The system supplement: a report of the Georgia Board of Regents, Vol. 45, no. 1 (Jan. 2008)

The
System Supplement

A report of the Georgia Board of Regents 8 Vol. 45, No. 1 8 January 2008
"Creating a More Educated Georgia"

Davis: System's Growth and Strong Support Balanced by Need to Manage Available Resources

Strong enrollment growth, improvement in graduation rates and a continued focus

for the System during 2007 also was cited by the chancellor as a key accomplishment that will

on keeping college affordable were enable the System to "move to a

cited as very positive signs of per- higher level of performance and

formance by University System of have this great enterprise capital-

Georgia Chancellor Erroll B.

ize on the power of a true sys-

Davis Jr. in his annual "State of

tem."

the System" address to the Board of Regents at the board's January meeting.

But Davis also noted that while the academic mission and the faculty of the System's 35 degree-

"The State of the System today granting institutions deserve high

is good when measured by a num- marks, the risk management of

ber of key indicators public sup- resources is not at the same level

of quality and

The full text of the State of the System address is at : http://www.usg.edu/chancellor/reports/2008/jan08.phtml

consequently will be an area of priority atten-

tion over the

port, enrollment, retention, and

coming year. "We do excellently in

graduation," Davis said. "We are

spots, but, as always, we can do

enrolling more students; we are

better overall, particularly in how

keeping more students in college; we manage both our operations

and we are graduating more indi- and the resources that have so

viduals to contribute to Georgia's generously flowed to us," he said.

economic and intellectual growth."

Consequently, Davis noted that he would continue to focus on

The creation and adoption by three key areas: increasing access

the board of a new Strategic Plan to college, maintaining affordabili-

ty, and providing clear accountability to the public.
The System's responsibility to meet a growing shortage of physicians to treat Georgians also will be a top priority in the coming years, Davis said.
See "State of System" Page 2 ...

Report Calls for USG to Expand Medical Education

The report, prepared

on behalf of the regents

by the Pittsburgh-based

consulting firm, Tripp

Umbach, was presented

to and officially received

by the board during its

January 15 regular meet-

ing. The subsequent

action means that the

regents will take the

report under advisement

Consultant Paul Umbach delivers his firm's report on for planning purposes.

medical education expansion to the Board of Regents. The expansion would

address a critical need

Areport calling for the expansion of medical education in Georgia was accepted by the

for more physicians in the state of Georgia. "Georgia has slipped to 40th from 37th among all states in

University System of Georgia

the number of physicians per resi-

Board of Regents in a special

dent," said USG Chancellor Erroll

called meeting on Jan. 21.

B. Davis Jr. "The health and safe-

ty of Georgians are at risk. We need more doctors."
Georgia has a unique ability to address a serious need of educating more physicians, said Paul Umbach, president of Pittsburghbased Tripp Umbach, which issued the report. "My firm has analyzed medical education needs across the U.S. and I can truly say that the stars and timing are lined up for this to be a truly collaborative, cost-effective effort that will lead to a healthier Georgia," Umbach said.
The report calls for the Medical College of Georgia School of Medicine to expand statewide to 1,200 students by
See "Medical Education" Page 4 ...

State of the System
Continued from P. 1 ...
Enrollment in the University System hit a record high of 270,022 students in fall 2007, an increase of 10,077 students from fall 2006. "That's the equivalent of adding another Valdosta State or West Georgia," Davis said. Another important measure of the System's ability to provide access to higher education is in the continued increase in enrollment by African Americans and Hispanics, Davis said. African-American enrollment increased by more than 5 percent from fall 2006 to fall 2007 to 65,000 students, and Hispanic enrollment jumped 13 percent over the same period, to 8,800 students.
The latest graduation report shows that 51 percent of the students who entered an institution in the System in fall 2001 graduated six years later from that institution. "This is the first year the institution-specific, six-year graduation rate has ever exceeded 50 percent," Davis said.
In terms of affordability, Davis noted that the Regent's guaranteed tuition plan, now in its second year, has enabled Georgia to maintain its historic ranking as one of the most affordable states in the 16-member Southern Regional Education Board for public higher education tuition.
Georgia's college affordability primarily reflects the strong support for public higher education by the Governor's office and the General Assembly, Davis noted, citing a record $2.1 billion state appropriation, along with $276 million for construction and renovation of System facilities, in the current fiscal year budget.
"This was a 10.5 percent increase over Fiscal Year 2007 and represented the largest increase in state funding for the University System in 12 years," Davis said. "This is extraordinary when compared to many other states and systems, and we thank Gov. Sonny Perdue and the members of the General Assembly for their continuing support."
But, Davis noted that the tremendous support

