University System News:
www.ajc.com
South Georgia college campuses closing in preparation of Hurricane Michael
By Eric Stirgus
Six South Georgia college and university campuses are closing and another one is extending its fall break due to potential damage from Hurricane Michael. Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College announced campus closures starting 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. Classes are scheduled to resume on Wed., Oct. 17. The college previously scheduled fall break for Oct. 15 and Oct. 16. Albany State University closed its East and West campuses and satellite campuses in Cairo and Cordele at noon Tuesday in preparation for severe weather conditions. Campuses are set to reopen on Friday.
Georgia College has extended its fall break to Oct. 15.
Georgia Southern University has cancelled classes Wednesday.
Georgia Southwestern State University has cancelled classes Wednesday and Thursday.
South Georgia State College is scheduled to close is Douglas and Waycross campuses Wednesday and Thursday.
Valdosta State University is also planning to close Wednesday and Thursday.
www.albanyherald.com
Gov. Nathan Deal declares State of Emergency ahead of Hurricane Michael
From Staff Reports
Based on the latest forecast for Hurricane Michael and acting on a recommendation from Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency officials, Gov. Nathan Deal today issued an emergency declaration for 92 Georgia counties. The emergency declaration is effective for seven days and makes all state resources available to local governments and entities within the impacted area of the hurricane. “The state is mobilizing all available resources to ensure public safety ahead of Hurricane Michael,” said Deal. “In light of the storm’s forecasted track, I encourage Georgians in the affected counties to be prepared and remain vigilant. We will continue to monitor Hurricane Michael’s path and GEMA/HS is leading our preparedness efforts.
www.thegeorgeanne.com
Hurricane Michael projected to hit Georgia by Thursday morning
http://www.thegeorgeanne.com/news/article_a3b342e9-35c6-54bf-9a48-d38219561578.html
By Brendan Ward, The George-Anne staff
Update
Hurricane Matthew has been upgraded to a category 1 hurricane.
“Georgia Southern University administrators are closely monitoring weather forecasts for areas in which our campuses are located,” GS Marketing and Communication said in an email. “Currently, there remains some uncertainty in the timing of the storm and its path. Determinations related to University closures will be made as new information becomes available. We encourage everyone to monitor the resources below.” Tropical Storm Michael is expected to make landfall in Florida Wednesday morning and is projected to impact Georgia by early Thursday.
www.diverseeducation.com
Gordon State’s New President Reflects on First 100 Days
by Jamie Rogers
Dr. Kirk Nooks, Gordon State College’s new president, spent his first 100 days in office not teaching, but learning as much as he can about the institution and the student body it serves. Nooks, who assumed his role on June 1, spent the first three weeks of classes living among students in a first-floor room in the Commons B dormitory. “That gave me an opportunity in an informal setting to meet with students from time-to-time,” he said. “They provided unfiltered feedback; whether it was 8 o’clock in the morning as I’m walking out to meetings or whether it was at 10:30 or 11 o’clock at night when they’re just coming alive to hang out and relax.” Nooks’ decision to take up residence in the dormitory will inevitably make the students’ overall experience more impactful, said Dr. Jeffery Knighton, Gordon State’s provost and vice president of academic affairs. “For faculty and staff, this action on the president’s part showed his words were not empty, but he is truly committed to the students’ experience,” Knighton said. “I have personally heard from students how ‘cool’ it was that the president was actually in a room on their floor and they could simply knock on his door and he would invite them in,” Knighton said of Nooks, who is the fourth president of Gordon—a public college that joined the University System of Georgia in 1972.
www.daily-tribune.com
Website says GHC students get ‘best bang’ for their tuition bucks
BY DONNA HARRIS
Georgia Highlands College continues to be recognized nationally as an excellent educational value for post-secondary students. This time, the five-campus college was named one of the Top 2 institutions in Georgia with the “best bang for your tuition,” according to The Penny Hoarder, one of the largest personal-finance websites and the No. 1-ranked fastest-growing private media company in the country for the second consecutive year. Currently, a GHC student can earn a two-year degree for less than $8,000 and a four-year degree for less than $16,000, according to the college. “More than ever, students evaluate college based on return on investment, and GHC remains a unique opportunity in northwest Georgia to graduate with a college degree with little to no debt upon completion,” Vice President for Student Affairs Todd Jones said. “Having a national source point out that a student at GHC can earn a two-year degree for less than $8,000 and a four-year degree for less than $16,000 right here at home is fantastic.”
