Vol. 39, No. 4, April/May 2002
[ contents ]
The Board of Regents is poised to take final action in June on its strategic plan. Among other goals, the plan is aimed at enhancing the quality of the University System of Georgia's academic offerings and aiding the state's economic development.
Throughout the past year, the regents have held extensive discussions on each of the plan's 11 strategic goal statements and received recommendations from System Office staff, campus personnel and outside experts on the various options to pursue in order to achieve these goals.
In May, Chancellor Thomas C. Meredith presented the board with his thoughts on what the System's priorities should be during the first year of the plan's implementation.
"As I studied the overall plan, it seemed apparent that there are several overarching themes," he said. "What I see as our priorities cross over all the goals. If we take action in each of the seven areas I'm going to identify during the first year of the plan, we will have made a start toward reaching each goal."
The first priority identified by the chancellor is the need for a more educated Georgia and a better-prepared society.
"We need to get more people to take advantage of what the University System has to offer, thereby creating a more educated workforce," Meredith said. "We need to focus these efforts in particular on African-American males and non-traditional students, who have a low rate of college participation. We received about $2 million in the FY '03 Budget for this purpose. But the news I'm hearing regarding college participation by the state's booming Hispanic population is even worse" than for those two groups.
Secondly, the System needs to be accountable, not only in terms of funding, but also to assure students that they are receiving a quality education, Meredith said.
"Our audits need to be clean. Our test scores need improvement. The Regents Test and nursing certification exams are two examples where we can set some definite goals," he said.
The third priority the chancellor identified is the need to be responsive and proactive regarding the state's needs.
"We need to think ahead of the curve, always looking to the future," Meredith said. "Also, we need a think tank, a group that can come up with ideas on how to deal with the expected enrollment explosion. What if we do increase participation rates - do we have the resources to handle it? What impact will an enrollment increase have on the HOPE Scholarship Program?"
The next priority is ensuring that quality is paramount, he said. "Our goal is to be the best in the nation - our curriculum needs to be the best it can be; our faculty and staff need to be top quality and have the tools and support they need; and our graduates need to be the kind of graduates employers are seeking," Meredith declared.
Remaining one of the state's economic drivers is another System priority, Meredith said.
"We need to push even more to find ways to bring research to the marketplace," the chancellor said. "We also need to expand continuing education opportunities and market the System's other educational opportunities throughout the state." Meredith noted that the University System received $1.53 million in the FY '03 Budget to enable the Intellectual Capital Partnership Program (ICAPP) to launch targeted, fast-track educational programs in response to a statewide shortage of health-care professionals.
The sixth priority identified by the chancellor is promoting a positive image of the System.
"I don't believe in being comfortable with where you are," Meredith said. His final recommendation regarding the System's priorities for the coming year is to always act in the state's best interests.
"We need to be in the posture of moving the state, and not just the System, forward, avoiding unnecessary conflicts with other state agencies," Meredith said.
Meredith invited the regents' feedback on these priorities, noting that they would be presented with a proposed implementation plan worked out by the senior staff of the System Office before the June board meeting.
"This is just the beginning," he said. "These are my thoughts on what to focus on in the first year. Some options can be acted on immediately. The rest will be handled over the next five years. It will be a challenge, but one that will result in a better University System." ¶
[ contents ]
The University System of Georgia's spring enrollment is following the record-setting pace established this past fall - hitting the highest-level spring enrollment ever.
The System's Spring 2002 Semester Enrollment Report reflected a headcount enrollment of 211,918, up 6.4 percent over last year's enrollment of 199,083. In addition to setting a record, the increased spring enrollment reflects the University System's continued recovery from the enrollment and credit-hour declines that followed semester conversion in 1998.
The System also recorded a considerable spike in its full-time equivalent enrollment (FTE), which jumped 7.6 percent from spring 2001 to spring 2002. The FTE enrollment of 159,688 students represents the largest numeric and percentage increase for a spring term since 1980.
"This is great news for Georgia and the System," said Chancellor Thomas C. Meredith. "The University System's primary funding allocation is driven by enrollment patterns, in particular the number of credit hours students take. The significant increases in both of these enrollment numbers bodes well for our formula funding in future years."
The record spring enrollment follows the System's record-high fall 2001 enrollment of 217,546 students. Historically, spring enrollments are lower than fall enrollments. The dip from fall 2001 to spring 2002 was only 2.6 percent and the decline in EFT enrollment only 2.9 percent - the smallest decline in ten years.
Headcount enrollment from spring 2001 to spring 2002 increased:
The full 2002 Spring Semester Enrollment Report is available on the USG web site at www.usg.edu/usg_stats/.
