Digital Built Environment

The digital site I choose to observe was gov.georgia.gov. It is Governor Nathen Deals and the Georgia government website. The layout of this website is the Georgia flag with the emblem in the left corner next to Governor Deal’s name. Upon entering this website, the first thing I noticed was how it provided informal information on the latest things going on in the state of Georgia and Governor Deal’s, The First Lady, and the duties that center around the government of the state of Georgia. There is a variety of information you can learn and find on this website. The drop down menu’s serve as a helpful tool to help you find the information you’re looking for. Everything is organized in a very plain yet concise way. However, the site is easy to navigate without any closed obstacles. One of the main tools that make this website helpful is the ability you have to translate the website into another language if you’re a non-English speaker. The colors that are present on this website give you the feeling as if you’re actually at the capital learning this information. I believe this website offers this feeling because it’s the government website where you can expand your knowledge on learning about your governor, the state government, and the day-to-day duties of the governor. This site is used as a tool to inform the citizens of the state of Georgia on the latest things that are happening and provide them with insightful information on the governor. Lastly, this site is advertised through the Georgia government and target its intended users through social media or people just go on the website themselves to learn about the government.

Digital Artifact #5

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This drop down menu is labeled “Constituent Resources”. Here you can find links that’ll direct you to state and federal government agencies and offices, and frequently asked questions and information on the office of the governor. On the navigational panel on the left side you’ll see the following menus ceremonial documents, greeting letter request, FAQs, accessibility guide for visitors with disabilities, the capitol links, and contact us. The next drop down menu is labeled “Legislation”. Here you’ll find the following legislations dating back to 2011 up until now.

Digital Artifact #3

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This drop down menu is labeled “Governor”. Here you have various options you can select from to learn about the governor. You can read his biography, see what the governor priorities are on issues, learn about the governor’s staff, visit the photo gallery, learn about the intern program, and schedule a request to either meet with the governor, schedule a photo, or request his participation in an event. Next, you can learn about the first lady from the drop down menu labeled “First Lady”. Here you’ll find her biography, initiatives, photo gallery, from the desk of the first lady, Georgia’s Children’s Cabinet, the governor’s mansion, and schedule a request. Also, on each of these individual’s page, there’s a stay connected link so you can stay informed on what they’re doing through social media.

Digital Artifact #1

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This is the homepage of the Georgia government and Governor Nathan Deal website.  Here you’ll find all of the different drop down menus and links to important information regarding Governor Nathan Deal. Also, the homepage is set up to inform you of the latest news, get you to subscribe to Governor Deal’s newsletter, and stay connected via social media. I found it interesting that the homepage has a section to inform you of the latest news regarding Governor Deal and a secondary translate option when you click on accessibility at the bottom of the page, it’ll direct you to another website named georgia.gov where you can translate the website into other languages.

Annotated Bib. #10

"Campus Carry is Now Law, but Isn’t in Effect Until Next Year." SMU Daily Campus. SMU Daily Campus, 19 Apr. 2015. Web. 27 Apr. 2016.

“Campus Carry is Now Law, but Isn’t in Effect Until Next Year.” SMU Daily Campus. SMU Daily Campus, 19 Apr. 2015. Web. 27 Apr. 2016.

In this article “The Real Danger of Guns in Schools”, written by Sonja West, a law professor at the University of Georgia, she discusses how the new campus-carry bill is a significant threat to the state’s colleges and universities. In the opening of this article, West speaks on a mass shooting that happened as The University of Iowa in 1991, how this shooting affected the administrators, faculty, staff, and students and how they shared this horror and grief together. She now stands on the other side of the podium teaching law. She goes on to address her stance on the campus- carry bill which is as stated: “This time, however, it is in response to our state’s legislature’s push to bring concealed weapons onto our campus and into our classrooms and offices.” The Georgia “Campus Carry” legislation Bill went through both chambers of the state legislature and sat on Gov. Nathan Deal’s desk waiting for his approval, which led to him he issuing a statement requesting a change to certain parts of the bill. The NRA urged the governor and the members to reach out to him in support of the bill while it was opposed universally by every university community.

“According to nationwide surveys, 94 percent of college faculty, 95 percent of college presidents, 9 in 10 college students oppose concealed weapons on campus.” As referenced in the article. Throughout the years campus-carry laws have gained significant political traction, this debate centers around whether guns make schools more or less safe. The real threat that West speaks of is the “evisceration of academic freedom.” West suggests for colleges and universities to be effective, instructors must be willing to discuss and teach controversial or unpopular ideas without fear of government retribution or censorship. Next, West goes on to give a brief overview of our troubling history here in the state of Georgia. She discusses how Governor Eugene Talmadge led a direct assault on the state’s institutions of higher education by declaring to fire any employees who stood for “racial equality or communism.” However, this resulted in Talmadge removing and replacing several Board of Regents employees until he had a board that would do his bidding. After one year, Talmadge’s political grab ended after several Georgia colleges and universities lost their accreditation, which led to Talmadge defeat in his run for re-election.

West concludes her article by shedding light on the bigger picture which is how guns will appear related to a school’s academic mission and that passing this law will discourage the teaching of sensitive issues and the curriculum altogether. By forcing guns onto college campuses, will only make it harder for schools to recruit and retain top students and professors. This campus-carry law would add higher costs for training, security, insurance, and counseling to address the already elevated rates among students of physical and sexual violence, depression, drug and alcohol abuse, and suicide. If the state doesn’t provide additional funding to cover these costs, this money will be taken out of the budgets for other educational purposes or collected through increased student tuition. Thus, public institutions of higher education are supposed to be places of intellectual curiosity where thought and expression are free, yet those who are duty it is to provide those freedoms advise that guns are a problem and us as citizens should listen to them. I found this article absorbing and informal because this does not only affect public colleges in the Atlanta area but throughout the state of Georgia.

West, Sonja. “Georgia’s Campus Carry Bill is Terrible.” Slate Magazine. The Slate Group, 22 Mar. 2016. Web. 27 Apr. 2016.