Officials from SACS, the Southeast’s accrediting organization for higher education, announced the approval of the prospectus submitted by the new institutions during the SACS annual meeting held in Dallas. This represents the final step needed for the Board of Regents to grant its authorization of the consolidations and to appoint presidents. That action is scheduled for the January 8 Board of Regents meeting.

“Many individuals have worked countless hours to bring us to this point in our consolidation effort,” said University System Chancellor Hank Huckaby. “At the outset, our goal with consolidation was to broaden opportunity for more students and to do so more efficiently. The approval by SACs of our plan represents a tremendous milestone and validates the hard work of the past year.”

In addition to the consolidation creating the University of North Georgia, there are three other institutions being formed through the consolidation of Augusta State University with Georgia Health Sciences University, Waycross College with South Georgia College, and Macon State College with Middle Georgia College. The plan reduces the number of USG institutions from 35 to 31.

“As a consolidated institution, the University of North Georgia will offer associate’s through doctoral degrees, thus creating multiple pathways for students,” said Dr. Bonita C. Jacobs, president of North Georgia College & State University. “Through the planning process, we have begun to see the enormous potential this university will be able to offer students and our communities across the fastest-growing region of Georgia.”

Through the University of North Georgia, students will have access to a broad range of educational opportunities and degree programs – including associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees.

“It is exciting that students will be able to choose from a variety of pathways within one institution to pursue their educational aspirations,” said Dr. Randy J. Pierce, interim president of Gainesville State College. “This will support the state’s efforts to increase the number of students who graduate from college.”

Huckaby announced his consolidation plan in August of 2011 and the regents approved six principles for consolidation in November of that year.

At its January 2012 meeting the regents approved the recommendations to consolidate the eight institutions. Working groups on the campuses and at the system office then began the complex process of consolidation.

The regents approved the new name and mission statement for the consolidation institution in May.

To support the pending consolidation of Gainesville State College and North Georgia College & State University, an Information Technology (IT) email work group reviewed existing systems at each institution and recommends creation of a unified email service using Microsoft Exchange for the University of North Georgia. The options suggested by the work group included:

Google Apps Gmail
Microsoft Exchange (3 implementation options)
- Local Exchange Servers
- Hybrid (Faculty/Staff local and Students in the cloud)
- Hosted Office 365 (100% cloud)

Microsoft Exchange is an enterprise-friendly, best-of-breed messaging solution with features that meet the requirements of large, complex organizations like the University of North Georgia. Exchange was recommended for its many enterprise messaging features and outstanding management capabilities that will be key contributors to the success of a large regional university.

“An internal research study from last year confirms Exchange’s market dominance in the large enterprise to the tune of 73 percent share.” — Microsoft
“InfoWorld has published its 2011 Technology of the Year Awards and Microsoft Exchange 2010 was selected as the Best Mail Server!”
“Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 is best-in-class, and offers greater cost savings, granular administration, improved anywhere access, and built-in archiving and eDiscovery features” — Radicati.com Research

IT recommended a model involving an implementation split between Dahlonega and Gainesville because it takes advantage of Exchange’s multi-site administration capabilities that allow enterprises to centrally manage messaging environments that can span the globe and will allow maximum benefit to be realized from the Exchange 2010 redundancy and resiliency features.

“Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 introduced increased storage support, new high availability (HA) and disaster recovery (DR) features, granular administration, built-in archiving and compliance capabilities, enhanced anywhere access, and improved unified messaging (UM).” – Radicati.com Research

In addition, the University System of Georgia has a fully-vetted contract in place enabling the use of Microsoft services with appropriate clauses protecting the university from eDiscovery failures or FERPA information exposure. From a business continuity and disaster recovery / IT best practice perspective, Office 365 or duplication of GSC’s Exchange environment are the best options. A “hybrid” configuration with students hosted in the cloud and a local exchange environment for faculty/staff is compelling and puts the university in control of where critical messaging information resides. Microsoft’s solution allows seamless transfer of mailboxes to the cloud and back again, should the need arise.

