Provost named member of Deal’s commission

Provost Sandra Jordan was recently named as one of the 26 members of Gov. Nathan Deal’s higher education funding commission. 

The commission was formed primarily to study funding formulas for not only the university system, but the technical college system as well.

“This is truly a significant appointment and recognizes Provost Jordan’s stature in the university system,” Interim President Stas Preczewski said in a press release.

“Georgia College, with our unique mission as Georgia’s designated public liberal arts university, will benefit from having Sandra’s strong and reasoned voice involved in the commission’s deliberations.” Preczewski said.

Currently Georgia is spending about 11 percent of the state budget and around two-thirds of the lottery funds to help students attend college. Currently the formula for funding is based on student enrollment and whether the institution is a college or university, rather than student’s graduate rate.

“This is an extremely important time for us to be focusing on higher education funding and how it affects our state,” said SGA President Evan Karanovich. “I am proud that Dr. Jordan will be representing Georgia College and our state on this committee.”

One goal of the commission is to recommend a way for universities to not just increase enrollment, but to put more incentive into students completing degrees. The funding formulas currently being used were developed in 1982. Now, almost 30 years later, the commission is to make changes.

The commission must work together to come up with recommendations for the governor by Dec. 1, 2012.

“Higher education is essential to the economic future of the state of Georgia,” Jordan said. “Our task is to provide an advisory report

on how to make certain that the taxpayers’ dollars are used effectively to support the state’s educational goals.”

Deal says the purpose of the commission is to look out for best interest of Georgians.

“The work of this commission will help us ensure that taxpayer dollars are being used to boost our number-one tool for economic development: a talented, highly educated workforce,” Deal said on his website.

With GC currently ranked third in the university system, just behind the University of Georgia and the Georgia Institute of Technology, Jordan’s appointment to this funding committee is a high point for GC.

“I am honored to be included on a commission that includes highly respected individuals from the USG (University System of Georgia), the technical college system, the Senate and House of Representatives, the Georgia business community and the governor’s office. As an academic with a 25 year career in public higher education,” Jordan said

Posted by Emily Rivers on Nov 10 2011. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.