My feelings and thoughts on “We are not second-class, North Georgia”
April 17, 2012 by Brent VanFleet
Filed under Opinions
Phew–it has been one ridiculous week.
I feel I have stirred up quite the commotion in Dahlonega regarding my recent opinion on the merger.
After all of the compliments, complaints, bashing and boasting–it is time to come out of what seemed like a war zone for a couple days on this very website.
Mainly, I want to plead my case and give you a better understanding of why I wrote that rude (amongst other words I have heard in the past couple days) and obscene opinion piece.
Let’s go back, when I first got the idea.…
In the beginning, when we heard about the consolidation, we had reporters go to North Georgia to find out information about what was going on and how the NGCSU students felt. To my surprise, the comments were not what I envisioned. It seemed to me that this was not going to be a happy and easy-going relationship.
Then one day, a friend and I had an extensive talk about what we thought of the merger and what they heard up there. Some of the comments I heard were daunting. That was simply the tip of the iceberg.
I wanted to find a way to write an article that would really mash the buttons of the students.
Then it hit me, I knew how I was going to do it. I was simply going to give an exaggerated version of what I felt North Georgia was doing to GSC.
I was going to be write it in an ignorant, uninformed manner or as one student student said on a comment, Youtube-like.
When I finished, I knew it was perfect. It was going to be everything I set it out to be, and possibly more. Little did I know, it was going to get a ton of publicity.
In saying that, I would like to touch base on a few recurring complaints.
1. Generalization
One student said I was misinformed and let a group of students speak for the whole campus. Then fired back (everyone had the right to) by cutting down GSC, in other words, simply doing the same thing. The same thing that was going on before the article was even published.
My reaction and purpose on writing so generally:
One student said, GSC is below North Georgia. The students at North Georgia simply worked harder in high school than students at GSC. We did not even require SAT scores. Another said, mommy made them go to GSC and it’s everybody’s last choice.
I would have to say, yes, in some cases that may be true. But in saying that, there is a rather LARGE group of students who are less fortunate. I was accepted into major universities but financially it would have been a wiser decision to go to a smaller school to get my first two years out of the way. I also know for a fact, there are many students who were in the top 25 of their class at their respective high schools that attend GSC. A lot of these students simply did not have the money and chose to go to GSC to save money and then transfer.
Many students are ecstatic that we are now merging. It cuts out the transfer hassle. My main concern was to give an idea on how we are being treated by SOME not all but some students at North Georgia. I feel that the comment on students simply working harder is a slap in the face to me and a lot of other students here. Some are less fortunate. We do have students here who do not work as hard, what many would call lazy. But that is true at every college. Those students do not in any way make up our school as a whole.
So I felt that if I was general and let the few students speak for North Georgia as a whole, that they would get the picture. By the results, I would say it worked.
2. Mountain Trolls
Yes, I did say mountain trolls. I agree completely, that it was clearly out of line. But I was also writing for a GSC audience. I know that a great deal of students here feel inferior and have negative feelings towards North Georgia. I was going to be that voice and say what they wanted to say at that particular time. I wanted them to stay interested in the story.
My belief: I truly do not believe North Georgia are mountain trolls. That came out of my frustration, and I wanted to give a clear depiction of the feelings of some GSC students.
3.ROTC and Athletics
Many were not too happy about this one. I knew going into it that it was a touchy subject. This is what makes the school for some students. Again, this goes back to the generalization. I knew a lot about both topics, but I knew that if I was general and ignorant, it would have more of a dramatic effect–the comments proved my assumption to be correct.
ROTC/ Armed Forces: As I said in the original article, I am so thankful for what you guys do. You put yourself on the line for me and the rest of the nation. You give me the right to do what I did. To you, I am sincerely apologizing. You guys are the most courageous individuals on this Earth. I thank you for what you have done for me. I also commend the students who are going through program to become part of the selective armed forces.
Thank you, and I regret saying you would not play a role in the merger. I was trying to prove a point and I may have taken it too far.
4. Cursing
It may have been a little much, but I think it was necessary because it showed emotion. It was ass, not F this and F that. There were no extreme curse words in the article. I believe things of that sort are uncalled for. But I believe the word ass was not severe. It just added to the opinion.
Take a Step in Our Shoes
If this situation were reversed and North Georgia students were the little guys and being degraded and cut down, they would be more than upset. This article was suppose to do that. I felt North Georgia students were generalizing about us and letting some students speak for the whole institution–like the work ethic and academic issue. I thought I should take it upon myself to help them understand how we feel at GSC.
GSC may be easy to get into, but it is a great institution. It gives the opportunity to further your education. For some it gives that second chance to redeem yourself and have a chance at making a living in an extremely competitive world. This school in just two years has come such a long way. Faculty and students are working hard to keep GSC improving, so to hear such harsh comments really put us in a agitated mood.
