Wednesday, January 15, 2003

Academic classes could be at PTC branch of CCSU next fall

Clayton College & State University is gathering data for future academic credit courses at the new Fayette County Higher Education Center in Peachtree City.

According to a recent telephone survey conducted by Clayton State, a state university of the University System of Georgia (USG), a significant majority of Fayette County residents - 68 percent -- are interested in taking college courses for credit - in effect, they are interested in enrolling in college during the upcoming year.

The next step in the process of assessing and meeting the needs of the community, and ultimately bringing academic courses to Fayette County, is a printed reply card survey that will run as an insert in today's Fayette Citizen.

Information from the two surveys will be used to present a proposal to the USG this spring... a proposal to begin academic classes in Peachtree City, possibly as soon as the fall 2003 semester.

From Nov. 7, 2002 to Dec. 13, 2002, Clayton State conducted a random telephone survey among 210 Fayette County residents.

No less than 143 of the respondents said that someone in their family would be interested in taking undergraduate college courses for credit in the upcoming year.

Although interest was expressed in 14 different majors - everything from Music to Psychology -- the most interest was shown for core education courses, the University's Integrative Studies program (a general bachelor's degree program), Business, Health Care Management and Clayton State's new Media and Communication Studies degree.

The Fayette County Higher Education Center officially opened Oct. 1 in the Peachtree City Tennis Center at 10 Planterra Way, Peachtree City.

While the Fayette County Center initially focused on non-credit Continuing Education courses, along with the efforts of Clayton State's Small Business Development Center's (SBDC) entrepreneurial services, Clayton State's plans from the very beginning included offering academic courses in Peachtree City as soon as was feasible, which in this case meant following the on-going market research to determine the needs of the local population, and approval by the University System.

Partners in the Fayette County Center include Clayton State, the Fayette County Development Authority, the Development Authority of Peachtree City, the Peachtree City Tennis Center, Newnan Utilities, Peachtree City, Fayette County Commission and the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce.

Clayton College & State University, "Your University" for Atlanta's "Southern Crescent," is a state university of the University System of Georgia, located in Morrow.

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