[ contents ]
R esponding to the need to maintain the quality of the University System's academic programs, the Board of Regents in April approved a modest increase in tuition rates at the System's 34 colleges and universities for Fiscal Year 2003 (July 1, 2002 - June 30, 2003).
As was done last year, the tuition increase is two-tiered. Effective for the Fall 2002 semester undergraduate and graduate tuition will increase 6 percent at the research universities, while the 30 regional and state universities and two-year colleges will undergo a 4 percent increase. The result is an overall increase of 5 percent .
According to national data, Georgia's tuition rates still fall far below the national average and at the low end of the 16 states that make up the Southern Regional Education Board. During the 2001-02 academic year, for example, tuition increased nationally at public four-year universities by 7.1 percent, compared to only 5 percent in Georgia. Undergraduate tuition at Georgia's four-year institutions for the 2000-01 academic year ranked among the lowest in the SREB. What's more, for the past 20 years, the University System's average tuition increases have been only 6.4 percent.
"Attending a public college in Georgia is still an outstanding bargain," said Chancellor Thomas C. Meredith. "In spite of the increases the University System maintains incredibly low tuition compared to its peers regionally and nationally. The investment made in higher education in this state has made that possible."
This is the second year that the Board of Regents has adopted differential tuition rates, based on a previous benchmarking study that evaluated the University System and its institutions against a selected number of national peer institutions in a number of different areas, including state appropriations and tuition revenue. Last year, these findings supported a total tuition freeze at the System's two-year colleges.
In addition to setting the FY '03 tuition rates, the board acted on 55 mandatory-student-fee requests, approving 14 as submitted and 27 at reduced levels. Of the 55 requests to adjust athletic, student activity, health services and transportation or parking fees, 14 were not approved. ¶
| Current Tuition Per Semester | FY 2002 Tuition Per Semester |
|
|---|---|---|
| Two-year colleges | $640 | $666* |
| Regional/state universities (undergrad) | $966 | $1,005* |
| Research universities (undergrad) | $1,316 | $1,395 |
* Undergraduates attending the two state colleges (Dalton State and Macon State) will pay the two-year tuition rate for lower-division courses and the universities' rate for upper-division courses
[ contents ]
The Association of Governing Boards (AGB) presented its Distinguished Service Award in Trusteeship to Regent Elridge McMillan on April 21.
McMillan, a member of the Board of Regents since 1975 and a trustee at Clark Atlanta University for nearly 30 years, was one of only two people in the country to be honored by the AGB in 2002 for having volunteered their time to serve on the boards of the nation's colleges and universities.
The membership of the nonprofit association is made up of governing, coordinating and advisory boards of public and independent colleges and universities, and boards of foundations affiliated with the public instituations. ¶
[ contents ]
The University System of Georgia felt the inevitable impact of the state's recent economic downturn when the General Assembly approved the Fiscal Year 2002 Amended Budget and Fiscal Year 2003 Budget before adjourning in April. However, the report delivered by Chancellor Thomas C. Meredith during the April meeting of the Board of Regents, held just days after the lengthy session ended, was upbeat. "Given that the state has experienced about nine months of declining revenue, we feel that we have made some gains in very important areas," he said.
Among the highlights:
Also heartening was the inclusion of new funding for:
But there was sobering news as the regents approved the allocation of $1.5 billion to the System's 34 institutions in April. Vice Chancellor for Fiscal Affairs William R. Bowes reported that both budgets took significant hits as a result of the state's budget cutbacks, resulting in major losses of operational and capital maintenance funds. The '02 Amended Budget experienced an overall 2.5 percent budget cut, along with a $12.18 million loss of MR&R funds.
Lottery funds and support for technology also were significantly reduced. The '03 operating budgets for the USG's campuses also were forced to cope with an even larger overall reduction of 5.6 percent, which totals $78 million. Adding to that were further cuts in MR&R funding, totaling $37 million over two budget cycles.
"These back-to-back major losses of operational funds and of monies needed to maintain quality facilities have been a "double whammy" for the University System," said Meredith. "While we are appreciative of all the Governor and Legislature have done to support our needs, the bottom line is that we are short. Losing such large amounts of funding - especially in these critical areas - has had an extensive impact on our ability to run our universities well on a daily basis." ¶
[ contents ]
The following are University System capital projects funded by the Georgia General Assembly in the FY 2002 Amended Budget.