From a cost standpoint, all hardware, software and licenses are already in place to run Exchange locally for faculty and staff. Both Gainesville State and North Georgia subscribe to the Microsoft Campus Agreement that includes an Exchange license for each faculty member, staff member and student. As a result, implementation costs consist only of IT staff time and ongoing training and maintenance. Gainesville State IT staff has been successfully administering Exchange for more than 10 years, so internal knowledge transfer may limit the need for training. Ongoing costs of running Exchange are largely offset by discontinuing the Gmail archive service contract. This plan currently allows for continuation of support for Google Apps.

With the approval of the Executive Planning Team and university leadership, Information Technology is developing an enterprise-grade email solution built on Microsoft Exchange technology for the University of North Georgia consolidation.

Additional information related to the Microsoft messaging and cloud services, including comparisons with Google can be found at: http://whymicrosoft.com/.

Please address any questions to the following:

Brandon Haag
Chief Information Officer
Gainesville State College

Steven McLeod
Chief Information Officer (Interim)
North Georgia College & State University

A tremendous amount of work has occurred across our campuses in the short time since the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia voted to consolidate North Georgia College & State University and Gainesville State College. Throughout the planning process, we have been conscious that each of our institutions has its own mission, culture and traditions. While change can be challenging, we are all making adjustments to achieve our common goal of providing increased educational opportunities for students. In the end, the University of North Georgia will be greater than the sum of its parts. Below are some notes about recent milestones in our journey.

Organizational Structure

Our faculty and administrators have worked extensively to determine the most effective organizational structure for our consolidated institution. This has likely been one of the most challenging aspects of consolidation, as it so closely impacts the daily work of our faculty and staff. However, it also offers great potential for our students. As we combine our talented faculty and complementary student services, we will strengthen current and future programs.

Most notably, the university’s academic units will be structured into five colleges: the College of Education, the Mike Cottrell College of Business, the College of Arts and Letters, the College of Science and Mathematics, and the College of Health Professions. For details on the consolidated university structure, please see the organizational charts on the consolidation website.

The deanship of the College of Health Professions has not yet been determined, and Dr. Bob Michael will serve as interim dean of this new college until a search can be conducted to fill this important new position. Similarly, upon consolidation, Dr. Dick Mullendore, a consultant who is working with North Georgia’s enrollment management team this semester, will serve as Interim Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management with the anticipation that we will conduct a national search to fill that position in July 2013.

SACS Prospectus Submitted

Part of the consolidation process required development of a prospectus that outlines our implementation plans. This plan has now been submitted to our accrediting agency, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. That group will review the prospectus over the next several weeks and vote on its approval in December. Then, they will visit the university at a later date to monitor our progress. I greatly appreciate the work by Dr. Denise Young, of North Georgia, and Betsy Cantrell, of Gainesville State, and their staffs for their leadership in developing the prospectus, which will be a guiding document for our future. For your reference, the prospectus is available for review online.

Mascot Selection

It seems one of the most discussed issues involved in consolidation is that of our mascot. Both institutions have their own mascots, which are used to support a wide range of student activities and programs. A new, common mascot is one way to unite our schools and build community as the University of North Georgia.

Our process to date has solicited broad input from our campuses, alumni and community supporters. There were more than 9,000 responses to the initial survey and more than 750 different suggestions. A work group focused on this topic narrowed those suggestions and submitted its suggestions to the Consolidation Implementation Committee, which narrowed the suggestions to three options – the Golden Eagles, the Nighthawks or the Warriors – and elected to have students vote on the final selection. The schools’ existing mascots were not on the list of suggestions in the initial survey, as we felt that would be detrimental to the intent to unite our communities. However, the committee did acknowledge and consider the interest in using the existing mascots in its deliberations. To minimize the costs associated with a mascot change, we will focus on ways to phase-in changes, such as through the routine replacement of uniforms.

