Vol. 39, No. 6, August/September 2002
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Mindful of the weak national and state economic picture, the Board of Regents in September approved a lean budget request for submission to the state's Office of Planning and Budget. The $1.8 billion Fiscal Year 2004 Budget Request responds to Gov. Roy E. Barnes' call for fiscal prudence, while balancing the increasing demands on the University System of Georgia's 34 institutions created by rising student enrollment.
The regents' FY '04 request focuses on the System's funding formula, which provides dollars for student instruction. Based upon the governor's guidelines, no new special funding enhancements were proposed. The board also approved the FY '04 capital-projects request, as well as a one-time, $50 million request for the FY '03 Amended Budget.
| FY '04 A Budget Request | $1.6B |
| FY '04 B Budget Request | $207.0M |
| FY '03 Amended Budget Request | $50.5M |
| Capital Budget Request | $570.0M |
"Our FY '04 Budget Request is very focused and streamlined," said Dr. Daniel S. Papp, senior vice chancellor for Academics and Fiscal Affairs, in the budget request presentation to the board. "The emphasis is on securing the 'bread and butter' money for our institutions. Full support of this request will fund needed faculty and help us maintain appropriate student/faculty ratios in light of increasing enrollment and other demands on our institutions."
The funding-formula component of the FY '04 Budget Request totals $145 million. These dollars reflect increases in enrollment and the number of credit hours taken during FY '02 that would generate $81.5 million in new funds, $7.6 million for the operations and maintenance requirements associated with 1.6 million square feet in new facilities space, $22.2 million for retirement, benefits, and insurance needs, and $5.2 million for continuing education programs.
Another major piece of the formula-increase request is the System's Major Repair and Reno-vation budget. Approximately $28 million is requested to restore funds removed from the FY '03 budget as well as new funds to maintain facilities. The multi-year capital-budget request approved by the board totals $570 million. This includes 22 major projects, though the General Assembly normally funds only a portion of this rolling list. The fiscal year's minor projects request - projects under $5 million - is $68 million for 24 pro-jects; also included is one pay-back project at $1.1 million.
The budget proposal also includes a $24 million request for lottery funds for ongoing projects such as the Equipment, Technology and Construction Trust Fund (ETACT) and GALILEO (One Statewide Electronic Library).
The final element of the funding formula section of the budget request is $34 million for on-going special initiatives; including such programs as the Postsecon-dary Readiness Enrichment Program (PREP), the P-16 initiative, the Intellectual Capital Partner-ship Program (ICAPP), Teacher Preparation, and GALILEO.
While no specific dollar amount was indicated, the budget request includes language urging the governor to provide a competitive merit salary increase for faculty and staff. Such an increase in the upcoming fiscal year would allow the University Sys-tem to improve its competitive position nationally. Based upon informal surveys, it appears that in FY 2003, Georgia now ranks third in the 16 Southern Regional Education Board states.
The FY '03 Amended Budget request includes: $7 million for the Eminent Scholars program, $4.5 million for the Georgia Public Library System, $25 million to restore previous cuts in the Board of Regents' major repair and renovation fund, and $500,000 to fund a Data Warehouse project to help meet the regents' and the state of Georgia's data-reporting requirements, in addition to other programs and needs.
Assisting Papp in the presentation were William Bowes, vice chancellor for fiscal affairs, and Budget Director Usha Ramachandran. ¶
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| The ICAPP Health Professionals Initiative will create 500 new jobs - ranging from nurses and radiologists to pharmacists - in Georgia over the next two years. Hospitals and heathcare systems have committed to hiring the fast-track program graduates. |
Gov. Roy E. Barnes recently announced a $4.55 million public/private partnership between Georgia health-care providers and the University System's Intellectual Capital Partnership Program (ICAPP). The goal of the new "Health Professionals Initiative" is to increase the number of licensed health professionals in the state by more than 500 over the next two years, thereby easing a critical staffing shortage that has reduced Georgians' access to quality health-care services.
The model for the initiative is the successful ICAPP Advantage economic-development incentive program, which has netted a 15:1 return on the state's investment. Participating hospitals and health-care systems have committed to providing jobs for new fast-track graduates in 19 Georgia communities. These positions are expected to generate a first-year payroll of $8.8 million, an estimated $623,000 in state income taxes and $196,000 in sale tax to the state during 2003.
