New rules are restricting which mobile phones at Georgia’s public universities are used to access TikTok.
At Spelman College, a $1 million donation will support documentary filmmaking. And Emory University students employed by the school will get minimum-wage raises. We bring you all that college news and more in this edition of AJC On Campus.
TikTok brouhaha
A recent video posted by the University of Georgia’s official, verified TikTok account shows students lining up for study-break snacks before final exams.
The Bulldogs football team’s account on TikTok has more than 439,000 followers. Its feed is full of videos of the mascot and tours of the weight room.
Such accounts must now be maintained and managed only on non-school devices.
“Under the guidance issued by the University System of Georgia, any staff at the University of Georgia operating TikTok accounts on behalf of the university may continue doing so from personally-owned or foundation-funded devices that do not contain sensitive or restricted data described by the university’s data privacy policy,” said UGA spokesman Greg Trevor, in a statement to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
That’s because the University System recently delivered a directive to the state’s 26 public colleges and universities that prohibits “the use of TikTok, WeChat and Telegram on any state-owned devices including mobile phones and laptops.”
The system referenced Gov. Brian Kemp’s mid-December move to bar the three social media platforms on devices issued and owned by the state. Kemp cited concerns about the Chinese government’s involvement with TikTok and the threat it poses to cybersecurity through tracking and storing users’ information.
Sonny Perdue, the University System’s chancellor, told schools that TikTok and the other two social media platforms can only be used on state-owned devices if it is “for an authorized law enforcement or security purpose.” Otherwise, employees must use their own devices or those paid for by university foundations “provided no sensitive or restricted information” about university business functions “can be accessed on those devices.”
UGA has used its accounts to promote campus events and answer student questions about freshman orientation, COVID-19 and career fairs. It’s not unusual for the snappy videos set to music and sounds trending on the popular social media app to accumulate tens of thousands of views.
Many of the state’s other public universities are active on TikTok as well.
A Georgia Tech spokesman didn’t comment on how the restrictions might impact the school’s TikTok presence, such as an official account for the Yellow Jackets’ football team. It has about 56,700 followers and last posted in September. The school instead referred to the system’s statement.
Georgia State University is still assessing the situation, a spokeswoman said.
UGA study looks at life online
Speaking of TikTok, a new study by University of Georgia researchers found what many already knew: Young people are online a lot.
Nearly 80% of adolescents ages 12 to 17 reported that they checked social media daily, according to a study that surveyed 350 young people in the United States. TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat were the most popular platforms.
The researchers also looked at online gaming and emotional regulation, or the ability to control one’s emotions.
Amanda Giordano, the study’s lead author and an associate professor in the Mary Frances Early College of Education, said “a small subset” of gamers and social media users “can lose control over that behavior, and they can start to see a lot of negative consequences.”
”When these behaviors become their primary means of regulating their emotions, that’s where we can start to see this dependence develop over time,” she said, in a written statement.
Early admissions at Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech admitted 40%, or 2,577 students, from a pool of 6,437 early action applications.
The school notified students who applied for early admission earlier this month. Georgia students, including residents who attend high school out of state, get the chance to learn their admission status before others.
The school said the admitted students attend 369 high schools from around the state. A quarter of the students identify as Black, Hispanic or multiracial. The number of early action applications increased by 6% compared to last year.
“Georgia Tech continues to serve our state by expanding access to more Georgia residents from more communities and backgrounds than ever before,” said Rick Clark, assistant vice provost and executive director of undergraduate admission, in a written statement.
In January, the school will announce another round of early action admission decisions targeting out-of-state applicants. Students who apply by the Jan. 4 regular admission deadline will learn if they’ve been accepted in March.
So far this year, more than 37,000 students have applied to Georgia Tech.
Spelman College receives big gift
Spelman College will use a $1 million donation from the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation to support documentary filmmaking.
The school announced it will establish the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation Center for Documentary Media Studies. Spelman said its bachelor’s degree in documentary filmmaking is a first for a historically black college.
Spelman also will name a documentary production lab in honor of Ayoka Chenzira, a professor and arts division chair who is also an Emmy-nominated director.
Higher wages at Emory University
Student workers at Emory University will see a boost to minimum-wage pay.
The university plans to increase its minimum wage for student workers to $15 an hour over several years. Most of the school’s student workers earn between $9 and $12 an hour.
The pay jumps will start next month, when the university increases the minimum pay rate to $12 an hour. Hourly rates will go up to $13.50 in September and increase to $15 an hour in September 2024.
“Student workers play a vital role at Emory, and we’re pleased that our pay rates will better reflect their important role on our campus and continue to keep pace with the competitive employment market,” said Ravi V. Bellamkonda, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, in a written statement.
The university employs just over 5,000 students. It said pay increases are expected to cost the university up to $800,000 annually over the next few years.
If you have any higher education tips or thoughts, email reporter Vanessa McCray at vanessa.mccray@ajc.com.
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