UWG Preview Day Set For Sunday, January 31

Prospective students and their families are invited to Winter Preview Day at the University of West Georgia on Sunday, January 31, from 1 to 5 p.m. Located just 45 minutes from Atlanta, the 100-year-old institution boasts a student enrollment of more than 11,000, a beautiful 645-acre campus and state-of-the-art facilities.

The recommended check-in time for Winter Preview Day is 1 p.m. and takes place in The Coliseum. A welcome session follows at 1:30 p.m. with an introduction by Director of Admissions Bobby Johnson along with welcoming remarks by UWG President Beheruz Sethna and Student Ambassador Leviell Waits.

After the welcome session, the Academic and Department Fair will be held from 2 - 3:30 p.m. in the Campus Center Ballroom. The event will spotlight various departments at the university as well as many of the university’s student activities, organizations and departmental services.
There will also be an opportunity for visitors to tour the campus from 2 - 3:30 p.m. Several residence halls will also be open for viewing from 2:30 - 5 p.m. Visitors may tour the residence halls by shuttle or by walking. The residence halls open for viewing are Arbor View Apartments, Bowdon, Downs, Strozier, Tyus and Watson Halls, and the University Suites. Our new Athletic Complex and Greek Village will also be open for viewing.

Information sessions for prospective students and their families will be held at 2:15 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. in the TLC. First Year Programs, Financial Aid, the Honors College, Residence Life, and a parent session with President Sethna and the Advanced Academy of Georgia are some of the topics and programs that will be represented.

Guests may also visit the Office of Admissions, located in Mandeville Hall, and the University Bookstore from 3 - 5 p.m. The bookstore carries hundreds of clothing items, posters and UWG souvenirs.

To conclude the day’s activities, students and their families are welcome to dine in the Food Services Building (Z-6) beginning at 5 p.m. The award-winning campus dining service costs $6.75 per person plus tax for an all-you-can-eat meal that includes a wide variety of pizzas, stir fry, deli sandwiches, meats and vegetables, salads and desserts.

For more information or to pre-register, call the Office of Admissions at 678-839-5600 or go to www.westga.edu/admiss/index_1067.php. Students and their families may also register at The Coliseum starting at 12:30 p.m.

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West Georgia Awarded Safety Grant

The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Collaborative Safety Initiatives awarded Health Services a $12,500 grant to fund its Georgia Young Adult programs. It is the sixth consecutive GOHS grant awarded to UWG. UWG will use the grant to educate the campus community on alcohol abuse, underage drinking and impaired driving.

The Georgia Young Adult Program is designed for colleges and universities and focuses on peer education to promote and raise awareness of highway safety issues. In addition to education on alcohol abuse, the program includes education on the use of safety belts, dangers of speeding and reducing risks on the road.

Grant funding is also utilized by the health educators to bring nationally recognized speakers and trainers to campus. During Health and Safety Week, which is the week before spring break, educators highlight behaviors that may put students at risk while on vacation.

The long-term goal of the program is to create a safer, healthier campus environment. For more information, call 678-839-0641.

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The Newnan Center set for growth

One of the University of West Georgia’s best kept secrets is receiving its due recognition. This semester, the Newnan Center property transferred ownership from the Coweta County Commission to the University System of Georgia.

In 1990, approximately 100 students attended the first classes in what was once the Georgia Power Shenandoah Environment and Education Center. Today, the 14-acre center has an enrollment of more than 3,400 and serves students from more than 46 counties.

Community leaders and organizations also use the center for meetings and trainings. In addition to core curriculum courses, UWG Newnan offers full undergraduate degrees in nursing and early childhood education, and graduate degrees in business administration, criminology and four education programs.

The educational facility is comprised of two occupied buildings with 10 rooms available for instruction. Two new lecture halls, a new nursing lab, classrooms and a biology lab have all been equipped with multimedia technology. With the transfer of property, the location is now able to expand and upgrade its facilities.

