February 5, 2009

Voters Say: Support Higher Ed
Georgia voters understand that investing in higher education can help stimulate the economy, according to a new ARCHE poll. Voters said they want Georgia to be a national leader in higher education, and they are willing to pay more in taxes or tuition to boost quality and fund financial aid for students who need it.  

Read an article about the poll by ARCHE President Mike Gerber >

Clayton State President Headed to Wisconsin
Clayton State University President Thomas K. Harden will leave Georgia to be chancellor of the University of Wisconsin Green Bay, effective June 1. Under Harden’s leadership, which began in 2000, Clayton State grew from 4,300 to over 6,000 students, more than doubled its undergraduate programs, and offered its first graduate degrees. Clayton State opened several new buildings in recent years, including its first on-campus housing. Last week, Harden accepted the Clayton Chamber of Commerce's 2008 Business of the Year Award for Clayton State, in recognition of the university's growth and impact on its community. More >

Thomas J. (Tim) Hynes Jr., provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University of West Georgia, will be interim president at Clayton State, effective June 1. More >

King Papers Now Open to Scholars
The Robert W. Woodruff Library at the Atlanta University Center has organized and digitized 75 percent of the 10,000-piece Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection.  An online finding aid allows serious researchers and casual scholars to view, from anywhere in the world, descriptions of every manuscript item in the collection. The system cross-references related items in the separate King collection at Boston University and will eventually support simultaneous electronic search of multiple King collections. Morehouse has recruited Stanford University’s Clayborne Carson as executive director of the collection.  More >

Bookmark: Check These New Web Sites
The University System of Georgia’s new government relations site includes “fast facts” about the system, details on how the system managed its $219 million budget reduction for FY 2009, budget recommendations for FY 2010, and a legislation tracker that follows legislation of interest.

University of West Georgia students, faculty and staff have launched www.georgiadisaster.info with information about mental health resources during a disaster. Sponsored by the Georgia Department of Human Resources with funds from the Community Health Preparedness Program, the site is one of the most comprehensive of its kind and helps individuals, businesses, professionals, schools and others prepare for and recover from catastrophe. 

Emory Enlightens Atlanta
Among upcoming programs open to the public at Emory:
> Obama inaugural poet Elizabeth Alexander will give a reading on Wednesday, Feb. 11. More >
> “Executive Power: New Directions for the New Presidency?” will bring together legal scholars and people involved in the nation's executive branch to discuss theories of presidential power on Thursday, Feb. 12.  More >
> Salman Rushdie, novelist and Emory writer in residence, will give a lecture titled "Adaptation" on Sunday, Feb. 22. More >

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Photo credits: Clayton State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Morehouse College, University of Georgia.