Dalton State plans to cut some degrees, add others

Published 7:30 am Friday, March 25, 2011

As early as January of next year, Dalton State College could begin offering bachelor’s degrees in nursing and general studies as the institution focuses its efforts on offering more four-year degrees.

Vice President for Academic Affairs Sandra Stone said the changes are part of the college’s five-year academic master plan that includes eliminating seven programs and working toward developing close to 30 new ones, including, eventually, master’s degrees.

“For the next five years, this is our proposed plan of action for the college,” Stone told about 60 people gathered for one of two public meetings on Thursday to announce the proposed changes. “It’s a dynamic plan, and it will be subject to change.”

Slated for elimination are associate’s degrees in economics, philosophy, sociology, emergency services management, marketing and medical transcription. Co-op degrees in conjunction with Coosa Valley Tech, Northwestern Tech and Appalachian Tech are also going away since those institutions no longer exist after being merged into Georgia Northwestern Technical College, Stone said. She added DSC will work to develop similar agreements with Georgia Northwestern.

The programs are being eliminated because of low enrollment, some of which are in the single digits, she said, or because their value in the work force is decreasing. Beginning this fall, no new students will be allowed to enroll in those programs. However, students who were previously enrolled will be allowed to finish their degree.

Stone said faculty members for the eliminated programs will likely be placed in other positions at the college while others may choose to retire or take other jobs before the programs go away completely.

“I don’t anticipate laying people off,” she said.

The bachelor of nursing and general studies degrees could be offered as soon as January, Stone said. She said the list of programs to add, revise and eliminate was developed over several months with input from faculty, administrators and students. Formal academic and financial plans must be drawn up by faculty and presented to several Board of Regents officials before approval is gained. Stone said the process normally lasts at least a year to a year-and-a-half.

This marks the last academic year Dalton State College will have a technical college status. In August, Georgia Northwestern will assume that status for Whitfield and Murray counties as it opens a campus at the Whitfield Career Academy. Dalton State, meanwhile, is beginning to branch out into the fine arts. An associate of arts in music is among the first group of new degrees officials hope to pursue.

Josh Bowling, a second-year business major from Dalton, said he’s glad students already in the soon-to-be eliminated programs will be allowed to finish them.

“It’ really cool they’re bringing in music,” he added.

Psychology professor Christy Price said students will be thrilled the college is working toward adding a psychology program.

“I’d say each week, at least 30 students ask, ‘Are we proposing the psychology program?’ or ‘When are we going to have a psychology program?’” she said. “They don’t want to leave.”

President John Schwenn noted the college recently completed its long-term facilities plan to accommodate up to 8,000 students over the next 10 years or so.

“But actually the most important thing that you possibly can do on a campus relates to its academic programs because if we do not have great academic programs, the rest of it is sort of irrelevant and doesn’t matter,” he said.

Proposed cuts

Associate of arts (AA), economics

AA, philosophy

AA, sociology

Associate of applied science (AAS), emergency services management

AAS, marketing

AAS, medical transcription

AAS, co-op degrees with Coosa Valley Tech, Northwestern Tech and Appalachian Tech

Proposed new programs

Bachelor of science in nursing (submit for approval in spring 2011)

Bachelor of arts/bachelor of science in general studies (submit for approval in summer 2011)

Proposed new programs (could be submitted for approval in the next academic year)

Associate of arts (AA), music

Bachelor of arts (BA), communication

BA, digital design

BA, psychology

Bachelor of business administration, economics

Bachelor of science (BS), environmental science

BS, forensic science

BS, health informatics

BS, information technology (networking/security)

BS, mechatronics

BS, respiratory therapy

BS in education, middle grades education

Longer-term proposed programs

Associate of arts (AA), art

AA, theater

Bachelor of arts (BA), character, leadership and ethics

Bachelor of business administration (BBA), finance

BBA, international trade

Bachelor of science (BS), public administration

BS, sustainable technology

Bachelor of science in education (BSEd), special education

BA, one area of the arts (music, art or theater)

BS, computer science

BS, industrial technology

BS, physics

BS, public health

BSEd, media

Long-term goal (approval to offer selected master’s degrees)

MBA, business

MED, education

MPA, public administration

MSN, nursing

MSW, social work

Programs eyed for revision

Associate of applied science (AAS), industrial electronics/electronic technology

AAS, office and business technology

AAS, technology, general

Bachelor of applied science in operations management

Combine numerous pre-health programs into a single health occupations transfer prep program.

Add public history and Appalachian studies concentrations to bachelor of arts history program.