Chancellor Davis: University System Cannot Continue Business As Usual

University System of Georgia (USG) Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr., in his annual “State of the System” address to the Board of Regents today (January 12), evoked the challenges the first board faced in 1932 and said that to progress, the System cannot continue to do “business as usual.”

Davis called for a three-level response to the challenges posed by $323 million in budget cuts, record student enrollment and the end of $147 million in federal stimulus funding in 2012. “First, we will unleash the collective brainpower of this great System,” Davis said in outlining the three points. “Second, the Board of Regents will develop and set the key principles that will guide our institutions in their work and third, we will encourage our institutions to experiment with new ways of accomplishing our mission.”

With the creation of University System in the midst of the Great Depression, Davis said, “Gov. Richard Russell Jr. reinvented higher education in Georgia.” He said that that first board understood the need to invest in the future, despite the short-term economic crisis, and that the same philosophy holds true today.

The response to the economic situation, Davis said, must include an evaluation of the current academic model coupled with a back-to-basics approach. “It is going to be challenging to pay more attention to basics while at the same time calling for expanded innovation,” he said.

Institutional presidents must be given greater freedom to innovate and to collaborate with one another, Davis said. One of the areas of renewed focus will be on institutional missions. “I would prefer to see more institutions sharpening, honing and tightening their missions rather than seeking to expand them based upon institutional aspirations versus true state need,” he said. This may mean that some activities cease in order to align missions with reduced resources, Davis said.

Davis called upon the board to approve a set of principles that will be developed to guide the institutional presidents. “This work must begin immediately, as it is the most important step,” Davis said. He noted the development of principles would be a focus of subsequent board meetings this year.

These principles also will help direct innovation at the campus level, especially Davis said, among faculty. “We have over 40,000 minds out there that can address our challenges. Our faculty in particular have the capacity to blaze new ground,” he said.

The chancellor also gave a glimpse of some of the expected outcomes of this new approach to public higher education, which include best practices, some of which can be implemented System wide and some, which will be unique to an institution. He cautioned that along with some “stunning successes” would come some failures. “Remember, at one point Babe Ruth not only held the record for home runs, he held the record for strikeouts as well,” Davis said.

The full text of Davis’ remarks can be accessed at http://www.usg.edu/chancellor/speeches/chancellors_state_of_the_system_address_2010/

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Another 5,000 Charters Needed: Parental Demand for Charter Schools Surges 21% in One Year

/PRNewswire/ -- As more low-income and minority parents seek to remove their children from traditional public schools that chronically underperform, waiting lists for America's public charter schools have grown dramatically, a report released today reveals. According to The Center for Education Reform (CER), an average of 239 children are waiting to enter each charter school in America, demonstrating a 21 percent surge in parental demand for charters over last year.

Because laws in most states either limit the number of students who can enter charters, prohibit multiple authorities from authorizing the creation of charters, or limit the number of schools themselves, demand for charter schools now dramatically outpaces supply, the Annual Survey of America's Charter Schools 2010 indicates. In fact, 65 percent of U.S. charter schools have waiting lists, up from 59 percent in 2008, and some schools' waiting lists are more than three times the size of the schools themselves. The average charter school size is 372 students and it is estimated that the number of students on waiting lists would fill another 5,000 charter schools.

In Texas alone, it is estimated that 40,000 children are on waiting lists for charters schools. In Boston, the number is 8,000. As state lawmakers finalize applications this week for a share of the federal government's $4.3 billion "Race to the Top" education fund, reformers are hoping that legislators will expand access to quality schools for families.

"We frequently talk about the problems plaguing America's education system," said Jeanne Allen, president of The Center for Education Reform. "Charter schools and school choice demonstrate what's working in American education. When provided with good choices, parents make informed decisions and select the best schools for their children. Lawmakers should listen to their constituents and expand access to charter schools by allowing multiple authorities to create schools, ensuring fiscal equity, allowing schools to operate with more freedom, and lifting arbitrary caps on the number of schools permitted to open."