Easily accessible to I-85 and neighboring counties, the Newnan Center is located off Highway 34 east of Newnan at 7 Solar Circle. For more information, go to http://www.nc.westga.edu.

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Graduate Nursing Scholarship Established at UWG

The University of West Georgia recently established the Raymond L. Abernathy Graduate Nursing Scholarship, created by his daughter, Dale Howard, who is a nurse, and his son-in-law, Teddy Howard, to “honor the memory of an exceptional and loving father who nurtured his children’s dreams.” The scholarship will benefit graduate students in UWG’s School of Nursing.

“My father would be honored and humbled by having this scholarship established in his memory,” said Dale Howard. “He greatly respected the nursing profession, always supporting my pursuit of continued nursing education at the University of West Georgia. Indeed he would be proud to contribute to the educational opportunities of a new generation of master’s degree-prepared nurses at UWG’s School of Nursing.”

Abernathy graduated from Hiram High School in 1944 and began working in the mailroom of Courts and Company, a brokerage firm of the New York Stock Exchange. He worked his way up, learning from his mentors along the way. From 1950 to 1952, he served in the Korean War, where he was promoted to Master Sergeant in the Army. After the war, with the help of the GI Bill, he began taking classes at Georgia State University. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in May 1962.

Throughout his life, Abernathy passionately encouraged his own children and grandchildren to always do their best in school. He bequeathed a deep love of academics to his family. He firmly believed higher education and a strong work ethic opened the door to numerous opportunities and a better way of life. His education served him well as he succeeded in the investment banking industry for more than 60 years. Upon his death in July 2007 at age 80, he was the vice president of investments and securities at Morgan Stanley.

To be eligible for this scholarship, graduate nursing students must have an overall grade point average of 3.0 or better. The selected student must also meet or exceed UWG’s academic standards throughout the duration of the scholarship.

For more information on the Raymond L. Abernathy Graduate Nursing Scholarship and other scholarship and giving opportunities, contact the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at 678-839-6582.

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West Georgia Campus Closed for Furlough Days

The University of West Georgia will be closed on Thursday, Oct. 15, and Friday, Oct. 16, because of state-mandated furlough days. The campus will reopen on Monday, Oct. 19.

All University System of Georgia employees are required to take six days of leave without pay during fiscal year 2010 under the Mandatory Furlough Program. This program applies to all USG employees regardless of source of funds, or place of work, including staff, administrators, faculty and all other employees in classified and unclassified positions, including, but not limited to, time-limited, intermittent, temporary employees, and new hires.

These furlough days equal three days of unpaid leave since September for the employees of UWG.

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IMPACT Year 2: Science, Math and Fun

he second year of the successful University of West Georgia IMPACT program is set to begin this weekend on Friday, Oct. 2, and Saturday, Oct. 3, with a science demonstration at the Technology-enhanced Learning Center, room 1305.

Improving Motivation, Performance, and Attitudes of Children and Teachers or IMPACT is a grant-funded program that helps children and educators get excited about math and science by hands-on learning that encourages creative thinking and problem solving skills.

Mad Georgia Tech Scientist Dr. A will kick off IMPACT Year 2 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday with a demonstration of his Sensational Science. He will show off his science prowess with the properties of super cool cryogenics, which is liquid nitrogen that measures a negative 321 degrees, the hot fire tornado, the bang of the Binaca cannon, Newton's Laws and other exciting experiments.

The 90-minute program continues for two more performances on Saturday at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Registration is ongoing and costs $1 for children and $2 for adults. Arriving 15 minutes early is recommended. To register and for more information on IMPACT and the weekend presentations, go to https://uwgagenda.westga.edu/impact101.html.

IMPACT Year 2 will also host Saturday camps.

This year, Saturday Science and Math Camps for K-8 students will be hosted from Oct. 31 through April and finish with an awards ceremony in May. The camps offer a wide range of fun and educational courses in science, technology, engineering and mathematics to children and educators for a registration fee of $5.

