Regents commit $5 million to address statewide nursing shortage

NOTE: North Georgia College & State University in Dahlonega has education degrees in nursing through the master's level and is a major source of producing nurses for the region. For more information, contact the NGCSU nursing department at 706-864-1935.


CONTACT: Arlethia Perry-Johnson, University System of Georgia
PHONE: (404) 656-2318

ATLANTA – (April 18): University System of Georgia officials today announced a $5 million initiative that
makes expanding the University System of Georgia's production of nurses a key priority.

The allocation will fund a multi-level strategy to address the state's severe shortage of nurses and nurse educators, admissions limitations in existing nursing programs and the lack of adequate clinical sites for nurse training. In all, 21 University System institutions will participate in the comprehensive effort, producing new graduates with associate's, bachelor's and doctoral degrees in nursing.

“We will accelerate the production of nurses at as many locations and in as many different ways as possible,” Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr. said. “Our goal is to drive our budget allocations toward Systemwide priorities and compelling needs in key policy areas. The nursing shortage represents a critical need for the state.”

The University System currently is graduating well over 2,000 nurses per year. The newly announced initiative is expected to increase this number by more than 400 during the 2006-2007 academic year. These new funds will be used to:

• Enable the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) to offer its existing Doctor of Nursing Practice program
as an external degree program on the campuses of eight other colleges and universities across the state, including at Albany State University, Clayton State University, Columbus State University, Emory University, Georgia Southern University, Gordon College, MCG's School of Nursing in Athens, and at Valdosta State University;

• Enable Georgia State University to partner with five other USG institutions to establish a statewide doctoral program (Ph.D.) in nursing. The partner institutions are Armstrong Atlantic State University, Georgia College & State University, Georgia Southwestern State University, Georgia State University and Valdosta State University;

• Expand Associate of Science in Nursing programs at nine USG institutions: Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Bainbridge College, Darton College, East Georgia College, North Georgia College & State University, Macon State College, Georgia Perimeter College, Georgia Highlands College and South Georgia College;

• Expand accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs at five USG institutions: Columbus State University, Kennesaw State University, Georgia Southwestern State University, Georgia State University, and Valdosta State University;

• Establish an Endowed Chair of Nursing at Georgia Southern University; and

• Create simulation labs at Valdosta State and Albany State universities that will allow nursing students to gain experience in a realistic clinical setting. Students will use life-size computerized human models that can be programmed to react physiologically to different scenarios, such as the administration of drugs, insertion of intravenous lines and respiratory distress. The labs will allow VSU and ASU to expand enrollment in their nursing programs, which are limited currently by inadequate clinical space.

This multi-pronged approach is necessary, the regents note, because the nursing shortage also is being impacted by a void in nursing faculty. Therefore, the System's response addresses the production of new nurses and new faculty to teach in nursing programs.

The USG “Nursing Program Initiative” will build on the University System's on-going, highly successful “Healthcare Professionals Initiative (HPI).” By December 2006, that effort will have produced more than 1,100 nursing graduates through the USG's Intellectual Capital Partnership Program (ICAPP), in addition
to the nurses graduated by the System's regular nursing programs.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Georgia will have a projected 48,000 registered nurses by 2020, but the agency projects there will be a demand for 80,000 registered nurses. The USG's “Nursing Program Initiative” will help to close the resulting gap of 32,000 nurses.

Austenfeld named 2006 Distinguished Professor at NGCSU

	Thomas Austenfeld

DAHLONEGA – The Alumni Association of North Georgia College & State University will honor Dr. Thomas Austenfeld, professor of language and literature at NGCSU, as the 2006 Distinguished Professor during Parents-Alumni Weekend, April 21-23.

Before joining the North Georgia faculty in 2000, Austenfeld had served on the faculty of Drury College in Springfield, Mo., since 1991. After receiving his undergraduate degree from the University of Münster, Germany, in 1985, he earned his Master of Arts degree in 1986 and his Ph.D. in English in 1991, both from the University of Virginia.

“One of Thomas’ strengths as a teacher is found in his European background,” wrote Dr. Eric Link in his nomination of Austenfeld for the award. “He brings respect for learning and a comprehensive knowledge to all of his classes.”

Austenfeld’s ability to speak several foreign languages “enlivens his World Literature classes,” Link said.

“Anyone who has ever observed Thomas teach will affirm that one gets caught up in his engaging presentation style. A second, noteworthy strength of Thomas’ teaching is the infusion of philosophical content – ethical reasoning, critical thinking, logical support for arguments – in the writing assignments he gives to composition students as well as to his senior seminar in English.”

