Was it a warning to Georgia’s public higher education leaders? Or was it some wishful thinking? Gov. Brian Kemp made a comment that may give students planning to take college courses this fall some hope. Here’s a little more about it, a touching moment between a student and teacher and some other matters in the latest edition of AJC On Campus.
Kemp’s hope for tuition
Gov. Brian Kemp gave a presentation last week to state lawmakers about his proposed budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. During his opening remarks, Kemp said he added $81 million to the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia. The governor said the additional funds should “mitigate the need for a student tuition increase.” The state’s Board of Regents last year increased tuition for the University System’s 26 schools. Some prominent lawmakers voiced their dismay about college costs during a recent committee meeting. We’ll learn more if Kemp’s comments were a demand or his hope when the Regents votes on tuition, which typically takes place in April.
Agricultural education cuts and changes
There are some changes coming in Georgia’s agricultural education programs. Kemp’s budget would cut $7.6 million agricultural extension stations and the Cooperative Extension Service, which are part of the University System of Georgia budget. Additionally, Sam Pardue, the University of Georgia’s dean and director of its College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, submitted his resignation letter on Jan. 6. It’s effective at the end of June. Pardue wrote one of his goals is to raise money for the program and a “successful outcome” for state budget requests.
Education Notebook
About those cuts, we took a look at some of them and how administrators discussed them at a recent budget hearing.
Study: Georgia companies need more workers with degrees
The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and consulting firm, Accenture, released a study last week that concluded Georgia's employers need more workers with college degrees or certificates. Here's our report about the study.
Georgia Tech’s early admissions
Georgia Tech about a week ago announced nearly 4,600 students got early admissions acceptance letters to the school. Tech administrators surprised some students with acceptance letters. One Forsyth County high school student thanked one of his teacher's with flowers for helping him after learning he got into Georgia Tech. More than 22,000 students applied for early admission. Click here to read more about it.
Former Atlanta mayor’s home donated to AUC
Credit: Casey Sykes
Credit: Casey Sykes
The childhood home of Maynard Jackson, Atlanta's first African American mayor, is being donated to the Atlanta University Center. The center, home to several historically black colleges and universities, will use the property as affordable housing for graduate students researchers. The property has been in disrepair. The home is near the center, which includes Morehouse College, Jackson's alma mater. Click here to read more about this got done.
New report on “green” campus efforts
So how green are Georgia's college campuses? Environment Georgia decided to explore the matter and released its findings last week. Here's our story about its report.
New plan to help adults without H.S. diplomas
There's been countless research showing adults without a high school diploma make far less money than those with a diploma or a college degree. The Technical College System of Georgia announced a plan last week to help more adults without a diploma earn that credential. Here's a little more about the plan.
Truth or dare, GBPI style
Many panel discussions can get dry, but Georgia Budget & Policy Institute senior higher education policy analyst Jennifer Lee spiced things up a bit with a question to panelists at a conference Friday. Lee, the moderator, asked the group a truth or dare question. What is a myth about higher education the panelist could dispel or what is one thing you’d dare lawmakers to do this session? All three panelists went with the dare. Valdosta State University student government association president Jacob Bell said he’d dare lawmakers to budget $10 per student for additional mental health funding. Yarbrah Peeples of College Advising Corps said she’d dare them to fund a needs-based aid program. Former University of Georgia president Chuck Knapp had the same suggestion, which he discussed earlier during the meeting. Lawmakers, you’ve been dared.
This week’s number
51
That’s how many weeks of full-time internship work is required to pay in-state tuition for a year at the University of Georgia. That number is according to a recent report by GetResponse, a self-described group of “tech geeks.” The total is 86 weeks for out of state students. The report was done to show the increasing difficulty to pay for college through work. The report found Pennsylvania students had to work 71 weeks to pay for one year at Penn State, which was the highest total in the nation.
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