Vol. 35, No. 1, January 1999

Portch Presents FY2000 Budget
to Joint Appropriations Committee

University System Chancellor Stephen R. Portch returned to his roots as a college professor, and used a "quiz" to help present Gov. Roy Barnes proposed FY 2000 Budget to the General Assembly's Joint Appropriations Committee during a January 19 hearing.

Well received by the legislators, the 13-question exam presented a wide range of data highlighting the System's achievements and future challenges.

In addition to the Chancellor, legislators heard from Board Chair Edgar L. Jenkins, as well as three System students: Benjamin Caner Harris, a biology major at Georgia Southern University; Orinthal McIntyre, a senior in biology at Albany State University, and Beth Shapiro, a UGA senior who was named a 1998 Rhodes Scholar

Portch provided the details of the $1.6 billion budget recommended for the University System of Georgia by Gov. Barnes, a budget that includes a $35 million appropriation for formula-related enhancements that include accommodating projected System growth.

In addition, the governor has recommended a $40 million appropriation to cover a 4 percent merit-based salary increase for system employees. The Board of Regents requested that the governor continue to support competitive salaries for the University System in order to maintain competitiveness at the national level, an effort that has helped moved the System near the top of the South during the past four years.

Teacher preparation engineering education and economic development also were major elements of the budget proposal -- all key initiatives that are closely aligned with the governor's goals for the state. Portch explained the four components of the $4 million teacher preparation initiative, which includes a mandate that all early childhood education majors minor in reading and mathematics, and which promises to bring attention to the issue of out-of-field teaching and its impact on student success.

The governors major new economic development initiative, The Yamacraw Mission, also provided an $11.5 million appropriation that will be used to hire faculty and researchers to strengthen Georgia's role in the high-band-width telecommunications and chip design sector. Over the next five years, more than 80 University System faculty will be hired to help meet the educational needs of this new economic development thrust.

"The University System is extremely grateful for the recommendations that Gov. Barnes has proposed for us, in this his first full budget cycle," Portch stated. "We are pleased that several of our priorities and special initiatives are so closely connected to the governor's vision for the state, and look forward to playing a vital role in helping him achieve his agenda. Governor Barnes has pledged to be an education governor. His recommendations certainly demonstrate his commitment."

Gov. Recommends 20 Capital Projects

New Presidents Named for Bainbridge, Middle Georgia

Both Bainbridge College and Middle Georgia College will have new presidents on their campuses this March, following the January selection by the Board of Regents and Chancellor Stephen Portch of individuals to fill these two high-level posts.

Dr. Clifford M. Brock, dean of academic instruction at Itawamba Community College, in Fulton, Miss., has been named president of Bainbridge College and Dr. Steve Maradian, executive director of the Regional Maritime Technology Center at the University of New Orleans, has been named president of Middle Georgia College.

Dr. Brock

Dr. Clifford Brock

Brock is a perfect match for the presidency at Bainbridge College," said Portch. "He is a person widely acclaimed on the Itawamba campus as being ready to be a president and who has lots of energy and ideas."

Brock has served since 1994 as the dean of academic instruction at Itawamba. In addition to maintaining responsibility for all academic faculty, instructional and library functions, he also led strategic planning and institutional effectiveness initiatives. Brock also planned and executed grant writing and staff development, and served a lead position for the Itawamba College's Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Self Study.

Brock served as chair of two committees for the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges, heading the Statewide Task Force on the Community College Videoconferencing Network and the Mississippi Electronic Education Advisory Council.

Prior to joining Itawamba Community College, Brock served from 1992-1994 as associate dean of instruction in the communication/arts/humanities division of Delaware County Community College in Media, Pa. Between 1970-1992, Brock gained extensive experience in faculty journalism, language arts, communications, English and administrative positions at a number of higher education institutions, including: Chemeketa Community College, in Salem, Ore.; De Anza College, in Cupertino, Calif.; Northern Arizona University, in Flagstaff, Ariz.; and Pima Community College, in Tuscon, Ariz.