www.ajc.com
Mailchimp invests $300,000 to start digital academy at Clayton State
By Eric Stirgus
Mailchimp, the widely-used online marketing company which has increased its presence in metro Atlanta in recent years, is investing $300,000 to create an academy at Clayton State University to prepare students for careers in the digital world, the university announced Tuesday morning. The program, housed in the university’s College of Information and Mathematical Sciences, combines curriculum in cloud computing, information security, data infrastructure operations, and software quality assurance, matched with experiential opportunities featuring Mailchimp’s team of experts. The Launchpad Academy will be aimed at students on Atlanta’s southside, offering some internships while having them work on a project to build software to address a problem that the Clayton State community faces, according to a news release.
See also:
www.metroatlantaceo.com
Mailchimp and Clayton State University Partner to Create Launchpad Academy
www.emanuelcountylive.com
Student Leadership Program kicks off at EGSC
http://emanuelcountylive.com/2018/10/student-leadership-program-kicks-off-at-egsc/
by KATELYN MOORE
As part of East Georgia State College’s efforts to serve as the model affordable, innovative, high-quality rural access institution in the United States, the first class of the new Student Leadership Program recently kicked off with a trip to Epworth by the Sea on St. Simons Island. The Student Leadership Program is a collaboration between EGSC and the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service to provide an opportunity for students to further develop the skills and leadership qualities needed to become effective campus and community leaders. The program was made available to all full-time students who attend any of EGSC’s three campuses and who are in good academic standing. Applicants had to compose an essay describing how they would benefit from this student leadership program. Fifty students were chosen to further their leadership education through this free program, which began in September and will run through April of 2019, when a formal graduation ceremony will be held at The Morgan House.
www.tiftongazette.com
ABAC nursing faculty members complete benchmarks
TIFTON — Two nursing faculty members at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College have completed benchmark accomplishments in their field of study, according to a press release. Dr. Jaibun Earp, dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, said assistant professor Rhonda Lewis has passed the Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) examination from the National League for Nursing, and Dr. Zacharey Powell, also an assistant professor, completed the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) course sponsored by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). “The CNE certification recognizes the academic nurse educator’s specialized knowledge, skills, abilities, and excellence in nursing education practice,” Earp said. “The ATLS program involves a systematic, concise approach in the care of a trauma patient.”
www.tiftonceo.com
Six ABAC Faculty Members Receive Gail Dillard Enrichment Funding
http://tiftonceo.com/news/2018/10/six-abac-faculty-members-receive-gail-dillard-enrichment-funding/
Staff Report From Tifton CEO
Six faculty members at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College will receive funding for special research projects this year from the 2018-2019 Gail Dillard Faculty Enrichment Fund, provided by the ABAC Foundation. Dr. Heather Cathcart, Dr. Kennon Deal, Dr. Kingsley Dunkley, Dr. Andrew McIntosh, Dr. Alex McLemore, and Dr. Leslie Pryor-McIntosh will receive funding for the projects which involve students in their classrooms and run the spectrum of research activities. According to Dr. Jordan Cofer, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs, Learning Resources, the applications were the most competitive in the fund’s history.
www.tiftongazette.com
Former ABAC professor receives conservation award
TIFTON — Dr. Doug Waid, a Professor Emeritus of Wildlife and Forestry at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, received the Jenkins-Crockford-Hayes Wildlife Conservation Award at the recent annual meeting of the Georgia Chapter of The Wildlife Society. Daymond Hughes, president of the Georgia Chapter of The Wildlife Society, said the Jenkins-Crockford-Hayes award is designed to be a later career award to honor wildlife professionals who have made significant impact over their careers across a variety of avenues. “These may include but are not limited to, innovations in research and/or management techniques and contributions to students and professionals across the state, region, and nation,” Hughes said. “The award is not given annually and is only presented to nominees considered worthy of its distinction.” During the 23 years Waid taught in the wildlife program at ABAC, he impacted the lives of a countless number of students.