All sessions will be led by knowledgeable university scientists, experienced science educators and passionate students who are committed to enhancing teaching and learning of science and mathematics in the West Georgia region. To view the camp schedule, go to https://uwgagenda.westga.edu/impact101.html.

In 2008, the Alice Huffard Richards Fund granted $100,000 for one year for the IMPACT program. At the end of the first year, an evaluation determined that the program successfully met its goals and was renewed for a two-year cycle at $100,000 per year for a possible funding of up to $300,000. The grant is administered through the Community Foundation of West Georgia.

UWG Professors Sharmistha Basu Dutt, associate professor of chemistry and director of Engineering Studies, and Gail Marshall, assistant professor of curriculum and instruction, are coordinators of the grant program.

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Gunnell Memorial Scholarship Established

In 1964, the city hospital in Villa Rica was a modest clinic that served the local area. But that year, it would benefit from the arrival of Ila Mae Gunnell, who would devote 32 years to helping build what is now Tanner Medical Center/ Villa Rica into a highly respected health care facility.

Now, to honor her memory, Mrs. Gunnell’s family and friends have established an endowed scholarship in the amount of $10,000 at the University of West Georgia’s School of Nursing.
Mrs. Gunnell, a mother of five, had no formal medical training, but always wanted to be a nurse and cared deeply about providing quality health care. She served in many capacities at the medical center, including in an instrumental role in helping form the respiratory therapy department, which was one of the first units of its kind in the area outside of the major Atlanta hospitals. That unit is now among the most highly regarded in the region.

Mrs. Gunnell, who passed away last month at the age of 85, forged a remarkable career out of her desire to work in the medical field.

“Mother always wanted to be a nurse, but she was never able to. But when she had the opportunity to work in a hospital, it was right up her alley,” said daughter Judy McTyre.
Mrs. Gunnell’s children thought establishing a scholarship for students pursuing a career in nursing presented an ideal opportunity to pay tribute to their mother’s work.

“We felt like this was a wonderful way to honor her legacy – to help others achieve something she valued so much,” said daughter Carol Maynard.

Another of Mrs. Gunnell’s daughters, Gail Beard, said assisting students in reaching their goals carried on her mother’s spirit of caring.

“What can we do for you? That’s what nursing is about. That’s what made her so special.”
Mrs. Gunnell’s work inspired others, daughter Becky King said.

“She touched many lives, and this scholarship will help maintain her influence,” she said.
The scholarship, which is available to employees or children of employees of Tanner Medical Center/ Villa Rica or Paulding WellStar Hospital, will also serve as a reminder to people connected with those institutions of the work of Mrs. Gunnell, her son said.

“This is something to make life a little easier for the folks who work at those hospitals or their children,” Terry Gunnell said. “What we were interested in was helping in her name and her honor people who might need an assist in reaching their goals.”

Mrs. Gunnell’s contribution to nursing in the West Georgia region was substantial, and the scholarship will help commemorate that, said Dr. Kathryn Grams, dean of the UWG School of Nursing.

“We are exceptionally grateful for the family’s generosity in establishing this scholarship. It will enable students who might not otherwise have the opportunity to pursue their education in this important field,” Grams said.

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West Georgia School of Nursing a Winner

The University of West Georgia and the School of Nursing will celebrate its one-year anniversary in the upcoming 2009-2010 academic year.

Established in 1974, the Nursing Department excelled as a department in the College of Arts and Sciences. Now, it is one of the university’s most prestigious programs with classes on the Carrollton campus and at the Newnan Center.

Dr. Kathryn Grams, dean of the nursing program, said nursing made the leap from department to school because of the distinct characteristics that separate it from other programs in the College of Arts and Sciences.

It is the only traditional health discipline at UWG, one with an extremely complex curriculum.

“This change increases the visibility of our program within the university and the community,” she said. “It also enhances the status of nursing for our students and faculty, and it makes UWG comparable to other nursing units in Georgia’s robust tier of doctoral comprehensive universities.”