"The ICAPP Health Professionals Initiative will help us meet the growing demand for skilled health-care workers," Barnes said. "I am pleased that organizations and agencies - including the University System, the Georgia Hospital Association, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, the Georgia Rural Development Council and the Georgia Department of Community Health - were able to work together to build a partnership that will have a real impact on the people of this state."
"The University System is committed to responding to high-demand work-force needs in Georgia," said Chancellor Thomas C. Meredith. "Participating institutions will educate more than 500 Georgians as nurses, pharmacists and medical technologists over the next two years. Economic growth depends upon a community having the resources businesses seek, and those resources include first-rate health-care facilities."
The state's commitment to the initiative includes $2.1 million for program-related instruction and expenses at 13 University System institutions. Georgia health-care providers are making cash and in-kind contributions (i.e., equipment, staff time, laboratory and classroom space) valued at $2.45 million. The 13 USG institutions selected to receive grants via the ICAPP "Health Professionals Initiative" include:
The colleges and universities receiving grants for specific health-care professional programs will provide the education and clinical experience. Hospitals and other health-care providers will select the students necessary to meet their workforce needs. ¶
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Among the tenets of Gov. Roy E. Barnes' Education Reform package was a call for educators to increase their accountability by making educational performance indicators and other statistical data more readily accessible to Georgia citizens. The University System of Georgia has gotten a jump on this charge with a new addition to its web site (www.usg.edu) unveiled at the September meeting of the Board of Regents.
"USG by the Numbers" is a "web portal" to up-to-the-minute information about the state's 34 public colleges and universities that will allow Internet users to generate customized reports using data stored in an electronic data warehouse and updated continuously throughout the year. Through the portal, the public can research data on USG enrollment, retention and graduation rates, and degrees conferred by gender, ethnicity and other variables.
"Our goal is to provide the public and our campuses with self-service access to USG data, as much as possible," said Randall Thursby, vice chancellor for information and instructional technology and chief information officer for the University System. "Expanding public access to the data is just phase one of a project that we began planning two years ago. Providing access to USG financial data is next, and additional capabilities for student-related data also will be added."
Thursby anticipates adding information on USG curricula, facilities and human resources to the data warehouse, fueling the generation of individualized reports. External data such as surveys, state-wide and national statistics also will be available through the portal. Key campus and System personnel have pass-word access to additional data stored in the electronic warehouse. When fully developed, the University System's new data warehouse will integrate all the student, academic, facilities and accounting data now collected sep-arately, allowing comparisons pre-viously available only with much effort.
"This project would not have been possible without a great deal of col-laboration among the Board of Regents' academic, fiscal affairs and strategic planning staffs," Thursby said. "The work done by all of these units really will expand access to our data and provide better visibility to the efforts of the University System to serve the citizens of the State."
The web portal "USG by the Numbers" is ready for use, and can be accessed directly at http://info.usg.edu/ ¶
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| Update on the Regents' Goal of 'Enhancing Access' for Georgians |
The University System of Georgia is expanding access to higher educa-tion state-wide to increase the number of Georgians who have undergraduate degrees. To accomplish that goal, a total of $1.9 million in grants to expand access to high-demand college programs have been awarded around the state. Dr. Daniel S. Papp, senior vice chancellor for academics and fiscal affairs, provided details to the regents in August on the 11 grants that will enable 20 USG institutions to collaborate and extend their resources to areas of the state in need of additional program-ming.
The Georgia General Assem-bly funded the "access grants" this year as part of the University System's $2.2 million "Enhancing Access" special initiative designed to increase the state's educational attainment level. Georgia currently ranks lowest among the states in the percentage of its population enrolled in post-secondary education.
Most of the access grants will allow four-year institutions to take advantage of the University System's statewide network of facilities to offer specific high-demand, four-year degree programs on the campuses of two-year colleges. "Growth in areas of the state served by several of our two-year colleges has led to a critical need for baccalaureate programs in high-demand fields such as education and informa-tion technology," Papp said. "We are targeting people who - for one reason or another - discontinued their education and are unable to resume it unless opportunities are made very convenient to them."