Data indicates that low-income and minority families make up the bulk of the parents seeking entrance into charters -- meaning that new charter schools would primarily benefit low-income children and children of color. Already, more than 54 percent of students in charters are classified as poor, half of America's charter schools serve student populations where 60+ percent of the children are poor, and children of color comprise 52 percent of charter school attendees.

Surprisingly, charter schools have achieved their popularity not through big budgets that let them spend lavishly (in fact, the average charter school receives $3,468 less in state and federal funds than the traditional public school), but by offering programs, services, and teaching formulas that parents want but can't find in traditional public schools.

For example, about 54 percent of charter schools allow for the possibility of performance pay programs for teachers, an incentive system that parents favor. Charter schools are also more likely to be smaller than traditional public schools and offer more instruction time -- other factors that increase demand. Interestingly, 76 percent of charter schools offer a specific instructional theme -- with more than a quarter of the schools specifically designed to prepare students for college.

"Good charter schools offer a refreshing lack of bureaucracy and red tape, allowing these schools to serve students, teachers, and the community in more effective ways," said Kevin P. Chavous, a distinguished fellow at CER.

In addition to demonstrating the demand for charters, the survey highlights both the operational and financial realities faced by the country's more than 5,000 charter schools. CER's Annual Survey of America's Charter Schools 2010 is the only national overview of the day-to-day operations of charters, as reported directly from the schools themselves. The survey is based on a comprehensive analysis from responses provided by nearly 1,000 out of America's 5,000 charter schools.

To read the survey or for more information, visit http://www.edreform.com/

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Governor Perdue Announces Plan to Transform Teacher Pay

Also unveils health insurance proposal, renews call for school board governance bill

Governor Perdue discussed a range of issues including education, water, transportation and health insurance reform today at the annual Eggs & Issues Breakfast hosted by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce at the Georgia World Congress Center.

At the breakfast, the Governor outlined a proposal to enhance the way Georgia compensates its teachers by adding a performance-based pay option to the existing salary system. The compensation model would award salary bonuses based on classroom observation and student growth, enabling effective teachers to be eligible for much higher salaries much earlier in their careers. Under the current system, teachers only receive salary increases for years spent teaching and for advanced degrees earned.

“Our current system only incentivizes the degree, not the degree to which students learn,” said Governor Perdue. “We must encourage our best and brightest to enter the teaching profession and must reward effective teachers in order to retain them in Georgia classrooms. Student achievement must be our driving force, and our compensation model must reflect that focus.”

The proposed legislation will preserve the current salary structure but will allow current teachers to opt-in to the new performance pay system when it is fully implemented in 2014.

New teachers and those opting into the pay system will not be eligible for automatic supplements for advanced degrees, but will be eligible for higher bonuses based on classroom observations and the degree to which their students have grown academically. In a recent survey of 20,000 Georgia educators, 80 percent said these were the components on which teachers should be evaluated. The bill will enable those already enrolled in advanced degree programs to complete their studies and remain in the current pay scale.

This proposal is part of Georgia’s Race to the Top application, a competitive federal grant that offers as much as $400 million for Georgia schools. Twenty-two local school systems have committed to teaming with the state on the application to implement innovative education policies, including a pay-for-performance plan.

The bill requires the State Board of Education to adopt the pay-for-performance system by 2014, using the experience of the Race to the Top systems to develop a plan that will benefit teachers and students statewide.

With the news of Warren County’s loss of accreditation, the Governor also renewed his call for school board governance legislation to ensure that every student has the benefit of responsible leadership at the school system level. The legislation will standardize board ethics policies and board training, clarify the law delineating the roles and responsibilities of superintendents and board members, create minimum qualifications for board candidates, and give the state the ability to find responsible citizens to serve on school boards when existing members fail to serve the interests of their students.

“It is incredibly frustrating to watch the fallout from a dysfunctional school board undermine earnest teachers and jeopardize their students’ potential,” Governor Perdue said. “That’s why we brought this legislation last year, and now we find ourselves in a similar situation with yet another school system facing loss of accreditation.”

In his remarks the Governor also unveiled a health insurance reform proposal that will allow individuals to buy health plans that have been approved for sale in other states. Currently, consumers can only purchase individual plans that have been specifically approved for sale in Georgia, which limits their ability to find the best plan for their specific needs.

