Macon State College

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Macon State College, formerly Macon College and Macon Junior College, is a four-year undergraduate institution of the University System of Georgia located in Macon, Georgia with a satellite campus in Warner Robins, Georgia.

The college offers 27 majors in 13 bachelor's degree programs -- biology, business & information technology, communications & information technology, early childhood education, English, health information management, health services administration, history, information technology, mathematics, nursing (generic & RN-BSN) and public service. Associate degrees also are offered.

With an affordable tuition designed to encourage access to the University System, as well as excellent instruction offered in convenient locations, Macon State has become the largest college in Central Georgia and one of the state's fastest growing. In the fall of 2006, Macon State had 6,244 students, an increase of 73 percent from the fall of 1997. More than 1,200 students have received bachelor's degrees at Macon State as the college continues to fulfill its mission of serving the region's residents and its economic interests by providing higher education programs of recognized quality.

Macon State's main campus is located on 167 acres on College Station Drive, near Eisenhower Parkway (US 80), in western Bibb County, Georgia. The Warner Robins campus is located on 79 acres along Watson Boulevard, just a half-mile from the main gate of Robins Air Force Base. The college's current president is Dr. David A. Bell.

[edit] History

The history of Macon State College began in 1965, when the University System of Georgia's Board of Regents passed a resolution to create a public two-year college in Middle Georgia. Subsequently, the voters of Bibb County approved a bond issue to fund the college.

Macon Junior College, as it was then known, opened its doors in 1968 to the largest enrollment ever for a new state college in Georgia. In 1970, the Board of Regents directed Macon Junior College to serve civilian and military employees at Robins Air Force Base. The Robins Resident Center, located on the base, was subsequently established.

As several other junior colleges had recently gained four-year status, many speculated that Macon's would as well. However, the change took some time. It was not until 1983 that a statewide needs assessment indicated that the Macon area was underserved by state higher education. In 1987, the Regents removed "Junior" from the college's name but Macon College remained a two-year school.

In 1989, the college's president, S. Aaron Hyatt, asked the state to grant his college senior status. The following year, 25,000 local citizens signed a petition supporting the move, but state budget cuts prevented the issue from advancing.

Over the next several years, the topic was repeatedly discussed, and "senior status" was often recommended by University System consultants, but it would be 1996 before the Regents finally approved a change in mission and the introduction of the Bachelor of Science degree. Later that year, the school became known as "Macon State College" to indicate the new status. Both changes formally took effect in 1997. The first bachelor's degrees were awarded in May 1999.

During the fall 2007 convocation President Bell mentioned that the Board of Regents estimates Macon State’s enrollment will hit 10,000 by 2020. To accommodate these expectations the College will have to grow to include a more complex mission with additional four-year programs, graduate degrees in appropriate areas and possibly residential housing.

In the same speech, President Bell also announced that with this growth the college would have to reorganize from divisions into schools. He then announced the official foundation of the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Education, the School of Information Technology, the School of Nursing & Health Sciences, and the School of Business. Dr. Bob Kelly was then named the first dean of the School of Arts and Sciences.

[edit] Schools within the College

• School of Arts and Sciences[1]
• School of Business[2]
• School of Education[3]
• School of Information Technology[4]
• School of Nursing & Health Sciences[5]

[edit] Bachelor's Degree Programs

• Biology [6]
• Business & Information Technology [7]
• Communications & Information Technology [8]
• Early Childhood Education [9]
• English [10]
• Health Information Management [11]
• Health Services administration [12]
• History [13]
• Information Technology [14]
• Mathematics [15]
• Nursing (RN to BSN completion)[16]
• Nursing (generic)[17]
• Public Service [18]

[edit] Points of interest

• Waddell Barnes Botanical Gardens

[edit] References

1. ^ Semester Enrollment Report (PDF). Office of Research and Policy Analysis. University System of Georgia (2007-11-12). Retrieved on 2007-12-23.

[edit] External links

• Macon State College website