In addition to the four-year programs, access grants also were awarded to meet the de-mand for two-year degree programs, in Dublin and Athens. In these cases, USG two-year colleges in other parts of the state will collaborate to extend their outreach efforts to these communities.
The University System of Georgia's Office of Academics and Fiscal Affairs awarded the grants to the following institutions:
The University System's Academic Affairs staff anticipates a rapid infusion of stu-dents from the areas of the state served by the access grants and will be assessing the effectiveness of the programs this fall. Initial data on the suc-cess of the grants should be available by spring 2003. ¶
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| The Chair's Corner |
The following are excerpts from the remarks made by Chairman Joe Frank Harris in August during his first meeting as chair of the Board of Regents:
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| Joe Frank Harris |
During my 26 years as an elected official - including 18 years in the Georgia House and cul-minating in eight years as governor, I have received many awards and honors. Such awards and honors never failed to leave me humbled. And in accepting the honor of serving as the Chair of the Board of Regents, I reflected upon my past years of service. Truthfully, this new role is as important as any I have undertaken in my life.
And while I am honored by this leadership role, I know all too well this position carries with it high expectations and great responsibility. I pledge to each of you that I will work as hard as I've ever worked to meet your expectations and reward your recognition. That is my commitment to this board. However, our success depends on all of us.
For my part, I commit to being a tough task-master. I will make sure that we stay focused on our key priorities and that we provide clear direction for the University System.
From the chancellor, I have his assurances that we can continue to expect from him and his staff presentations of substance and depth to enable us to make sound decisions. And from you, I seek your pledge to come well informed about our work to date, prepared to engage in our discus-sions and decision-making and committed to meeting our strategic timeline. If we all continue to work together, we will meet our goals and ful-fill our governance responsibilities to the state, as our predecessors have done for the past 70 years.
During the coming year, I would like this board to focus on three key areas:
In June, we approved our Strategic Plan. It has an ambitious agenda for the first year...The good news is that we have made reportable progress in some critical areas since our last board meeting.
We have made program awards to our cam-puses for both our 'ICAPP Health Professionals' and our 'Enhancing Access' initiatives (see related stories on Page 1 and Page 3)...The request for proposals for our research and marketing study on African-American male col-lege attendance has been issued (see related story on Page 7). The System-wide task force also has been formed which will be charged with bringing you its findings and recommendations. In June, System leaders also were charged with tackling several other challenges in our action plan. These include expanding student-retention programs, internship and cooperative programs and increasing service-learning opportunities for students. Efforts also are underway to develop stronger academic and business ties, and to increase collaboration between our two- and four-year institutions on curriculum revision.
The System presidents will be assigned a number of actions related to the first-year plan.
So, we are underway. We asked the presidents, faculty and staff in the University System to support our goals, and they have responded in their usual fine fashion. That's why it's important for this board to keep our collective foot on the gas.
As your chair, I will be driving and driving hard. We must stay on schedule and we must seize the opportunities that are presented. That's why I need your commitment, your informed opinions and your support. We must not lose sight of our main goal, which is 'Creating A More Educated Georgia.'
...Over the past year, this state has gone through some tough economic times. And we're not clear yet. As we look forward to the Fiscal Year '04 budget discussions, we cannot expect the significant increases in funding we have experienced in the past.
We must continue to be visionary and be ready to act when funds become available. At that time, we need to be in a leadership position to help Georgia continue its historic growth patterns. The economic downturn means a leaner University System. Yet it also means more Georgians will look to public higher education to improve their lives. Our responsibility as a governing board is to manage this increased demand with fewer resources.
We also need to be able to manage for the short-term, yet still think strategically and long-term. That's why I intend that we do not let the tough economic times of today prevent us from also keeping an eye on the future. I know the benefits of planning for the future. In fact, planning for the future is a key board responsibility.
During my political career, I was extremely fortunate to participate in a number of key developments that have had a positive, long-term impact on this state and the University System. I've seen first-hand what happens with such long-term planning. One example was the creation of the Eminent Scholars Endowment Trust Fund. This has been a great benefit for this state.
Another came while I was in the legislature. That was the creation of the Formula for Excellence in 1982. And I was governor when it was imple-mented and fully funded for the first time. So I know the history and the value of the formula. It has served us well over these 20 years. Proof of that can be found in the System's growth, development and rising national prestige. A third example was the creation of the Georgia Research Consortium that later became the Georgia Research Alliance. Today, the GRA is a national model.
