Clayton College & State University will enter the new millennium and its 30th year with an extensive review of its academic programs and an emphasis on the on-going upgrading of the University's infrastructure.

In his “State of the University” address last week, interim President Michael F. Vollmer focused his remarks on “where we are heading,” specifically, a review of academic programs and continued investment of time, effort and money in facilities.

Highlighting the coming year will be proposals for five new bachelor's degrees, the completion of the music building, obtaining funding for the $24 million University Learning Center, on-going support of the 120-acre Gateway Village project, and beginning renovation of the lecture hall.

All five of the University's academic schools will be reviewing their course offerings during the 1999-2000 academic year, with an eye toward improving both the recruitment and retention of students, noted Vollmer.

The School of Arts and Sciences, under the direction of acting dean Dr. John Kohler, will have a great deal of activity in the coming months. Vollmer said he expects to present proposals for no less than five new Arts and Sciences baccalaureate degrees to the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia this fall. If the regents approve, Clayton State could add degrees in criminal justice (emphasis on technology and accounting), human services, public service and resource management, communications and media studies, and music (emphasis on business) for fall semester 2000.

A biology baccalaureate degree also is planned to start in fall 2001.

The School of Health Sciences, under the direction of dean Dr. Linda Samson, is planning to expand its existing two-year dental hygiene program to include a four-year program and to explore the possibility of adding post-baccalaureate health care certificates.

The New College for Economic and Community Development, headed by acting dean Dr. Wallace Shakun, will be developing a means to help incoming information technology students with their math skills. In addition, in keeping with the New College's mandate, new programs in information technology will continue to be under development to meet industry demands.

Clayton State's other two schools, Business and Technology, also will review their academic offerings with an eye toward meeting student needs and retaining current students for a full four years.

Major infrastructure construction has pretty much been on hiatus at CCSU since the 1991 completion of Spivey Hall and the Harry S. Downs Center for Continuing Education. But Vollmer noted the coming year will see the completion of the university's first major classroom building since the Technology Building was opened in the summer of 1988. The $4 million Music Building will give CCSU's music program an instructional facility equal to the world class performance facility next door at Spivey Hall.

The largest project in Clayton State's 30 years, the University Learning Center, is currently at the top of the University System's five-year major capital outlay priority list, which will be considered by the Georgia State Legislature when it reconvenes in January 2000. Under the current proposal, the Learning Center will include a food service area, lecture halls, bookstore, administrative and faculty offices, a learning lab and classrooms. Physically, it will be attached to the present library, which will be fully converted into a media and learning center.

The only thing bigger than the Learning Center is Gateway Village, the major economic development project that will transform an important part of Clayton County in the years to come and enclose the Clayton State campus on two sides with office space, medical facilities, a high tech executive conference center, student housing and possibly an intermodal transportation center.