Atlanta — April 14, 2011

Regent Mansfield Jennings, chair of the Special Regents’ Committee for the presidential search at Macon State College (MSC), and University System of Georgia (USG) chief operating officer Robert Watts have announced the names of the two finalists for the MSC presidency.

A national search was launched to replace MSC President Dr. David A. Bell, who will step down as president, effective June 30, 2011. Dr. Bell has served Macon State College in this role since 1997.

The recommended individuals are:

Dr. Jeffery S. Allbritten, president, Collier County Campus of Edison State College in Naples, Fl., since 2003. Prior to his current appointment, Allbritten was the director of Pines Center Campus of Broward College, a comprehensive community college serving Broward County in southeast Florida, from 2000-2003. Allbritten served as dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Florida State College at Jacksonville, the second largest college in Florida with 80,000 students, from 1999 to 2000. Prior to his arrival in Florida, he was associate dean of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences at Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, from 1995 to 1999.

Allbritten holds a Doctor of Arts degree in chemistry from Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, a master of science degree in mathematics from Murray State University, Murray, Ky., and a bachelor of science degree in chemistry, also conferred by Murray State University.

Dr. Cheryl J. Norton, president, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, from 2004-2010. Norton is currently on sabbatical doing research focused on “K-12 Education Reform and the Changing Needs for Teacher Preparation.” Prior to her appointment at Southern Connecticut State University, Norton served from 1997 to 2004 as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Metropolitan State College of Denver (MSCD), an urban baccalaureate college serving more than 20,000 students in the Denver metropolitan area. Before her appointment as provost, she served in a variety of academic and administrative positions at MSCD, including interim associate dean in the school of professional studies, ombudsman officer, chair of the Department of Human Performance, Sport and Leisure Studies as well as a professor in that department.

Norton holds a Doctor of Education degree in applied physiology, a master of education and a master of arts degrees, both in applied physiology, all conferred by Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in physical education and recreation with a secondary level teaching certificate from Denison University, Granville, Ohio.

The Board of Regents is expected to name the next president of Macon State College at a future meeting.

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