UWG News Archive

Education classes at Dalton ending

July 28, 2004

CARROLLTON, GA - The College of Education at the University of West Georgia will begin steps to phase out its offerings for teacher preparation programs at Dalton State College (DSC). The decision will not affect students already accepted into the fall, 2004 undergraduate cohort or other students currently enrolled in UWG Early Childhood Education programs.

In an effort to insure that regional needs served by the UWG program will still be met, DSC has requested authority from the University System of Georgia Board of Regents to offer its own bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education.

UWG will continue to serve the Dalton region with programs in nursing education.

Dr. Thomas Hynes, vice president for academic affairs, explained the difficult strategic decision.

“This decision was based on our long term judgments about the ways we can provide the best possible programs for all of our students enrolled in teacher preparation,” he said. “For these programs, we believe it is essential to focus resources closer to the Carrollton campus and with on-line programs where appropriate.”

Hynes noted that this was obviously a difficult strategic decision.

“Having served the Dalton region with this program since 1986, and having developed excellent partnerships with our colleagues at Dalton State, we do not make this decision lightly,” he stated. “But as we prepare for the next decade, it is essential that we begin now to refocus instructional resources a bit closer to our main campus. We stand ready to continue to work with our colleagues at Dalton State in ways consistent with this strategic direction.”

According to Dr. Kent Layton, dean of the College of Education, courses will continue at the Dalton campus for the current cohort at the undergraduate level and graduate classes will be offered to allow students to complete their respective programs during the next couple of semesters.

UWG’s College of Education intends to contact individual students shortly after the beginning of the Fall Semester, and complete with those students a degree audit. Such an audit will allow students to have the best possible opportunity to successfully complete programs they have already begun.

Dr. John Hutcheson, vice president for academic affairs at DSC, reports that his institution is looking forward to supporting the Early Childhood Education program independently. Dalton State has already initiated conversations with University System authorities, the Professional Standards Commission of the State of Georgia, and the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) that point toward DSC’s assumption of responsibility for the program by the fall of 2005.

“We are very excited by the opportunity to continue a program that has proven its value over nearly 20 years by training a multitude of excellent teachers, most of whom have remained in DSC’s service area,” said Hutcheson. “The standards West Georgia has set are high, but we are confident we will be able to sustain them.” He noted that the College of Education at UWG has generously offered to collaborate as DSC prepares for accreditation by NCATE. The final decision, of course, remains with the Board of Regents.

For more information concerning course offerings for students currently enrolled through UWG at the Dalton campus, contact Dr. Mary Edwards at 706-272-4594.

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