My Real Thoughts on NGCSU and Merger
I think it will be a great institution that presents a lot of opportunities. It was an option for me, but felt GSC would be a wiser decision because of the proximity to my home. But I fell in love with the school. I loved the campus, students and faculty when I went to Dahlonega. I guess that is why it was such a shock when I heard some of the comments. Again, as I said previously, I feel that both schools will benefit each other. My thought on the merger is still the same. I am still excited about being apart of what is going to become a university. Also, that I will have an opportunity to possibly play intercollegiate sports. I think that goes for the majority of the students here.
Moving Forward
I hope that both sides now see how each other feels on the subject. I hope that both institutions can learn and grow to become better. This merger is going to be difficult enough,but let’s try to make it easier on one another. I hope many do not judge me too negatively based on my previous opinion piece. GSC will accept everybody with open arms and will be willing to work with North Georgia. I personally believe this will be the start of great things to come.
Thank You
Whether you wrote a compliment or complaint, I want to thank you for taking the time to read the article and give us your thoughts. If anybody wants to contribute to The Compass or The Voice at Oconee, please do so. Even though some comments were harsh, I was still happy. I knew that it was getting out to others. Being a journalist, I know you have to accept the good and the bad. I want to thank the North Georgia student newspaper for writing that fantastic article on our journalism program. It was much appreciated, and I can’t wait to work with you.
One last apology to the individuals who were caught in the cross-fire of this argument. If I insulted anybody, I am terribly sorry. In saying that, for the ones who did say the degrading comments before the publishing of my previous opinion, I do not regret writing the story because I believe it gave insight on how we felt. The ones who commented on the website, you were simply backing up your school, I would have done the same thing. No hard feelings on my end.
I hope we can move forward.
Thank you and I hope you continue to read The Compass.
So you knowingly wrote an uninformed, exaggerated article on the merger in order to make waves? Bravo, Brent. Way to approach such a divisive issue in a constructive manner. Certainly a good start to making the merger easier on one another. I hope your little social experiment hasn’t damaged any of the standing GSC had with NGCSU before your article and that you enjoyed your 15 minutes of fame.
For future reference, Dahlonega is spelt with an “h”.
can you give me a tl;dr version of this pls
Brent,
NGCSU is a college that is known throughout the country. Go to ANY active-duty military base and tell an officer that you went to NGCSU, they’ll know what you are referring to. So, lets just be honest about it. Unless you live nearby GSC, you would have never heard about it.
Of course we aren’t happy about being referred to as Mountain Trolls. There is a reason that GSC feels inferior to NGCSU. Just saying. To use that as an excuse to use petty insults? Goes to further our distinction from you.
ROTC. I’ll be honest, I came to this school because of ROTC. You did NOT know about ROTC and how it works, don’t try to “oh, I was trying to be dramatic!”. Do not insult our intelligence, have some pride and admit that you were wrong. Even if you were ignorant on purpose, you did it to instigate problems? What is your desired end-result from your article?
The cursing was you trying to be dramatic and end your article with something cool. Failure.
If I was GSC student, I would be excited to merge with a college that had traditions and a long strong history. If I was to speak with someone that went to Harvard and we compared schools, obviously Harvard is a better school. Does it hurt my feelings? No. We are NOT equal. It’s not a bad thing. Where are you hearing these “horrible” comments NGCSU has about GSC? On campus, like Lauren said in a previous comment, all that the students are worried about is the name on the diploma and the mascot. Thats it.
Dr Ainsworth,
There are different ways to get students talking without ruining your school’s already stained image. He did NOT research ANYTHING in his article. (Comparing JROTC, a highschool program, to ROTC. Not ANY ROTC, but a Senior Military College ROTC). This reflects poorly upon your school’s credibility and the website.
?
Brent,
NGCSU is a college that is known throughout the country. Go to ANY active-duty military base and tell an officer that you went to NGCSU, they’ll know what you are referring to. So, lets just be honest about it. Unless you live nearby GSC, you would have never heard about it.
Of course we aren’t happy about being referred to as Mountain Trolls. There is a reason that GSC feels inferior to NGCSU. Just saying. To use that as an excuse to use petty insults? Goes to further our distinction from you.
ROTC. I’ll be honest, I came to this school because of ROTC. You did NOT know about ROTC and how it works, don’t try to “oh, I was trying to be dramatic!”. Do not insult our intelligence, have some pride and admit that you were wrong. Even if you were ignorant on purpose, you did it to instigate problems? What is your desired end-result from your article?
The cursing was you trying to be dramatic and end your article with something cool. Failure.
