University System News:
www.publicnow.com
Chairman Jason Shaw Introduces Legislation To Create The Center For Rural Prosperity And Innovation
http://www.publicnow.com/view/1729371189E122CAD62B9C2A8FC20A7B21C00837
State Representative Jason Shaw (R-Lakeland) today introduced legislation that would create the Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation. ‘Our state has experienced tremendous economic success in recent years, and we are proud to be named the No.1 state in the country to do business for five consecutive years,’ said Rep. Shaw. ‘However, this significant growth has been largely focused within the Metro Atlanta region, and rural Georgia has not seen the same level of economic prosperity. …The Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation would provide a central location for research and information on rural development, which is crucial to enhancing economic opportunities in these regions.’ This legislation would create, in connection with the University System of Georgia, the Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation to serve as a central information and research hub for rural leadership training and best practices. …The Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation would be located within a college or institution of the University System of Georgia that awards Bachelor of Science degrees in rural community development, and the president of the college or institution would appoint a center director. The center would assume the business and responsibilities of the Centers of Innovation Agribusiness administered by the Department of Economic Development.

www.gpb.org
At The Corner Of High Demand Careers And Education, A Nexus (Degree) Emerges
http://www.gpb.org/blogs/georgia-at-work/2018/02/16/at-the-corner-of-high-demand-careers-and-education-nexus-degree
Parrish Walton
You’ve heard it. I’ve heard it (often… ad nauseam, in fact). There are jobs… so many jobs. But there just aren’t enough skilled workers to fill them. Here’s one about healthcare IT workers in the state. Here’s another on construction worker shortages. And here’s one on cybersecurity jobs in Georgia. As I said, we hear this often, but thankfully the University System of Georgia and leading industries in the state are attempting to do something about it by announcing the creation of the “Nexus Degree” certification program. What is a nexus degree you ask? Well, aside from a really cool name, it’s a certification (let’s be honest, nexus certification doesn’t have the same ring to it) that works in conjunction with associate, bachelor’s or post-graduate degrees. The programs will require 18 credit hours of which at least one third must come from internships or other hands-on training programs. Per the AJC, “Adult workers can also take nexus courses and earn a degree if they meet qualifications that show they can do the course work.” The fine folks at USG have plans for this program to begin this fall, which is crazy fast and shows how important it is. Industry leaders are going to work with the universities to tailor the curriculum so that when graduates leave with their degree they’ll have the skills needed to get a job in Georgia in their respective fields of study.

www.ledger-enquirer.com
You could earn a brand new kind of degree from Georgia colleges soon
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/state/georgia/article200022659.html
BY SCOTT BERSON
Students – young or old – will soon be able to earn an entirely new type of degree from Georgia colleges. The University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents announced the creation of a brand new college credential they call the ‘nexus degree’ – and expect them to be available as early as Fall 2018. So what are these new degrees? “Nexus” means a connection or series of connections, and the idea behind the degree is that it will emphasize the connections between normal college learning, hands-on experience and deep industry knowledge taught by managers or professionals in specific job fields.

www.ajc.com
Georgia students recognized for academic excellence
http://www.ajc.com/news/local-education/georgia-students-recognized-for-academic-excellence/gYXcMYYyhzVCUMRq9y2LkN/
Eric Stirgus
The Georgia Board of Regents at its board meeting last week honored a student from each of its colleges and universities for classroom academic achievements.

www.wltz.com
GSW Student Selected As Outstanding Scholar
CUMMING, GEORGIA STUDENT RECOGNIZED FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
http://www.wltz.com/2018/02/16/gsw-student-selected-outstanding-scholar/
By Caroline Kirkconnell
Amelia Cornell was recently named Georgia Southwestern State University’s Outstanding Scholar. The award is the university’s highest academic honor. “Receiving the Outstanding Scholar Award is such an exciting honor because I always have put my all into my school work and it’s nice to have that effort recognized,” said Cornell. A senior marketing major from Cumming, Georgia, Cornell currently holds a 4.0 GPA, which puts her at the top of her class. The Outstanding Scholar Award represents superb scholastic achievement. …As the recipient of the Outstanding Scholar Award, Cornell will be honored during the annual Academic Recognition Day in the Georgia General Assembly where she will receive a signed resolution from both the Georgia House of Representatives and the Georgia Senate. Cornell and other top students, were recognized in a special ceremony by Chancellor Steve Wrigley during the February 2017 meeting of the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents.