“With sweeping insurance mandates from Washington on the horizon, the time has come to open up the individual insurance market and allow consumers to find the plan that best fits their needs,” Governor Perdue said.

The Governor also discussed water and transportation issues facing the state, updating attendees on the progress of the tri-state water negotiations. As negotiations continue, the Governor will introduce legislation to encourage conservation and make more efficient use of Georgia’s natural resources.

Governor Perdue highlighted Georgia’s new statewide strategic transportation plan that will remove the politics of asphalt and concrete planning and focus instead on a comprehensive investment strategy. The plan is a direct result of last year’s sweeping transportation governance reform bill.
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The Home Depot Pledges $1 Million for Student Scholarships and Grants for Building and Construction Trade Schools

/PRNewswire/ -- The Home Depot®, the world's largest home improvement retailer, today announced $1 million in funding for its 2010 Pro Trade Scholarship Program. The Home Depot has more than tripled a $300,000 scholarship fund it first established in 2009 to support students attending professional building and construction trade schools.

This year's program will not only support individual students, but also the schools they attend. Specifically, $1,000 scholarships will be available to 500 trade school students to help them offset the cost of tuition, books and tools for their chosen trade. The schools of the scholarship recipients will receive additional funds for classroom tools from The Home Depot Foundation through matching gifts of $1,000 for each scholarship awarded to one or more of their students.

"Professional contractors are important customers of The Home Depot, and their future is vital to the American dream of home ownership and economic growth," said Chris Waits, vice president of The Home Depot Sales & Services. "Now, more than ever, we want to help our current and future pros build successful businesses."

Scholarship applications will be accepted through April 30, 2010 online at www.homedepot.com/tradescholarship, and are also available in a downloadable Spanish language format. The scholarship program is open to all students nationwide who are currently enrolled in a building and construction trade school program at a vocational/technical school, college or university. Winners will be selected based on a combination of academic performance, leadership and work experience.

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Legislators Should Make Education Reform a 'New Year's Resolution' for the New Decade, CER Says

/PRNewswire/ -- State legislators looking to make a lasting impact in the new decade should introduce a package of education reform legislation that will improve quality educational options for children, enhance the teaching profession, and promote and protect the US and its citizens by becoming an international leader in student achievement, according to the nonprofit Center for Education Reform.

The Center today encouraged legislators to adopt its list of "10 Steps to Education Reform in 2010" as their individual legislative New Year's Resolutions.

"As 2010 begins, the Center for Education Reform is keeping score again -- this time of state legislatures and whether they work to pass 10 critical reforms," said Jeanne Allen, The Center's president.

At the conclusion of the year, CER will rate each state on their attempts to pass legislation and their success at creating new laws that would:

1. Increase the ability of higher education, mayors and other independent
entities to authorize charter schools so more children have access to
quality public school options.
2. Eliminate arbitrary and unnecessary caps on the number of charter
schools that can operate in a state and on the number of students who
can attend charter schools.
3. Close the gap between the funding for traditional public schools and
public charter schools.
4. Allow charter schools to operate with operational autonomy and teacher
freedom -- freeing these schools to innovate and develop new best
practices that serve our children.
5. Develop a school voucher program or a scholarship tax credit program to
provide private school choice for children with special needs.
6. Begin the process of creating data systems that allow teachers,
principals, district officials and state officials to link student
achievement to teacher performance.
7. Protect teacher's paychecks by prohibiting automatic deductions of
union expenses that aren't related to collective bargaining.
8. Create a teacher merit pay pilot program that allows great teachers --
ones who improve student achievement -- to receive extra pay in
recognition of their hard work.
9. Increase pay for teachers willing to teach high-needs subject areas and
in high-needs schools.
10. Develop meaningful alternative routes to teacher certification for
talented mid-career changers who want to become teachers.


The Center also encouraged candidates for political office to use the "10 Steps to Education Reform" as a model for education campaign platforms.

"These 10 reforms would make a significant difference in the quality of education provided to children, and it is essential that lawmakers act quickly to make real education reform -- not reformist rhetoric -- a priority for the new decade," Allen said.

