Morrow, Ga., Aug. 23, 2007 – With the temperature topping out at near 100 degrees today, Clayton State University held an indoor groundbreaking ceremony to mark the official start of its student housing and student activities center projects.

The ceremony was held in Spivey Hall with Clayton State President Dr. Thomas K. Harden presiding over a crowd of dignitaries, project managers, University System of Georgia (USG) officials, elected officials, faculty, staff, students and friends of the University. In deference to the weather, the actual groundbreaking, complete with ceremonial shovels and hard hats, was held immediately behind Spivey Hall, at the edge of Swan Lake.

“Our number one purpose is to meet the higher education needs for this region,” said Harden in his opening remarks regarding the two new buildings. “To fulfill that purpose we have to do more all the time to insure student success… We need to provide a residential experience for first time, full time freshmen. There also need to be more opportunities on campus for activities for all students.

“This is a major, major change on this campus.”

Among the VIPs speaking to the crowd in addition to Harden were Dr. Brian Haynes, Clayton State vice president of Student Affairs; Leonard Moreland, vice chair of the Clayton State University Foundation, chair of the CSU Foundation Real Estate I, LLC, and president and CEO of Heritage Bank; M. Allan Vigil, chairman of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia and a long-time member of the Clayton State University Foundation Board of Trustees; and Dr. Lisa A. Rossbacher, president of Southern Polytechnic State University and interim executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer of the USG.

“I’m really proud of everything that has been accomplished here,” noted Vigil in his remarks.

“What a difference these buildings will make in Clayton State University,” echoed Rossbacher, who was representing USG Chancellor Erroll Davis.

Haynes pointed out that not only was the advent of student housing on campus (both of the new buildings are scheduled to open in August 2008) a major event in the history of the University, but that the two projects, funded by a bond project with the Development Authority of Clayton County the issuing agency, owned by CSU Foundation Real Estate I LLC, and leased to the University System, move Clayton State into an exclusive status.

“You may not realize this, but, most colleges and universities do not have on-campus housing,” he said.

Speaking for the Clayton State student body was Student Government Association President Williams Azubike, a sophomore Biology major.

“The student activities center will afford the students with a number of new opportunities and activities,” he said. “It will bring a new sense of community to the students.

“The students both support these projects, and thank those who are behind them.”

Moreland, who in his position with the LLC has put a tremendous amount of effort over the past year into making both housing projects a reality, noted that, “when you’re doing things that mean so much to the community and to a lot of young people, it’s a labor of love.”

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

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