Major Capital Projects
An additional five projects on the Regents' Majors List received design funds. They are:
Minor Capital Projects
In addition, construction funds for five new public libraries were approved, including:
[ contents ]
|
Gov. Roy E. Barnes in April appointed Wanda Yancey Rodwell, general manager of corporate communications at Delta Air Lines, to the Board of Regents. A native of Atlanta, Rodwell has been with Delta Air Lines for two years. She directs print, broadcast, collateral and online communications for a $1.6 billion division of the airline and has re-engineered the internal communications strategy for its world-wide workforce of 21,000.
Before joining Delta, Rodwell was vice president of public affairs for the Grady Health System, from 1998-2000. She was assistant director and then director of Grady's corporate communications from 1994-98 and the hospital system's media spokesperson from 1992-93.
Rodwell began her career as a journalist, writing award-winning news reports for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution from 1986 to 1990, when the corporation that owns the newspaper, Cox Enterprises, named her editor of corporate communications.
Rodwell earned a bachelor's degree in English with a minor in journalism from Spelman College. ¶
[ contents ]
Sherman Day Honored for Service to System, State |
|
|
During the April board meeting, Chancellor Thomas C. Meredith (left) saluted Dr. Sherman R. Day (far right) for 35 years of service to the state of Georgia, many of which were devoted to the University System. The Georgia State University professor was loaned to the Bureau of Prisons in 1972 and then tapped for the directorship of the National Institute of Corrections in 1974. Back at Georgia State a few years later, Day served in several capacities, including as acting president from 1991 to 1992. During preparations for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, he served as director of legacy and Olympic programs for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games. After that, the regents asked Day to serve as acting president and later president of North Georgia College & State University. When he retired in 1999, Day was talked into assisting Tom Daniel, senior vice chancellor for external activities and facilities, during the 2001 legislative session. |
|
|
Afterwards, the regents convinced Day to return to service, this time as interim president of Gordon College. When Dr. Lawrence V. Weill took office as Gordon's newly appointed president on April 1, Day again took up retired life. To signify the twisting path he had followed throughout his System career, Meredith presented Day and his wife, Afton, with a CD ("On the Road Again" by Willie Nelson) and a duffle bag decorated with a road map leading to the three USG institutions Day served. "Given all of the things the Days have done for the System, we thought it would be nice to recognize them here today," Meredith said. "They have spent the last 35 years serving our state in many capacities." ¶ |
|
[ contents ]
Five years of significant growth in the Medical College of Georgia's biomedical research funding - now totaling $44 million - led to the establishment this spring of the MCG Office of Biomedical Technology Transfer, which helps the institution's scientists turn their discoveries into successful high-tech businesses.
Dr. Michael Gabridge recently was appointed to direct the new office. MCG - which has experienced a 133 percent increase in research dollars over the last five years, including better than 25 percent growth in each of the last two years - also plans to open a life sciences business-development center in 2003. This bio-business incubator will house and nurture businesses that spring from biomedical science conducted at MCG and elsewhere, offering easy access to core laboratory facilities as well as to the scientists and technicians running them. Each company the center works with will benefit from the support of an advisory board of biomedical business experts.
MCG is getting major help with the bio-business incubator project from the Georgia Medical Center Authority (GMCA). The authority is charged with optimizing Augusta's role as a medical city, including developing a research park and a second incubator facility.
"We are thrilled about it," said Cathy Slade, the authority's executive director, about the MCG incubator. "This is a huge kick-start to the research-park development." ¶
[ contents ]
Savannah State University President Carlton E. Brown received the 2002 Black Caucus Chair Pacesetters Award from the American Association of Higher Education (AAHE) during the organization's national conference in Chicago in mid-March.
"We are extremely honored that Dr. Brown, a long-time advocate for educational excellence, will receive the award this year," said Sheila Baldwin, chair of the AAHE Black Caucus. "Dr. Brown is simply an outstanding educational leader." A graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Brown was named president of Savannah State in 1997, and during his tenure, the university has secured approval to launch several new academic programs, including master's degree programs in urban studies and marine sciences, and an undergraduate degree in African studies. In 2001, SSU earned reaccreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which commended the institution for developing an exemplary academic program review process, offering Internet access to institutional research and having a campus with an attractive overall appearance.
In 1998, Savannah State partnered with the Black Caucus to hold an historic National Summit on Blacks in Higher Education in Savannah. The summit was a response, in part, to judicial decisions, state referenda and policies that threatened to limit college access and achievement for African Americans. The Black Caucus chose not to participate in the AAHE national conference held that year in California, which had passed an anti-affirmative-action proposition. Instead, caucus members opted to organize the summit.
