June 20, 2008

Emory Goes Local
Local foodies will have an easier time finding locally grown, organic foods thanks to Emory University 's sustainability initiative , which now hosts a farmers market on campus each Tuesday , open to all.

Emory 's extensive efforts to convert car drivers to bike riders were featured in a Chronicle of Higher Education article. Bike Emory >

UGA Leads in Saving Water
The University of Georgia has taken a leading role in reducing water usage in the region. UGA is now saving water at a rate more than twice than that mandated by Gov. Sonny Perdue. An "Every Drop Counts" Web site lists tips and strategies to reduce consumption. More >

Engineering Energy Savings
Georgia Institute of Technology students have been selected for one of 17 teams in a collegiate competition to reengineer a 2009 Saturn to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions while retaining performance and consumer appeal. More >

Georgia Tech 's solar house, which placed sixth in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathalon on the Washington Mall, is available for tours this summer at Tech. More >

Stepping Up on Ethics
Atlanta-area colleges and universities field a comprehensive range of ethics programs to help students, businesspeople, elected officials, researchers and others hold the moral high ground. Centers around the region focus on areas such as corporate responsibility ( Georgia State ), technology ( Georgia Tech ), and leadership and character ( Kennesaw State ). And Agnes Scott and Morehouse have named ethicists as presidents who are steering their campuses to think consciously about ethics. Because of the critical mass of research, teaching and expertise, leaders in the field collaborate widely in Atlanta. Full story >

Wagner to Chair ARCHE Board
Emory University President James W. Wagner will chair the ARCHE board of trustees effective July 1. University of West Georgia President Beheruz N. Sethna will serve as vice chair. Kennesaw State President Daniel S. Papp will be treasurer. Wagner succeeds Southern Polytechnic State President Lisa A. Rossbacher, who remains on the executive committee as past chair. More >

A recent Atlanta Journal Constitution Maria Saporta column focused on transitions in local higher ed leadership and increasing Atlanta's prominence as a higher ed hub.

University System Documents Its Economic Impact
Together, the 35 public colleges and universities of the University System of Georgia packed an economic impact of $11 billion and more than 100,000 jobs during fiscal year 2007, according to a new study by the University of Georgia Selig Center for Economic Growth. More >

17-Year-Old Grad Makes History
Ajay Pillai was the University System of Georgia's youngest graduate when he accepted his diploma in biochemistry from the University of West Georgia in May. Now 17, he enrolled at 13 in the Advanced Academy of Georgia on the UWG campus. He will study at the Medical College of Georgia in the fall. West Georgia's is one of 12 U.S. residential programs that allow teens to earn high school and college credit simultaneously. More >

Learning to Leverage Higher Ed in Dallas, too
A Dallas Morning News editorial recently called attention to Atlanta as a place where colleges colaborate, cited ARCHE and its mission, and called for an ARCHE-like organization to advocate for higher ed in north Texas. "[The] region needs a champion to fight for its universities," the article said. Read it >

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Photo credits: Emory University, Southern Polytechnic State University, University of Georgia, University of West Georgia.