This consolidation is a historic initiative for the University System of Georgia and our institutions. President Randy Pierce and I are excited about the great progress we have seen, the collegial spirit that is developing throughout our campuses, and the positive opportunities we see developing for the future of the University of North Georgia to serve its students and communities.

“The goal of selecting the new mascot is to further unify our institutions and to positively and distinctively represent the new institution, the competitiveness of its athletic program, and student spirit,” said Bonita C. Jacobs, president ofNorth Georgia College & State University.

The consolidation of Gainesville State College and North Georgia College & State University is scheduled to be implemented in January 2013, and the two institutions will become the University of North Georgia.

Gainesville State College’s current mascot, the Fighting Geese, is used in a variety of ways to promote school spirit and build community. Its previous intercollegiate athletics competed as the Lakers. North Georgia’s student body adopted the Saint Bernard, more commonly referred to as the Saints, as the mascot in 1972.

A mascot work group, comprising students, alumni, andfaculty and staff membersfrom each school, narrowed the list by considering suggestions that could represent distinctive aspects about the university and the region it will cover, as well as accounting for mascots already used by other area schools, Peach Belt Conference competitors, and NCAA Division II institutions. The work group submitted a short list of suggestions to the Consolidation Implementation Committee, a group of school and community representatives designated to help determine such issues related to consolidation.

While the schools’ current mascots of the Saint Bernards and Fighting Geese were not considered in the initial phase of the process, the Consolidation Implementation Committee acknowledged some constituent support for retaining them but, after discussion, determined that selecting a new mascot was in the best interest of uniting the two institutions. The group selected the three finalists, which will now be presented to current students via an online survey.

“We have three wonderful options for students to choose from and any of these would represent our new institution well.  The new mascot will serve as a rallying point for the new University of North Georgia,” Jacobs said.

The voting for students will be limited to one per person based on email address and will be open Wednesday, Sept.26, through Friday, Oct. 5.  Once the results have been tallied, an announcement will be made. The visual identity surrounding the new mascot will be unveiled in January 2013.

The university plans to use the color scheme of blue, white and gold – which combines North Georgia’s current colors and Gainesville’s previous colors – to represent the institution and its athletic program. Additionally, the university will continue using the athletic spirit mark of the interlocking NG. These measures allow for developing a new mascot for the university while minimizing the costs associated with the change.

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Based on action by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia and pending approval by the Southern Association of College and Schools Commission on Colleges, Gainesville State College and North Georgia College & State University will consolidate in January 2013 to become the University of North Georgia. For details and updates, please visit www.gscngcsu.org.

A 2011 study by Georgetown University found that to meet projected workforce needs, Georgia will need to increase the percentage of its population with some level of college completion from a current 42 percent to 60 percent over the next eight years. The result is an ambitious goal of adding 250,000 postsecondary graduates to Georgia’s workforce by 2020.

“I am pleased with the great partnership that is evident in this critical effort for Georgia’s future,” noted Governor Nathan Deal in the announcement from his office. “I issued an ambitious call for action, and the response has been swift and comprehensive. This is exactly what I expected and what Georgians want in terms of a flexible and responsive public higher education system that is truly focused on meeting the needs of the state.”

North Georgia College & State University and Gainesville State College, which are scheduled to consolidate in January 2013, developed a combined plan for the University of North Georgia (UNG)* that builds on existing efforts at each institution to promote student success and increase retention and graduation rates.

“Building upon our existing successes and strengths, the new University of North Georgia and our Complete College Georgia plan have the potential to transform educational attainment in the northern part of the state, making Northeast Georgia region one of the most vibrant and dynamic areas in Georgia and the Southeast,” said Dr. Bonita C. Jacobs, president of North Georgia College & State University. “With four campuses located across the northern region of the state, and through partnerships with local educational agencies, government, and industry, the University of North Georgia will be strategically situated to address the critical need for an educated workforce for economic growth in the region.”