CER is currently the only independent national organization that scores each state on its charter school laws. CER's Charter Laws Across the States book is now in its eleventh year and, in December, received coverage in more than 100 publications. Based on the feedback of Charter Laws fans, the Center plans additional scoring reports on additional education reform topics for 2010.

The Center for Education Reform drives the creation of better educational opportunities for all children. CER changes laws, minds and cultures to allow good schools to flourish.

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Obama's stimulus bill includes huge student aid investments

(ARA) - The Obama administration has set forth an extensive bill designed to get the economy out of the recession and moving again. This $70 billion bill has a large portion directed towards students and investing in their education.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. David Obey (D-Wisc.) said, "Our short-term task is to try to prevent the loss of millions of jobs and get our economy moving. The long-term task is to make the needed investments that restore the ability of average middle income families to increase their income and build a decent future for their children." The financing for continuing education will help people get the skills and knowledge they need to get jobs in the future, thus boosting the economy.

According to the summary of the bill released by the House Appropriations Committee, the bill would provide the following additional funding for student aid.

* Pell Grants: $15.6 billion to increase the maximum Pell Grant by $500, from $4,850 to $5,350 for the 2009-2010 academic year.

* Federal Work-Study: $490 million to support undergraduate and graduate students who work.

* Student Loan Limit Increase: Increased limits on unsubsidized Stafford loans by $2,000.

* Student Aid Administration: $50 million to help the Department of Education administer surging student aid programs while navigating the changing student loan environment.

The bill also provides funding that will benefit higher education institutions, including:

* $20 billion for school renovation and modernization, including technology upgrades and energy efficiency improvements: $14 billion for K-12 and $6 billion for higher education.

* $1 billion for 21st century classrooms, including computer and science labs and teacher technology training.

* $79 billion in state fiscal relief to prevent cutbacks to key services, including $39 billion to local school districts and public colleges and universities distributed through existing state and federal formulas, $15 billion to states as bonus grants as a reward for meeting key performance measures, and $25 billion to states for other high-priority needs such as public safety and other critical services, which may include education.

"These kinds of incentives from the government don't come along very often," says Janet Hill, financial aid and education counselor at ClassesAndCareers.com, a free online education service. "If people have been thinking of going back to school, now would be the time to do it. If they are hurting financially, they can easily get the money they need to get a degree." These benefits are set to expire after the 2010-2011 school year and are available for campus and online colleges.

Thanks to a growing number of online education options, degree-seekers can take advantage of President Obama's stimulus bill without leaving their jobs. Sites like ClassesAndCareers.com have helped nearly 500,000 degree-seekers get their stimulus money and enroll in online universities.

"We help people learn how to take advantage of this bill," says Hill. "All they have to do is visit our form and fill it out. We guide them through the rest."

Anyone interested in going back to school can visit www.OnlineSchools247.com to see if they qualify. They simply fill out the form and an education advisor will help them get their share of the stimulus money and find the best degree program for them. Or, call directly at (888) 361-6349.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Georgia Southern University Named One of Top 100 Best Values in Public Colleges by Kiplinger

Georgia Southern University has been named one of the Top 100 Best Values in Public Colleges by Kiplinger, a leading publisher of personal finance and business forecasts. This is the second year in a row that Georgia Southern has appeared in the rankings.

“Georgia Southern University remains committed to providing our students with exceptional academic opportunities,” said Georgia Southern University President Brooks Keel. “We are very pleased that Kiplinger has again chosen Georgia Southern as one of the most outstanding values in the country. Now more than ever, it is important for parents and students to know that they are receiving the most for their educational investment.”

Georgia Southern University was one of only four Georgia schools to be ranked in 2010. Kiplinger bases its rankings on outstanding academic quality, affordable tuition and the availability of financial aid. Student/faculty ratios and on-time graduation rates are also factors.

“Record numbers of students continue to apply to Georgia Southern University. We offer a nationally-ranked College of Business Administration and the only College of Information Technology in the Southeast. Our nursing and education programs have been recognized for years as leaders in Georgia,” said Keel. “Our students also have the opportunity to interact with professors and conduct research alongside faculty. This kind of learning experience is one of the many things that makes Georgia Southern unique and helps us to stand out from other colleges and universities in the country.”

