Regents approve single-digit tuition increase for 2005-2006
Full funding of enrollment formula aids university system

DAHLONEGA – The University System of Georgia saw its first budget increase in three years at the conclusion of the Georgia General Assembly’s 2005 session. The $1.8 billion appropriation allotted to the USG for FY06 amounts to an 8.5 percent increase over the state funds received for FY05.

The appropriations approved by the General Assembly include full funding of the USG’s funding formula, as recommended by Gov. Sonny Purdue. The formula drives the USG’s budget appropriation, providing the necessary monies to address student enrollment growth. For the upcoming fiscal year, the USG has received $103.4 million in new formula dollars.

The Board of Regents also approved new tuition rates during is April board meeting, keeping tuition increases for USG institutions in the single digits for the 2005-2006 academic year.

North Georgia College & State University students in Dahlonega will have a 5 percent increase in tuition starting in August, an increase of $58 a semester.

USG students will experience tuition increases averaging 6.5 percent – 5 percent for students at two-year colleges and four-year state and regional universities, and 8 percent for students at research universities. The increase translates to an additional $37, $58 or $135 per semester during the coming year, depending on whether a student attends a two-year college, a four-year university or a research institution.

The 6.5 percent average increase comes during a period when tuition increases nationally continue to soar. The median increase in the South last year reached 10.6 percent for four-year colleges and universities and 20 percent for two-year colleges.

The new tuition levels reflect a three-pronged tuition strategy put forward by the chancellor and senior USG officials for 2005-2006. The strategy focuses on generating revenue to increase the number of full-time faculty among all three sectors of the University System. In addition, the strategy includes:

•        Promoting admissions access and keeping tuition low to ensure affordability at the two-year colleges;

•        Helping the System’s regional and state universities remain competitive regionally; and

•        Fostering national competitiveness at the System’s four research universities.

During the 2005-2006 academic year, tuition will generate approximately $43.6 million in revenue – based on actual enrollment – to meet these goals.

“We pressed hard to keep tuition well below the double-digit mark, and our funding partners helped us achieve that goal,” said University System of Georgia Chancellor Thomas C. Meredith. “The Governor and the General Assembly responded to our needs by fully funding the enrollment growth formula, and that allowed us to alleviate the impact of the tuition increase. We are grateful the state’s tax revenues are rebounding, and for the support we are receiving as those additional funds are redirected to higher education.”

NGCSU President Potter announces appointment

DAHLONEGA –  In his fourth month leading the university, North Georgia College & State University President David Potter has determined to advance the visibility and recognition of the leadership programs of North Georgia throughout the region and state.

	Billy Wells

In order to take the initiative to the next level, Potter has established a new administrative position, assistant to the president for leadership development.

“We’ve only advertised for internal candidates for this position in order to attract those already familiar with the academic and military components of North Georgia’s Leadership Initiative,” Potter explained. “I need someone working with me in the President’s Office to advance our leadership programs throughout the university, the community, the entire northeast Georgia region and the University System of Georgia.”

After reviewing the applicants and nominees, Potter announced April 21 that he is naming Billy Wells, North Georgia’s professor of Military Science since 2002, to the new position.

“Billy already has contributed significantly to the success of our leadership program in the Corps of Cadets,” said Potter, “and I believe that he can build on that success to help us achieve a comparable level of achievement for the other dimensions of our leadership identity.”

“Billy Wells has an excellent reputation and is engaged throughout the community,” said Andy Schaffer, who serves on the Business Administration faculty. “He has established outstanding working relationships with both civilian and military faculty and staff across campus and is well suited for this role.”

Coincidentally, Wells, now a retired colonel in the U.S. Army with 30 years of leadership and management experience, was honored on April 18 with a reception as he retired from the Army and his military faculty position at the university.

Schaffer said the new position demonstrates Potter’s commitment to NGCSU’s leadership mission.

“By creating this position, Dr. Potter has signaled to the campus and the community that a top notch leadership development institution requires both resources and attention from the President’s Office,” Schaffer said. “This level of commitment should encourage faculty, staff and community leaders.”

Before coming to North Georgia, Wells was chief of staff of the First Army at Fort Gillem in 2001-2002. For three prior years he was the training support brigade commander of the 87th Division, Fort Stewart. His previous military assignments, primarily in Georgia and Kentucky, included operations officer, chief of doctrinal and future force development, and battalion commander, among numerous other positions.