The state’s initiative looks at three key areas in which higher education plays a role in the state’s economic prosperity and assesses how colleges and universities can strengthen contributions in these areas. These include keeping Georgia competitive in an age where other states and countries are producing a more educated workforce; ensuring the academic quality and standards to which graduates and institutions are held; and providing the opportunity to pursue higher education and supporting student success through the effective use of resources.

The plan for the University of North Georgia addresses five major strategies: improving college readiness through K-12 partnerships; expanding access and completion, particularly for underserved populations; reducing the time it takes to earn a college degree; developing new models of instruction and learning; and transforming remediation.

“In approaching the goal of raising the level of degree completion, our two institutions start from positions of academic strength and excellence,” said Dr. Al Panu, GSC Vice President for Academic Affairs, who will lead the implementation of UNG’s Complete College Georgia Plan.  “North Georgia maintains the second-highest system-wide graduation and retention rate in the comprehensive university sector of the University System of Georgia. GSC ranks slightly above average in associates degree completion or matriculation to a baccalaureate program and is second in its sector for system wide retention performance. It also has one of the system’s most successful transfer rates to comprehensive, regional, and research universities in the state college sector.”

In addition to encouraging current students to stay in school and complete their degrees, Complete College Georgia will target the approximately 1.4 million Georgians who at some point enrolled, but never completed college. Universities will look at different ways to use technology and online learning to attract students, opportunities to facilitate transfer between schools, and the use of prior learning assessment to give college credits to those who have significant life experiences that traditionally have not been factored into a student’s potential.

“In the University System, we have placed a high priority on increasing retention and graduation rates for a number of years, and we have a history of both System-level and institutional efforts toward this goal,” said Chancellor Hank Huckaby. “But with Complete College Georgia, we saw a great opportunity to not only strengthen our partnerships with the Technical College System and Department of Education but also to think more comprehensively and differently about how we approach college completion.”

The full Complete College Georgia report is available online at: http://www.usg.edu/educational_access/documents/USG_Campus_Completion_Plans.pdf. The UNG Complete College Plan may be found at http://www.gscngcsu.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/North-Georgia-CCG-Plan1.pdf

*Based on action by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia and pending approval by the Southern Association of College and Schools Commission on Colleges, Gainesville State College and North Georgia College & State University will consolidate in January 2013 to become the University of North Georgia. For details and updates, please visit www.gscngcsu.org.

“The selection of a common mascot for is an important part of building community as we join together as the University of North Georgia,” said Dr. Bonita Jacobs, who is currently president of North Georgia College & State University and will be president of the consolidated university. “We are beginning this process now, because we want students to have a strong voice in selecting a new mascot that will represent the new institution, its athletic program and student spirit.”

A mascot work group, comprising student, faculty and staff representatives from each institution, is now soliciting feedback via an online survey on an initial list of suggestions. The survey, which is open through Sept. 4, also allows participants to write-in suggestions not included on the list. After the survey is closed, the work group will narrow the list down to a short list of recommendations to the Consolidation Implementation Committee for further consideration. The university plans to reveal the new mascot in January 2013 and for it to become effective beginning with fall semester 2013.

Gainesville State College was founded in 1964 as Gainesville Junior College and in the early years began an athletic program. The teams were known as the “Lakers,” and the school’s colors were blue, gold and white. Intercollegiate athletics were eliminated in the mid-1980s, but the anchor, other nautical symbolism and colors remained a key part of the institutional identity. In 1997, the college retired the “anchor” logo, as well as its blue and gold colors.

In the mid-2000s, students turned a joke about the plethora of Canada Geese on the Gainesville Campus into an idea for a mascot and named him “Laker T. Goose.” Today, the mascot serves to promote school spirit and camaraderie.