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Teach For America Offers Hispanics the Opportunity to Have a Positive Impact in Their Community

/PRNewswire/ -- Teach For America, the prestigious national team of teachers, announced today that it will soon end their selection period for new teachers for the 2010-2011 school year. The final deadline for submitting applications is February 19, 2010. Those interested can obtain information about requirements and present their applications online at www.teachforamerica.org.

Teach For America is a non-profit organization whose goal is to eradicate inequality in education through the recruitment and training of professionals and outstanding recent college graduates from all backgrounds and professional areas. The organization offers them an excellent opportunity to help their communities while at the same time allowing them to obtain a full-time job with a competitive salary, health benefits, financial support and training in different areas to ensure their success as educators and offer them the tools to become leaders and highly qualified professionals inside or outside the field of education. Additionally, becoming a member of Teach For America carries great prestige. BusinessWeek's 2009 ranking of "Best Places to Launch a Career" Teach For America came in at #7 and for the third year in a row was the top ranked non-profit organization.

Teach For America seeks individuals from all origins who have demonstrated leadership skills, high achievement in academic and extracurricular activities as well as in their work and family responsibilities. They will dedicate themselves to teaching in public schools, both in urban and rural areas, for a period of two years, offering the students in these low income communities, such as Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Chicago and Dallas, the opportunity to receive a high standard of education that is comparable to that found in schools in higher-income communities.

This 2009-2010 school year, Teach For America placed more than 4,000 new teachers in public schools in low-income communities across the country, representing the largest incoming corps in its history. They are now teaching in 35 urban and rural regions in over 100 school districts in 27 states and the District of Columbia. Some 7.3% identified themselves as Hispanic or Latino, which represents an increase of over 1.3% compared with the previous school year.

Although students in low-income communities have the potential to reach the same academic levels as those students in more affluent communities, they confront additional challenges associated with growing up in poverty. On average at a national level, nine year-old students who live in low-income communities are academically three grade levels below students who live in high-income communities. Only 50% of these low-income students will graduate from high school, and those who do, on average, perform on an eighth-grade level. Only one in every 10 of these students will obtain a college degree. This considerably affects Hispanic students, who are three times as likely to live in low-income communities.

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Mercer: Henry County RAC Registration Extended Because of Weather

Because of inclement weather, hours for the on-site registration/orientation for the Henry County Regional Academic Center have been extended to Friday, Jan. 8, and Monday, Jan. 11, from 1 p.m. until the start of the classes that evening.

The original hours set for the registration were from 3-7 p.m. on Jan.. 7.

For more information, contact Stephen Jenkins or Crystal Frazier at (678) 547-6100 or kaseric_ss@mercer.edu.

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GSU to offer transatlantic degrees in international economics and modern languages

Georgia State University and the University of Venice were recently awarded $1 million from the U.S. Department of Education and the European Union to offer a transatlantic dual degree program for undergraduates in international economics and modern languages.

The degree program will be administered by Georgia State's College of Arts and Sciences and the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, as well as the University of Venice, Ca' Foscari. The two institutions plan to award dual degrees to program graduates.

Next fall, the first cohort of students will begin the dual degree program that aims to train economists who are "culturally and linguistically fluent," said Richard Keatley, GSU lecturer for modern and classical languages and program co-director.

"Transatlantic degree programs are the wave of the future," Keatley said. "Graduates will have a year of experience in their own field in the European Union. When they'll complete the program, students will have two diplomas, which will allow them to work in the two largest market places in the world."

Six Georgia State students and six students from the University of Venice, Ca' Foscari will be selected to participate each year, for a total of 24 students over the four year course of the grant. Each student will receive a $12,000 stipend to pay for their education and travel expenses.

Undergraduates will spend more than a year abroad learning language and cultural perspectives, including a semester in France at the Université de Versailles, a third, non-degree-granting institution.

Georgia State students interested in the International Economics and Modern Language transatlantic degree program would apply during their sophomore or junior year. Once accepted, students would need to satisfy graduation requirements of the University System of Georgia's Board of Regents and the Italian National Certifying Board, as well as pass language certification exams in Italian and French.