Brock received his Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, in 1982, and his MS. degree in journalism from the University of Oregon, in Eugene, Ore., in 1978. He earned his B.A. in English, in 1970, from California State College, in Fullerton, Calif.

Brock has more than 20 years of experience as a major presenter and author on the topics of technology and journalism education. He also has been widely published in a variety of trade and mainstream publications.

Current Bainbridge College Acting President Margaret D. Smith will return to her former position as vice president of academic affairs when Brock assumes his post.

"Brock is a perfect match... for Bainbridge (and) Maradian has a remarkable record of securing significant resources." --- Chancellor Stephen Portch

Dr. Maradian

Dr. Steve Maradian

"Dr. Maradian will be a valuable asset to Middle Georgia College and the region," Portch stated. "In addition to having good ideas, he has a remarkable record of securing significant resources to support innovations."

Since February 1996, Maradian has served as executive director of the Regional Maritime Technology Center and the Simulation Based Design Center, and as a graduate faculty member of the College of Engineering at the University of New Orleans, in Louisiana.

From 1990 to 1996, Maradian held appointments in Texas, first as president at Lamar University at Orange, a two-year institution, and then as chief executive officer of the Lamar Information Technologies Research Consortium. From 1986-1990, he served as president of Belmont Technical College, in St. Clairsville, Ohio. He additional experience as, chief instructional officer at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, Fla.

Maradian received his Ed.D. from the University of Massachusetts, in 1982, and his M.B.A. from Wheeling Jesuit College, in Wheeling, W.Va., in 1988. Maradian earned a M.Ed. in rehabilitation counseling, in 1975, and his B.S. in history, in 1974, from Northeastern University, in Boston, Mass. lie has additional certificates from Stanford University, Boston University and Ohio State University.

Maradian is active in a wide variety of professional and civic organizations. lie has been a member of the Southern Association, Middle States, and North Central Associations of Colleges and Schools Visiting Accreditation Teams since 1980. lie also has served as chair of the visiting team for Middle States. Maradian also is a member of the American Association of Community Colleges and serves on the Advisory Board at E.I. DuPont Chemical Company, in Orange, Texas.

From 1995-1997, he also served as chair of the Rotary International Scholarship Committee. Maradian also has been broadly published and has given several presentations on the topics of economic and workforce development.

Middle Georgia College Acting President Michael Vollmer will return to his position as interim vice president for fiscal affairs at Clayton College & State University upon Maradian's appointment.

West Georgia Receives Reform Grant
The State University of West Georgia has been selected as one of six universities to lead a national effort to reform the preparation of public school guidance counselors. The Counseling and Educational Psychology Department received a $450,000 three-year grant from the DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund. The university, along with the Education Trust, will share $3.5 million in grants from the Fund to make changes in graduate level training programs so future counselors can better serve elementary, middle and high school students, especially those in low-income communities.

Gainesville College Wins Merit Award
Gainesville College's student magazine, Hoi Pollol, has again won first place with special merits in the American Scholastic Press Association's annual magazine competition. Student editors for the publication are Melissa Burns and Joel Ledenham and the faculty advisor is Dr. Robert Croft, associate professor of English.

Floyd Receives Record Donation
Floyd College has received the largest private donation in its history. The anonymous donation of $120,000 will be used to establish an endowment for scholarships to students who are in financial need and are permanent residents of Bartow County.

Dr. Steven Stice

Dr. Steven Stice New UGA Eminent Scholar
Dr. Steven Stice, an adjunct professor at the University of Massachusetts, has been named to the Eminent Scholar Chair of animal bovine reproductive physiology at the University of Georgia. He is co-founder of Advanced Cell Technology Inc., a livestock-cloning company in Mass. Here in Georgia, Stice will serve as chief officer of OptiGen, Inc., a new company created to clone top-quality cattle and pigs for livestock farmers in the state.