All of these historic achievements are not cast in stone. They are living programs that adapt to the present and the future. They help us today and tomorrow. So it is important that we keep our eye on the future in regard to these and other key programs. We need to lay the groundwork to ensure our structures give us the right 'footprint' to meet the state's expectations, to satisfy the needs of our growing population and to fulfill our governance responsibilities. We must not let this year pass - we must not let this opportunity slip by - to discuss and analyze how our structures can best serve the System in the future.
However, we also must work to identify ways in which we can improve our own internal efficiencies. That means we're going to have to stretch our dollars even further. Our action plan includes identifying and implementing 'best business practices' throughout the System. We also will seek to maximize our collective buying power to save money.
This leads me to the final area of emphasis - partnerships. Gov. Roy Barnes, Chancellor Tom Meredith and others continually stress the need for strong partnerships.
Let me recall the words the Chancellor said in his inaugural address: "K-12 cannot be what it needs to be without the involvement of the University System of Georgia. The technical colleges under the Department of Technical and Adult Education cannot be as effective as they need to be without the involvement of the University System. The University System cannot be as effective as it needs to be without working in partnership with these two groups.
"Our joint goal must be a 'More Educated Georgia.' Whatever that requires across these segments, we must do. Our individual interests must always be subservient to the needs of this state and its citizens."
I couldn't say it any better - or stronger. Between now and next June, this is a theme I'm going to stress - we all are linked together.
I expect to see us reaching out to the Board of Education, to the board of the Department of Technical and Adult Education, to the Office of School Readiness and to the Georgia Student Finance Commission. Our success in creating a More Educated Georgia will depend on our success in forging stronger partnerships. I believe this is the key to our efforts.
We have a challenging year before us. But we have a good blueprint in our Strategic Plan. We have the continued and strong support from the Governor and General Assembly. We have a strong and hard-working board.
We have a new chancellor who is committed to our goals. Since his arrival this past January, Chancellor Meredith worked very hard to establish an extremely cordial and positive relationship with the General Assembly. He has guided us through the final revisions and the adoption of our new Strategic Plan. He has embarked upon an ambi-tious and to date successful series of tours that link the University System and our effort to assist economic development throughout Georgia.
We have a great staff here in the University System Office. We have professionals who are dedicated to the System and this board's objectives. We have great presidents, faculty and staff on our campuses. We have outstanding students. And we have strong and supportive partners.
Personally, I look forward to the year ahead and the opportunity you have given me to serve you in this role. Thank you. ¶
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Valdosta State University has received a bequest of $8 million, the largest gift in its history, President Ronald M. Zaccari announced on Aug. 12.
The estate of Lillian S. Steele, widow of Valdosta banker Rea Steele, bequeathed the funds to VSU's Harley Langdale Jr. College of Business Administration, which occupies what is known as the university's north campus. The campus will be renamed the Rea and Lillian Steele Business Center North Campus.. The $8 million will be used to fund scholarships in finance and accounting, establish distin-guished chairs, and recruit students for the business college, as well as to bring distinguished guest lecturers to VSU.
"The Steeles' enormous financial gift will carry on their dreams of assisting young men and women with careers in business," Zaccari said. "Valdosta State is deeply gratified by their generosity."
"All of us are very excited about this significant donation," said the college's dean, Dr. Kenneth Stanley. "The income from this endowment will give us the means to reach a higher pla-teau of excellence."
The Steeles had lived in Valdosta since Rea Steele was named president of First State Bank in 1954. He served as the bank's chairman and chief executive officer before retiring in 1982. The bank now is part of Synovus Financial Corp. Steele died in 1991, and his wife died in July 2001. ¶
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Richard J. Frederinko, President Middle Georgia College |
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J. Foster Watkins, Interim President East Georgia College |
The Board of Regents and Chancellor Thomas C. Meredith recently announced two presidential appointments at two-year institutions in the University System, one permanent and the other an interim position.
Dr. Richard J. Federinko was named president of Middle Georgia College, in Cochran, and Dr. J. Foster Watkins was named interim president of East Georgia College, in Swainsboro.
Federinko, the former president of Chattahoochee Valley Community College in Phenix City, Ala., and Watkins, previously a professor of educational leadership and higher education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, both assumed their new posts on July 1.
