The University System of Georgia: a worthy investment, Jan. 2009

The University System of Georgia: A Worthy Investment
Adding Value by Meeting Georgia's Critical Needs

January 2009

The USG is Producing Quality Teachers
Research shows that the single most important factor in student achievement is access to competent, caring and highly qualified teachers. Research also shows that a teacher's ability increases with the number of years spent in the classroom. Therefore, it is critical that colleges and universities work to avoid preparing new teachers who then leave the classroom in a steady stream. The constant exit of teachers from the field of teaching is costly to student success and the state's bottom line.
Nearly a third of new teachers leave the teaching profession within the first three years, which demonstrates the severe strain teacher replacement can put on a school system's budget and therefore the state. According to the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future, replacing one teacher can have a price tag upwards of $12,000 including the costs of recruiting, hiring and training a replacement teacher.
The University System of Georgia (USG) , through its P-16 Department, is strategically working to turn this costly trend around by improving the retention rate of Georgia's new teachers through effective preparation and strong induction programs. The efforts are paying off.
A new P-16 data system has been designed to track teacher retention in a way that previously was not possible. This data system has provided information that shows that shows 90 percent of new USG-prepared teachers remain in the classroom a second year versus 79 percent of those prepared at non-USG institutions. These higher retention rates result in lower recruitment costs for districts.
There are 22 teacher preparation programs within the University System that are operational or under development. All work together through the P-16 Department to maximize their effectiveness in meeting Georgia's growing demand for quality teachers who will remain in the classroom, prepared to face the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century classroom and give students the knowledge they need to be successful in college and the workplace.

Additionally, the USG P-16 Department is working with every teacher preparation program in the System to ensure that new teachers are recruited and prepared in the subject areas to fill specific vacancy needs on a local and regional level. Again, this results in a cost saving in recruitment for the district while offering a better educational foundation for students.
Clayton State Adds MAT in English and Math
In fall 2008, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia approved Clayton State University's proposal to add the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) graduate program in English and mathematics.
"The MAT program is designed to allow individuals who already have undergraduate degrees in English and math to become certified to teach in grades six to 12 while enhancing
their experiences in those content areas and obtaining a master's degree," says Dr. David Messer, assistant professor of teacher education.
The first classes for the MAT program will begin with the summer 2009 term. The program will also offer evening courses for individuals needing to begin the program part time.
"There are a few types of people the program might attract. Students who have already graduated in math and English and had other occupations but have decided that they want to become teachers; recent graduates who are exploring professional options in those areas; and teachers in surrounding systems who are teaching with provisional certificates and need to obtain clear, renewable certificates," notes Messer.
The program will consist of content-specific classes, professional studies classes, content methods courses, and field-based and clinical experiences. Additional courses will emphasize use of technology and action research with pupils in diverse school settings. Students will have the ability to complete the degree in just over a year by following a summer I, fall, spring, and summer II schedule.
"This provides the opportunity for students with undergraduate degrees in English and math to obtain a master's degree and teacher certification in a fairly compact period of time," says Messer.
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Adding Value by Meeting Georgia's Critical Needs

2

GPC Adds Homeland Security Major

Metro Atlanta and the state of Georgia offer many opportunities for GPC graduates in homeland security and emergency

In an effort to contribute to a more secure country, Georgia Perimeter College (GPC) offered a new program of study to students fall 2008 Homeland Security/Emergency Management (HSEM). The new major is in response to a

management, Siler says. The city is home to Hartsfield-Jackson--one of the busiest airports in the world, the Centers for Disease Control and many Fortune 500 companies. Savannah
has one of the busiest ports in the country.

rising demand for security and safety professionals.

Savannah State University offers the first

Georgia Perimeter College seeks to form partnerships to strengthen the HSEM program. The

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of the social science department. "Hurricane Katrina

in the South, tornadoes on the West Coast and terrorist threats

Augusta State Adds Homeland Security to MPA

helped us decide that a major in homeland security and emer-

gency management would equip our students with even more

A desire to prepare leaders to address challenges in protect-

relevant training and education."

ing against and responding to acts of terrorism and natural

disasters led the director of Augusta State University's (ASU)

The associate degree program will allow students to get an

Master of Public Administration program to create a Homeland

entry-level position in emergency management, says John

Security track within the degree program.