The change also allows the school to recruit future students more effectively.

“Nursing students are in high demand right now, with the best and brightest of those looking for a high quality facility,” Grams said. “They want an institution that holds nursing in high regard.”
Because the state is facing a shortage of nursing students and faculty, the discipline is a high priority in the university system. Grams said the change at UWG puts nursing in the public eye and helps people see how crucial it is.

The School of Nursing experienced a successful and exciting 2008. Not only did it receive a new designation, its BSN and MSN programs were also reaccredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education for the next 10 years. Plans are underway for the school to have its own building on UWG’s main campus within the next few years, also.

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UWG to Host Summer Research Program

The University of West Georgia and the Department of Mathematics will host an exciting National Science Foundation program this summer. Students participating in “Research Experience for Undergraduates” are chosen from a national pool of math majors and will live on the UWG campus for eight weeks.

Dr. Bruce Landman, chair of the math department, and Dr. Abdollah Khodkar, associate professor of mathematics, will offer students first-hand experience in conducting research in the mathematical areas of number and graph theory and combinatorics. The NSF sponsored program, which is in its third year, pays for residential living and meals on campus, a stipend and living and traveling expenses.

This year’s participants attend Georgia Tech, UWG, California State University at Northridge, Florida State University, the University of Maryland – Baltimore County, McDaniel College, the University of Michigan and the University of Nebraska.

The research program will focus on individual and team research work under a faculty mentor. The syllabi will feature lectures by visiting speakers, weekly seminars where students give oral presentations on their work and writing a mathematics research paper. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in a prestigious mathematics conference. It is an inspiring program for students who love math, said Landman.

“Our 2007 and 2008 REU programs appear to have been successful,” said Landman. “At least four student-authored articles have been accepted in research journals, two presentations have been made at a national conference, numerous academic awards have been received and most of the students have decided to pursue doctorate degrees.”

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UWG: Stadium Funding, Construction on Pace

Summer is just kicking off, but it won’t be long until players, coaches and fans will be gearing up to kick off another football season at the University of West Georgia. And this coming season, the Wolves football program takes a major step forward with the opening of a new on-campus stadium that is generating excitement throughout the UWG athletics community.

The stadium will be the crown jewel of a $34 million, 250-acre athletics complex that will help promote UWG as a destination institution both academically and athletically.

The university, through private fundraising and student fees, has successfully financed the bulk of the project, and is continuing to generate sponsorship opportunities for the athletics complex and its individual components, which include an administrative field house, women’s sports field house, softball field, soccer field and two football practice fields.

“We are thrilled at the response we’ve received in our fundraising efforts for the stadium, and we are excited about how exceptionally well the entire project is progressing,” said Daryl Dickey, UWG football coach and acting athletics director. “But as we continue to build a place to call home, we need more help and would greatly appreciate any support that would be available from the community.”

Nicole Worthington, UWG’s director of development, said the stadium’s naming opportunities enable supporters to help extend the university’s reach athletically, which in turn allows it to enhance and promote its academic standing.

“This is a great time to honor someone by naming a skybox or other designated area of the athletics complex,” she said. “Since it’s still in construction, many of the naming opportunities are still available. We are definitely seeing renewed interest and enthusiasm as the opening day gets closer.”

Sponsorship opportunities include such plans as the chair-back program, which allows donors to have recognition plates placed on seats in the reserved seating section. At $2,500 per seat, this plan gives donors first access to the named seats with purchase of a season ticket package. The stadium will contain more than 1,000 of these designated seats.

Also available are Recognition Tiles, which are named brick tiles in the main entry corridor of the stadium that are available during construction and after completion of the complex, also at a contribution level of $2,500.

Honor Columns allow donors to have a recognition plate placed on the brick columns near the stadium, with priority placement based on the order and timing of the naming agreement. This arrangement is $25,000, and lets the donor purchase four season tickets and receive a parking pass.

