The recent increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases, and updated guidelines by public health officials, continues to make Georgia’s colleges and universities pivot their plans for the upcoming fall semester.
The University System of Georgia, after initially saying it would strongly encourage people wear face coverings on its campuses, said earlier this month it would require them in classrooms and other spaces. On Monday, Atlanta’s three Historically Black Colleges and Universities changed its plans concerning in-person instruction on its campuses.
We have another month before classes are scheduled to start, which is plenty of time for more possible changes. Here’s the latest on the recent change by the HBCUs and other items of note in this edition of AJC On Campus.
Atlanta University Center schools go to online instruction
Credit: KENT D. JOHNSON/AJC
Credit: KENT D. JOHNSON/AJC
Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse and Spelman colleges announced Monday morning they will postpone any in-person instruction for the fall semester and will conduct all classes online. The schools said earlier this month they would offer some courses on their campuses, but made the change in response to a recent rise in confirmed cases in Fulton County, where the schools are located. African Americans have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 in Georgia and in other parts of the country. Check out more here.
UGA protection packets
College students often get items in the mail from the school to prepare for the school year. This year, University of Georgia students are getting packets that include reusable face masks and thermometers. Welcome to higher education in the age of COVID-19.
What Georgia Tech’s provost has learned from the pandemic
Georgia Tech Provost Rafael Bras ruminated about the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the school on its website a couple of weeks ago. His thoughts included Georgia Tech may have to rethink large lecture classes and consider holding them online, use artificial intelligence agents as teaching assistants, and consider a STEM undergraduate academy to offer high-quality associate’s degrees in technical areas. He also wrote “To a greater or lesser degree, all of higher education has too narrow a revenue stream.” Public institutions such as Georgia Tech, he noted, rely on two revenue streams, tuition and state funding. Both have been impacted by the pandemic. State leaders mandated budget cuts and tuition will not increase this year. Click here to read his entire remarks on Georgia Tech’s website.
Spelman remembers John Lewis with new scholarship
John Lewis frequently made time to talk to Spelman College students, as recently as last spring, encouraging them to address inequality and discrimination, its president noted. The college announced hours after the death of the Atlanta congressman and civil rights activist it will give five of its students scholarships in his name. Read more about it here.
UGA creates new groups to address diversity
University of Georgia President Jere Morehead on Monday said it has created two new groups to explore ways to improve diversity. The university said it will also organize a series of discussions for students and others to candidly discuss race and racism. UGA has received mixed reviews from some students and community activists for its efforts to address its history concerning race and other issues, such as the 2015 discovery of a former slave burial site near Baldwin Hall on the Athens campus. Georgia State and Kennesaw State universities have also created groups in recent weeks to address similar issues.
Agnes Scott College’s conversations
Agnes Scott College on Wednesday held its latest virtual session in its series of discussions on “truth, racial healing and transformation.” The Decatur-based school, like many colleges, is addressing race relations in the wake of nationwide protests against racial discrimination.
New leader for private college organization
The organization that advocates for Georgia’s non-profit, private colleges and universities has a new leader. Jenna Moore Colvin will be the new president of the Georgia Independent Colleges Association, the organization announced late Wednesday. Her most recent job has been as general counsel for the University of North Georgia. Colvin began her legal career in Atlanta as an attorney with Alston & Bird, one of the largest law firms in the world. She replaces Susanna Baxter, who became president of LaGrange College on July 1. Colvin begins her new job on Aug. 24.
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