In fulfilling this mission in fiscal year 1996-1997 (FY 96-97, July 1996 through June 1997), the Georgia Center served more than 200,000 people. This total included individuals taking various academic credit programs from the University System of Georgia Independent Study program and The University of Georgia's Evening Classes program. In the non-credit arena, thousands of citizens were served, both on-campus at the Georgia Center and at remote sites throughout the state and beyond, through educational conferences; non-credit independent study courses and certificate programs; and through electronic outreach, such as the Georgia Statewide Academic and Medical System (GSAMS) and satellite teleconferencing.
The unique event of the year was the Centennial Olympic Games hosted by Atlanta during the summer of 1996. UGA was the site of soccer, volleyball, and rhythmic gymnastics. The Georgia Center was heavily involved during the two-week period, sponsoring a number of cultural events and performances and serving as one of the main "gathering points" on campus, with its hotel and dining facilities in maximum use. Staff and faculty were called on to arrange and rearrange schedules of conferences and programs in order to accommodate requests and provide services for this once-in-a-lifetime occasion.
Other notable activities and accomplishments during FY 96-97 were: another record year of enrollments for the American Language Program; a phase-down of Evening Classes course offerings and the development of plans for a new program, University Studies; the launching of a new effort by the Division of Instructional Services, in conjunction with the University System Center -- Gwinnett and DeKalb College, to initiate and provide non-credit programming to the Gwinnett County, Georgia, area; the completion of a nine-month project to design and implement a new networked computing infrastructure by Computer Services; the first full year of the Department of Conference and Event Services, which booked 108 new conferences and 1,032 non-conference meetings and banquets; and the continued support of the State of Georgia to upgrade and enhance the KU-band satellite uplink operated by the Department of Television Services, in addition to that department's efforts to work cooperatively with the emerging distance learning community at UGA. Also, the Center, which opened its doors in January of 1957, began "Celebrating 40 Years of Service" to commemorate its 40th anniversary. The activities culminated in a special 40th conference held in September 1997.
The Georgia Center serves adult students, the organizations in which they work, and the profession of adult and continuing education itself through a variety of educational programs enhanced by the use of technology and led by a staff actively involved in the development of their field of practice. In combination, these resources make it possible for The University of Georgia to reach several hundred thousand people who might not otherwise benefit from the expertise and knowledge of its land-grant/sea-grant university. The Georgia Center is made up of four divisions -- Academic Credit, Communication Services, Hotel and Operating Services, and Instructional Services -- with administrative support functions conducted through the Director's Office. The Center's on-campus facilities provide administrative offices for the educational program; lodging for approximately 300 adults; conference facilities for up to 1,800; two computer labs; and studios and production areas for video and WUGA-FM public radio. The Center also provides a variety of other media support services for continuing education and the service function of UGA, often through satellite uplink and downlink communications and an electronic classroom connected to GSAMS.
This Georgia Center Quarterly "Year in Review" gives a rundown of accomplishments and highlights of the year for the divisions and departments. Special staff achievements are presented in a separate article.
The American Language Program (ALP) enrollment for FY 96-97 of 729 students (4.74% increase over FY 95-96) was another record high for the department with the geographic distribution of the students reflecting a total of 45 countries, the largest number of countries represented in a year. The administrative staff, public service faculty, and academic-year teaching associates were relocated to offices in the Georgia Center, a profound change in better serving students and providing a professional setting for the program and its faculty. Evening Classes implemented an effective phase-down of Evening Classes course offerings and developed plans for University Studies -- mission, policies and procedures, admission requirements, and specific aspects of academic advising and student support programs. University Studies will serve first- and second-year traditional and non-traditional students who reside in Athens/Clarke County and surrounding communities that do not include another University System of Georgia college or university, as well as students enrolled because of special circumstances identified through reviews including those conducted by the Faculty Admissions Committee. Evening Classes had a total of 3,891 student registrations, a 42% decrease from 6,709 in FY 95-96, and 6,919 course registrations, a 38% decrease from 11,198 in FY 95-96, as a result of the planned reduction in classes offered and in the registration of day students in accord with the University decision to offer classes only through the regular departmental process.
The University System of Georgia Independent Study program offered 157 academic courses taught by 82 faculty. Independent Study had 3,868 student registrations (a 15% increase over FY 95-96) and 5,015 course registrations (a 14% increase over FY 95-96). Its new location in the east wing of the Georgia Center is highly valued by, and provides better conditions for, both students and faculty. Exciting experiments in the use of educational technology are underway. During FY 97-98, Independent Study will develop a "virtual campus" that will consist of 25 academic credit courses with a totally Internet-based delivery system, student service capabilities, on-line registration, lesson tracking, test verification and scheduling, textbook ordering, on-line reference databases, and virtual lectures, class notes, labs and conferences.
The University of Georgia Office at the University System Center -- Gwinnett (in Lawrenceville, Georgia, Gwinnett County) provided consultation and administrative support to the University's effort to pilot selected undergraduate business and education courses at Gwinnett. New classroom and office space for the University's programs in Gwinnett was acquired, to be used jointly by the University (through the Georgia Center's Division of Instructional Services) and DeKalb College. The office engaged in identifying needs and planning for the expansion of non-credit programs. During FY 96-97, a total of 121 (112 graduate level, 9 undergraduate level) University classes were offered at the University System Center -- Gwinnett with a total of 1,439 students enrolled. Twenty courses were offered in Gwinnett via distance learning. Total course registrations equaled 1,788. The University System Center -- Gwinnett completed its third major build-out, adding new classrooms and office space.
