The system supplement: a report of the Georgia Board of Regents, Vol. 45, no. 2 (Feb. 2008)

The
System Supplement

A report of the Georgia Board of Regents 8 Vol. 45, No. 2 8 February 2008
"Creating a More Educated Georgia"

Regents Adopt Plan to Boost Medical School Enrollment to Meet Doctor Shortage

The University System of Georgia (USG) Board of Regents approved a resolution in February that commits the System to a 60 percent expansion of physician education through the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) School of Medicine. The board's action followed its acceptance in January of a report calling for medical education expansion in Georgia.
Through the resolution, the regents charged Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr. and the presidents of both MCG and the University of Georgia (UGA) with developing detailed implementations strategies relating to a proposal to boost MCG's physician enrollment statewide to 1,200 students by 2020, from 745 students currently.

The proposed expansion would entail significant expansion in Augusta, which will continue to serve as the foundation for a single state-operated medical school. MCG's School of Medicine will also develop and operate a new four-year campus in Athens in partnership with UGA as well as two clinical campuses anchored in Albany and Savannah.
"Georgia is in critical need of more physicians," said Davis. "As the state's public higher education system, we must do more to address this issue. We can do more by utilizing the tremendous resources we have throughout the state."
On behalf of the Board of Regents, MCG retained the Pittsburgh-based consultancy Tripp Umbach in September 2007

to complete a statewide medical education expansion study. As a result of that study, a plan was presented to the Board of Regents in January calling for significant medical education expansion in Augusta, development of an MCG campus in Athens and continued partnerships of regional campuses in Savannah and Albany.
The resolution passed in February calls for realistic time lines for implementation of the board's goals, as well as clear lines of reporting and accountability consistent with accreditation requirements. The regents included funding for statewide medical education expansion in the University System's fiscal year 2009 budget proposal. The full text of the resolution can be accessed at: www.usg.edu/mcguga/news/

HBCUs Play Key Role in University System
In conjunction with Black History Month, retired Savannah State University professor Dr. Charles Elmore (right) delivered a presentation to the Board of Regents on the University System of Georgia's three historically black colleges and universities (HBCU's) at the board's February meeting.
Savannah State University (SSU), Fort Valley State University (FVSU) and Albany State University (ASU) were among the System's original 18 campuses. They have played a crucial role in providing key access to public higher education for the state's historically underserved minorities and will continue to play important roles with regard to access, education, research and service, Elmore said in the course of detailing the rich history of the institutions.
The Higher Education Act of 1965 defines HBCU's as higher-education institutions established before 1964 whose principal mission was, and is, serving the African-American community. The USG's three historically black institutions collectively enroll more than 9,700 students, 3.6 percent of the University System's enrollment of 270,000 students for all 35 of its institutions. In addition, the HBCU's enroll 13 percent of the System's 65,000 African-American students.
"Historically black colleges and universities have contributed to the efficacy of the University System of Georgia not only by their diversity but also by the contributions of their students, faculty and alumni," said Elmore, who taught at Savannah State for more than 35 years before retiring in 2007.
To read short historical overviews of SSU, FVSU and ASU and follow links to more background about these institutions, go to www.usg.edu/news/2008/021208.phtml

University System to Award College Credit for International Baccalaureate Courses

Georgia high school graduates now have a new path to earn college credits when they enroll in any University System of Georgia (USG) college or university, thanks to action in February by the Board of Regents.
The regents approved a new academic policy that will give college credits to a student who scores well on end-of-course assessments for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program. The credits allow USG freshmen to receive course credit for selected, basic college courses, and take more advanced level courses. High assessment scores on IB courses are a strong indicator of academic performance that is beyond that expected of typical high-school students, USG officials said.
"We have provided this option for a number of years to students who have taken Advanced

Placement courses in high school," said USG Senior Vice Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer Susan Herbst. "The board's action is a response to the growing numbers of high school students who are taking advantage of the increased availability of IB courses in Georgia's high schools."
The IB program originated in 1968 in Geneva, Switzerland. It is currently offered in 2,122 schools in 125 countries. There are three levels of the program primary years, middle years, and the diploma program for 16-19 yearolds. The new USG policy applies to those who complete the IB diploma program, which is currently being offered in 22 Georgia high schools.
A participant who wishes to apply for USG college credit for his/her completion of the IB diploma program will have to provide verification of scores on the

end of course assessments. The assessment scores, along with evidence that the IB course work is comparable to specific disciplinebased college courses, will be reviewed by college officials who will determine if credits in the appropriate college courses should be granted, up to a maximum of 24 credits.
The courses for which a student will receive college credit will vary among the USG's colleges and universities, depending upon each institution's course offerings. USG institutions will post the institutional policy which must conform to the broad System policy approved today by the board on each institution's website for review by prospective students.
USG officials indicate the new course credit policy for the IB diploma program will be effective beginning in the fall 2008 semester.

Izadpanah, Pollack to Represent Scholarship Winners at Upcoming Regents' Awards for Excellence in Education Celebration

This year, nine students who may not otherwise be attending college now have the opportunity to attend and graduate from a USG institution because of the new Regents' Foundation Scholarship established by the Board of Trustees of the University System of Georgia Foundation.
The scholarship program was made possible through funds raised at the Foundation's annual Regents' Awards for Excellence in Education Celebration, to be held this year on March 29 at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Atlanta.