The stadium also offers 12 VIP Suites, of which four are available, that would allow a $250,000 donor to have a recognition plate placed in the suite, and to have first access to lease the suite for an annual fee.

The stadium’s construction is proceeding on schedule, and the facility is set to be christened for the Wolves’ home opener on Sept. 5 against Lambuth University.

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Teachers' Time to Learn

The University of West Georgia and the College of Education will host its annual Learning Festival on Wednesday and Thursday, June 3-4 at the Education Center. The festival is free and the community is invited to attend.

The two-day conference is an exceptional opportunity for administrators, teachers, parents, homeschoolers and community residents to learn and share a wide range of teaching experiences.

Guest speakers include State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox, 2008 National Teacher of the Year Michael Geisen of Prineville, OR, and 2009 State Teacher of the Year Leanne Maule from Cartersville High School.

Learning Festival 2009 will offer participants a conference-style program on reading and math pedagogy in the classroom with approximately four concurrent sessions available throughout the day.

Topics include Creating and Using Building Profiles of ELL Student Proficiency to Support Instruction, molecular mechanics and civic projects for middle and high school students.

PLU and graduate credits will be available to participants. A PLU is a unit of credit granted to Georgia educators based on 10 contact hours of formal instruction or its equivalent.

Coordinators hope classroom teachers will realize their contribution to the quality of life in area schools and their communities as well as be inspired and renewed.

Registration is ongoing. For more information or to register, go to www.westga.edu/~festival.

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Claxton Memorial Scholarship Established at University of West Georgia

The University of West Georgia is privileged to announce the establishment of the Robert Ray and Bula Adams Claxton Memorial Scholarship. Dr. Robert H. Claxton, professor emeritus of history at UWG, created the scholarship to honor his parents, Robert Ray and Bula Adams Claxton.

“Neither of my parents finished high school. Like many at that time, college was not really an option for them,” said Claxton. “I think they would be pleased that something was being done for education in their names.”

The memorial scholarship will be awarded to a student majoring in history at UWG. A committee of faculty in the Department of History will annually select the recipient.

Robert Ray Claxton was born in Buffalo, N.Y. in 1891. During his lifetime, Claxton witnessed many historical events, including the swearing in of President Theodore Roosevelt after the assassination of William McKinley.

Bula Adams Claxton was born in Porterville, N.Y. in 1900. Her education included attending the Marilla District No. 7 School and East Aurora High School. She later became the Porterville postmaster serving for nearly 20 years.

“This year marks the 50th anniversary of my graduating from high school and the 50th year of UWG granting history degrees,” said Claxton. “Now seems like a good time to think about the past and who helped get us here. Knowing where we come from helps prepare us for the future and what we can do to help future generations.”

For more information on this scholarship, call 678-839-6582.

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University of West Georgia School of Nursing Hosts Open House

The School of Nursing at the University of West Georgia will host its first open house for the community on Thursday, April 30, from 1 to 3 p.m. Light refreshments will be served and the community is invited to attend.

Students and faculty will demonstrate state-of-the-art simulators such as SimMan, a lifelike patient who exhibits medical trauma, and NOELLE, a model that can be pregnant, giving birth and post-pregnant. The computerized models allow student nurses to experience realistic situations that nurses encounter on duty.

Information on nursing programs offered at the university and at the Newnan Center will be available. The school offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in nursing as well as a Bachelors in Nursing Science for licensed RNs. Classes are also offered at Dalton and Rome.

Visitors to the open house will also have the opportunity to receive a free blood pressure screening by UWG students in the Georgia Association of Nursing Students.

The event will take place in the Education Annex. For more information on the School of Nursing, call 678-839-6540 or visit http://www.westga.edu/~nurs/.

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UWG Receives Grant Funds to Train Teachers

The University of West Georgia received $100,000 in Higher Education Improving Teacher Quality grants to offer three professional development workshops for elementary, middle and high school teachers.