In the early days of athletic programs at North Georgia, the men’s athletic teams were known as the “Cadets.” Women’s intercollegiate basketball began at North Georgia in 1971, and initially, that team was called the “Gold Diggers.” In 1972, with intercollegiate athletics growing at North Georgia, the student body elected to adopt a Saint Bernard dog as the athletic mascot. The students also chose the nickname of the “Saints” for the teams.

Today, North Georgia College & State University competes in the NCAA Division II Peach Belt Conference and fields teams in baseball, basketball, women’s cross country, golf, rifle, soccer, softball, and tennis. The colors of North Georgia’s athletics program are blue and white.

For more information on the mascot selection process and access to the online survey, visit www.gscngcsu.org/consolidated/mascot/.

“The mission of the University of North Georgia calls us to serve students in a wide range of degree programs under a single state university umbrella,” said Dr. Bonita C. Jacobs, North Georgia’s president and the president-designate for the consolidated institution. “Through this mission, we have the opportunity to create multiple pathways by which a student can enter the University of North Georgia and pursue a degree.”

Under the plan, prospective students will apply to the degree program of their choice. This will include the associate, baccalaureate and graduate programs. Each program will have admissions standards that are independent from the location in which the program resides.

Not all levels of degrees or programs of study will be available on all campuses. For example, there are currently no bachelor’s degree programs offered at the Oconee campus, nor any associate’s degrees, other than nursing, in Dahlonega. Ongoing planning and resources will determine the future location or expansion of degree programs to best meet student and community needs.

Unless otherwise specified, tuition rates will be based on academic degree level. Students enrolled in the associate degree programs will be charged the state college tuition rate. Students enrolled in the baccalaureate degree programs will be charged the state university tuition rate. Students enrolled in graduate degree programs will be charged the tuition rate for that particular program. The University System Board of Regents sets the tuition rates for the system’s colleges and universities on an annual basis.

“This plan and consolidation of the two schools, preserves and enhances academic, financial and geographic access to higher education, which are so important to the students of this region,” said Dr. Randy Pierce, interim president of Gainesville State College.

University administrators intend to create processes that support seamless transition between campuses and degree programs, as needed, to facilitate students’ continued progress toward degree completion.

Students interested in enrollment as part of the university’s Corps of Cadets would be required to enroll in a baccalaureate program on the Dahlonega campus and comply with the program’s residency policy.

FAQs about admission and tuition

Committee members from North Georgia, Gainesville State, and the University System of Georgia discuss plans for the implementation of the proposed consolidation.

Mascot change:

We are experiencing a truly historic event as our two institutions consolidate. I understand and appreciate the anxiety change provokes in most of us. Change can also be exciting and energizing. For our faculty and staff, consolidation presents unexpected opportunities for personal and professional growth as we work with new people and think about operating in new ways. For our current and future students, the consolidated university represents some very real and positive opportunities through expanded academic programs and resources.

I am excited about the progress we are making, and I am deeply appreciative to those who continue to contribute their ideas and experience to ensure our future success. As our campus communities continue to celebrate the heritage of our great institutions, we can look forward to a bright future and enhanced opportunities for our current and future students.

Sincerely,

Bonita C. Jacobs, Ph.D.

At this stage of the process, work groups are gathering feedback from faculty and staff on proposed academic structures, developing concepts for the university’s new visual identity, and discussing policies that need to be combined, among a plethora of other details. We are also working through the next levels of organizational structure. I anticipate that we will be prepared to make announcements about much of this work at the beginning of August and to seek broader input where needed. The consolidation prospectus outlining our future operations is scheduled to be submitted to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges in October in preparation for its approval in December.

Please keep in mind that the factors shaping our decisions for courses, programs and operations are student interests, cost efficiency and documented need. In addition to our mission statement, the following resolutions are serving as guiding principles for our work.