It was a major coup for the Georgia Research Alliance, a public-private partnership that works with the state's public and private higher education institutions to commercial and academic research, to lure Stice to Georgia. "Steve is a fabulous scientists and Georgia should be very proud. He could have gone anywhere in the world, and you got him," said William Hall, a scientist at the Agriculture Research Service of the United State Department of Agriculture.

Albany State Hosts NASA Project
Albany State University's College of Education hosted the NASA Mobile Educator Resource Center (MERC) Science workshops in January. These workshops served College of Education students as well as 36 science teachers from five school systems in southwest Georgia. The MERC, an 18-wheel tractor trailer, is a self-contained NASA resource facility which supports teacher enhancement workshops. The program is operated by Minority Access, Inc., an organization that promotes faculty professional development in math, science and technology and the recruitment and retention of minorities in math, science and education.

Joyce Jackson Receives Advising Honors
Joyce Jackson, assistant professor of mathematics at Coastal Georgia Community College, was named one of three "Outstanding Academic Advisors" in community colleges in the nation. Jackson was previously selected in 1997 as Coastal Georgia's outstanding advisor. Charlie Nutt, vice president for Student Development Services, said, "Not only is it a great honor for our campus ... but this is a great accomplishment for Ms. Jackson to be recognized for all she does for our students."

Savannah State NROTC Graduate Honored
Second Lieutenant Sonlynamma Pharathikoune, a graduate of the Savannah State University NROTC program, received the NationsBank Award on January 21, 1999. The 8500 award was presented to Second Lieutenant Pharathikoune for his out-standing academics and military aptitude. The NROTC unit was established at Savannah State in 1971; to date it has commissioned 166 officers into the Naval Service, including 133 Navy Ensigns and 33 Marine Corps Second Lieutenants. Pharathikoune received his bachelor's of science degree in Criminal Justice from Armstrong Atlantic State University in Dec., 1998.

Bill Gates Praises ITP Project
Bill Gates, during a recent speech delivered at the League for Innovation in the Community College's 1998 Conference on Information Technology, held in Miami Beach, Fla., praised the Information Technology Project at Clayton College & State University and Floyd College. This pilot project, now in its second year, puts lap-top computers in the hands of every student. The project also works to integrate new technologies into the classroom and in instructional programming.

ICAPP Program Featured in National Conference by Vice President Al Gore

The University System of Georgia's Program (ICAPP) continues to attract national attention, with Its .selection by Vice President Al Gore as one of the four programs highlighted in a January 12 workforce development summit, "21st Century Skills for 21st Century Jobs," held at George Washington University in Washington.

ICAPP was one of four programs personally recognized by Gore as an innovative business and education partnership that seeks to create jobs for Georgians. The conference included national business, labor, education, government and local community leaders. Participants from the University System of Georgia included: Ms. Annie Hunt Burriss assistant vice chancellor, Development and Economic Services, Board of Regents; Dr. Richard A. Hudson, ICAPP project director; and Jennifer Collins, an ICAPP student graduate of the fifth class of Columbus State University-Total Systems program. Collins was interviewed by the vice president as he hosted a segment of the summit that was broadcast nationally on a closed satellite transmission. During this segment, Vice President Gore singled out ICAPP as capturing the essence of the future of economic development.

The theme of the conference was utilizing existing resources to help prepare American workers to compete in an increasingly knowledge-based economy. The goal was to identify model programs and forge and expand partnerships among businesses, higher education, labor unions and other organizations.

This is not the first time the vice president has singled out the University System of Georgia's ICAPP program for national attention. Gore traveled to Columbus, Ga., in March 1998 to learn more about ICAPP's role in providing the educational resources of the University System of Georgia -- specifically Columbus State University -- to train highly-educated computer programmers for Total Systems Services. The University System of Georgia helped Total Systems, a financial services company, stay in Columbus.

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