Jasmin Izadpanah, who was awarded a Regents' Foundation Scholarship, will be representing the nine students who received the first round of awards when she welcomes the nearly 1,000 guests in attendance that night. Cindy Pollack, who will be representing the 35 students who received the third round of President's Choice Scholarships this year, will join Jasmin on stage.
Jasmin Izadpanah is an international student at Georgia Perimeter College (GPC), aiming for two, and pos-

sibly three, majors. Currently, she is working towards a general studies degree and plans to take the extra classes necessary to obtain a pre-med degree, once her general-studies requirements are completed.
"I might also possibly aim for some nursing-degree classes so that I can get a better job and a head start in the medical field once I graduate from GPC," she adds. Jasmin is honored to be named GPC's first recipient of the Regents' Foundation Scholarship.
See "Scholarships," Page 4 ...

Representing students at the March 29 USG Foundation event:
Jasmin Izadpanah of Georgia Perimeter College (near right)
Cindy Pollack of Georgia Southern University (far right)

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USG Digest
National searches were launched in early February to replace Georgia State University President Carl V. Patton, who will retire June 30, 2008, after 17 years in this position, and Middle Georgia College (MGC) President Richard J. Federinko, who resigned effective Dec. 31, 2007.
Regent William Cleveland will chair the Georgia State Presidential Search Committee, which, in addition to regents Kenneth Bernard Jr., Robert Hatcher, Elridge McMillan, Willis J. Potts, Wanda Yancey Rodwell and Alllan Vigil will consist of university faculty, students, alumni and community leaders. The search committee will forward the credentials of five unranked candidates to Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr., who will make a recommendation to the full Board of Regents.
At Middle Georgia College, where Dr. Mary Ellen Wilson, vice president for academic affairs, has been serving as the college's interim president since Jan. 1, a Presidential Search and Screen Committee has been appointed to identify five unranked candidates to recommend to a Special Regents' Search Committee chaired by Regent Mansfield Jennings, Jr.
The latter committee, which includes regents James Bishop, Kessel D. Stelling Jr. and Allan Vigil, will recommend finalists to the chancellor, who will recommend a single candidate to the full board.
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ON CAMPUS

National Honor Highlights CSU Service Outreach

Columbus State University (CSU) faculty, staff and students contributed 138,800 hours of service to the local community last year, earning the institution a place on the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for exemplary service efforts and service to disadvantaged youth.
Launched in 2006, the Community Service Honor Roll is the highest federal recognition a college or university can achieve for its commitment to service learning and civic engagement.
"Americans rely on our higher education system to prepare students for citizenship and the workforce,"

said U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings in congratulating the honor roll's newest members at a ceremony in San Diego earlier this month. "We look to institutions like
these to provide leadership in partnering with local schools to shape the civic, democratic and economic future of our country."
CSU's service hours for 2007, computed by the university's career center, include class and individual projects from all over the campus, including the Cougar Partners at Work and Service, a student volunteer program. Students accounted for more than 132,000 hours of service; faculty
See "Service Outreach," Page 4 ...

Georgians Invited to Take Online Walk

University of Georgia (UGA) Cooperative Extension agents across the state are encouraging the people in their counties to increase their physical activity. As an incentive to get Georgians moving, agents are inviting them to spend eight weeks on a virtual walk around the state.
Georgians can register at www.walkgeorgia.org to participate in Walk Georgia, an online program they can use to log the time they spend doing various exercise activities between March 2 and April 30. The program converts exercise time into virtual miles. For example, 29 minutes spent throwing a Frisbee equals one mile. Jumping rope for eight minutes will give you a quicker mile. Twenty minutes of actual walking equals a mile in the program.

Program miles aren't the same as actual road miles. You only need 15 miles to move from one county into another. Participants can compete against individuals or teams in their counties.
"We've learned through our research that 58 percent of adults in Georgia are inactive," said Jan Baggarly, UGA Extension coordinator in Bibb County. "Our goal is to get some of that 58 percent moving."
One out of four adults in Georgia is obese, totaling 1.8 million people. Obesity leads to a variety of health problems, especially cardiovascular disease, which is the No. 1 killer in Georgia.
"We hope to make a difference for some people as far as that statistic is concerned," Baggarly said.

Over the course of the program, participants can take the virtual miles and use the online map to electronically chart a course as they "walk Georgia," said Maria Bowie, a marketing specialist with UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

"As you move, you will read about the counties you visit virtually and learn new ways to improve your health," Bowie said.

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Scholarships
Continued from P. 2 ...
Cindy Pollack is a freshman at Georgia Southern University studying engineering. She has plans to obtain a bachelor of science degree and continue her studies by earning a doctoral degree. Cindy is

interested in ultimately working in research and development in order to produce products that improve people's quality of life. She says she would not have been able to attend Georgia Southern without the scholarship and is very grateful to the regents and Georgia Southern for giving her this award.

Service Outreach
Continued from P. 3 ...
and staff contributed 6,730 hours. Another good example of CSU community service is its Servant Leadership Program. Since it began in 1999, participating students have given more than 60,000 hours of service to the program and the Columbus community.
"In a community that supports its university so well, it is not only appropriate that we endorse a spirit of giving back but imperative that we do so," said CSU President Frank Brown. "It is our good fortune that our students, faculty and staff support

the concept of returning some measure of that with which we have been blessed to our friends and neighbors. All of us are richer when we lend a hand to those who need our help."
The honor roll program is jointly sponsored by the Department of Education, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, USA Freedom Corps, the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, and the Corporation for National and Community Service. The latter is a federal agency committed to improving lives, strengthening communities and fostering civic engagement through service and volunteering.

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
Kessel D. Stelling Jr. Marietta
Benjamin Tarbutton III Sandersville
Richard L. Tucker Duluth
OFFICERS
Erroll B. Davis Jr. CHANCELLOR
Burns Newsome ACTING BOARD SECRETARY
Usha Ramachandran INTERIM TREASURER

BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF GEORGIA OFFICE OF MEDIA AND PUBLICATIONS 270 Washington Street, S.W. Atlanta GA 30334

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