Federinko has an academic career spanning 28 years, including 16 years as president of two community colleges in Alabama. He served as president of Southern Union State Junior College in Wadley, Ala., from 1986-1993, and was named pres-ident of CVCC in 1993.
"We are pleased with Dr. Federinko's breadth of experience in college administration," Meredith commented. "His leadership should serve Middle Georgia College and the University System quite well."
Federinko holds a bachelor's degree in business administration and management and a master's in guidance and counseling from Troy State University, and a doctorate in higher education administration from Florida State Uni-versity. Watkins will serve as interim president of East Georgia College until a new president is named for the institution at the conclusion of a national search. In addition to his role as a professor at UAB, Watkins had served since 1998 as coordinator of the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Administrative Internship Program and coordinator of the School of Education's off-campus programs in Jasper and Cullman, Ala.
For the first year after his arrival at UAB in 1997, the Ala-bama native served in dual positions: as assistant provost for two-year college affairs and president of UAB Walker College, a separately accredited, associate-degree-granting institution of approximately 1,000 students. For 14 years, beginning in 1983, Watkins was president of Gainesville College in Gainesville, Ga. While there, he was recog-nized by his colleagues in the American Association of Com-munity and Junior Colleges' Community College Leadership Program as an outstanding chief executive officer in Georgia. "Foster brings to this position a wide range of experience and a long-term prior relationship with the University System of Georgia," said Chancellor Meredith, in an-nouncing his appointment. "I am certain that he will serve East Georgia College well."
Watkins holds a bachelor's degree in industrial and systems engineering from Georgia Tech and master's and doctoral degrees in educational leadership from Auburn University. In addition, he did post-doctoral work on the administration of higher education at both Auburn University and the University of Alabama. ¶
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Judging by those who participated in a recent employee-relations contest, the University System of Georgia is a great place to work.
USG employees were asked what they enjoy most about working for the System. Corlis P. Cummings, the System's senior vice chancellor for Support Services - who administered the contest in conjuction with the Board of Regents' Office of Media and Publications - formed a team to review the contest entries. The team selected three winners and four runners-up.
The winners' comments will be used in a video now in production that will welcome new employees to the University System. All winners will be credited in the video.
"We were pleased with the response to the contest and gratified to learn how passionately USG employees believe in the value of their work and the relationships they've built with colleagues," Cummings said. "They cited collaboration, diversity and opportunities for personal growth, all qualities in which we place great value."
The winning contest entries are as follows:
"Never a dull moment! What could be more challenging or exciting than being part of a team that admits thousands of students to the university experience each year?" wrote Linda M. Smith, an admissions specialist from North Georgia College and State University.
"I enjoy the camaraderie between all the offices," wrote Cynthia E. Hudson, a project secretary in Georgia Southwestern University's Rosalynn Carter Institute for Human Development. "The team-work that goes on in the University System of Georgia is un-matched by any company or industry. The benefits of working for the state are unlimited. The potential for growing and learning with this type of institution can-not be surpassed. This is the best job in the state!"
"The University System of Georgia offers great incentives for achievement at every level and handsomely rewards not only success but efforts to achieve as well," said Hubert C. Pulley, an assistant professor in Georgia Southern University's Depart-ment of Writing and Linguistics. "I especially enjoy the friendly and congenial atmosphere in which I perform my duties. The System and fellow employees inspire hard work, diligence and creativity, but they are also a generous, caring group of people. It's a great place to learn, work and grow."
The runners-up in the contest were: Dr. George R. Gaumond, librarian at Valdosta State University; Khaleelah Muhammad, an administrative secretary at Fort Valley State University; Sarah Hepler, a library associate at Floyd College; and Faye S. McCrary, a records coordinator on the Decatur campus of Georgia Perimeter College.
Portions of their contributions also will be reflected in the video script. ¶
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| FACULTY FOCUS |
The System Supplement launches a new series highlighting University System of Georgia faculty. Each article will focus on a different aspect of the work of college educators, spotlighting teaching, research and public service.
Story and photo by Michael Childs
University of Georgia College of Education
University of Georgia education professor Deryl Bailey is a man on the move. "Can't talk now - gotta meet my guys at the Classic Center," he says. "We're helping the Georgia School Counselor Association get ready for their annual con-ference."
