A Georgia House of Representatives study committee for “Assessing the Semester and Quarter Systems” in University System of Georgia and Technical College System of Georgia schools held its first-ever meeting Tuesday morning in Georgia Southern University’s Bishop Field House at the end of Paulson Stadium.
The subject matter suggests officials might be having second thoughts, after 25 years, about the University System’s 1999 shift from quarters to semesters. The Technical College System made the change 13 years ago, in 2011.
One of the clauses in the House Resolution 1384, calling for the committee, begins: “Whereas, because the conversion from the quarter system to the semester system has resulted in longer terms with more classes and fewer graduation cycles, some question whether semesters are the better option for students or for workforce development… .”
But Rep. Shaw Blackmon, R-Bonaire, who chairs the study committee, and House Speaker Jon Burns, R-Newington, who appointed its legislative members, said no major change is imminent. Instead, key staff members from Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville, Valdosta State University and Georgia Southern who spoke all highlighted some hybrid scheduling occurring with the current semester system. Certain courses are offered in eight-week, or in GCSU’s case even four-week, “minimesters” within the standard format of two 15-week semesters and a shorter summer session each year.
“Like we do on a lot of things, we look back and try to gauge the progress and see if there are any tweaks that need to be made at some point,” Blackmon said before convening the meeting. “We want to work with the Board of Regents and the chancellor (of the University System) and the Technical College System and the commissioner and see if there’s anything we want to move on. But we’re not trying to reset higher education or make any sweeping changes here.”
Asked specifically if the committee’s work could lead to a return to the quarter system, he said, “Well, I don’t think we’re interested in calling for that.”
“Perhaps” he said to the question whether there could be flexibility for some of the institutions. He noted that Georgia Military College – a public military college in Milledgeville which is state-chartered but not a part of the University System – and some private institutions, such as Savannah College of Art and Design, still use the quarter system.
“But I think mainly we’re focused on what will get the students, if they desire to do so, into the workforce as quickly as possible and as efficiently as possible,” Blackmon said.
Blackmon also chairs the House Ways & Means Committee. The other representatives on the Semester and Quarter Systems Study Committee are Reps. Chuck Martin, R-Alpharetta, chairman of the standing House Higher Education Committee; Mike Cheokas, R-Americus; Ginny Ehrhart, R-Marietta; and Stacey Evans, D-Atlanta.
House Resolution 1384, with Blackmon as lead sponsor and Evans and Martin among its named co-sponsors, called for Burns, as speaker, to name five House members to the committee and for the University System chancellor and Technical College System commissioner to serve on the committee or each designate a staff member to serve.
The University System of Georgia’s appointed panelist is Ashwani Monga, USG executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, appointed last month to serve as interim president of the University of West Georgia. The Technical College System’s study committee member is Ray Perrin, deputy commissioner for technical education.
‘To gather facts’
“In the House when we use this study committee format, we always just run it to gather the facts and see if there’s anything that we can do differently to improve what we’re doing, but we can’t make any of those decisions unless we have the facts in front of us. …,” Burns said. “We want to make sure we do the best thing to provide a good, quality education for our citizens and also make sure we’re doing the right things for workforce development, which is a big thing, especially down here in Southeast Georgia.”
The study committee is slated to meet next at South Georgia Technical College in Americus, where information will be presented about Technical College System schools, Blackmon said, and meet again Oct. 8 at a yet to be determined location in Milledgeville.
According to House Resolution 1384, the committee may file a report if it adopts specific findings or recommendations for proposed legislation, but it could also simply file minutes of its meetings with the clerk of the House and in either case will stand abolished Dec. 1, 2024.
For the full version of this story, see the Thursday, Aug. 22 print and e-Edition of the Statesboro Herald.