Georgia's 26 technical colleges, including Ogeechee Technical College, will convert from the quarter to semester system beginning with the fall semester in August 2011, a change that furthers seamless education in Georgia and improves the state's workforce development.
      The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) has made a strong commitment to its 190,000 students to assist them through the conversion with minimal disruption to their studies. Beginning in the summer of 2010 and continuing through summer 2011, Ogeechee Technical College and its 25 sister colleges will offer one-on-one advisement sessions and individualized academic plans to all affected students. Emphasis will be made on easing any student concerns about the conversion and their course credits, graduation dates and financial aid.
      The start of the student advisement also signaled the launch of a comprehensive new website, TCSGSemester411.com which features a series of entertaining video messages about the quarters to semesters conversion, plus a Frequently Asked Questions page, the new academic calendar and host of other information for current and prospective TCSG students.
      Ogeechee Technical College has been working diligently to prepare for the transition to semesters, according to president, Dr. Dawn Cartee.
       "For quite some time now our faculty, staff, and administration have been attending training sessions and reviewing plans to convert to semesters. We want to do all within our power to make this a positive experience for our students," Cartee said. "As with any transition of this magnitude, there may be issues which have to be resolved, but we are committed to making the transition as painless as possible!"
      Moving from quarters to semesters will align the technical college academic calendar with those of the state's K-12 school systems, the University System of Georgia and most of the state's private colleges and universities. Eighty percent of public and private colleges and universities in the U.S. follow a semester calendar.
      "The change to a semester academic calendar is in the very best interests of our students," said TCSG Commissioner Ron Jackson. "We're a world-class educational system for workforce development, and a major part of our mission is to provide seamless education where calendars and curriculum align and lifelong learning is easily attainable for students of all ages and circumstances."