GSU's proposal for the joint degree program was one of 25 selected this year for funding by the federal ATLANTIS program. ATLANTIS is jointly administered by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education and the European Commission's Directorate General for Education and Culture. It provides grants for up to four years to add a European-United States dimension to international curriculum development and related student exchange.

Georgia State began the offering the International Economics and Modern Languages (IEML) degree program in fall 2006. It was designed to provide students with the analytical tools to do economic research, consulting and policy analysis on global issues, along with the language skills needed to work with the United States' major trading partners.

To date, only three language options have been available to IEML majors: French, German, and Spanish. The ATLANTIS grant adds Italian to the existing program and makes it financially easier for students to add a study abroad component to their degree program, said Shelby Frost, GSU associate professor of economics and program co-director.

"In today's world, it is increasingly important for economists to have a worldwide perspective," Frost said. "Globalization is the new reality and people that understand the global economy stand a much greater chance of making better policy decisions to improve our world."

For more information, please visit http://aysps.gsu.edu/BA_IEML.html.

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Sallie Mae Helps Students Pay for Spring Semester in Record Loan Disbursement Day

(BUSINESS WIRE)--As students welcome the new year and prepare to return to college, the Sallie Mae loan originations team is hard at work making sure that students have the funds they need to fulfill their education dreams. Yesterday, Sallie Mae disbursed 251,415 loans to students and families, a company record.

“We don’t want students to stress over how long it takes to get their loans”

“We take great pride in serving the needs of so many students and their families,” said Renee Mang, senior vice president, loan originations. “Students count on this money to be delivered on time and with the counseling they need to succeed, and they know they can rely on us.”

Sallie Mae is the largest private sector originator of federal student loans, serving nearly 4 million students and families annually. The company’s 600-person loan originations team is based primarily in Panama City, Fla., with supporting functions located in multiple locations across the country.

“We don’t want students to stress over how long it takes to get their loans,” said Jo Branda, disbursements supervisor, Sallie Mae Florida. “It is always a pleasure to be able to help our student customers. This is an exciting time for them, and it is exciting for us to help them.”

Separately, Congress is considering structural changes to the federal student loan programs. The company supports the President’s call for reform and continues to advocate for reform that would have service providers compete to provide quality service to students not only in loan servicing, but also in loan origination, and would enhance default prevention success by requiring servicers to share in the risk of loan default.

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Upcoming Events at Clayton State University

Clayton State University has re-opened for 2010, although classes for the spring semester (not that it feels much like spring) won’t start until Monday, Jan. 11.

Clayton State Schedules Welcome Back Week for Students, Jan. 11-14

The Clayton State University Department of Campus Life is ready for the new year. Specifically, Campus Life has the schedule for its traditional “Welcome Back Week” for students in place.

Welcome Back Week will start with the first day of spring semester classes, Monday, Jan. 11, when Campus Life and the Clayton State Customer Service Team will hold another Clayton State tradition, the Ask Me! program. Ask Me! volunteers in bright orange T-Shirts will welcome new and returning students back to campus, assist with campus navigation, and distribute information about upcoming events. Ask Me! will run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Jan. 11 and Jan. 12.

Also on Tuesday, Jan. 12, the Campus Events Council will be making free Las Vegas Name Tags from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Main Street in 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

The Las Vegas theme will carry on to Wednesday, Jan. 13 with a fun-filled night in Las Vegas in the Student Activity Center ballroom. It’ll be a night of games, prizes and refreshments from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

On Thursday, Jan. 14, Campus Life will hold its Student Involvement Fair from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Student Activity Center ballroom.

Clayton State Graduate Studies Open House, Jan. 12

The Clayton State University School of Graduate Studies will celebrate the new year on Tuesday, Jan. 12 by holding its first informational open house of 2010.

The open house will run from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in room 101 of the University’s Harry S. Downs Center on the main campus in Morrow.