The programs are funded approximately 80 percent in grants from the PL107-110 Title II-Part A, No Child Left Behind Act.

Dr. Sharmistha Basu-Dutt, associate professor of chemistry, Dr. Joy Black, assistant professor of mathematics and Dr. Gail Marshall, assistant professor of curriculum and instruction, will use these grants to train teachers from around the state in effective methods of teaching and learning in the sciences and mathematics.

Dr. Roy Forbes, director of the Evaluation Center in the College of Education, will assist with evaluation of the programs and implementation of training in the K-12 classrooms. Programs funded through these grants will be available beginning this summer and are titled: “Helping Teachers to Incorporate Inquiry and Nature of Science in the Elementary Classroom;” “Training for Technology Integration in Middle and Secondary Science & Mathematics;” and “High School Chemistry Laboratory: A Contextual & Inquiry Based Teaching Approach.”

Teacher Quality funds are used to strengthen and deepen teachers’ content knowledge, teaching practices and student learning in academic subjects including science, mathematics, language arts, reading and social studies at the elementary, middle, and high school levels in public and private schools.

For more information about the grant and workshops, contact the professors at sbdutt@westga.edu, jblack@westga.edu and gmarshal@westga.edu. To learn about other Teacher Quality programs, visit http://www.coe.uga.edu/teacherquality/projects.html.

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Shortt Scholarship Established at UWG

Sylvia Shortt, assistant director of International Services and Programs at the University of West Georgia, has been given a thumbs up by UWG international students and alumni with the establishment of the Sylvia Shortt Scholarship for International Students.

Recognized statewide as an experienced authority on immigration rules and regulations of international students, Shortt now serves as the university's specialist on immigration issues with international undergraduate and graduate students, which number 127 this year at UWG.

Nigerian Femi Owodunni, class of ’98, helped establish the scholarship.

"To begin to understand the enormity of Sylvia's role, one must first appreciate the assimilation challenges these students face coming from major international capitals to a town the size of Carrollton,” said Owodunni.

"It is in appreciation of Ms. Shortt's commitment to ensuring a fulfilling and engaging experience for each student that this endowment was created.

Sylvia Shortt is the very essence of Southern hospitality, an embodiment of the creed that has kept West Georgia on our minds years after our sojourn on her campus.”

Shortt oversees special orientation for internationals, cultural and diversity training and counseling and communication with other government agencies such as Drivers License, Social Security and IRS, international student recruitment and tax services.

For more information on the scholarship programs at UWG, call 678-839-6582.

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Tim Hynes Named Interim President of Clayton State

University System of Georgia Chief Academic Officer Susan Herbst announced today that she has appointed Dr. Thomas J. (Tim) Hynes Jr., provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University of West Georgia (UWG) in Carrollton for many years, to serve as interim president of Clayton State University, effective June 1, 2009.

“We are extremely fortunate to be able to call on Dr. Hynes’ strong leadership skills during this transition,” Herbst said, referring to the previously announced resignation of Clayton State President Thomas K. Harden as of the above date. “Clayton State University has a great deal of momentum going for it, and I am confident that the institution will be in excellent hands under Dr. Hynes.”

Hynes has held his current position at the University of West Georgia for all but two years since 1996. On two occasions since 1999, Hynes served as acting president of UWG when President Beheruz N. Sethna was called to the University System Office in Atlanta to serve as interim executive vice chancellor for academic affairs.

Hynes previously served as interim dean of the University of Louisville in Louisville, Ky., from 1990 to 1996. Before that, he was associate dean of the university from 1988 to 1990 and had been a member of the University of Louisville faculty since 1978. Prior to that, he taught at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, the University of Massachusetts (UM) in Amherst and the University of North Carolina (UNC) in Chapel Hill.

Hynes was a member of the Board of Regents Advisory Committee that developed the 1998 Regents’ Principles for the Preparation of Teachers. Still in use today, these principles guarantee the quality of all teachers prepared by the University System of Georgia.

