels by 20 percent and decrease their fatigue by 65 percent by engaging in regular, low-intensity exercise like aerobic workouts. …Study author Patrick J. O’Connor, a professor of kinesiology at Georgia, attributes the energy boost to “exercise-induced changes in activity in brain neurons and circuits that underlie feelings of energy and fatigue.” It’s likely that neurotransmitters like norepinephrine, dopamine and histamine are part of the process, he adds.
WGAU Radio
UGA study focuses on working moms, breastfeeding
By Leigh Beeson, UGA Today
Breast is best, or so the campaign launched by the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. But regulations encouraging breastfeeding may come at a steep price, according to new research from the University of Georgia. The new study found that state hospital regulations aimed to encourage breastfeeding, such as requiring a lactation consultant on staff, increased the likelihood that new mothers would start breastfeeding by almost 4%. The regulations also increased the probability that the women continued breastfeeding through the first year of their children’s lives by as much as 7%. However, mothers who chose to breastfeed significantly increased their time spent on child care, leading many to reduce their work hours, reduce their positions to part time or leave the workforce entirely. And that may cause substantially lower wages and earnings down the line.
MedicalXpress
Synthetic peptide could reduce vascular problems associated with COVID-ARDS
A synthetic peptide developed by researchers at the Medical College of Georgia could help reduce vascular problems associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in COVID-19. In severe cases, COVID-19 is associated with the syndrome, which happens when fluid builds up in the tiny, elastic air sacs in the lungs, keeping them from filling with enough air and keeping oxygen from reaching the bloodstream. “These are the people who get the sickest from the virus,” says Rudolf Lucas, Ph.D., vascular biologist in the Vascular Biology Center at the Medical College of Georgia. “It is a pathology with a very bad prognosis. Many of these patients must go on a ventilator and a significant percentage of them succumb.”
Discover Magazine
Naegleria fowleri: The Brain-Eating Amoeba
It’s often called a brain-eating amoeba, and that’s not much of an exaggeration.
By Avery Hurt
A creature that lurks in lakes and ponds, crawls up your nose and eats your brain. Sounds like something out of science fiction, right? Nope, it’s all too real. The organism that does all this damage is called Naegleria fowleri. Find out why this sneaky predator is alarming to both scientists and the general public.
What Is Naegleria fowleri? Naegleria fowleri is a microscopic amoeba that lives in warm freshwater, such as lakes, ponds and rivers. There are many species of Naegleria, and most of them do little or no harm to humans. They eat bacteria and other detritus, explains Dennis Kyle, professor of infectious diseases and director of the Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases at the University of Georgia.
Higher Ed Dive
Today the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) released a study demonstrating that when college and university faculty participate in high-quality comprehensive courses in effective teaching practices, they report substantial increases in their confidence in using these proven practices. They also see significant, positive changes in their mindsets about their ability to impact student learning and their students’ ability to learn. The study, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, also revealed that students taught by faculty who participated in ACUE courses perceived significant increases in their own growth mindset, as well as their confidence participating in class, attending office hours, and managing their coursework and deadlines. Analyzed data came from nearly 3,000 student surveys. Ten colleges and universities nationwide participated in the study, “Impacts of Faculty Development on Faculty’s Mindsets and Self-Efficacy,” including the Borough of Manhattan Community College; California State University, Northridge; Cincinnati State Technical and Community College; Cuyahoga Community College; Georgia Southern University;
The Augusta Chronicle
Turning the page: Local history buff donating 675 World War II books to Augusta University
Joe Hotchkiss
A war is ending at Fred Gehle’s Augusta home. After years of compiling a substantial personal library of books on World War II, Gehle, 90, is donating his entire collection to Augusta University. Workers from AU’s Reese Library arrived Tuesday morning to load up the first donation of 675 books, with “at least that many” in upstairs bookcases that he’ll donate in forthcoming years. Among the volumes: a 1939 edition of Adolf Hitler’s notorious manifesto “Mein Kampf.” …Before being available to the public, AU library staff will collate and document all the books and assign them numbers determined by the Library of Congress’ classification system. The collection’s final home will be Section E of Reese Library, said Library Director Melissa Johnson.
The Georgia Virtue
Statesboro locals named to Georgia Southern University’s ‘40 Under 40’ Class of 2023
Statesboro locals Jennifer Lewis, Katrina McNair and Christopher Wiggins have been named to the Georgia Southern University Alumni Association’s “40 Under 40” Class of 2023. The honor recognizes alumni who have made significant strides in business, leadership, community, educational or philanthropic endeavors.
Savannah Morning News
Georgia Southern hosts forum for Savannah’s mayoral, Districts 5 and 6 candidates
Evan Lasseter
When Mayor Van Johnson picked up his microphone at Monday night’s first mayoral candidate forum, his answers consistently referenced the current council’s record. District 5 Alderwoman Estella Shabazz and District 6 Alderman Kurtis Purtee followed suit in the ensuing forum for their respective posts. But for most of the challengers on stage, led by At-Large, Post 1 Alderwoman Kesha Gibson-Carter’s bid against Johnson, those records were brought under scrutiny. The first of Georgia Southern University’s traditional candidate forums gave a glimpse into the choice on November’s ballot, with incumbents of the current council majority defending the work of the past four years.