If I was GSC student, I would be excited to merge with a college that had traditions and a long strong history. If I was to speak with someone that went to Harvard and we compared schools, obviously Harvard is a better school. Does it hurt my feelings? No. We are NOT equal. It’s not a bad thing. Where are you hearing these “horrible” comments NGCSU has about GSC? On campus, like Lauren said in a previous comment, all that the students are worried about is the name on the diploma and the mascot. Thats it.
Dr Ainsworth,
There are different ways to get students talking without ruining your school’s already stained image. He did NOT research ANYTHING in his article. (Comparing JROTC, a highschool program, to ROTC. Not ANY ROTC, but a Senior Military College ROTC). This reflects poorly upon your school’s credibility and the website.
So GSC gains more access to degrees. GSC gains access to intercollegiate sports. GSC gains more prestige. What does NGCSU gain in all of this?
Yes, I am sure this was your intent the whole time (as Borat would say,“NOOOOOOOOOOOOT!”) I do not think that your previous article gave any insight as to how we felt since all it did was illicit negative feelings that otherwise would not have been there. The merger is not optional, so why make it harder than it already is? Your article makes me PROUD that I am graduating before my institution is forced to give people like you our letters on a diploma. Backpedal as much and as creatively as you want, but really I think you just weren’t expecting the response you got and had to cover your…how to say this…backside, behind, buns, butt, buttocks, cheeks, derriere, fanny, gluteus maximus, heinie, keister, posterior, seat, rear end, rump, can, keister, tail, tush, badonkadonk, bubblebutt, bum, pooper, moneymaker, booty, even whoopiecakes… I think it was a terrible idea for your article to be published as the majority of what it has caused is alienation of both student bodies, even if they do read this follow up on what you are trying to pass off as premeditated. That does not undo the insult and that doesn’t seem very constructive to me.
Well James, you covered what I was going to say after reading this second “journalistic” piece. I believe that there is a reason that the publication is titled “Compass”: it is clear that Mr. VanFleet has no idea of where he is, where he is going, or where he is coming from in regards to this merger. Half-truths and mis-quoted facts with a lot of opinion thrown in are not responsible journalism. Maybe for a second-rate newspaper in some small town with one person that serves as editor, receptionist, reporter, and janitor, but not at any reputable news outlet. Luckily, Mr. VanFleet is still in school pursuing his degree. Make your mistakes here Mr. VanFleet, learn from them so that you don’t make these same mistakes when you go out into the work force.
Good point,
This is a learning experience and hopefully Mr. VanFleet has taken something valuable away from it. If he is to pursue a future career in journalism I would urge him to spend some time contemplating the meaning of the word “libel” and its legal ramifications. The right to free speech only goes so far, especially when making knowingly false statements with malicious intent towards an indidivual, company, or institution. Perhaps he needs to ponder that a bit more before writing his next article. But hey, better his mistakes be made here than once he enters the professional workforce.
First of all, the fact that this editorial was published in GSC’s newspaper with as many grammatical errors as I saw is directly related to quality of students that stem from this school. You say that GSC is a fine institution, and I believe you and many other people believe this, but everything is relative. Your contention that PSC is a fine institution I would assume is based on comparisons to North Forsyth Highschool, or, am I wrong? Because the statistics I saw on US News ranks GSC at #49 out 74 ranked colleges in the South.
I am not knocking 2-year schools, I went to GPC myself, and they are wonderful tools for those who work full-time or are financially not capable of doing so. At the time I was enrolled at GPC, it was ranked #2 behind Dade Community College in Miami, but I did not and do not have grandiose visions of the quality of students at that institution. I graduated with my associates with a perfect GPA while never studying or starting papers until the night before. So, you can’t BS as BSer.
But, to be fair, a lot of the same can be said for many of the programs at NGCSU. I differentiate between degree programs because once you get to the graduate level, you will realize that your peers will not judge your BA on your school’s ranking, rather, the ranking of the department you received your degree from. That being said, there are plenty of departments at NGCSU that are lacking in quality, and I have seen some students make it through to graduation without basic high school writing levels. I can personally think of one whom I have had the displeasure of working on a couple group projects with. It’s a sad thing.
I also want to touch on a comment by James Barbee. James, you said NGCSU is well known throughout the nation and its military? I got news for you buddy, you just bought into the distorted propaganda that the Corps of Cadets has fed you. I have spent 11 years in the military and have operated under various army commands through joint unit operations. I was in the Corps of Cadets for a while and I can tell you from first hand knowledge that Army officers in the real army don’t care, or even know, what the NGCSU Corps of Cadets is. When you mention where the school is located, Dahlonega, then they will respond with a “Ah, yes, thats the school by the Ranger training center for mountain phase.” I now work as a security contractor and I am surrounded with former Army Officers that come from elite backgrounds. None of them have heard of NGCSU, but they all know Dahlonega. If it wasn’t for the 5th Ranger Training Battalion, most Army personnel would have very little knowledge, if any, of the school at all. Let’s face it, if you don’t graduate from the Citadel, West Point or one of the other service Academies, your ROTC experience doesn’t really mean much.