Hynes holds an undergraduate degree in mathematics and a Ph.D. in communications studies from UM and a Master of Arts degree in speech from UNC. In 2005, he earned a certificate of participation in the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Institute for Educational Management, and in 2003, he participated in the American Institute for Managing Diversity’s Diversity Leadership Academy.

Plans regarding the search for a permanent presidential appointee at Clayton State will be forthcoming at a later date.

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Holocaust Center Sponsors Art, Writing Contest for Georgia Students

The Georgia Commission on the Holocaust and the Thomas B. Murphy Holocaust Teacher Training and Resource Center are sponsoring a statewide art and writing contest for Georgia middle and high school students.

The Holocaust Resource Center, located in the Ingram Library on the University of West Georgia campus, is sponsored by the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust and is the only public institution of its kind in the country.

“The Georgia Commission on the Holocaust Art and Writing Contest teaches lessons about the dangers of hate and discrimination,” said Secretary of State Karen Handel. “I thank the commission for their diligence in promoting the importance of moral courage and for their continued sponsorship of this contest. This competition provides an opportunity for students to study history and apply these lessons to current events through writing and art.”

In its 14th year, the contest is a cooperative effort between the state Department of Education and the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust. Students may submit artwork and writing entries that cover the theme of “What are the Lessons of the Holocaust?”

Writing entries will be judged on content, originality, quality of expression and historical accuracy. Art entries will be judged on creativity, artistic excellence and thematic content. The contest submission form can be downloaded at www.holocaust.georgia.gov.

Winning students and their teachers will be awarded at the state capitol during the official state observance of the Days of Remembrance program on April 24. Four students and their teachers will receive a trip to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., for their first place awards.

All art and writing entries must be postmarked no later than March 13 and sent to: Georgia Commission on the Holocaust, Thomas B. Murphy Center, Ingram Library, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA 30118.

For more contest information, call 404-370-3056 or visit www.holocaust.georgia.gov. For more information on the Holocaust Resource Center, visit www.westga.edu/~holocaust or call 678-839-6350.

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UWG Fall Enrollment Peaks

Enrollment at the University of West Georgia has broken another record with an official fall semester total of 11,252 undergraduate and graduate students, which is a 5.4 percent increase from last year.

The University System of Georgia has designated the university as one of four comprehensive doctoral institutions in the state. West Georgia offers 115 programs of study that include 59 bachelor’s, 32 master’s, three doctorate and nine specialist degrees.

The university also offers online undergraduate and graduate degree programs and 12 certificate programs of study. University President Beheruz N. Sethna said the numbers are noteworthy.
"I am delighted at the significant increase in enrollment, which is above the average growth for the University System of Georgia and for our sector,” said Sethna.

“More significantly, I am very pleased at the way we are growing in standards and stature,” said Sethna. “For example, the SAT scores are 1010 and high school grade point average of entering freshman is 3.03. Based on current admission standards, only 24 percent of the fall 1994 entering freshmen would be admitted to UWG.”

We are grateful to our faculty and staff colleagues who make this happen, to our external friends and supporters, and most of all to our students who continue to invest in higher education for the betterment of their future, and that of UWG, the state, the nation and the world."

The fall 2008 numbers for first-time, full-time freshmen are 1,988, which is almost 11 percent higher than last year’s freshman class of 1,793. The retention rate has also increased for that group to 75 percent.

The USG predicts that the state of Georgia will experience an increase of 100,000 students in higher education in the next decade and West Georgia is preparing to serve many of those students. An expansion of its campus to 645 acres, the construction of new housing for students, additional facilities and a new stadium is just some of the growth and expansion West Georgia is experiencing.

The record enrollment for UWG coincides with several other accomplishments, including recognition as a Best Business School in the nation, a Best Southeastern College and a Best Regional College by The Princeton Review. It is also recognized as one of 200 institutions in the nation to offer superior programs in music, drama and art by Creative Colleges: A Guide for Student Actors, Artists, Dancers and Musicians.