www.middlegeorgiaceo.com
University System Saves Students More Than $18M a Year in Free Textbooks
http://middlegeorgiaceo.com/features/2018/02/university-system-saves-students-more-18m-year-free-textbooks/
Staff Report From Georgia CEO
The University System of Georgia is saving students more than $18 million a year with its free online textbook initiative called Affordable Learning Georgia. More than 219,300 students from across the system have benefited directly from the free textbook program. To date, Affordable Learning Georgia has saved students more than $31 million on textbook costs, and the initiative is expected to grow in coming years as highlighted in the USG’s presentation to the Georgia House of Representatives Higher Education Subcommittee of Appropriations on Feb. 14.

www.albanyherald.com
Albany State students to study at UCLA
Program allows HBCU students opportunities to study evolutionary medicine
http://www.albanyherald.com/news/local/albany-state-students-to-study-at-ucla/article_bd2761f9-ae33-547e-82cc-fce3be065b6a.html
From Staff Reports
Two Albany State University students have been selected to conduct medical and clinical research at the University of California at Los Angeles, one of the highest ranked research institutions in the world. Emoni Cook, a senior biology student from Atlanta, and Jerome Neal, a junior forensic science student from McDonough, will conduct research at UCLA from June 24 to Aug. 18 as part of the Evolutionary Medicine Research Program being held on the campus of the prestigious Los Angeles university. Participants will examine how medical and clinical problems generate new research questions in evolution. Evolutionary medicine combines ecology, evolutionary biology, anthropology, psychology, zoology, systems biology and microbiology with medicine.

www.tiftonceo.com
ABAC Presents Campus Focus During February Board of Regents Meeting
http://tiftonceo.com/news/2018/02/abac-presents-campus-focus-during-february-board-regents-meeting/?utm_source=Tifton+CEO&utm_campaign=e434d95c6e-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_02_19&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b977a0f8f6-e434d95c6e-303871653
Staff Report From Tifton CEO
Student engagement focusing on internships, study abroad, mentored research, and the staging of a national event was the theme when students and faculty members from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College addressed the members of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia at its February meeting in Atlanta on Tuesday. …ABAC President David Bridges introduced the presentation which also included Harrison Booker from Varnell, the ABAC Forestry Club President; Dr. Leslie Pryor, Assistant Professor of Biology; Jovani Raya, a biology major from Norman Park; Dr. Thomas Grant, Associate Professor of Journalism and Advisor for The Stallion newspaper and Stallion TV; and Amanda Mohammed, a rural community development major from Snellville. …“I personally had a Vice President from Georgia Tech come up to me brimming with enthusiasm about our presentation because his son is considering ABAC specifically because of our hands-on approach to teaching in our program,” Scott said.

www.onlineathens.com
UGA names biz learning center building for Orkins
http://www.onlineathens.com/news/20180217/uga-names-biz-learning-center-building-for-orkins
By David Dodson
The next building to become part of the University of Georgia Terry College of Business will be named for Sanford and Barbara Orkin of Atlanta. The University System of Georgia Board of Regents recently approved naming one of the two buildings currently under construction in the third and final phase of the Business Learning Community for the Orkins in recognition of their longstanding support of UGA, including a $5 million gift to the Terry College of Business. “Sanford and Barbara Orkin’s tremendous generosity will leave an enduring legacy at the University of Georgia,” said UGA President Jere Morehead. “Their latest gift, which will further enhance the learning environment on our campus, demonstrates their unyielding commitment to supporting the endeavors of our students, faculty and staff.” The building to be named Sanford and Barbara Orkin Hall — located at the corner of Baxter and Hull streets — will include a large auditorium, undergraduate classrooms, a behavioral lab, a computer lab for marketing research, interview suites and faculty and administrative offices.

