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TSYS School Cybersecurity Students Participate in BSides Cybersecurity Conference

TSYS School students  are taking cybersecurity learning beyond the classroom.  Faculty and students from the TSYS School recently participated in the BSides Cybersecurity Conference, connecting with cybersecurity professionals and exploring current tools, practices, and emerging challenges in the field.  Experiences like BSides give students an opportunity to learn directly from the cybersecurity community, expand their professional networks, and connect what they are learning in the classroom with real-world cybersecurity practice.  In these ways students actively engaging with the professional community and taking advantage of opportunities that help prepare them for their future careers.  Thanks are due Yesem Kurt Peker and Christopher Lovelock for their ongoing mentorship and commitment to helping students grow beyond the classroom.
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Turner College Dean Search Update, 10/13/2026

With only 12 days remaining for the submission of applications, it's looking like the advertisement for a new dean of the Turner College will not make its way into either The Chronicle of Higher Education or Inside Higher Ed , the two traditional avenues for attracting a pool of candidates for an executive position in higher education. Now, the Turner College is only about a month, if not a little less, from having finalists for the position on campus for their interviews, meetings and presentations. Our recent check of Open Georgia indicates that the previous dean, Deborah Kidder, earned a 2025 salary of $192,000 per year, as reported here recently. Comparisons with other entries at that site suggest that this figure included a stipend of unknown amount from the Bill Heard Endowment, which was established to financially support holders of the position. Missing from our recent analysis of the salaries of business school deans across the USG's regional universities was inform...

Turner College General Business Major Luke Friend Named Chick-fil-A Columbus State Athletics Student-Athlete of the Week

Columbus State University men's golf freshman Luke Friend has been named the Columbus State Athletics Student-Athlete of the Week, presented by Chick-fil-A on Macon Road and Manchester Expressway.  Friend tied for eighth at the NCAA South/Southeast Regional Preview, finishing the three-round tournament at seven-under par with a total of 209. He opened with a five-under 67 before posting consecutive one-under rounds of 71.  Friend's performance helped Columbus State tie for third at Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club.  The Acworth, Ga., native attended North Paulding High School and is majoring in general business. His favorite team is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  The Columbus State Athletics Student-Athlete of the Week award recognizes outstanding athletic and academic achievements and is presented weekly by Chick-fil-A on Macon Road and Manchester Expressway, a proud supporter of Columbus State student-athletes.

New Pezold Center for Emergent Technology to Reshape Georgia’s Technology Education, Workforce

Landmark support from Jack and JoRhee Pezold is elevating CSU’s impact on STEM education, technology innovation and workforce development in Columbus, across Georgia and beyond. The University will break ground early next year on the 36,000-square-foot building that will serve as the new home for CSU’s Coca-Cola Space Science Center and its expanding robotics engineering program. After the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents approved it last week, the building will be named the Jack and JoRhee Pezold Center for Emergent Technology in recognition of their landmark donations to the project. The Pezolds invested $6 million in the project; $4 million of their gift will fund the building itself. Another $2 million will permanently endow a distinguished institute chair — a dynamic technologist and economic development leader to work from the building. The Pezolds chose to name the endowed chair after Jim and Nancy Buntin. “This project, and the Pezolds’ unwavering support of Colu...

Business School Dean Salaries at USG's other Regional Universities

Last Friday's "Asking Google AI" series entry asked what the market salary is for a business school dean at a regional university. Now that the Turner College has entered the race for a new one, the question is an interesting one. In view of that entry, Turner Business researched the business dean salaries at the other regional universities in the USG. Of course, the "Asking Google AI" entry reported that former Turner College dean Deborah Kidder earned $192,000 per year as of 2025. Now we are able to report a 2025 salary of $130,319 per year for the business school dean at Albany State U, $165,500 per year for the business school dean at Georgia Southwestern State U, $173,000 per year for the the business school dean at Savannah State U, $179,000 per year for the business school dean at Middle Georgia State U, and $197,427 per year for the business school dean at Clayton State U. Among these, the Turner College salary is the second highest. However, there are...

Asking Google AI: What is the Market Salary for a Business School Dean at a Regional University in the U.S. South?

It's Friday evening and you are probably sitting down with your favorite take-out meal or are preparing to go out for dinner. To add to the enjoyment of your end-of-week relaxation time, Turner Business is now providing a new occasional series for Friday evenings called Asking Google AI. Tonight we are asking Google AI the following question: What is the market salary for a business school dean at a regional university in the U.S. South?  Below is an image of Google AI's thorough response. As explained by Google AI, the market salary for a business school dean at a regional university in the U.S. South ranges between $120,000 and $185,000 per year. For a mid-size institution, the appropriate salary range is, according to Google AI, $145,000 to $185,000 per year. CSU likely best fits this categorization. The Turner College probably belongs at the top of this salary range, or around $185,000 per year, if not a bit higher. In fact, Google AI reports that former Turner College De...

Global Payments Information Security Manager, Jonathan White, Spends the Day with TSYS School Cybersecurity Nexus Students

"Yesterday I had the pleasure of talking to cohorts 16 and 17 of the Cybersecurity Nexus Program at Columbus State University." These are the words of Jonathan White , a TSYS School alum and Information Security Manager at Global Payments after spending Wednesday with TSYS School cybersecurity Nexus students. He goes further, " With Cohort 16, we had an AMA-style conversation about technology, the challenges of breaking into entry-level roles, and how to find meaning and purpose in your work. With Cohort 17, I had the opportunity to follow up on the mock interviews I recently participated in and hear their reflections on the experience.  First, let me say that it is humbling to have the opportunity to spend time with these students. I don't see myself as the beginning, middle, or end of cybersecurity. I've made plenty of mistakes throughout my life and career. But there is something cathartic about telling the truth. I'm honest about where I struggled, what I...