Wells earned his bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State University in 1975 and a master of science in education from Louisiana State University in 1980. Additional education and training included the Army War College, the Army Command and General Staff Officer’s Course, and Emergency Preparedness with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The Leadership Initiative at North Georgia has been established over the past three years. Bob Thomas, the Leadership Initiative director, has worked with a task force of more than a dozen faculty and staff members, including Wells and Schaffer, to establish the interdisciplinary Leadership Minor that students may choose with a Citizen Track or a Military Track. Special projects – including Leadership Roundtables for faculty and staff, guest speakers, and other academic and military leadership programs – are in progress throughout the campus. Thomas also has established the headquarters of the Georgia Servant Leadership Alliance at NGCSU and will maintain his position overseeing the academic side of the leadership curriculum and service projects.

Potter said he aims for a broader base of students as well as academic departments to become more involved with leadership studies, volunteerism and civic engagement.

“I think we can become the ‘leadership and values’ institution, with each of our students committed to evaluating their personal values as they advance in their education,” Potter explained. “Our citizenship and service engagement can carry us into a broader arena.”

Schaffer added, “This position will bolster our efforts to establish NGCSU as the premier leadership development institution for the USG.”

Wells will begin in the new position on May 9, working with both the civilian and military leadership development on campus, as well as with representatives and organizations in the local and regional community in building and advancing the university’s Leadership Initiative.

NGCSU Parents-Alumni Weekend highlights

DAHLONEGA – The North Georgia College & State University Parents-Alumni Weekend took place April 15-17. NGCSU President David Potter (top photo, front, center) started Saturday’s events off by leading the Corps of Cadets on an early morning run through Dahlonega.

More than 200 alumni and parents registered to attend the annual weekend with some joining the cadets for the five-kilometer run. Some of the weekend festivities included a wine tasting event, sports matches, and a military parade.

The Moving Wall (middle right), a half-size replica of the Washington, D.C., Vietnam Veterans Memorial, was on the university campus during the weekend.

A special permanent memorial (bottom right) was dedicated at the Pennington Military Leadership Center on Saturday. The “Killed In the Line of Duty” Memorial honors those alumni who have died while in the armed services. Pictured is retired Lt. Col. Allen R. Thayer, a 1960 alumnus, saluting the memorial.

North Georgia students conquer desert marathon

DAHLONEGA – North Georgia’s ROTC Ranger Challenge team spent their spring break competing against active duty military service members and professional marathoners in a desert marathon at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico on March 20, capturing top rankings in the race. 

Eighteen military students from North Georgia College & State University competed in the 16th Annual Bataan Memorial Death March that drew more than 2,700 participants.

The North Georgia cadets achieved two first place awards and a third place, among other top accolades. Two military science faculty members also competed and placed in the top tiers.

The marathon commemorates the thousands of captured WW II veterans who were forced to march through the Philippine jungles by Japanese forces, with many of the Americans perishing on the grueling trek.

Ranger Challenge’s commander, David Ubriaco, finishes strong, in 7th place, in the individual "male military heavy" division.
Herrera finishes strong in the individual "female military heavy" division, winning the division and beating second place by more than 30 minutes.

The punishing 26.2-mile course through the New Mexico desert drew civilian and military competitors from around the country and overseas.

“We trained the entire semester for this competition,” said David Ubriaco, the Ranger Challenge commander and a math junior from Conyers. “We did physical training five days a week, six- to eight-mile road marches weekly, and 10- to 24-mile road marches on the weekends.”

The cadets marched in the mountainous North Georgia area, helping prepare them mentally and physically for the event. The desert course was mostly a flat landscape, but one five-mile uphill stretch allowed some of the NGCSU competitors to take advantage of their mountain training. 

“We saw a lot of other teams take off at the start of the race and then burn out,” Ubriaco said. “One of our teams was able to overcome the uphill incline, passing other squads that just dropped off.”

Catherine Herrera, one of five returning marathoners from last year, placed first in the individual “female military heavy” division, traversing the barren landscape in 6 hours, 12 minutes. The 20-year-old Dahlonega resident carried 35 lbs. on her back and full water canteens. Her time was off by only 12 minutes from the year before, when she was part of a lightweight team with no load to carry.

“It felt a little harder this year,” said Herrera, a psychology sophomore.