USG `Doing What's Right' to Curb Workplace Abuse
The University System of Georgia has launched a loss-prevention program called "Doing What's Right" that encourages honest and ethical behavior by its employees and provides resources such as a website and a toll-free phone number for voicing concerns about unethical or illegal activity without fear of retaliation.
"USG employees know the difference between right and wrong, and doing what's right is the most basic and most important way to ensure that the University System of Georgia and the Board of Regents upholds high standards," said Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr. "However, we can't do the job alone. We need everyone's cooperation."
Whether the concern is about accounting or auditing irregularities, waste of resources, the falsification of records, misuse of assets, fraud, violations of USG regulations, harassment, discrimination or threats, Davis urges USG employees to "do the right thing" by reporting their concerns to a supervisor.
For those who don't feel comfortable doing so, the University System Office has contracted with an independent firm, The Network, to provide a reporting hotline. Employees may call 877-516-3466 or visit www.reportlineweb.com/BOR 24 hours a day, seven days a week to document concerns. Individuals do not have to give their name, and their phone call will not be recorded without consent.

for the System also means that System leaders must focus more closely on the management of those resources. "Our primary challenge is not the level of resources we receive, but the proper and strategic use of those resources."
Referring to audit reports that indicated abuses in use of the state purchasing card program, Davis said that System officials would be working to create "a pervasive culture of continuous improvement and thorough risk management throughout the System." He vowed to set and meet higher levels of transparency and accountability in the management of the System's $5.6 billion annual budget.
Davis also referred to an ongoing challenge for the System relates to Georgia's shortage of health care professionals (for more on this, see the story on p. 1 on the expansion of medical education).

In his address, Davis also noted the need to use the Strategic Plan to manage explosive enrollment growth and the System's funding needs as well as to ensure strong competitive salaries for faculty.
February marks the beginning of Chancellor Davis' third year on the job, during which he has overseen continued growth in the System, the creation of the Guaranteed Tuition Plan, major revisions in financial reporting and budgeting processes, the development of the System's new Strategic Plan, the development of a new model to set priorities for needed facilities, the creation of a System approach to meeting the state's needs for healthcare professionals, searches for a number of institutional presidents, the launch of Georgia Gwinnett College, and an 18 percent increase in state support for the System over the past two state budget cycles.

-- 2 --

USG Digest
All her life, Georgia State University doctoral student Erin Harper thought of herself as AfricanAmerican with French ancestry. But through a DNA analysis project in her biopsychology class last spring, Harper learned her ancestors traveled out of east Africa, through Asia and over the Bering land bridge to what is now North America, a lineage common to Eskimos.
"My family and I were in disbelief," Harper said. "But it made me want to know more and dig even deeper into my ancestry."
Harper is not alone. Many Georgia State students who participated in the project had similar reactions when they received answers.
This month, biopsychology professor Scott Decker will kick off the project again with a new class. The exercise not only teaches students the complexities of DNA, evolution and human migration, but it also can change their perspective on race, Decker says.
"What this experiment says is that any observable differences between us are climatic adaptations," he added. "We all have the same emotions, thoughts and decision-making processes."
Using a DNA collection kit, Decker's students will scrape their cheek cells and send samples to be compared against the largest DNA database ever assembled.
National Geographic, with the help of IBM, collected and analyzed DNA from people across the globe for their Genographic Project, which attempts to map out how the human species migrated out of Africa.
Once students learn their genetic journey, they will research the paths their ancestors took. The students' DNA will be submitted to the Genographic Project. Decker will also use the study in his research on how genetic results impact students' view on race.
"By giving students this information tangible evidence it changes their attitudes on diversity," Decker said. "It brings history to life."
The
System Supplement
John Millsaps
ASSOCIATE VICE CHANCELLOR
Diane Payne
PUBLICATIONS DIRECTOR
To Provide Feedback
write to: diane.payne@usg.edu

ON CAMPUS

USG Developing New Approaches to Energy Use

Drought and $100-a-barrel oil underscore the importance of efforts by the University System of Georgia (USG) to develop a long-term energy management plan that can be adopted at each of the System's 35 institutions. The recommendations of a special energy task force are contained in a Sustainable Energy Management Plan that was presented to the Board of Regents at its January meeting.
The plan, presented by task force leader Dr. Michael Adams, president of the University of Georgia, proposes a new energy management structure that would be coordinated at the system level. Campuses would be encouraged to establish a committee to develop an energy sustainability and efficiency plan under the leadership of a campus energy manager. The committees would establish benchmarks and recommend system wide standards for energy efficiency in daily operations and new construction.

selected as team leader for the Energy Management Initiative and charged with identifying the most effective practices in energy management, whether found inside or outside of the University System. The team worked with faculty and staff at other system institutions and Board of Regents staff to develop the Sustainable Energy Management Plan.
A number of University System institutions currently have efforts underway to reduce energy consumption. The University of West Georgia has established building temperature standards while electronic energy management systems have been installed at Georgia Perimeter College. Valdosta State University has installed sensors for actuating lights and equipment as well as establishing planning and training programs for the operations and maintenance staff. UGA has reduced energy consumption despite the addition of buildings and increased square footage.

