Emily Smith, Editor in Chief
The University System of Georgia Chancellor, Dr. Steve Wrigley, has appointed the Armstrong State University – Georgia Southern University Consolidation Implementation Committee. The USG press release stated that the 41-member committee consists of 20 representatives from each university as well as one from Savannah State University.
“We have strong representation, including 20 Armstrong faculty, staff, students and administrators,” Armstrong President Linda Bleicken said to the Armstrong community in an email Jan. 26.
The release details that the Student Government Association president from each institution will represent their respective student bodies. Armstrong SGA President Dustin Stewart and Georgia Southern SGA President Dylan John will serve as the committee’s student voices.
“In past consolidations, it has been practice that the SGA President serve as the sole student on the CIC. My task is to attempt to bring forth concerns most pressing for students and assist in making the bigger decisions regarding consolidation as a whole,” Stewart said. “However, there are going to be work groups aplenty and students are asked to volunteer to serve on those. The SGA, along with Student Affairs and the President’s Office, is working to put together a strategy that will permit students to submit or talk about concerns, as well as register to serve on a work group committee.”
Although initially interested in being on the committee herself, senior liberal studies major Michelle Ramos told The Inkwell that she believes the committee selections are fair. “All the names I recognize are people who are vested in student success. So, while I’m disappointed there is only one student, it is a good committee,” Ramos said. “ It looks like every office and department is covered. I’m actually pretty confident in the choices made and I think they will get every win possible for Armstrong at this point.”
One of the committee’s initial actions is to develop a mission statement for the new university. It will also help determine the best ways to combine the strengths of the two institutions, work out many details and provide regular updates to campus communities.
The committee’s first meeting with USG Chancellor Steve Wrigley will be Feb. 1, 2017.
Information about the proposed consolidation will be available and updated at consolidation.georgiasouthern.edu and consolidation.armstrong.edu.
SGA President Dustin Stewart can be contacted at sga.president@armstrong.edu
Georgia Southern SGA President Dylan John can be contacted at david_d_john@georgiasouthern.edu
The members of the Consolidation Implementation Committee are:
Armstrong State University
Linda M. Bleicken, president
Allison Belzer, associate professor, college of liberal arts
Janet Buckenmeyer, dean and professor, college of education
Christopher Corrigan, vice president, business and finance
Lee Davis, university counsel
Deidra Dennie, director, equity, diversity and inclusion, and chair, staff council
Catherine Gilbert, associate professor, college of health professions
Joy Hamm, associate vice president, enrollment services
Amy Heaston, chief of staff
Peter Hoffman, director, government relations and community engagement
Wayne Johnson, professor, college of science and technology
William Kelso, vice president, advancement
Dorothy Kempson, director, Armstrong Liberty Center
Georj Lewis, vice president, student affairs
Laura Mills, director, institutional research
Tim Moody, chief information officer
Clifford Padgett, associate professor and president, faculty senate
Robert Smith, provost and vice president, academic affairs
Lisa Sweany, director, athletics
Dustin Stewart, senior and president, student government association
Georgia Southern University
Jaimie Hebert, president
Trip Addison, vice president, university advancement and external affairs
Amy Ballagh, associate vice president, student affairs and enrollment management
Jean Bartels, provost and vice president, academic affairs
Jana Briley, chief audit officer
Jayne Perkins Brown, senior associate vice president, student affairs and enrollment management and director, strategic research and analysis
Kim Brown, senior associate vice president, financial and business services
Rebecca Carroll, associate vice president, human resources
Diana Cone, vice provost, academic affairs
Maura Copeland, associate vice president, legal affairs
Teresa Flateby, associate vice president, institutional effectiveness
Richard Flynn, faculty senate moderator and professor, department of literature and philosophy
Dylan John, student government association president
Tom Kleinlein, director, athletics
Thomas Koballa, dean, college of education
Brian Koehler, associate dean, curriculum and advisement, college of science and mathematics
Curtis Ricker, dean, college of liberal arts and social sciences
Ron Stalnaker, chief information officer
Teresa Thompson, vice president, student affairs and enrollment management
Rob Whitaker, vice president, business and finance
Savannah State University
• David Smith, chief of staff