Bailey's "guys" are 15 young African-American high school students whom he tutors, mentors, challenges and cajoles into striving for excellence in school, work, play and appearance.
The students, mostly from Athens' Cedar Shoals High School, where his wife teaches, are members of an academic/ fraternal program that Bailey, an assistant professor of counseling in UGA's College of Education, first developed as a high-school counselor in North Carolina. The program is called "Project: Gentlemen on the Move."
Having survived his own harsh youth in a rough housing project in Durham, N.C., Bailey knows all about the academic challenges facing young African-American males. But he also believes that, with nurturing and strict discipline, these students can rise to the highest ranks of academe, serve their communities and exemplify positive behavior.
Each week, the young men gather on the UGA campus for two hours of academic work and another two hours of discussion. Attendance is mandatory; commitment is demanded.
Bailey's program focuses on providing developmental and comprehensive support for these students, along with individual and group counseling. Parents of the young men also are involved, making the program a family affair.
"My mom likes it," 11th grader Fabian Goings says. "I'm on the borderline - she wants me to do it." He pauses. "I sure want to do it, too."
"Do it" means to succeed. Goings was nearly kicked out of Cedar Shoals a year ago after a stretch of skipping school, fighting and not performing well in his classes.
"He had very low self-esteem," says his mother, Joanne Goings. "He walked around with a nonchalant attitude. Like he was just so tough."
Bailey's dedication is unceasing. He is relentless in his commitment to these young men. One student says: "Once you go on his list, you know you are always within his reach. His interest makes you strive harder. He won't let you give up because he believes in you. He believed in me before I believed in myself." Always eager to expand the students' knowledge and experience in life, Bailey set up two meetings last fall between "his guys" and a dozen "Lost Boys of Sudan," a group of young male refugees whose plight was featured last year on the CBS News program 60 Minutes II.
"I'm not sure if anyone under-stands how much we gained from those encounters," says Bailey. "I know that I left those meetings humbled and somewhat ashamed about the people and things we tend to take for granted."
Bailey and his guys also spent a day in January helping to clean up one of Clarke County's oldest grave-yards. He is quietly trying to teach these young men that it is right to give to your community.
Shattering stereotypes once associated with young African-American males is one of Bailey's main goals. He is doing everything he can to change that image. Be-sides meeting weekly to do two hours of academic work, Bailey holds a weekend-long student "lock-in" for his guys twice a year, before final exams. The students gather at the school from 5 p.m. Friday until Sunday afternoon. They study independently, in buddy groups and with tutors. They take breaks for basketball, but they are up at 6:30 each morning, ready to study. The young men also bring dress clothes, and the whole group attends church on Sunday morning. As their grades rise, the young men gain a sense of self. "I want them to define success in their own terms," says Bailey. "But they have to move forward. They don't have to succeed right away, but they all have to make progress." ¶
Chancellor Thomas C. Meredith kicked off the first meeting of the University System of Georgia's Task Force on Enhancing Access for African-American Males on Sept. 4 at the University System Office.
Meredith charged the task force with identifying the barriers that keep African-American males from seeking higher education, devising strategies to overcome those barriers and developing action plans, including marketing and other initiatives, to increase the number of black males enrolled in the University System.
By the end of September, a consultant will be selected to conduct an external study and to recommend integrated marketing strategies to achieve the System's goals.
The Board of Regents will expect the task force's report and recommendations next spring.
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| Dr. Deryl Bailey (standing) helps Cedar Shoals high-school student Ben Stevens with an assignment involving the computer. |
"Many of you already are involved in programs that are having an impact on your community or on a college campus," the chancellor said. "The challenge we face is to coalesce our efforts in order to have a significant impact on a statewide level. The regents seek recommendations that will move our efforts from pinpoints of scattered light to a program that shines the full light of educational opportunity and access across Georgia."
Also playing roles in the Sept. 4 meeting were Regent Elridge McMillan, who - as the longest-standing member of the Board of Regents - provided perspective on the System's history regarding access; Dr. Cathie Mayes Hudson, the System's associate vice chancelor for strategic research and analysis, who briefed the task force on the System's available research; and Dr. Deryl Bailey, assistant professor of counseling at the University of Georgia, whose "Project: Gentlemen on the Move" was featured for the task force as a "model program at work." (See story above for more information).