Last year, the Student Government Association named Austenfeld its “Faculty Member of the Year.” He works with the International Students Association, serves on the Faculty Senate, the Graduate Council and the Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment Committee, among other assignments on campus. President David Potter appointed Austenfeld chair of the committee to design an Intellectual Property Policy for the university.

Included in his other volunteer work, Austenfeld is active in St. Luke’s Catholic Church and sings with the University Singers.

His book, “American Women Writers and the Nazis: Ethics and Politics in Boyle, Porter, Stafford, and Hellman,” was published in 2001. He also is the author of numerous articles, chapters, book reviews, and other publications and has made presentations at dozens of academic and professional conferences.

His wife, Anne Marie Austenfeld, is a graduate student in Library and Information Science at the University of Alabama.

NGCSU Parents-Alumni Weekend features military review
War memorial to be dedicated April 22

	Blue Ridge Rifles

DAHLONEGA – The annual Parents-Alumni Weekend at North Georgia College & State University is scheduled for April 21-23. Several events are free and open to the public.

The dedication of a war memorial - the first on campus since the Vietnam conflict - will take place to honor soldiers who have died in combat since 9/11 and is outside the Memorial Hall Gymnasium at 4 p.m. on April 22. The “Lost in Combat” memorial dedication ceremony will pay tribute to the North Georgia students and alumni who have made the “final sacrifice.”

Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, commanding general of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth, Kan., is the featured speaker at the 2 p.m. Sunday military review, April 23, when all Corps of Cadets alumni are invited to march on the drill field with the 500 current cadets. The award-winning Blue Ridge Rifles precision drill team and the Golden Eagle Band will perform. This event, on the drill field at the center of campus, is free and open to the public.

Other events include a golf tournament, wine tasting, a Fun Run, the Military Ball, an awards luncheon and an alumni reception and banquet.

For inquiries about the weekend and to make reservations for the ticketed events, telephone 706-867-2873.

Honors Day takes center stage April 11 at NGCSU

DAHLONEGA – The 11th Annual Honors Day at North Georgia College & State University will feature a diverse and accomplished group of students, faculty members and guest speakers on April 11 on the Dahlonega campus. The academic conference includes a full day of presentations in the natural and health sciences, arts and letters, business administration and education fields.

Other activities include a “living military history” at the center of campus on the drill field, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Special panels during the day include a visually engaging “game theory” presentation and “CSI: Dahlonega,” a student demonstration of crime scene investigation procedures and techniques.

The day ends with the eighth annual Great Debate, designed this year with a completely new format. The sponsors – the American Democracy Project, the Honors Program, and the Phi Alpha Theta History honors society – have challenged student organizations to propose and execute activities to involve students civically and politically around the campus, community, state and beyond. There are cash prizes for the top presentations for this “Civic Idol” competition.

The public is invited to attend the free honors conference, located on the main NGCSU campus. A detailed schedule with locations and times for all the events is available online at apache.northgeorgia.edu/Resource/honors. For more information contact Carl Cavalli at 706-864-1872.

Citizens Leadership Alliance helps clean up community

On April 1, more than 40 members from the Citizens Leadership Alliance – a consortium of education, government, economic development and business organizations in Lumpkin County – filled more than 130 bags with trash from the Ga. 400 highway section in Lumpkin County.

Participants scoured the highway for two-and-a-half hours, picking up trash and debris, including (pictured left) an old sign pulled from the wood line by North Georgia College & State University President David Potter (right) and other volunteers. NGCSU public safety officers and Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office personnel assisted in traffic control.

“It was hard work, but it brought the community together for a worthwhile effort with results that were immediately apparent,” said Mac McConnell, the event coordinator and NGCSU vice president for business and finance.

More than 40 members from the Citizens Leadership Alliance participated in the project.

NGCSU conference explores future of leadership education

Army Secretary Francis Harvey, left, meets North Georgia College & State University’s top cadet leader, Richard Lee of Alpharetta, Ga., right, during his visit to North Georgia on March 30 for the National Leadership Conference. Harvey, the U.S. Army’s top official, addressed the university’s 600-member cadet corps, under the direction of Col. Tom Palmer, center.

DAHLONEGA – The United States’ top Army leaders headlined the National Leadership Conference at North Georgia College & State University on March 30 and 31.

Secretary of the U.S. Army Francis Harvey also took time to speak with the university’s 600-member Corps of Cadets in a separate address on the Dahlonega campus.