www.allongeorgia.com
College Professor Offers Extra Credit for Students to Attend On-Campus Abrams Event
By Jessica Szilagyi
A college professor at a Georgia institution is offering students two extra credit points on their final grade in a criminal justice course if they attend an Abrams event on campus, submit a selfie, and help boost turnout. Professor Andrea Allen Jacques, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Clayton State University in Morrow, Georgia sent out an email to her criminal justice courses Monday telling them that she would make a “onetime exception” for extra credit as Democratic candidate for Governor Stacey Abrams visits the campus Tuesday with U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren because “they would like a really big turnout.” Allen goes on to say that “to help out,” she is offering the extra credit opportunity. Allen teaches Introduction to Criminal Justice, Criminology, and Law Enforcement 3200 courses. Clayton State University is a public university.
www.thegeorgeanne.com
Sexual Assault Response Team is raising awareness of sexual assault at Georgia college campuses
http://www.thegeorgeanne.com/news/article_70adfb5e-837d-5246-a4bb-e9426bc8ea37.html
By Ashley Jones, The George-Anne staff
The Georgia Southern University Sexual Assault Response Team is working to increase the knowledge of sexual assault on college campuses around the U.S. According to the Rape Abuse Incest National Network website, 11.2 percent of all students experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence or incapacitation. Anytime a sexual crime is committed, the victim should seek immediate medical attention following the assault. The GS response team is educating students across the U.S. on the topic.
Sexual Assault Response Team
SART is an on-campus team that focuses on sexual assault awareness throughout the college campus, as well as, the Statesboro community. The group works with other sexual assault resources within the city of Statesboro, including The Teal House. The center also works with different groups on campus that touch on sexual assault awareness and are considered resources for those who may have fell victim to a sex crime. These resources include The Counseling Center, Health Services, Equal Opportunity & Title IX and the Office of Student Activities.
www.ajc.com
Georgia Tech erred in awarding Coke no-bid contract, university says
By Eric Stirgus, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The recent revelations that some former top officials of Georgia Tech violated its ethics guidelines have exposed another problem at the university: It’s had a no-bid agreement for some services with Coca-Cola at least a quarter-century. Georgia Tech, in written responses to questions from Channel 2 Action News and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, said Monday afternoon that there should have been a bid process. “The contracts signed in 1993, 2000 and 2008 were, at the time, viewed as an extension of previous agreements. They should have been competitively bid,” Tech said via email. Georgia Tech’s attorneys are now working on the matter, said spokesman John Toon.
www.wsbtv.com
Investigation finds decades-long illegal deal at Georgia Tech
Tech emailed Channel 2 investigative reporter Richard Belcher to…
https://www.wsbtv.com/video?videoId=849219015&videoVersion=1.0
www.gainesvilletimes.com
Nighthawks Way opens at UNG’s Oakwood campus
https://www.gainesvilletimes.com/news/nighthawks-way-opens-at-ungs-oakwood-campus/
Jeff Gill
Nighthawks Way opened Monday, Oct. 8, on the University of North Georgia campus in Oakwood, a couple months ahead of schedule.
www.thegeorgeanne.com
Learning from UGA’s mistakes
How Georgia Southern has embraced Lime Scooters
http://www.thegeorgeanne.com/news/article_4ab36382-9d1c-5e5d-9316-c55af198ab89.html
By Rachel Adams, The George-Anne staff
Lime bikes and scooters were introduced onto Georgia Southern University’s campus at the beginning of this semester, but some Georgia universities have not had as much luck with similar programs. Unlike UGA, who is currently fighting the existence of motorized scooters on their campus, GS has an agreement with Lime. Lime contacted GS about placing bikes on campus in February, and an agreement was reached May 16, Trip Addison, vice president of University Advancement and External Affairs, said in an email. “The agreement with Georgia Southern allows the bikes on campus,” Addison said in the email. “In return, the University gets data on utilization by the students. There are no limitations, but riders should obey all laws and should not take them inside buildings.”
UGA’s problems with scooters
While GS has an agreement with Lime, the University of Georgia does not have one with Bird, a similar company that brought scooters to Athens in August. According to a previous article from the Red & Black, UGA’s student newspaper, UGA partially banned Bird scooters from campus, aside from riding on roads, just days after they appeared. Bird scooters cannot be parked anywhere on campus and are being treated like cars or motorcycles by UGA.