Siler, who teaches criminal justice and is overseeing the new

program. Students are required to take a variety of courses,

Today, homeland security is not only the concern of the

including a foreign language, criminal justice, geography and government agency charged with that mission, says Saundra

psychology. The new course will focus on the principles and

Reinke, director of ASU's MPA pro-

role of government organizational structures for disaster plan- gram. "Every agency has to plan for

ning, prevention and response in the vital areas of not only

emergencies, whether it be natural or

Homeland Security but also Emergency Management.

man-made," she says, adding, "This

track prepares graduates for the chal-

All students interested in public service and high-demand

lenge of preparing our nation and our

employment should consider the new program, Siler says. The communities for disasters resulting

Homeland Security Agency encompasses many other orga-

from terrorism, massive accidents or

nizations including immigration, customs, the Coast Guard,

natural causes."

the Transportation and Safety Administration and Federal

Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and at least eight

The first MPA of its kind in the

other agencies, Siler says. Recent Homeland Security Agency University System of Georgia, the

job listings include openings for firemen, telecommunications Homeland Security track introduces

specialists and editorial assistants.

graduate students to the assessment

of threats, planning, and coordination of the most effective

"Homeland security is such a wide field that there is a need not responses. The class covers various topics addressing the legal,

only for police officers, but also for historians, anthropologists moral and ethical issues inherent in emergency management,

and computer technicians," Brown explains. "When a tornado unconventional threats and the national homeland security

hit a cemetery in Oakland, FEMA sent historians to help reas- strategy process. It also features guest speakers from the

semble the damaged gravestones and markers."

Federal Bureau of Investigations, a computer security officer

for Morris Communications, ASU's visiting scholar from the

The University System of Georgia: A Worthy Investment January 2009

Adding Value by Meeting Georgia's Critical Needs

3

University of Muenster and others with expertise in homeland security.

BS in Respiratory Therapy Meets Middle GA's Needs

"The expertise shared by these professionals who are involved with emergency preparedness gave our students real-world perspectives on preparation and response capabilities," says Dr. Reinke, a former U.S. Air Force officer. "It is extremely valuable to see how these agencies deal with all the issues involved in building an effective emergency preparedness plan. We've had some terrific discussions in class," she adds.
"Emergency planning is a growing career field," says Dr. Reinke. "With a master's degree concentrating in homeland security, students are likely to step out of the classroom and into a challenging career field."

Macon State College's bachelor of science in respiratory therapy will be the only such program in Central Georgia.
"We developed this program with strong encouragement and support of the area's hospitals and from COARC the Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care the national accrediting agency for respiratory therapy academic programs, said Dr. Rebecca Corvey, dean of Macon State's School of Nursing and Health Sciences. "Medical facilities continue to have a great need for respiratory therapists educated with advanced knowledge and skills in specialty acute-care patient needs gained through baccalaureate-level education."

NGCSU's Nursing Clinic Aids Appalachian Residents

The Appalachian Nurse Practitioner Clinic at North Georgia College & State University integrates student clinical experience and faculty practice to provide access to quality healthcare for uninsured and low income residents residing in seven counties of the North Georgia Appalachian region. Working from a clinic on the university campus in Dahlonega, as well as a mobile health unit, the staff treats general health ailments and help patients manage their chronic diseases along with providing routine exams for preventive care.

The clinic sees about 300

patients each month, filling

a vital need in the community and providing a valuable educational opportunity for students.

Lobby of the Appalachian Nurse Practitioner Clinic that provides basic health care for uninsured and low income residents residing in

seven counties of the North Georgia

"I think it's tremendously

Appalachian region.

helpful," Dr. Grace Newsome,

program director, said. "We have some nurse practitioner

students doing preceptorships. We have associate's degree

students doing nonclinical tasks. Also, some students work in

our mobile van doing screenings."

The clinic, funded by a $1.3 million grant from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, opened in January 2007, and serves residents of Dawson, Fannin, Gilmer, Hall, Lumpkin, White and Union Counties.

The service is free to patients whose income is less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level; those whose income is higher pay a small fee.

"The patients are very appreciative," Newsome said. "Most are working poor, with minimum-wage jobs and no insurance. We're the only provider that they have other than the ER."

The new bachelor of science in respiratory therapy will build on Macon State's associate's degree in respiratory therapy. The bachelor's degree will allow practicing respiratory therapists who hold associate's degrees and certification as Registered Respiratory Therapists to work in specialty care arenas. The bachelor's degree also will allow graduates to assume the leadership and research roles necessary to continue advancement of the profession.
According to the American Association of Respiratory Care, more respiratory therapists with bachelor's degrees are needed because, among other reasons, clinical work has become more technically complex. The association also believes those in the field need to keep pace with nurses and other medical professionals who are increasingly entering the field with bachelor's degrees or are returning to school to complete a degree after beginning their careers.
In a recent survey, 47 percent of respiratory therapists in Central and South Georgia who were asked said they would begin a bachelor's degree program right away if it was available. Another 44 percent said they would begin one within two years.
Macon State expects to initially enroll about 25 students in the program.
The University of West Georgia (UWG) Newnan campus graduated its first class of nurses in May 2008 after starting the program four years ago. School of Nursing Dean Grams said that 100 percent of the first class of Newnan BSN graduates passed the professional nursing licensing exam (NCLEX-RN) on their first attempt in 2008. In addition, 66 of 67 BSN graduates from all campuses passed NCLEX-RN at 98.5 percent (first attempt) in 2008! The mean first-attempt passing rate for all UWG graduates in 2008 is
87.3 percent.

The University System of Georgia: A Worthy Investment January 2009