The Graduate Studies open houses are now providing information on the new Master of Archival Studies program. In addition, prospective graduate students will have a chance to learn more about the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies, Master of Arts in Teaching English, Master of Arts in Teaching Mathematics, Master of Business Administration, Master of Health Administration, and Master of Science in Nursing. The Clayton State School of Graduate Studies holds open houses on the second Tuesday evening of each month.

LEAD the Way Seminar and Service Learning Project for MLK Day of Service, Jan. 14

The Department of Campus Life will sponsor its first monthly LEAD the Way Seminar for the Spring Semester on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010 at 6 p.m. in the Student Activities Center Ballroom C.

Eddie Yongue with Keep Clayton Beautiful will be the featured speaker to discuss the leadership needed in the community to preserve our natural habitats and vegetation and how these efforts impact community economic development.

Then students will have an opportunity to make the MLK holiday weekend a “Day On, and Not A Day Off” by volunteering with Trees Atlanta to plant trees and upkeep gardens in the city of Atlanta on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2010.

Lianna Williams to Sing at Naturalization Ceremony, Jan. 15

The regional Department of Homeland Security Immigration Office was so impressed with Clayton State senior Voice Performance major Lianna Wimberly Williams’ performance at their recent naturalization ceremony at the National Archives at Atlanta that they’ve requested that she perform for their next mass naturalization ceremony, Jan. 15, 2010, at the Martin Luther King Center in Atlanta.

Mezzo-soprano Williams, a Jonesboro resident, is one of the Clayton State music program’s most accomplished singers; performing in the Clayton State Opera and as a soloist in campus events and in concerts with the Clayton State Chorale, singing at the People’s Inaugural Gala Weekend and Ball in Washington, D.C., and being chosen by competitive audition for the fall 2007 Georgia National Association of Teachers of Singing master class.

Bernice King and Alejandro Mayorkas, the national director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service from Washington, DC, will be the speakers at the Jan. 15 ceremony at the MLK Center. Clayton State Staff Accompanist Alexander Benford will accompany Williams on the keyboard.

Clayton State’s 10th Annual Martin Luther King Commemorative Event, Jan. 21

Clayton State University’s 10th Annual Martin Luther King Commemorative Event will run from Monday, Jan. 18, 2010 to Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010 as will be highlighted by a showcase of talent and reflections on this year’s theme; “Dr. King’s Legacy: Where are we now? Where are we going?”

This year’s keystone event will take place on Thursday, Jan. 21 and will feature the Second Annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Rally and March and the Showcase. The March (sponsored by the Tau Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, and the Clayton State Department of Campus Life) will take the campus community along a historical journey and will reflect upon pivotal points during the Civil Rights movement. It will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the James M. Baker University Center Quad and will proceed to Spivey Hall where the Showcase will be held starting at 7 p.m.

Clayton State Homecoming, Jan. 30

The 2009/10 academic year is a special one for Clayton State University, as the University is celebrating its 40th anniversary, and the celebration will continue into January with a special Anniversary Homecoming.

Clayton State will have its Homecoming on Saturday, Jan. 30, as the Laker basketball teams will square off against Flagler College in Peach Belt Conference action at the Athletics & Fitness Center. The women’s game will tip-off at 1:30 p.m., followed by the men’s game at 3:30 p.m.

Black History Month, Feb. 1

The annual Black History Celebration at Clayton State University will begin on Monday, Feb. 1, 2010. The Department of Campus Life is currently in the process of organizing the calendar of events for this celebration.

Visiting Writers Reading Series Returns, Feb. 2

On Tuesday, Feb. 2 at 6:30 p.m., the spring 2010 Visiting Writers Reading Series will open with novelist Patti Callahan Henry reading in room B10 of the Lecture Hall.

Henry is a New York Times bestselling novelist. She has six novels with Penguin/NAL ("Losing the Moon," "Where the River Runs," "When Light Breaks," "Between the Tides," "The Art of Keeping Secrets," and "Driftwood Summer").

Hailed as a fresh new voice in southern fiction, she has been short-listed for the Townsend Prize for Fiction and has been nominated for the Southeastern Independent Booksellers Fiction Novel of the Year. She is a frequent speaker at luncheons, book clubs and women’s groups where she discusses the importance of storytelling and anything else they want to talk about.

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