Updates from S. Jack Hu, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost.

University of Georgia
Advancing Excellence: Updates from S. Jack Hu, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost

May 31, 2023

We have concluded another successful academic year at the University of Georgia. At the spring Commencement ceremonies earlier this month, the university conferred degrees on 6,008 undergraduates and 1,651 graduate students. We also celebrated 419 graduates from professional programs in the School of Law, College of Pharmacy and College of Veterinary Medicine. I am excited to see how the newest UGA alumni continue to lead, discover and serve in their communities and workplaces.

 

In addition to celebrating our outstanding graduates, UGA hosted several high-profile academic conferences as the semester came to a close. At the end of March, faculty members gathered at the 33rd Academic Affairs Faculty Symposium to discuss how to improve teaching and learning with AI-powered tools within their fields.

 

The theme of technology and innovation continued at the second annual Electric Mobility Summit in April. During the summit, Georgia Power Company announced a $5 million investment in e-mobility at UGA. The investment will be used to help cultivate an e-mobility network, create scholarships, fund research and provide resources for UGA to use in developing strategic community partnerships across the state.

 

This month, I had the opportunity to speak at the Georgia Climate Conference and the International Conference of Integrative Precision Agriculture. At UGA we are driven to use our research and scholarship to solve global challenges. These conferences were an opportunity to gather with key stakeholders and discuss two of these significant challenges: the effects of a changing climate, and the need to strengthen agricultural production and supply to feed our growing global population.

 

Continuing in this spirit, UGA’s Center on Human Trafficking Research and Outreach (CenHTRO) hosted international researchers as part of its initiative to create effective survey methods for studying and fighting human trafficking worldwide.

 

I also had the opportunity to speak to the Georgia Economic Developers Association and highlight how UGA continues to prioritize service and outreach throughout the state to improve the lives of Georgia citizens.

 

As we ease into the summer, I hope you all find time for rest and refreshment. Thank you for your efforts this past year in advancing excellence at UGA.

 

Sincerely,

S. Jack Hu

Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost

 

 
Image: Students walking in front of Hirsch Hall, the UGA School of Law building.

TEACHING

UGA School of Law earns its highest U.S. News ranking ever

In the 2024 edition of the U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings, the University of Georgia School of Law ranked 20th among the nation’s 196 ABA-accredited law schools. The ranking places the School of Law among the top seven public law schools in the nation and as the leader in Georgia for the third straight year.

Image: CAES professor Glen Rains holds the control panel to the “Little Red Rover.” The rover is a multipurpose robotic tool that can be used for planting, weed and pest management, and more. The robotic arm’s prototype camera is monitoring a small cotton plant.

RESEARCH

UGA awarded $4 million to design farm

of the future

Researchers at the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences have been awarded nearly $4 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to develop a climate-smart “4-D Farm.” The long-term goal of the 4-D Farm is to develop climate-smart production systems leveraging renewable energy, automation, intelligence and human capital to meet the required food and fiber needs of a burgeoning world population.

Image: Betty (center) and Tony (right) walk through the Botanical Garden with two members of the CARE Center.

SERVICE

Program supports people with dementia

and caregivers

The education teams at UGA’s Cognitive Aging Research & Education Center and the State Botanical Garden have partnered together for the Meet Me at the Garden pilot program. The goal of the four-month program is to “expand the bubble” of persons living with dementia and their caregivers through interactive education and sensory activities.

 

RESOURCES 

Image: Park Hall cupola with foliage in front of it

New Leader Program

This program introduces newly appointed unit administrators at UGA to important policies and provides them with opportunities to strengthen their leadership skills through interactive discussions and activities. Participation is expected for campus leaders appointed after September 1, 2022. Registration requested by August 10.

Image: Iron Horse statue in the field at sunrise

Faculty Interest Groups

Faculty Interest Groups create a community that organizes itself with faculty-led, informal meetings or events to share ideas. The Office of Faculty Affairs provides a maximum of $500 per year per FIG for supplies and sustenance. If you are interested in creating a 2023-2024 FIG, please apply by August 31.

Banner with silhouette of the UGA Arch and the text ''2022-2023 Year in Review''
University of Georgia Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost

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