Merger brings broader possibilities to students
According to the Georgia Board of Regents’ website, no campuses will close. Consolidating the schools will be done with the focus of making college-level education more accessible to greater numbers of students.
The projected date for the merger to reach completion is in the fall semester of 2013. Students have different feelings about the Georgia Board of Regents’ decision to merge both Macon State and Middle Georgia, but most of the feelings are positive ones.
One student, Terri Hutcheson, who graduated from Middle Georgia and is currently a junior at Macon State, says, “I’m optimistic about the merger. The merger will give students from Laurens County a chance to pursue higher education without transporting to far away towns to achieve their goals.
For the current students of Macon State, they will have great professors and will have the opportunity to learn from a larger group of educators.”
Jonah Owens is a graduate of Macon State’s history program. He is currently still attending classes on the Macon campus to complete a BS degree in information technology.
Owens says he is “feeling pretty good about it.” Owens says, “I’m optimistic that it can lead to more educational opportunities that are not currently offered at either of the two schools, such as a Master’s degree in history.”
Amber Fedon is a Middle Georgia nursing student. Fedon says, “I think that this is a good idea .” The idea that there will be room for more programs as a result of consolidating the two schools is also a desire of Shonda Wilson, who is another Macon State alumnus.
Wilson said, “I believe that the merger will be beneficial to the school and hopefully open up new doors for more programs, more classes, and even higher degrees. As a student who has already graduated with my BA in history, and a student who has worked for years with student organizations and worked tirelessly to really bring some positive attention to Macon State, I only see good things coming from an opportunity to get more students, more professors, more programs, and perhaps even graduate level programs.”
Skye Layson, a nursing student at Middle Georgia, also thinks the merger will be good for the students.
Layson says, “I believe it could be a good idea. However, the name should stay Middle Georgia College seeing as how Macon is known as middle Georgia.” Layson says if she decided to relocate to the Macon campus that, “I would hope my housing would be added to the Macon location. Also, the city of Macon has a lot more to offer than Cochran, so I believe it could be a good expansion on the college.”
In addition to expanding the number of degrees the college will offer, Nedra Hobson, a business major in her junior year at Macon State hopes for more online classes. Hobson says, “I hope the change brings about more online classes, which should be less expensive as opposed to being more expensive. Also, I would like more options for upper level classes as well.”
Michael Glass, a Macon State biology major, wonders about his tuition. Glass says, “The prices of tuition at Macon State are the reasons for the number of people the school has but an increase in prices to attend the school may leave people angry.”
Consolidating the two schools while simultaneously keeping all of the campuses open will mean there will be changes. Whether or not the tuition for students will increase has not be decided.
To further discuss Macon campus’ Student Government Association will be hosting a discussion forum on Wednesday Jan. 25th from 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. at Arts Complex.
Related posts:
Filed Under: Special