Although the division has limited opportunity to generate "income" in the traditional sense, the efforts of the various departments resulted in another annual increase in income and transfer of "negative expense" -- indicators of higher levels of activity accomplished with the same number of staff. This was accomplished after a study resulted in modification of costing/pricing profiles that reduced many prices and only slightly raised others to support program efforts. The division made significant use of technology to enhance "presence" in the local, state, regional, national, and international arenas in the past year. One set of indicators of this effort is the report of "hits" to the Center's World Wide Web page on those areas supported by this division.
Accomplishments and highlights for the year were the renewal, by the Department of Television Services, of the Great Georgians video series, which was initially produced in the late 1970s and early 1980s and profiles the lives and careers of some of the great contemporary men and women of the State of Georgia; the many awards of WUGA-FM, whose News and Public Affairs Unit received the "Pacemaker Award," for "Outstanding News Organization, Class B Radio, Medium-Sized Market in Georgia" from the Georgia Associated Press Broadcasters Association; and the continued support of the State of Georgia to upgrade and enhance the KU-band satellite uplink operated by the Department of Television Services, as well as that department's efforts to work cooperatively with the emerging distance learning community at UGA.
The Department of Marketing Services researched and prepared studies for possible future Georgia Center activities -- a pricing study of Northeast Georgia conference centers and an educational needs profile for the Gwinnett (County, Georgia) Chamber of Commerce, as well as continued to assist Georgia Center staff and others in the development, promotion, and delivery of Georgia Center programs, service, and resources. The Printing Services Unit completed its first full year of tracking by "FOREsight," which reflected an increased level of demand in virtually all statistical categories. The unit processed more than 2,000 new jobs and delivered more than 11 million impressions during FY 96-97.
Highlights for the division's year included the first full year of the Central Booking Office of the Department of Conference and Event Services -- the office booked 108 new conferences and coordinated 1,032 non-conference meetings and banquets. The Department of Food Services increased food revenues by more than 10% and increased cooking capacity through the purchase of new kitchen equipment, as well as augmented banquet entrees with additional light selections; and the Department of General Services converted the former Governmental Training offices for use by the American Language Program and other Georgia Center departments.
Also, the Department of Lodging Services was instrumental during the Olympics period last summer, housing officials and numerous other guests during the two weeks. Lodging Services attained record revenues in the Rooms Unit and Gift Shop and improved reservations policies to better serve customers and increase occupancy. The Department of Special Event Services featured seven Masters Hall Performances attended by more than 5,000 patrons and completed design work for hotel offices, two classrooms at the University System Center -- Gwinnett, and the Savannah Room, as well as presented five art shows within the Georgia Center.
Some numbers of interest for the division for the year: 45,646 guests were housed in the hotel (down slightly from 46,348 in FY 95-96), more than 153,000 meals were served through the restaurant and banquet services (up from last year's 145,799) and more than 40,800 attended special events (up from 23,531 in FY 95-96).
Total non-credit program efforts of the division served 221,853 participants with 2,353 different offerings for individuals, professionals, businesses, government organizations and agencies, and University-based disciplines. Regular Center instructional programs experienced a decrease in participants (53,561 for FY 96-97 versus 70,257 for FY 95-96), offerings (1,155 for FY 96-97 versus 1,763 for FY 95-96), and instructional hours (15,049 for FY 96-97 versus 27,024 for FY 95-96). Contributing factors to these decreases are the Centennial Olympic Games during the summer of 1996 and the transfer of Governmental Training.
The division is the engine that powers all non-credit continuing education at the Georgia Center, both residential and around the state. While professional education offerings predominate, a variety of cultural and avocational programs address the adult learner as a whole person. To entice new audiences, the division has implemented several new programs based on needs assessments -- for example, a new non-credit independent study course in marketing research and an executive development and leadership seminar series for the CEO Roundtable of the Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce.
A self-study will be conducted in Tifton, Georgia, during FY 96-97 to support pre-planning efforts for a new conference center there. Work with the University System of Georgia Board of Regents will continue as the task force from the Regents' Public Service Advisory Committee designs and implements a statewide plan for continuing education's role in Georgia's economic growth and development. Assessing overall program effectiveness will continue to be a priority.
Other initiatives of note during the year were the launching of, with DeKalb College, a non-credit programming initiative at the University System Center -- Gwinnett (Instructional Services is providing staffing for the programs, and the beginning of new programming efforts in Griffin, Georgia, at the Agricultural Research Center. The University System of Georgia Board of Regents asked the division to develop and publish for the Regents the first-ever report on the system's continuing education program efforts in workforce/workplace education and economic development in Georgia. This report is to be done annually.
Also, as a result of the continuing education unit (CEU) audit conducted by The University of Georgia Internal Audit Section, improvements in system management of CEUs have been implemented at the Georgia Center. Campus-wide use of the CEU to truly record and report the total University efforts in continuing education is being encouraged as a result of the audit findings.
Computer Services designed and implemented a new networked computing infrastructure, incorporating more than 22 miles of new high-speed copper desktop cabling and fiber-optic backbone cabling to connect 800 desktop and conference area cables to the main computer room. Existing needs plus projected expansion for the next six to eight years are now covered. The new cabling infrastructure design will also accommodate new technologies, including connectivity with the new fiber-optic campus network currently being planned by the University (UCNS, University Computing and Networking Services). The department also built and configured a server to allow the University System of Georgia Independent Study program fully functional World Wide Web (WWW) courses.
Staff Development continued initiatives in customer service training, technical training, procedural training, organizational development, and personal and professional development. Cross-departmental collaboration and cultural diversity issues were continuous themes, in support of UGA and Georgia Center strategic objectives. A well-received effort of Computer Services and Staff Development was a computer users' group for Center personnel.
Web administrator: webmaster@gactr.uga.edu All contents copyright © 1997 University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education. All rights reserved. Last revised: January 23, 1998 URL: http://www.gactr.uga.edu/GCQ/gcqfall97/annualreport.html