“I was by myself and had to keep a good pace. It helped psychologically to know that I could march that far, having already done it. Before you are actually out there you ask yourself, ‘Can I do this?’”

Unknown to Herrera, she was up against two young alumnae on active duty in the Army. Former NGCSU Corps of Cadets members, Krista Gueller, NG ’01, and Marina Currie, NG ’04, also competed in Herrera’s division.

	1st place finishers in the "ROTC heavy" division pull each other to the finish line. (l to r) West, Jackson, Thibault, Davis and Bunch.

Freshman Michael Smolucha of Winfield, Ill., a double major in engineering and math, took the best time for all the North Georgia competitors with four hours and 40 minutes. He competed in the individual “male military light” division, placing third out of 273 competitors in that category.

Ubriaco and military science instructor Sgt. 1st Class Paul Johnson entered the individual “male military heavy” division, placing seventh with five hours, 52 minutes, and 16th with six hours, 24 minutes, respectively. Their division had 172 marathoners, each carrying 35 lbs. on their backs.

The last individual competitor was Sgt. Maj. Byron Barron, a military science instructor, competing in the “military male over 40 years old” division. He placed fourth with a time of four hours, 41 minutes.

Barron’s and Smolucha’s times put them in the top five percent of the more than 1,600 marathoners who competed in individual categories.

"ROTC heavy" team members finishing 7th include (l to r) Barton, Burkhart, Stull, Hawkins and Jones.

The remaining North Georgia participants were contenders in the team divisions. Two teams were in the “ROTC heavy” division, one squad winning the division and the other placing seventh. The “ROTC light” division team came in fifth place.

Members of the first place “heavy” team – finishing in six hours, 15 minutes – included juniors Jake Davis of Albany and Brandt Thibault of Marietta and freshmen Michael Bunch of Colorado Springs, Colo., John Jackson of Quitman, Texas, and Cameron West of Acworth. All of these cadets were newcomers to the Bataan marathon.

The other “heavy” team – finishing seventh in seven hours, 47 minutes – was made up of four female competitors and one male. Instead of opting to compete in a coed division, they went head-to-head with teams in the predominantly all-male division. This group included graduate student Wendy Stull of Brandon, Fla., seniors Jessica Barton of Derby, Kan., and Kai Hawkins of Conley, junior Jessica Jones of Glen Burnie, Md., and freshman Peter Burkhart of Acworth. 

	The “ROTC light” division team pushes onward. (l to r) Beverly, Wish, Sasscer, Richardson and Garver.

“I came out of this event knowing a lot more about myself – who I really am – and the concept of teamwork,” said Hawkins, a graduating finance senior who will commission as an Army second lieutenant in May.

The “light” team – placing fifth with five hours, 55 minutes – included seniors Jeff Garver of Dahlonega and Mark Richardson of Norcross, junior Robert Beverly of Alpharetta and sophomores Ryan Sasscer of Acworth and Marshall Wish of Augusta.

Keeping morale up during the long march was important to Hawkins, who was a team captain.

“A real motivator for the team was seeing Bataan military service veterans on the course at the midway point,” she said. “We would see them and our energy level just picked up. It was kind of automatic. These veterans had it so much harder, living the real war experience, so we knew we had to pick ourselves up and keep going.”

The NGCSU Ranger Challenge team is making plans to go back to the desert next year.

NGCSU student presents top science paper on Lumpkin water supply

	Jason Ryncarz

DAHLONEGA –  Jason Ryncarz, a senior at North Georgia College & State University in Dahlonega, Ga., was recognized by the Georgia Academy of Science on April 2. The Boynton Beach, Fla., native presented the outstanding paper in the Earth & Atmospheric Sciences section at the Academy's 2005 annual meeting at Gordon College in Barnesville, Ga.

Ryncarz's paper, "Water Quality Trend Analysis of the Yahoola Creek Reservoir and its Tributaries," was the culmination of a year-long study of Lumpkin County's new water supply reservoir carried out under the supervision of NGCSU physics professor Robert Fuller.

Ryncarz majors in biology, with minors in criminal justice and leadership. He will commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army in May when he graduates. He has been invited to submit his full paper for publication and has also been invited to submit the paper for national level competition.