We will…

• Be efficient.
• Perfect the art of efficient transfer.
• Graduate more students.
• Share one mission that maintains educational access as well as the selective four-year university experience.
• Honor and enhance the culture of each campus by understanding that no two campuses will likely ever become identical, nor is it in the state’s best interest that we do so.
• Not focus on geography and will be open to any course on any campus.
• Maintain the residential military program solely on the Dahlonega campus.
• Pay equal attention to various types of students: associate’s degree students, cadets, undergraduate students, graduate students, transfer students, non-traditional students, residential students, commuter students, honors students, high-risk students, on-line students, etc.
• Recognize that each type of student group has differing needs to be successful and will seek high graduation rates for all.
• Not dilute to the common denominator on any campus.
• Determine when best to preserve centrality and when best to preserve the individual culture.
• Recognize that our individual differences will make us stronger.
• Vigorously underscore that, while different, no group of students is more important than the other.
• Recognize that change has the potential to create stress among faculty and staff, and we will focus on clarity of communication.
• Create basic assumptions and guidelines regarding pay structures and policy decisions.
• Systematically merge our finances, promotion and tenure policies, governance, fundraising, curriculum, branding/marketing, etc. by taking the best practices from each campus and beyond.
• Use data to inform our process.

Our work is leading us to become an even stronger university that values multiple campuses, their cultures and what they each contribute to the whole, as we serve a comprehensive geographical region and population.

Sincerely,
Bonita C. Jacobs, Ph.D.
President
North Georgia College & State University

The regents approved University of North Georgia as the name that will become effective in January with consolidation. University of North Georgia is a forward-looking name that creates a strong identity for this new university that spans a large geographic region and that will have an array of educational programs – spanning associate to doctoral degrees – that serve a student population of more than 15,000.

The regents also approved the mission statement drafted by the Consolidation Implementation Committee with an addition to specifically reference the institution’s designation as a senior military college.

I am deeply appreciative to the Consolidation Implementation Committee and their thoughtful deliberation of these guiding principles. Their work identified many common elements and values focused on student success and educational experiences that are shared by Gainesville State College and North Georgia College & State University. Further, the committee members have been cognizant of the fact that we are not just renaming an institution. Rather, we are blending two institutions to become a new and even stronger university.

Throughout the process, the committee has been intent on honoring the institutions’ heritage, achievements and particular missions. One of the key concerns for North Georgia constituents is the continuation of the university’s military program.

As one of only six federally-designated senior military colleges in the United States that has produced generations of Army officers, including more than 40 generals, it is important for us all to recognize that the university’s Corps of Cadets will continue to stand as one of the elements that uniquely identifies our university. To further advance the prestige and identity of this important role, we will be conducting a year-long study into the feasibility of creating a “North Georgia Military College,” similar to an Honors College, under the umbrella of the university. COL Billy Wells will be leading that effort and more information will be available as it gets underway.

Similarly, the continuation of Gainesville State College’s heritage as an access institution has been very important to its campus community. The new mission statement also preserves that element through the scope of programs offered and its student-focused theme.

These topics have been highly important to all of our stakeholders. The processes for developing the mission statement and recommending the name engaged thousands of stakeholders across our campuses and communities in healthy discussions about the future of our consolidated institution.

The name and mission statement will now guide the more detail-oriented and complex work of our operational working groups, which are already seeing emerging possibilities to enhance academic opportunities for students.

Over the next few months, our communications and marketing staffs will be developing a visual identity that represents the University of North Georgia. They will involve many departments and constituents as part of this planning process and more information will be coming forward soon. In the meantime, we will exercise good fiscal stewardship by using our existing supplies of materials bearing our current identities as we prepare for implementation of the name and new visual identity in January 2013.

As we move forward toward consolidation, there is much more work to be done, and I encourage all of our students, faculty, staff, alumni and community friends to demonstrate the best our institutions have to offer. We have a great and bold mission ahead of us as we seek to improve efficiencies, provide quality higher education opportunities to more Georgians, and contribute to the state’s economic development and the future career opportunities for our graduates.

Sincerely,
Bonita C. Jacobs, Ph.D.
President, North Georgia College & State University