University Relations

August 2001 News

• North Georgia faculty member's book on writers and Nazis is published
  
• North Georgia College & State University creates a presence in Forsyth and Cobb counties
• NGCSU nursing program goes to Cobb

North Georgia faculty member's book on writers and Nazis is published

DAHLONEGA-In the 1930s, prior to World War II, four American women in Germany and Austria watched the rise of Nazi ideology. Those women, Kay Boyle, Katherine Anne Porter, Jean Stafford and Lillian Hellman, were authors whose works reflect on challenges to ethical behavior in the stressful political climate which they personally witnessed at close range.

Thomas Carl Austenfeld, department head of Language and Literature at North Georgia College and State University, has written a book, "American Women Writers and the Nazis." With the subtitle "Ethics and Politics in Boyle, Porter, Stafford and Hellman," the book provides valuable insight for historians, political ethicists and anyone looking back at the rise of Nazism in that prewar period.

Published this month (August 2001) by the prominently respected University Press of Virginia, Austenfeld's book includes nine chapters and already has generated favorable notices.

"With its emphasis on women, politics and ethics, 'American Women Writers' provides a needed and intriguing chapter on the relationship of American writers to one of the most devastating political movements of the modern era - indeed, of any era," said Will Brantley. Brantley is the author of "Feminine Sense in Southern Memoir: Smith, Glasgow, Welty, Hellman, Porter, and Hurston."

The publisher's advance notice about the book states: "…scholars of these important American writers have long neglected the significance of the mingling of writing, ethics, and politics in their work."

"In 'American Women Writers,' Thomas Austenfeld restores ethics and politics to the central places they held in the lives and work of these four women. By documenting the political and ethical apprenticeships each woman served in Germany and Austria, Austenfeld convincingly argues that the genius of these writers exists precisely in their ability to continue the development of their best creative sensibilities - in spite of and indeed because of the ethical challenges they faced as women writers in the tense prewar world."

The book already is available from Amazon.com for $34.50, as well as from other commercial booksellers.

For additional information, contact the author, Dr. Thomas Austenfeld, 706/864-1775.

North Georgia College & State University creates a presence in Forsyth and Cobb counties

COVERING NEW GROUND - More than 20 classes in thirteen subject areas are being offered for the initial semester in Forsyth County. Click to enlarge

DALONEGA - North Georgia College & State University has established a strong academic presence in two area counties for the fall semester 2001. An initiative to offer NGCSU courses off campus has tripled the number of locations where satellite classes are now available. The Forsyth County Board of Education Professional Development Center is the new location for more than 20 classes in 13 subject areas offered by the university. Graduate courses in education and courses in the baccalaureate programs of computer science, business and nursing figure prominently in the current schedule. The Forsyth program will eventually include an array of required core curriculum courses of the first two years in the baccalaureate degree areas of business, computer information systems, early childhood, middle grades and special education, said Dr. Lennet Daigle, dean of the School of Arts & Letters.

Gainesville College collaborates with NGCSU on the Forsyth venture, and courses now offered lead to associate's degrees in business, history, English, and general studies through Gainesville College.

The Forsyth collaboration has resulted in 212 students taking classes offered by both schools there. The majority of students, 146, are enrolled in NGCSU courses.

"The program's success and strong administrative support suggest that NGCSU will remain a presence in Forsyth County for some time to come," Daigle said.

North Georgia has also set up residency in two Cobb County hospitals offering courses for the associate of science of nursing degree. The classes are transmitted via the Georgia Statewide Academic & Medical System network to Kennestone Hospital in Marietta and Cobb Hospital in Austell. Professors at North Georgia instruct students on campus and a live video feed to the hospitals allows the students there to interact with the "parent" class in Dahlonega.

"We look forward to an active presence in the areas served by these two major health care providers and to effectively addressing the current critical nursing shortage through this partnership," said Dr. Jill Hayes, the NGCSU nursing department head.

North Georgia's impact in the region is complimented by a growing presence at Gainesville College. The satellite campus has several established degree opportunities from North Georgia offered there including an associate's, several bachelor's degrees and a master's. The number of courses keeps growing since North Georgia began offering early childhood education classes on GC's Oakwood campus this summer and the education specialist graduate program began this fall semester.

NGCSU nursing program goes to Cobb

DAHLONEGA - North Georgia College & State University is offering nursing classes at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital in Marietta and Wellstar Cobb Hospital in Austell. The NGCSU courses started this fall semester at the Cobb County hospitals and are part of a new partnership between Wellstar Health System and NGCSU.

The courses are offered for students pursuing the associate of science in nursing degree through NGCSU. Nursing classes are transmitted through the Georgia Statewide Academic & Medical System network via video teleconferencing. Professors at North Georgia instruct students on the Dahlonega campus while participants at the Cobb county hospitals watch and communicate with the "parent" class at NGCSU.

VIDEO CONFERENCING CLASSES - Nursing classes are offered through GSAMS to Cobb County hospitals. Click to enlarge

"We look forward to an active presence in the areas served by these two major health care providers and to effectively addressing the current critical nursing shortage through this partnership," said Jill Hayes, the NGCSU nursing department head. The Cobb County "satellite" sites for the North Georgia nursing program are in addition to a site located on the Gainesville College campus in Gainesville, Ga and one in Cumming, Ga. at the Forsyth County Board of Education Professional Development Center. Interested students may apply through North Georgia's Department of Nursing after enrolling at the university. Students may obtain an application form for the Wellstar program online at www.ngcsu.edu and may call 706-864-1800 for admission information.

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