Dear colleagues,
On February 23, I, along with Pam Barr and Paul Alberto (co-chairs of the University's Strategic Planning Committee), will be outlining our vision for the development of what will be a bold and ground-breaking plan for Georgia State. The session is at 2 p.m. in the Student Center Speaker's Auditorium.
Over the next 11 months, the Strategic Planning Committee will lead an open and transparent process for soliciting and examining ideas and opinions that will culminate in a plan to set the course for decision-making at GSU for the next 10-20 years. The February 23 event is our first public presentation on the strategic planning process. I will talk about my expectations for bold change, and the three of us will discuss the progress-to-date in the planning process, and, more importantly, how you can expect to participate in the process over the weeks and months ahead. I expect a lively discussion and look forward to seeing you there.
I sincerely appreciate the campus-wide effort to help the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. While it is not known exactly how much the GSU community donated monetarily, there are signs all over campus of the outpouring of food, clothing and donations that will be sent to Haiti. This is one more example of how GSU faculty, staff, and students strive every day to make a difference in the world.
Finally, thank you to everyone who voted for me in the Ferst Foundation's "The Battle of the CEOs" to raise money supporting childhood literacy. I was happy to take part in the friendly competition, which included local business and community leaders and the presidents of Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia. Voting concluded Friday, and we will let you know the results when they are released.
Thank you for everything you do to make us all proud of Georgia State.
Sincerely,
Mark P. Becker
President
Art school to get $4 million gift
Faculty members in Georgia State's Ernest G. Welch School of Art and Design are currently researching how to strategically enhance programs and scholarship through a generous gift from the school's namesake. Ernest G. Welch, the university's oldest alumnus, died at 103 on Dec. 26, 2009. He and his late sister, Frances, left a significant portion of their estates to Georgia State's School of Art and Design, totaling approximately $4 million.
Football signs 29
The Georgia State football program announced the signing of 23 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent on Wednesday's National Signing Day. In addition to the 23 who inked their letters Wednesday, head coach Bill Curry's program has also added six transfers who are already enrolled this semester for a total class of 29. Also, Curry has been chosen as one of four inductees for the Atlanta Sports Hall of Fame 2010 Class.
Donald Hamelberg, assistant professor of chemistry, has received a five-year CAREER award from the National Science Foundation to further his work in computational chemistry.
Professor of middle-secondary education Peggy Albers, assistant professor of early childhood education Caitlin Dooley, associate professor of middle-secondary education Amy Seely Flint, assistant professor of early childhood education Teri Holbrook and assistant professor of early childhood education Laura May have been selected to become the editors for the National Council of Teachers of English’s journal, Language Arts.
Unil Perera, professor of physics, has been named as a 2010 International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE) Fellow. Fellows are honored for their significant scientific contributions in multidisciplinary fields of optics, photonics and imaging.
The Division of University Relations won five awards from the Council of Advancement and Support of Education. Several representatives will accept the awards next week at the CASE Division III conference in Tampa.
Chaneta N. Forts, administrative assistant/EEO Specialist II in the Office of Opportunity Development/Diversity Education Planning, recently passed the Professional in Human Resources certification.
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If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Chandler Brown.