As former Black Caucus Chair Lillian B. Poats said, "Dr. Brown put his institution on the line and into the hands of a group that had never collectively produced something as large as a national conference. He committed Savannah State University to helping make the board's vision of the summit become a reality." ¶
[ contents ]
The international honor society Phi Theta Kappa, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) and the newspaper USA Today have recognized 60 academic achievers from the nation's community, technical and junior colleges - including East Georgia College's Deidra Salter (right) - by naming them to the All-USA Academic Team. These students received $2,000 stipends from corporate sponsors and a trip to the annual meeting of the AACC in Seattle on April 22.
The state-level competition that preceded the national one resulted in the naming of 44 students to the All-Georgia Academic Team - including 30 from University System of Georgia colleges - during a ceremony in Atlanta on April 11. The USG honorees are: Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College - Leslie Parrish; Bainbridge College - Renee Comerford and Saul Sanchez; Coastal Georgia Community College - Deidra Pinkarel and Victoria Windsor; Dalton State College - Monica Gambrell and Kelly Worley; Darton College - Ashley Mims and Ary Young; East Georgia College - Jennifer Croeze and Deidra Salter; Floyd College - Amanda Streetman; Georgia Perimeter College - Sakeena Abdul-Hakeem, Sumayya Allen, Amanda Gunter, Alison McCrary, Michael McPherson, Shelly Oakes, Christine Riley and Bruce Vail; Gordon College - Shannon Hofer; Macon State College - Brandon Donehoo and Danielle Sartain; Middle Georgia College - James Garew and Stacey Pierce; South Georgia College - Deborah Dolsen and Yanny Murphy; and Waycross College - Daphne Booth and Shannon Cox. ¶
[ contents ]
[ contents ]
Georgia's 34 public colleges and universities had a massive impact on the state's economy during the last fiscal year, generating nearly 101,500 jobs and infusing $8 billion into local communities, according to a study conducted by the Selig Center for Economic Growth in the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business.
The Intellectual Capital Partnership Program (ICAPP), an initiative of the Board of Regents' Office of Economic Development, commissioned the study by Dr. Jeffrey M. Humphreys, director of economic forecasting at the Selig Center. To enhance understanding of how the University System of Georgia contributes to the state's economy, he analyzed three categories of college/university-related expenditures:
Of the University System's $8 billion total economic impact, $5 billion, or 63 percent, represents initial spending by the USG institutions and the students attending them; the remaining $3 billion, or 37 percent, represents the impact generated by the re-spending of these dollars. The study concludes that, on average, every dollar spent by a USG institution or student injects an additional 56 cents into the host region's economy.
Humphreys said the University System's 34 institutions also collectively accounted for 101,427 jobs in the state during FY '01 - 2.8 percent of all the jobs in Georgia, or about one job in 37. Approximately 43 percent of the University System's jobs are on campus - representing employees of the University System of Georgia - and 57 percent are off-campus in either the private or public sectors. On average, for each job created on campus, 1.4 off-campus jobs exist because of spending related to the institution, he noted. Altogether, the System generated $3.7 billion in labor income in FY 2001.
"The University System of Georgia truly is an economic engine that helps to power our state on many levels, from producing graduates to building capital projects, to leveraging our employment and spending power," said Chancellor Thomas C. Meredith. "This study documents our value in very specific terms, adding dimension to the many intangibles our campuses contribute to the economy on a daily basis."
"Colleges and universities not only spend money year by year, but also have long-term impacts on the labor force, local business and industry, and local government," Humphreys noted. "A college or university improves the skills of its graduates, thereby increasing their productivity and their life-time earnings. Also, local businesses benefit from easy access to a large pool of full-time and part-time workers."
Humphreys cautions that the figures in the study are conservative, noting that the actual economic impact of the University System of Georgia is much higher than his report reflects, because it does not factor in spending by people who visit USG campuses to attend meetings, athletic events and reunions; spending by USG retirees who have remained in the region; and income earned by USG employees through consulting and other activities.
The study also does not attempt to measure more intangible long-term benefits USG institutions have afforded their host communities, such as increased opportunities for intellectual and cultural stimulation through workshops, lectures, plays, concerts, art exhibits, etc.
The System's FY 2001 total impact of $8 billion represents a 2 percent decrease since the last time the study was conducted - an $8.2 billion impact was reported for FY 2000. Studies like these typically show statistical variations of plus or minus 2 percent, Humphreys said, so this change does not trouble him. "From a statistical perspective, a 2 percent change really is not significant. Basically, the study suggests that the impact in 2001 was about the same as in 2000," Humphreys said.
