State still studying merger of technical, two-year colleges
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“Any decision we can make to help provide more opportunities to students, either to get an associates degree or to get a diploma or a certification of Work Ready in order to make them employable, that’s what we’re about,” said CVTC President Craig McDaniel.
Last July, Gov. Sonny Perdue appointed the “Tough Choices or Tough Times” to make suggestions for improving the Georgia’s education system.
In December the committee recommended combining the 33 technical colleges in TCSG with the eight two-year institutions within University System of Georgia — creating the Technical and Academic College System of Georgia.
McDaniel said a merger would impact the Floyd community since both a two-year institution and a technical college already exist in the area.
“We’ll approach it the same way as we approached the technical college merger,” said McDaniel, alluding to the Technical College System of Georgia’s decision to combine 13 of the colleges statewide, including CVTC and Northwestern Technical College to create Georgia Northwestern Technical College.
The “Tough Choices or Tough Times” working group released a final draft in April that recommended creating a community college system or maintain the current design but improve agreements between technical schools and the university system.
But, GHC President Randy Pierce said communication be-tween the two systems is already strong.
“I know that there are some areas of the state that are underserved by the university system,” said Pierce, adding, “But, from my standpoint, as president of an institution, we’ve worked well with technical colleges in our area.”
Final consideration of a merger between TCSG and USG would take place this summer.
“It’s between the university system and the technical college system to work out the way students are best served by both,” said Pierce. “Whatever happens is of course a decision that happens at the at the state level. And, we’ll make it work.”
Professors at Georgia Perimeter College and other institutions oppose a merger, arguing two-year and technical colleges have separate and competing missions.
Technical colleges prepare students directly for the work force, while two-year colleges get students ready for four-year institutions, they said.
“They have their mission and we have ours, and it’s best for Georgia if the two stay separate,” said Beth Jensen, an English professor at Georgia Perimeter. “Folding us into them will decrease the two-year colleges’ academic standing and make it more difficult for students to transfer to four-year colleges.”
Bert Brantley, a spokesman for the governor’s office, insisted that no decision has been made on a merger, but Jen-sen and others said they believe that’s the ultimate goal based on the December draft.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution contributed to this report.
The two systems are both excellent systems. They both do an outstanding job working to achieve their mission and vision. Georgia cannot grow and improve without both systems. I fear that combining the two will give us a system that is less than the sum of the two systems we have now. We will either end up with a transfer system that pays little heed to the valuable technical programs (welding, electrical, drafting, truck driving, culinary, nursing, etc.) or we will end up with a technically savvy program that does little to prepare a student to transfer to the University.
I work with both of these kinds of students every day. We need both systems. We also need to do a FAR better job helping students to realize where they need to be. If your life's dream is to be a chef or a welder or an electrician, then perhaps you need to look at one of the many excellent technical colleges in the state. If your life's dream is to teach elementary school or to be a lawyer, then you should be considering one of the USG institutions.
I would very much like to see the two systems stop beating each other up and realize that each one has a valuable role to play in the state. Then perhaps the politicians will realize the error of trying to merge the systems.
You can only retake the COMPASS so many times before you are no longer allowed to attend GHC and other colleges for three years. It is widely know that stupid too dumb to pass the test at GHC can take it and almost always pass it when they take it at CVT.
So, what were you saying again?
Technical colleges are for people who are looking to pick up a new skill or trade. The two year colleges, like GHC, are for students looking to pick up extra classes for less than they would pay at places like Berry or Shorter and for students looking to transition to four year colleges and universities.
I could beat around the bush and type out a book trying to explain to you how stupid this idea is, but obviously you want to protect your job at CVT. That is fine. Just remember that people attending CVT are not exactly aiming to attend Yale or Harvard. They are not even aiming for admittance to Berry or Shorter College. I am and currently the academic standards at GHC are such that I am able to do that.
Letting GHC and other two year colleges fall under the failed Technical "College" system will cause those attending more grief than it is worth. Good professors will leave and we will get a "dumbed-down" version of what we need.
If I could afford to waste money on some of the basic classes I am taking, I would do that and wash my hands of this argument. Since I cannot, I will do what I can to fight this. Ny hope is that nothing is decided before we can get our current idiot governor out and someone in that will stop this stupidity.
If politicians in this state want to strengthen the technical college, then they should put them under the USG. There are many elitist college students and colleges out there that view those of us attending two year colleges, like GHC, as second rate students. I do not care what they think of us, but I want the opportunity to attend any college or university I wish. If I can keep my grades up, then there should be nothing in my way.
The wording I have seen on statements made by Sonny Purdue on this issue have bothered me to no end. I have made calls to his office and have talked to at least one rather pleasant lady who told me they were only "look at this as a possibility"; but obviously it is more than that.
I want all the information on this well before they put this into effect. This is something that should be left up to the people, by the way of a vote, and not by some politician.
My understanding is that the proposed merger of the two year regents schools with the techncial colleges would create a community college system that would offer transfer credits to four year schools, as well as prepare students for the workforce with certificates, diplomas, and associate degrees. CVTC's accreditation by SACS, by CVTC's choice, does not offer transfer credits. If the merger were to take place, it would strengthen, not dilute, education for all of the current students, whether they are at a technical college or a two-year college of the regents system.
Finally, I commend you for your desire to become an attorney, but I would also caution you not to belittle any other profession. A good welder is hard to find, and an excellent welder can command a very respectable salary, sometimes besting that of some lawyers.
I cannot afford Berry's and Shorter's high price tags. I find this offensive and I will campaign every day against our idiot governor and the other politicians that voted for this. You do not treat people that attend two year colleges as sub par students, just because we cannot drive for hours to one of the four year colleges.
If I wanted to attend a technical college, then I would have applied to CVT. I am working on getting a few classes out of the way so that I can move on to UGA. I want to be a lawyer, not a welder.
I hope these politicians are happy with this decision; their political lives are going to be over. You DO NOT mess with education; that hurts people's future more than many of the other stupid decision they make.
I call on everyone to write to, call in, and march on these politician's offices and let them know how WRONG this is. Do not slap two-year college students in the face by pushing this through.
The governor can claim a decision has not been made, but obviously it has. I call on RN-T, as well as all other media outlets in this state, to stay on this story and make sure as many people as possible are aware of this story.