Higher Education News:
www.insidehighered.com
Florida Colleges Close in Advance of Hurricane
By Scott Jaschik
With a hurricane approaching the Florida Panhandle, many colleges in the region are shutting down for all or part of the rest of this week. Among the colleges announcing plans to suspend operations are: Baptist College of Florida, Chipola College, Florida A&M University, Florida State University, Gulf Coast State College, Pensacola State College, Tallahassee Community College and the University of West Florida.
www.chronicle.com
What the Degree Really Means
By Scott Carlson
…Essentially, as a society, we have put a “pay to play” barrier on the path to good jobs — and we have put the certification of prospective employees in the hands of colleges, organizations often distant from employers. Perhaps it’s a sensible barrier. After all, people who graduate from college probably, on average, display more tenacity, work ethic, and intelligence than people who don’t. Then again, anyone who studies this topic runs across puzzling and depressing examples. Enterprise Holdings, which runs a car-rental company, strongly favors applicants who have a college degree. The job can become a life raft for college graduates who floundered. When I rented a car from Enterprise a few months ago, the young branch manager who filled out my rental contract told me her story: She had earned a degree in elementary education from Towson University, a public institution in Maryland, but discovered within the first few months in the classroom that she hated being a teacher. “I knew that Enterprise hired college grads, so I applied here,” she said with a shrug. …A college degree is merely a signal, and an increasing number of people question what that signal means.
www.chronicle.com
Do Universities Value Public Engagement? Not Much, Their Policies Suggest
By Audrey Williams June
Scholarly work that serves the public is the kind of thing that, theoretically, universities want faculty members to pursue. But a new study of the language used by more than 100 colleges in their tenure-and-promotion criteria shows little evidence that such scholarship is valued in a way that advances faculty careers. And because of that, faculty members are given incentives mostly to pursue research that fits in an established framework. “There’s a very entrenched culture that exists around how we review successful academics,” said Juan P. Alperin, the lead author of a report on the study and an assistant professor in the publishing program at Simon Fraser University, in Canada, who studies scholarly communications. “We want this kind of work to be valued on par with the other quantifiable research outputs that are dominant.” An analysis of 864 review and tenure-and-promotion documents conducted by Alperin and his colleagues provided empirical evidence of what such policies actually emphasize. The documents, from disciplines that include life sciences, physical sciences, social sciences, and the humanities, came from 129 universities in the United States and Canada.
www.insidehighered.com
Falling Confidence in Higher Ed
Gallup finds unusually large drop — primarily but not exclusively among Republicans — between 2015 and 2018.
By Scott Jaschik
Just under half (48 percent) of American adults have “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in higher education, according to an analysis being released today by Gallup. That figure is down from 57 percent in 2015 and represents a larger than typical decline in confidence in an American institution in a relatively short time period, according to Gallup. (Note: Gallup conducts some surveys for Inside Higher Ed, but this publication played no role in the results being released today.) The largest confidence drops were found among Republicans. …Gallup asks Americans about their confidence in a wide range of American institutions. And based on this year’s responses, higher education enjoys more confidence than do many other institutions (including the presidency, Congress, newspapers and public schools). Only the military, small business and police enjoy more confidence than does higher education.
www.insidehighered.com
Do Women Conduct More Useful Research Than Men?
By Lindsay McKenzie
A research study has suggested that female-authored research has more educational impact than male-authored research. The study, published Oct. 4 in the Journal of Altmetrics — a newly launched peer-reviewed open-access journal — compared how many people read articles by male or female first authors in the same field using data from users of reference manager Mendeley. Female-authored research was more likely to be read by undergraduates, master’s students and junior researchers than male-authored research, the study found.
www.chronicle.com
Don’t Stop Inviting Controversial Speakers. Just Prepare Prudently.
By Ben Gose
…Start Early, Plan Carefully
The collaborative planning by the College Democrats and College Republicans may be unusual, but experts say all colleges and universities should take a page from Susquehanna’s playbook: Start early and plan carefully to achieve a successful outcome. Before a controversial speaker is on the calendar, sit down with local and state law-enforcement officials to identify who will be in charge if an event spirals out of control. As a controversial speech nears, consider a ticketing process that gives priority to students and faculty and staff members to make it less likely that an outside group will disrupt the speech. And as the speech begins, have a small group of decision-makers ready to quickly respond to unexpected events. “These are very dynamic situations,” says Rich Wilson, a senior consultant with Sigma Threat Management Associates. “The policies and procedures are a good starting point, but there comes a time when you have to improvise and adapt.” Some of the best thinking may come from institutions that have already endured unflattering headlines following clashes.