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UWG Debate Team Continues Success Streak

The University of West Georgia Debate Team earned a 17-1 record after competing in two tournaments at the Las Vegas Round Robin Invitational at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.

In the first tournament, the UWG Debate Team and Florida residents Vince Binder of Gainesville and Jim Schultz of Jupiter earned a perfect record of 10-0 while competing against several nationally ranked universities including Emory University, Kansas State University, University of Texas and University of Wyoming. In the second tournament, the Schultz and Binder Debate team earned a 10-1 record.

In a round robin format, each team debates every other team participating in the competition. Schultz and Binder debated and won over every team. The team was also recognized for their speaking skills with Schultz established as the top individual speaker in both events. Binder ranked in the top ten as a sixth place speaker.

The UWG Debate Team has seen great success in previous years. Under the direction of Dr. Michael Hester, assistant dean of the Honors College and Debate coach, the team has participated in numerous debate competitions and has qualified for a National Debate Tournament 36 consecutive years.

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UWG: New Vice President for University Advancement

Dr. Michael Ruffner, former vice chancellor of communications and university relations at Louisiana State University, has been appointed Vice President for University Advancement at the University of West Georgia. He began his new position Oct. 1.

Dr. Beheruz N. Sethna, UWG president, welcomed Ruffner as he came to UWG at a critical time in its history.

“We need to draw on Dr. Ruffner’s experience and expertise to enhance our regional and national image,” Sethna said. “He will work closely with our excellent colleagues, not only within University Advancement but across campus, on this exciting task.”

While at LSU, Ruffner had oversight of advancement, legislative and public affairs since 2005, and most recently assisted the president of LSU System as a special advisor. Previously, he served as the associate vice president for marketing and communications at Case Western Reserve University responsible for all marketing, branding, communications and public affairs activities.

Earlier in his career as a senior media executive, he was responsible for developing comprehensive communications, marketing and public affairs programs for some of the leading brands in the country.

As the inaugural head of the Office of Communications and University Relations at LSU, his advancement responsibilities involved coordinating the fundraising activities of three private foundations, and he was instrumental in the planning and launch of Forever LSU, the largest capital campaign in LSU history, which raised a record $122 million during the first year of the campaign.

During Hurricanes Rita and Katrina, he led all public affairs operations to establish communications and liaison between LSU and local, state and federal agencies. His office was instrumental in helping transition LSU into the largest temporary acute care facility in history.
In addition, his office wrote, produced and disseminated in six weeks the award-winning volume, LSU in the Eye of the Storm, as a model outlining how institutions can and should assist their state leadership during disasters.

As the head of marketing and public affairs at Case Western Reserve University, Ruffner was responsible for raising the visibility and prestige of the university among national and international audiences, supporting all philanthropic activities, providing marketing and
communications support to eight schools, and representing the university before all public forums and the media.

Ruffner was responsible for much of the planning and execution for the 2004 Vice Presidential Debate activities at Case. By creating a series of events called The Race at Case, they generated millions of dollars of media value for the university and the city of Cleveland.

Prior to his work at Case Western, he worked closely with senior management at CBS and NBC for nearly 20 years on brand management, and was responsible for representing the corporate and public affairs interests of both networks before Congress and numerous regulatory and special interest groups. He served as the chief advocate for CBS and NBC on healthcare advertising.

In addition, Ruffner pioneered the movement to advertise prescription drugs on network television , and was the founding director of a national policy and research consortium of 57 large corporations that lobbied Congress for healthcare advertising reforms.

Sethna expressed his appreciation to Dr. Andrew Leavitt, associate vice president for University Advancement, and Lisa Ledbetter, assistant vice president for University Communications and Marketing, for leading the Division for the past year.

“We have made substantial progress on a number of dimensions, including the work on the football stadium, during this period and we could not have done it without their help,” Sethna stated.

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