www.albanyherald.com
HBCUs like Albany State University continue their longtime mission
Albany State will host a Teach-In this week
http://www.albanyherald.com/news/local/hbcus-like-albany-state-university-continue-their-longtime-mission/article_e41750ac-1545-5079-9e7a-7751739e5343.html
By Cindi Cox
Today there are more than 100 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the United States. Most HBCUs started out as teaching schools in an effort to train more African-American teachers who could, in turn, reach out to black students and inspire them to enter the teaching profession. By definition, HBCUs are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of primarily serving the African-American community. Although HBCUs are open to students of all races, these institutions of higher learning (and the subsequent HBCU designation) can be traced to the long period of American history in which black students were largely denied access to mainstream colleges and universities. For many years, HBCUs were the only avenue black Americans had to obtaining undergraduate or graduate degrees. …Albany State University (ASU) was founded in 1903 by Joseph Winthrop Holley, a South Carolina native and the son of former slaves. Holley, said to be inspired by the writings of W.E.B. DuBois, is believed to have started the school as a way to improve conditions for African Americans in the South by offering opportunities in industrial and religious higher education. Last April, ASU held its 114th Founders Day. The event is held each year in honor of ASU’s founder, who also was president of the institution until 1943. The next ASU Founder’s Day Celebration is scheduled for April 3, 2018.

www.wltz.com
Congressman Hosts Service Academy Nomination Ceremony
50 LOCAL STUDENTS NOMINATED TO MILITARY ACADEMIES
https://www.wltz.com/2018/02/16/congressman-hosts-service-academy-nomination-ceremony/
Caroline Kirkconnell
On Friday February 9, 2018, Congressman Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.) hosted a Service Academy Nomination Ceremony at the University of West Georgia Newnan Campus to honor students who received nominations to military service academies. The ceremony honored all 50 students Ferguson nominated including six students from Columbus and the surrounding region. “I commend all of these students for their dedication and willingness to defend our freedoms,” said Ferguson. “There is no higher calling than serving our nation in the Armed Forces, and I was humbled to have the opportunity to honor these students for their nominations to the military service academies. We are so thankful for all of the brave men and women who choose to defend their nation.”

www.timeshighereducation.com
‘Grand challenges’ reshape universities’ research agendas
Twenty North American institutions using ‘moon shots’ to help focus and attract support for their scientific endeavours
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/grand-challenges-reshape-universities-research-agendas
By Rachael Pells
Ever since John F. Kennedy set scientists the task of putting a man safely on the moon, the attractions of “grand challenges” – specific research goals designed to spur science in a particular area and achieve large-scale national or global ambitions – have been clear… Styled as a “living learning community”, Georgia Tech’s programme involves 110 first-year students being admitted and placed in a single dormitory community. They are tasked with exploring solutions to social challenges guided by academics who identify broad focus areas such as energy, health or sanitation. Then, in small student-led teams, they look to implement their proposed solutions during the course of their undergraduate degrees, starting businesses and presenting their work at conferences. The scheme will double in size next year.

Higher Education News:
www.washingtonpost.com
The higher education legacy of our presidents — and how to carry that forward
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2018/02/19/the-higher-education-legacy-of-our-presidents-and-how-to-carry-that-forward/?utm_term=.8dad3b98c11d
By Jonathan Green
In the current climate of anti-intellectualism, Presidents’ Day provides a valuable opportunity to reaffirm the deep connections between higher education and democracy and the efforts of U.S. presidents in support of our colleges and universities. The founding of the United States and the rise of American colleges and universities are inextricably linked, and U.S. presidents have played an important role in cultivating those institutions and shaping the role they played in strengthening the nation. Our first five presidents provided important early leadership in education: George Washington’s belief in the critical role education would play in our national development continued throughout his career of public service.

www.chronicle.com
After 2016 Election, Campus Hate Crimes Seemed to Jump. Here’s What the Data Tell Us.
https://www.chronicle.com/article/After-2016-Election-Campus/242577?cid=wsinglestory_hp_1
By Dan Bauman
In the charged weeks after the election of Donald J. Trump, analysts and advocacy groups noted a rise in reports of hate crimes. Colleges seemed to be seeing that rise as much as any public spaces. Anecdotal evidence suggested that acts of campus harassment and violence were on the upswing. (The Chronicle collected much of that evidence in a running roundup.) There was a grim logic behind the anecdotes: As spaces often populated by the religious and ethnic minority groups Trump pilloried during his bruising campaign, college campuses were natural incubators for conflict. Many campus incidents, in fact, involved references to the president-elect.