Athens Banner-Herald
Why Georgia football’s Kirby Smart and Mark Richt are teaming up for a special cause
Marc Weiszer
Georgia football coach Kirby Smart had what he called a “special guest,” Monday for his weekly press conference. It was Mark Richt who used to stand behind the podium in the old Butts-Mehre football team meeting room where Smart was as Bulldogs football coach. Smart and Richt are joining together to promote a benefit bowling tournament. It will raise money to fight Parkinson’s Disease which Richt announced in 2021 that he is battling.
WRBL
CSU student in court facing felony gun charges after accidental discharge in dorm room
by: Chuck Williams
An on-campus gun incident over the weekend has highlighted the complexity of the gun laws at Columbus State University and other Georgia colleges. Here’s what police say happened …Decoreius Shannon, 21, was in his dorm room with a 9-millimeter Glock handgun when he took the magazine out of it. Police say he pulled the trigger, but there was a round in the chamber. The shot went through three walls and into an occupied dorm room. It happened in Columbus Hall, a downtown dorm in the 1000 block of Broadway. …There are a number of restricted areas on the CSU campus where guns are not permitted.
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Atlanta Business Chronicle
These college degree fields have the highest potential salaries
By Andy Medici – Senior Reporter, The Playbook, The Business Journals
Renewable energy and electric cars might get big headlines, but pulling fossil fuels out of the ground still pays the best. That comes from a new college salary report from Payscale Inc., which analyzed alumni salary data from 3.47 million people across 2,475 degree programs to find which degree fields earned the highest median salary for workers with 10 years of experience. The top of the list? Petroleum engineering, which has a median early career pay of $97,500 but an annual mid-career pay of $212,500, which means 10 years of experience, making it the highest-paying major in the study. That is followed by operations research and industrial engineering, with an early career pay of $98,300 and a mid-career median pay of $191,800. The top 10 majors for high mid-career pay are dominated by technical fields such as building science, systems engineering and actuarial mathematics.
Higher Ed Dive
Negotiated rulemaking: Decoding the Education Department’s policymaking process
The Biden administration is embarking on “neg-reg” in pursuit of mass student loan cancellation. Here’s what the higher ed sector can expect.
Jeremy Bauer-Wolf, Senior Reporter
The same day in June that the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a fatal blow to President Joe Biden’s mass student loan forgiveness plan, his administration dropped its own bombshell: it wasn’t done. U.S. Department of Education officials said they would attempt loan cancellation through another route, a regulatory proceeding known as negotiated rulemaking. For a broad contingent of the public, the two words had little meaning. For many higher ed policy pundits, they were cause for head-banging levels of frustration.
Inside Higher Ed
Ohio State Emeritus Professor Wins Nobel in Physics
By Johanna Alonso
An emeritus professor at Ohio State University was one of three researchers awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics Tuesday. Pierre Agostini, who has been a member of OSU’s physics faculty since 2005; Ferenc Krausz, who is affiliated with two German institutions; and Anne L’Huillier, of Lund University in Sweden, received the honor for developing new strategies to understand the rapid movements of electrons. The technology uses incredibly short flashes of light—each only the length of a few attoseconds, or quintillionths of a second—to create snapshots of the electrons’ positions.
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Preparing the Next Generation of College Leaders
Arrman Kyaw
In 2019, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) newfound Presidential Leadership Academy (La Academia de Liderazgo) dedicated itself to help prepare aspiring leaders and bolster Hispanic representation in higher ed presidencies. Now entering its fifth year, the academy is bigger and stronger than ever.
Higher Ed Dive
Vermont State University looks to eliminate 10 programs, up to 33 full-time faculty
The public institution’s president is also recommending some majors be consolidated or moved to other campuses.
Jeremy Bauer-Wolf, Senior Reporter
The nascent Vermont State University — formed from a union of three public colleges looking to right their finances — remains in tough straits and is now looking to discard 10 of its academic programs and up to 33 full-time faculty members to get on course. The merged institution — an amalgamation of Castleton University, Northern Vermont University and Vermont Technical College — was greenlit a couple of years ago to set those colleges on track to financial recovery. But even before Vermont State’s formal launch in July, it was plagued with leadership turnover and controversy over a plan to shift its library to a digital format. University officials backed away from that proposal amid significant student, faculty and alumni backlash.
Inside Higher Ed
Stanford to Pay $1.9M for Alleged Failure to Disclose Foreign Funding
By Doug Lederman
Stanford University has agreed to pay the U.S. government nearly $2 million to resolve allegations that it failed to report financial support from foreign sources in applications for federal research grants, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday.
Inside Higher Ed
COVID ‘Heightened Deep Inequities,’ Report Shows
By Jessica Blake
A new report from the Hope Center for College, Community and Justice at Temple University explores how students’ college experiences during the pandemic varied by race and ethnicity. The findings show that basic needs insecurities were highest among Indigenous, Native American and Black students at over 70 percent. The rate among white students was 54 percent. According to the report, Pacific Islander and Indigenous students made up the largest proportion of students who experienced challenges accessing the internet or a computer, with four out of every five students self-reporting such difficulties.