Two Hall County middle schools celebrate culmination of learning through
special programs for Hispanic students and parents

DAHLONEGA –  North Georgia College & State University students and administrators have tutored Hispanic middle school children through the semester at Chestatee Middle School and Gainesville City Middle School. Through the semester, they have also invited parents of the children to special after-hours sessions to get the parents more involved in school life.

On April 11, at 5:30 in the Chestatee Middle School cafeteria, the middle school students and parents will have a fiesta, inviting the NGCSU tutors and others involved in enriching their education.

Gainesville City Middle School's Fiesta will take place on April 14 at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria.

"The fiestas are the culmination of 10 weeks of tutoring," said Cindy Teston, coordinator of the NGCSU META Initiative. "Parents will bring food and the kids will get certificates and awards of recognition."

Tutoring for the Gainesville City Middle School students will continue through this week, starting at 3:45 p.m. This is the last week of tutoring for the Hispanic students.

The META program administered through NGCSU started in fall of 2002. The university has conducted tutoring and parents programs for Hispanic families for almost three years. University student who are tutors give one-on-one attention to middle school students. Funding, which ends this spring, has been available through a Goizeuta Foundation grant administered through NGCSU.

For more information and interview opportunities at the fiestas contact Cindy Teston, NGCSU META coordinator, at 706-344-8081.

Fincher-Loughridge Foundation contributes to North Georgia

	Frances and Nathaniel Hansford

DAHLONEGA –  Students seeking financial aid at North Georgia College & State University have a number of scholarship funds in place to assist their pursuit of higher education.

Among donors to these scholarships is the Fincher-Loughridge Scholarship Fund, established with an initial gift of $14,000. The family indicated that it would donate an annual gift of at least that same amount toward scholarships for students who participate in the Corps of Cadets or who are resident female students.

In 1985, Sen. W.W. Fincher Jr. of Chatsworth, Ga., began a family foundation, the Fincher-Loughridge Foundation Inc. The charitable foundation is funded through contributions from Sen. Fincher, his wife Eunice L. Fincher, daughters Mary Jane Fincher Peterson, Phyllis Fincher Parsons, and Frances Fincher Hansford, the wife of North Georgia's 15th president, Nathaniel Hansford, who retired at the end of 2004.

The foundation supports colleges, churches and youth homes in the southern United States.

Others interested in contributing to scholarships at North Georgia may contact the NGCSU Foundation, 706-867-2873.

NGCSU military parades April 17 and 18

DAHLONEGA – The North Georgia College & State University Corps of Cadets will be part of two pass-in-reviews on April 17 and 18 on the university Drill Field in Dahlonega. The events are free and open to the public.

April 17, 2 p.m. - During the annual Parents-Alumni Weekend, a Military Awards Review will take place and the top cadets in North Georgia’s military program will be recognized. The guest speaker will be U.S. Army Gen. Dan McNeill, commanding general of the U.S. Army Forces Command. The university’s Blue Ridge Rifles precision drill team will also perform.

April 18, 4 p.m. - North Georgia’s ROTC head, Col. Billy Wells, will retire from the U.S. Army and a change of command will take place on the Drill Field. Col. Bruce A. Georgia will take charge of the military program and speak at the event along with Col. Wells.

NGCSU showcases best and brightest on Honors Day

DAHLONEGA –  For the 10th consecutive year, an accomplished group of students, faculty and guest speakers will converge on the campus of North Georgia College & State University for the Annual Honors Day Academic Conference. Taking place on April 13, the conference covers the entire campus, replacing all on-campus day classes.

The daylong forum will showcase student excellence and achievement. Admission is free and open to the public.

Each department selects student papers or projects to present at panels. The panels run most of the day, from 9 a.m. through 3 p.m. either on campus, in the Hoag and Shott auditoriums, the Oakes Center, Dunlap Hall, or the Health & Natural Sciences Building, among other locations. An updated schedule is available from the Academics section of the campus Web site (www.ngcsu.edu).

In addition to individual student presentations, honor societies and other academic or professional groups will stage activities. For instance, the School of Natural & Health Sciences will stage a poster session, and "Mountain Laurels," the university's literary magazine, will present selected readings from this year's edition.

Student presentations involve significant original research or thinking, often in the form of multimedia presentations including visuals, graphics, video, audio or computer graphics. Many Honors Day presentations go on to other academic conferences around the country. Presenters also have the opportunity to publish their work in "Honores," the NGCSU Journal of Undergraduate Research.