"To accomplish the goal that has been set before us of enhancing access for African-American males, we will have to move the barometer from where it currently sits," said Task Force Chair Arlethia Perry-Johnson, the University System's associate vice chancellor for media and publications. "In Fall 2001, African-American males com-prised only 8 percent of the University System's undergraduate student population. We enrolled 14,112 black males, compared to 28,477 black females. This task force must recommend how far we would like to see that barometer move, and how fast."
Perry-Johnson also told the group that it would be expected to identify successful models in the University System, the state and the nation that can be expanded or replicated.
The task force, which has more than 50 members, includes college and university faculty and administrators, as well as representatives of public school systems, edu-cational and community organizations, major corporations, and key members of the media oriented towards education. Six sub-committees will tackle issues ranging from the K-12 pipeline to undergraduate retention and partnership opportunities. ¶
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| Robert E. Watts |
Chancellor Thomas C. Meredith has appointed Robert E. Watts, senior policy advisor for the University System, to serve as interim director of the Gwinnett University Center, in Lawrenceville, Ga.
Serving more than 5,000 students on a 177-acre high-tech campus that opened in January 2002 on Georgia Highway 316, the center is a collaborative initiative in which Georgia Perimeter College and the University of Georgia work as academic partners in offering undergraduate and graduate courses.
Watts took office Aug.1, and will remain at Gwinnett University Center until a permanent director is named. A national search for the new director was launched in May after the center's founding director, Dr. James L. Muyskens, announced he had accepted the presidency of Queens College, in New York.
Prior to joining the University System Office this summer, Watts had served as interim president of Middle Georgia College, in Cochran, since June 2001 and interim president of Floyd College, in Rome, during the 2000-2001 academic year. "Rob Watts has served both the University System and our state quite well," Meredith said. "This new assignment will fully utilize his experience, expertise and leadership to maximize the momentum that is building at the Gwinnett University Center."
Watts served as executive vice president for financial and administrative affairs at Georgia Perimeter College from 1991 to 2000 and director of institutional research and planning for that institution (then known as DeKalb College) from 1986 to 1991.
In some ways, Watts has come full circle. He played a role in launching the predecessor to the Gwinnett University Center, when it was first proposed in 1987. He assisted in developing the pro-posal from DeKalb College that first established the center using leased facilities. Then, during the early 1990's, Watts co-chaired the planning committee that submitted to the Board of Regents the proposal for establishing the center's perma-nent physical campus.
Before join-ing the University System of Georgia, Watts worked from 1982 to 1986 as a budget officer in the Georgia General Assembly's Legislative Budget Office. Previously, he had served as a Humanities Scholar in Residence for the General Assembly, from 1980 to 1982.
Watts earned both a bachelor's degree in religion and English and a master's degree in religion from Florida State University, in Tallahassee. He also holds a master's degree in international public policy from the Nitze School for Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, in Washington, D.C. Watts currently is enrolled in a joint doctoral program in public policy studies offered by Georgia State University and Georgia Tech. ¶
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| USG News Digest |
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Georgia Tech alumna Sandra H. Magnus will serve as a mission specialist on the Space Shuttle Atlantis, scheduled to leave earth in early October on a mission that involves delivering materials to the International Space Station. Magnus, 37, joins a list of nine astronauts and one astronaut candidate for a future mission who have graduated, attended or taught at Georgia Tech. She is the third woman Tech has sent into space. Magnus was recruited by NASA shortly after receiving her doctorate from Georgia Tech's School of Materials Science and Engineering in 1996, and this will be her first flight in space. |
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| BOARD OF REGENTS | OFFICERS | ||||
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Joe Frank Harris James D. Yancey Hugh C. Carter, Jr. Connie Cater
William H. Cleveland, M.D.
Michael J. Coles Hilton H. Howell, Jr.
John Hunt |
Donald M. Leebern, Jr.
Allene H. Magill Elridge W. McMillan Martin W. NeSmith
Wanda Yancey Rodwell J. Timothy Shelnut Glenn S. White Joel O. Wooten, Jr. |
Thomas C. Meredith Gail S. Weber
William R. Bowes
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Last modified: October 28, 2002 | Leave a Comment
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