UGA President's Sunday Statement to University Community

University of Georgia President Michael F. Adams sent a campus-wide message to the university community yesterday. That message is printed below.

To the Members of the University of Georgia Community:

We have had a tragedy this weekend that has impacted Athens and the entire University of Georgia community. We are saddened by the shooting that took place Saturday, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of all those who have been affected. As we grieve, we are determined to move forward.

Over the past 24 hours, I have had several meetings with the senior administrative team and received briefings from campus and local law enforcement regarding measures of campus safety and security. UGA and Athens-Clarke County police have done an extraordinary job of providing a strong law enforcement presence as we enter the final week of classes, and I have great confidence in their abilities.

UGA will operate under a normal schedule this week with classes and other business. However, I urge everyone to continue to exercise caution until the suspect is apprehended.

In wake of this tragedy, the University Health Center, through the Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) unit, will provide grief counseling and support for UGA faculty, staff and students affected by these recent events. Should anyone need or desire such services, please contact CAPS at 706-542-1162. Between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. persons wishing to reach CAPS should call University Police dispatch at 706-542-2200 and ask for the CAPS on-call staff member.

As a reminder, police are still looking for George M. Zinkhan III, 57 years of age, 6-feet three-inches tall, 240 pounds, blue eyes, white male with a goatee, with light brown hair and some graying. He was last seen wearing a polo shirt and blue shorts with a backpack, and driving a 2005 reddish Jeep Liberty with Georgia tag AIX 1376. If you know his location or see him, call 911. Please do not call 911 seeking information. Please do not call UGA Police asking questions. Only call to provide information that you may have regarding this matter. Police continue to urge members of the University community to use your best judgment in taking precautions while this suspect remains at large.

We will continue to share information with you regarding this matter as it becomes available.

Michael F. Adams, President

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Georgia Tech Named Tree Campus USA

Georgia Tech’s commitment to environmental best practices received a boost as the Institute was recognized for its planting and managing of campus trees.

The Arbor Day Foundation designated Tech a Tree Campus USA on Nov. 18. Tech is the 10th institution awarded this distinction for best practices in campus forestry, and is the first in the state of Georgia.

Hyacinth Ide, landscape manager with Facilities, received the award Nov. 18 in Atlanta at the Partners in Community Forestry Conference. Ide’s staff works to not only maintain and replace, but also increase the roughly 6,000 trees across Tech’s campus.

The criteria requires five core standards for institutions seeking award consideration: a campus tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures on the plan, involvement in an Arbor Day observance and institution of a service-learning project to engage students.

To achieve the goals set in the 2006 Campus Landscape Master Plan, Facilities established the Institute’s Campus Tree Care Plan in September. These goals include a 55 percent tree canopy, 22 percent woodlands coverage area, managing the impact of development and construction on campus trees, and ensuring proper removal and adequate replacement of trees.

“The reason our [designation] went so fast is that we were already doing most of this,” Ide said. He applied for the designation in October.

The committee membership overseeing this plan is comprised of students, area neighborhood representatives and members across several Institute departments—Facilities, Housing, Capital Planning and Space Management, Parking and Transportation, the Center for Geographical Information Systems and the School of Biology.

Tech must reapply annually to retain the Tree Campus USA designation.

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