The day ends with a "Great Debate," sponsored by the NGCSU Honors Program and debated by two teams of Honors Program students. Traditionally focusing on a pressing social or cultural issue, this year's topic is "The Patriot Act."

For more information, contact the conference's organizer Dr. Carl Cavalli, at the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice (ccavalli@ngcsu.edu , 706-864-1872) or visit the Web site (from the NGCSU Web site, select Academics and look for Honors Day).

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall replica at NGCSU

DAHLONEGA –  A half-size replica of the Washington, D.C., Vietnam Veterans Memorial is coming to the campus of North Georgia College & State University in Dahlonega, Ga.

The Moving Wall, built by Vietnam veteran volunteers, will be displayed on the Drill Field in the heart of the NGCSU campus April 13-19. Included on the replica of the memorial are the names of all 58,200 men and women in the U.S. armed forces who died in service during the Vietnam War.

The exhibit has toured the country since 1984. Sometimes called "The Traveling Wall," the Wall's Web site, www.themovingwall.org, indicates that the exhibition last came to Dahlonega in 1992.

The overall length of the Moving Wall is 252.83 feet, which is slightly longer than half the length of the actual Memorial in Washington, whose length is 493.5 feet.

The original Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall was designed by Maya Ying Lin and was dedicated on November 13, 1982.

Construction began on the Moving Wall in February 1983 and was completed in October 1984. The wall is made of aluminum panels, having a surface painted with a two-part polyurethane gloss black, which gives a mirror-like finish, mounted to angular aluminum frames. The aluminum structure is supported from the back by 74 steel square tubular braces.

The Moving Wall was paid for, like the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, from contributions made by the public. The exhibit will be available to visitors all day during its weeklong stay at North Georgia.

Because of Parents-Alumni Weekend, April 15-17, and the Military Review on Sunday at 2 p.m., visitors are advised to plan their visit accordingly. The Public Safety Office, just inside the main gate to campus off North Chestatee Street, can provide parking information and directions.

NGCSU Parents-Alumni Weekend takes place April 15-17

DAHLONEGA – The annual Parents-Alumni Weekend at North Georgia College & State University is scheduled for April 15-17.

The weekend includes traditional events: a golf tournament, wine tasting, a Fun Run, the Military Ball, an awards luncheon, the Memorial Retreat ceremony, a reception and banquet, and the Sunday Military Awards Review.

An additional event this year is a site dedication, "Killed in the Line of Duty," at the Drill Plaza of the new Pennington Leadership Center on Saturday at 11 a.m.

At the Saturday luncheon, the Alumni Association will honor Dr. Mark Spraker as the 2005 Distinguished Professor and outstanding students Corrie Duvall and Scott Dickson will be recognized for their achievements.

Retired Col. Ben S. Malcom, NG '50, will pay tribute to students and alumni "who sacrificed all" during the Memorial Retreat at 4 p.m. that day.

The Saturday evening banquet will feature Hall of Fame Award recipient Garland F. Pinholster, NG '49, Distinguished Alumni Award recipients Barbara DeMarco Williams, NG '73, and John D. Anthony, NG '51, and Young Alumni Award winner Marc Cutright, NG '88.

Gen. Dan K. McNeill, commanding general of the U.S. Army Forces Command, will be the featured speaker at the 2 p.m. Sunday military review, when all Corps of Cadets alumni are invited to pass in review with the Corps. This event is free and open to the public.

For inquiries about the weekend and to make reservations for the ticketed events, telephone 706-867-2873.

Books on sale at NGCSU library

DAHLONEGA –  The Annual Book Sale at the Stewart Library of North Georgia College & State University offers a wealth of fiction and non-fiction, academic texts, children's stories and out-of-print books.

The popular event begins April 11 and continues through April 13, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day on the patio area in front of Stewart Library. Parking permits and directions are available from the Public Safety office, just inside the main entrance to campus off of Chestatee Street.

"We've accumulated more than 1,200 books, donated by local citizens, and by the students, faculty, and staff of North Georgia," said Mary Poland of the Stewart Library staff. "We offer bargain prices, ranging from 50 cents to $3 and provide a great opportunity to stock home libraries or book collections at retirement homes, community centers and other locations." 

Book donations for the annual sale are welcome year-round, she added. For more information, telephone 706-864-1518.

This page last modified on: Friday, 03 June 2005 17:25:08 -0400 by University Relations    

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