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GSW, ABAC joining forces

• Students at a Tifton college will have new degree opportunities thanks to an agreement between two Southwest Georgia post-secondary institutions.

Joshua Brown

AMERICUS — Georgia Southwestern State University and Abraham Baldwin College officials will sign a memorandum of understanding today agreeing to allow two new GSW bachelor’s degree programs to be offered on ABAC’s campus.

The deal, already approved by the University System of Georgia’s chancellor, will allow students to take associate’s-degree level courses for Early Childhood Education and Resource Management, GSW President Kendall Blanchard said.

“We’ve had a longterm relationship with ABAC and this is just kind of ratcheting up that relationship one step further,” he said. “Obviously the main (beneficiaries) are the students who are in the Tifton area who are place-bound and who are, for whatever reason, unable to travel or go somewhere else to complete a four-year degree.”

The signing is set for 12:15 p.m. at GSW’s Wheatley Administration Building.

ABAC President David Bridges said surveys conducted by the college showed that “some 200-plus students responded they would be interested in pursuing (a degree in) early childhood education.”

“What it does is it significantly expands the offering of bachelor’s degrees on the campus here in Tifton,” he said. “It’s a partnership between us and Southwestern where the students will do their lower-level coursework in Tifton and will remain on campus here during (senior-level coursework).”

Both of the degrees will begin being offered the fall 2008 semester. Students who have completed a set number of hours with at least a “C” average at any two-year state college are automatically admitted to GSW upon application, Blanchard said.

Bridges said it would provide an incentive for potential ABAC students to attend the school.

“What this does is put us in a position to recruit students and give them more options to stay here at ABAC for four years and earn a bachelor’s degree,” he said.

Plans are in place to eventually have joint faculty members who would divide their time teaching both the lower- and higher-level courses, he said.

GSW and Bainbridge College officials signed a similar agreement May 22, allowing BC to offer a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems beginning fall 2008 semester.

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