More than $3 billion of the System's $8 billion economic impact can be attributed to seven Atlanta-area campuses - Georgia Tech, Georgia State and Kennesaw State universities, Georgia Perimeter College, Clayton College & State University, Southern Polytechnic State University and Atlanta Metropolitan College. For example, Georgia Tech's economic impact in FY '01 was $1.3 billion, while Georgia State's was more than $905 million.
It's no surprise that the University of Georgia - the largest institution in the University System of Georgia, with 32,300 students - has a far greater economic impact than any other USG campus. According to the study, UGA contributed more than $1.7 billion to the Athens economy during FY '01, $400 million more than any other USG institution pumped into its service area.
"We have found Dr. Humphreys' report to be extremely valuable in documenting the economic vitality and contributions of the University System throughout the state," said Annie Hunt Burriss, assistant vice chancellor for economic development. "Data is undeniable, and these numbers tell an impressive story." ¶
The complete report is available on the University System's website (www.usg.edu) under Publications.
Correction
Last month, we reported that former Chancellor Stephen R. Portch was believed to be only the second person to have received the title of "Chancellor Emeritus" from the Board of Regents. In fact he is the third recipient: the board honored Chancellor Harmon Caldwell in this manner in 1964 and Chancellor H. Dean Propst in 1994. The System Supplement regrets this inadvertent error. ¶
[ contents ]
Five University System of Georgia faculty members and three academic programs were recognized at the May board meeting as recipients of the 2002 Regents Teaching Excellence Awards and the Research in Undergraduate Education Awards. The awards program recognizes and rewards individuals and departments or programs at the System's 34 institutions for outstanding teaching that significantly improves both student performance and the teaching discipline.
This is the sixth year that the teaching awards have been presented; the research awards were established in 2000. Each recipient receives $5,000. "Academic excellence is the mainstay of the University System's mission," said Dr. Daniel S. Papp, senior vice chancellor for academics and fiscal affairs with the Board of Regents. "We are fortunate to have a stellar group of dedicated, talented faculty in Georgia that is attuned to innovation and involvement with students."
|
| Dr. Dan Papp (back row, far right) poses with the winners of the 2002 Regents' Awards. They are: (front row, left to right) Dr. Timothy L. Renick of Georgia State Univerfsity; Dr. Beverly Farnsworth, Dr. Jan Flynn and Dr. Christine Horne, all of Kennesaw State University; Dr. Linda Medleau of the University of Georgia; and Dr. Jean Bartels of Georgia Southern University; and (back row, left to right) Dr. Timothy L. Rhoads of South Georgia College; Dr. Kevin Frazier and Dr. Frankl W. Caughman, both of the Medical College of Georgia; Dr. Kenneth S. Sajwan of Savannah State University; Dr. Sarah Robbins of Kennesaw State University; and Dr. Fred Whitt of Georgia Southern. |
[ contents ]
Leveraging the Power of KnowledgeThe University System launched its "Knowledge is Power Tour" in April with a luncheon for business leaders at Kennesaw State University. The 12-stop tour is designed to demonstrate the System's important contributions to Georgia's economic growth and also introduce Chancellor Thomas C. Meredith. At each luncheon, speakers from the community attest to having benefited from ICAPP (Intellectual Capital Partnership Program), the System's economic-development initiative, and feedback is solicited from the business leaders on the unique strengths of their region and how the University System can best support and serve their business needs. Facilitators at each table use laptop computers to compile the comments and suggestions received into a document that is posted on ICAPP's web site (www.icapp.org) and utilized by regional economic developers. |
|
|
Shown interacting in this manner are participants at the Kennesaw State luncheon, including (left to right): Arthur Johnston of Water Visions International, Sunny Kurian, human resource manager at UPS, Brian Wolfe a UPS employee who received ICAPP training, his wife, Jill Wolfe, and the table's facilitator, Shannon Cronin, associate director of Kennesaw State's Presentation Technology Department. ¶ |
| BOARD OF REGENTS | OFFICERS | ||||
|
Hilton H. Howell, Jr.
Joe Frank Harris Hugh C. Carter, Jr. Connie Cater
William H. Cleveland, M.D.
Michael J. Coles
John Hunt Donald M. Leebern, Jr. |
Allene H. Magill Elridge W. McMillan Martin W. NeSmith Wamda Yancey Rodwell J. Timothy Shelnut Glenn S. White Joel O. Wooten, Jr. James D. Yancey |
Thomas C. Meredith Gail S. Weber
William R. Bowes
|
|||
Last modified: May 28, 2002 | Leave a Comment
©2002 University System of Georgia Board of Regents