Clayton State – East Preparing to Open for Fall Semester

As part of the University-wide preparations for the opening of the 2009/2010 academic year on Monday, Aug. 17, Clayton State University has been preparing its latest acquisition, Clayton State – East, for use during the fall 2009 semester.

Previously the campus of the Atlanta Bible College (ABC) on Trammell Road in Morrow, Clayton State – East is located (not surprisingly) just east of the University’s main campus, extending the University’s acreage from 163 acres to 175 acres.

During the spring of 2008, the University negotiated an option to purchase the ABC campus, which comprises approximately 12.1 acres and two main buildings, a 16,173 square foot administration building and an 11,628 square foot apartment building. The administration building includes classrooms, offices, a large auditorium/meeting/assembly space, a library and a kitchen. The apartment building contains 10 apartments. For the fall 2009 semester, Clayton State – East will be used for evening classes. Some productions of the Clayton State Theatre and special lectures may also be held in the auditorium.

In the long term, Vice President of Business and Operations Corlis Cummings notes that the property gives the University the flexibility to consider utilizing its buildings for a variety of uses, including; holding some Continuing Education events or classes, using the classroom space for day classes, serving as a possible annex to the existing Clayton State Library, administrative offices, housing for visiting scholars and/or visiting faculty. Cummings also adds that the ABC purchase, while congruent with the University’s 2006 strategic plan, came at a time when property values were such that Clayton State was able to obtain the property at a fair price.

A unit of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State University is an outstanding comprehensive metropolitan university located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.