"The goal of this task force is to provide a formal framework to help the University System and its member institutions pursue efficiency and sustainability projects," stated Adams. "Careful management of resources is necessary if the University System is to avoid having already limited dollars diverted from our primary mission of teaching, research, and service. These current and future efforts demonstrate our commitment to responsible environmental leadership."
In 2007, the University System identified critical issues that needed to be addressed system-wide. Adams was

USG institutions also have implemented strategies to reduce water consumption and increase efficiency in their heating and cooling systems. Georgia Tech is using condensate produced by cooling chillers for landscape irrigation. Dalton State College has installed low flow plumbing fixtures that use less water. UGA has met the Governor's target of a 10 percent reduction in water usage over year-ago levels. Clayton State University has updated heating and cooling equipment in its student center and performing arts venue with more efficient HVAC technology.

Customer Service Commendations
The University System of Georgia (USG) received nine Commendations for Customer Service Excellence more than any other state agency from Gov. Sonny Perdue during his first monthly commendation ceremony on Jan. 29. Recognized for meritorious actions that enhance the public image of customer service or improve the way customer service is provided in Georgia were: The USG's GeorgiaVIEW project team, headed by Brian Finnegan; the USG's Library Services-GIL (GALILEO Interconnected Libraries) Express team, headed by Dr. Merryll Penson; Dr. Anthony S. Tricoli, president of Georgia Perimeter College; Kennesaw State University (KSU), headed by President Dan Papp; the KSU Financial Aid Office, headed by Dr. Nancy King; Linda Lyons, KSU's Customer Service Champion and head of the KSU Center for University Learning; Macon State College's Customer Service Task Force, headed by Lynn McCraney; and the University of Georgia's Food Service team, headed by Mike Floyd.

-- 3 --

Medical Education
Continued from P. 1 ...

UGA President Michael F. Adams said: "On behalf of the University of Georgia community, we are excited

2020, from 745 students currently, an about developing this partnership pro-

increase of approximately 60 percent. gram with MCG. I believe the acquisi-

The consultant's study recommends that expansion should occur simultaneously in Augusta, where

tion of the Navy School property will allow us to provide long-term improvement in the health of Georgians and to
offer a true service

To read the full report, go to: http://www.usg.edu/mcg-uga/ to the state."

In his Fiscal

MCG is located, at MCG's two clinical Year 2009 budget, Gov. Sonny Perdue

campuses, Southwest Georgia Clinical has recommended $7.2 million in

Campus, based at Phoebe Putney

funding to the USG for the purpose of

Memorial Hospital in Albany, and the medical expansion, in addition to the

new southeast clinical campus under $2.8 million appropriated in the cur-

development in Savannah; and

rent FY08 budget.

through the development of a new four-year campus in Athens in partnership with the University of Georgia (UGA).

If implemented fully, Tripp Umbach calculates that the expansion will more than double the economic impact of MCG's School of Medicine,

"A critical element of the proposed generating more than $1.6 billion

strategy is that we are looking at a

additional dollars annually and sup-

state-wide solution to an issue impor- porting more than 10,000 additional

tant to all of us,'' said Dr. Daniel W.

jobs statewide. For every $1.00 invest-

Rahn, MCG president and senior vice ed by the State of Georgia in 2020 in

chancellor for Health and Medical

medical education, a total of $2.54 will

Programs for the USG. "Together we be returned in state tax revenue,

can accomplish much more than we according to the economic analysis

can separately."

section of the consultant report.

Recent Appointments at the University System Office

Dr. Cathie Mayes Hudson has been promoted to Vice Chancellor for Research and Policy Analysis, after serving as associate vice chancellor since 1995. She has been a member of the Board of Regents staff since 1988.
Dr. Linda Noble has been named Assistant Vice Chancellor for Faculty Affairs. She previously served as a tenured professor, department chair, dean, and most recently, assistant director of the

Center for Teaching and Learning at Kennesaw State University.
Dr. Melinda Spencer joined the staff of the University System Office in January as Academic Affairs Chief of Staff. This is a new position for which duties include change management, strategic planning, research development and infrastructure, website innovation, space planning, and the support of senior leaders at the System's comprehensive universities.

BOARD OF REGENTS
Allan Vigil McDonough
CHAIR
William H. Cleveland, M.D. Atlanta
VICE CHAIR
Kenneth R. Bernard Jr. Douglasville
James A. Bishop Sea Island
Hugh A. Carter, Jr. Atlanta
Robert F. Hatcher Macon
Felton Jenkins Madison
W. Mansfield Jennings Jr. Hawkinsville
James R. Jolly Dalton
Donald M. Leebern Jr. Columbus
Elridge W. McMillan Atlanta
Patrick S. Pittard Lakemont
Doreen Stiles Poitevint Bainbridge
Willis J. Potts Jr. Rome
Wanda Yancey Rodwell Stone Mountain
Benjamin Tarbutton III Sandersville
Richard L. Tucker Duluth
OFFICERS
Erroll B. Davis Jr. CHANCELLOR
Burns Newsome ACTING BOARD SECRETARY
Usha Ramachandran INTERIM TREASURER

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