“North Georgia has historically been a developer of leaders with its cadets, many of which go on to join the Army, so the university is an important source of commissioning officers,” said Harvey, the U.S. Army’s top official responsible for the active duty, National Guard, and Reserve forces – over one million soldiers total.

The NGCSU conference focused on the evolving educational requirements that military personnel need in the 21st century and the broader process of creating effective leaders in the military, private and public sectors.

	Gen. Peter Schoomaker at the podium.

Gen. Peter Schoomaker, the U.S. Army Chief of Staff and the nation’s highest-ranking Army officer, opened the conference with an keynote address highlighting the future direction of Army leadership development.

Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, responsible for the active duty military forces involved in Hurricane Katrina operations, spoke on crisis leadership and adapting to remain effective in crisis situations.

More than 160 conference attendees participated in group sessions during the two-day event to develop ideas related to training effective leaders in a changing military and global environment.

Conference participants included career military officers from the Department of Defense, the U.S. Army War College and the Georgia Army National Guard as well as faculty members from the federal armed-services academies, local and state government officials and educators from around the region.

Lt. Gen. Russel Honore spoke on crisis leadership.

NGCSU presents 'A Night on Broadway'

DAHLONEGA – The Madrigal Singers and soloists at North Georgia College & State University will present an evening of Broadway favorites along with a short comic opera during “A Night on Broadway.” The musical event, which is free and open to the public, takes place on Thursday, April 7, and again on Friday, April 8, at 7:30 p.m. in Gloria Shott Performance Hall in the Nix Cultural Center on campus.

The concert will open with a classical comic opera, a brief example of the predecessor of American musical theater. The singers will perform a staged version of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s "The Impresario," the story of an unscrupulous opera director who, in an effort to increase his income, tries to talk two famous prima donnas into sharing the same stage. Accustomed to having the limelight to themselves and highly jealous of each other, the two singers insist they will not appear together and take turns insulting and trying to out-sing each other, with hilarious results. This performance is a part of the university’s celebration of the 250th anniversary of the birth of Mozart.

The second half of the concert, "Thoroughly Modern Musicals: A Contemporary Broadway Retrospective," is a revue of the many significant changes that American musical theater has seen over the past half century. Beginning with "West Side Story" (1957) and ending with "Wicked" (2003), the show will present some of the greatest songs to come out of Broadway over the past several decades, including selections from "Godspell," "A Chorus Line," "Phantom of the Opera," "Les Misérables," "The Lion King," and others.

Gloria Shott Performance Hall is located in the Nix Cultural Center, just below gold-steepled Price Hall on the NGCSU Campus in Dahlonega. For more information, please contact the Fine Arts Department at 706-864-1423.

Observatory-Planetarium Public Education Nights Program at NGCSU

DAHLONEGA – The George E. Coleman Sr. Planetarium at North Georgia College & State University is open to the public for one-hour free shows on Friday evenings while the university is in session. Weather permitting; the North Georgia Astronomical Observatory will be open for public viewing after the show.

The planetarium is located in room 234 of the Health & Natural Sciences Building on Sunset Drive, west of campus off of Main Street in Dahlonega. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. for seating and shows begin promptly at 8 p.m. The Spring Semester shows are presented every Friday through May 5.

The observatory is located 4 miles west of campus off highway 9 on Day Drive. Directions are provided at the planetarium shows. The gate opens by 9:30 p.m., after the planetarium show, weather permitting.

Shows begin with a multimedia introduction, transitioning visitors into a simulated outdoor amphitheater under a starry sky.  Next, star talks feature the current night sky or some upcoming astronomical event.  Presentations integrated into the star talk or at the conclusion of the show may be used to showcase these astronomical or space-related events. Telephone 706-864-1471 for weekly updates about the shows.

Planetarium shows on weekdays for school groups or other organizations are available by reservation. Contact Dr. Joseph H. Jones, jjones@ngcsu.edu, for reservations and scheduling information.  Currently, show times are available by special arrangements from 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. on Thursdays through the end of March, then on most Tuesdays and Thursdays at those same hours during April.

The planetarium seats 46 and houses a Spitz 512 projector that can display 1000 northern and southern sky stars on a 30-foot diameter dome. The effect is a realistic simulation of the night sky as seen from anywhere on the surface of the Earth at any time of night and at any epoch from the ancient past to the far future. In addition, an automated video projection and cove lighting system provide the capability for integrated special effects and for displaying the latest imagery and video from the astronomical community, NASA, and the North Georgia Astronomical Observatory. 

This page last modified on: Monday, 21 August 2006 16:16:25 -0400 by University Relations    

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