So, what is my overall assessment of the merger? Well, it will provide better opportunities for student for one, and this in turn will lead to future innovation, ideas, research and entrepreneurship which is good for the economy. Lets face it, the US has excellent higher education, the best in the world, but if we don’t give our citizens the opportunity to take advantage it, the US will continue to see other world powers rise while we remain stagnant. But, I cannot argue against students that fear the school’s name, history/tradition and academic reputation will be tarnished, in fact, I may consider transferring myself before I graduate.
This whole merger has been a concern for both colleges and both institutions have their own worries about it. Right now we don’t have a choice on the merger or say in what goes on. With this said, the colleges need to focus more on working together and acting more like one institution. The only result of this article has been anger from NG. The first article has been blowing up my facebook with angry comments about how GSC is proving all the things we feared about it. I think these articles were a poor decision and in no way promote unity between the colleges. By submitting the first article you have even further extended the bridge of acceptance between NG and GSC. If you are upset at the merger don’t talk bad about who you are merging with. Us as students didn’t come up with this idea. If you want to talk bad about the merger, write an article about the people who are doing the merger. Our university has been working very hard on helping the student body feel okay about the merger and help us understand all of the details. An article from GSC assuming negative things about me as a student of NG is just confirming all of my fears about the merger. Maybe next time you should think a little more about writing something publicly and how the people on the other side will take it.
It was an opinion with generalized facts. Its clear on how he wrote on the previous one. That is exactly how North Georgia talks about GSC by over generalizing. North Georgia is able to expand and not be landlocked. You gain GSCs brand new media facilities! Quit acting like your an Ivy League school. If it wasnt for your ROTC program, the school would be non existent. But its clearly obvious you guys cannot take what you dish out.
Saint,
I agree!
Write an inflammatory opinion piece about the consolidation with mountain trolls and non-existent cadets and athletics, and then write another article justifying the outburst… that is one way to get the ball rolling when it comes to discussing the future merger. It is very clear that there is a great deal of anxiety and angst between NGCSU and GSU and this current time, judging from the representative voices commenting on this article. The sad truth is, it takes abhorring indecency contained in the prior article to get the students of the two institutions to even carry out a discussion, albeit a irrational one; since it seems that not one GSU student or NGCSU student seemed to comment on Mr. Helton’s complimentary article about the stellar mass communications and journalism center at GSU. Like it or not, the merger between the two universities is going to happen. The two distinctly different ideals and cultures of NGCSU and GSU are high traditions to both schools. The concept of the merger invokes fear and distrust in both universities, for the main thing is that the merger seems to be the death of the unique identity of each school. Remember, NGCSU and GSU are not the only USG centers of higher education undergoing mergers. For example, Augusta State University and the Georgia Health Sciences University, a liberal arts university and a medical school respectively, have very little in common and are extremely skeptical of the merger and of each other.
As a future student of (insert selected name of combined school of NGCSU and GSU), I believe that we fail to look at the larger scope of mergers happening state-wide in an effort to ease the tax burden on taxpayers (us). We are still floundering in the firestorm of opinions and the slurry of comments that does not ease the process. Students, alumni, and community members affected by the merger throughout the state are at each others’ throats, and as students of the separate universities, we can yell and curse at each other, or we can try to do something about our unfortunate situation. As students of the separate universities, we can try to make the best of a bad situation by working through the merger to maintain our unique cultures and traditions despite being considered one university. Even though I cannot personally attest to this, the GSU campuses at Gainesville and Oconee probably have different school cultures, just because of the separation factor; I will also assume similar problems in NGCSU’s Dahlonega and Cumming campuses will have in the Fall of 2012, including Cumming’s orientation towards Atlanta businesses and away from the ROTC program. Even though it will be hard and there will be sacrifices to tradition and ideals in both schools, I believe that GSU and NGCSU can maintain a majority of the unique identities that make our students proud. As for now, we can only hope and work towards a civilized and respectable discussion on the matter of consolidation.
GSC Student,
No, NGCSU will not gain your new media facilities in all reality; Students in Dahlonega and Cumming will not make the 40< minute commute to Oakwood. Likewise, we too have the new Library Technology Center which has accommodated the NGCSU student body very well the past four years.
The ROTC does not make NGCSU all that it is. The ROTC is only about 750 cadets to a total student body of around 6,000. NGCSU is known for its ROTC not for its size, but for the extraordinary quality of the ROTC and its close tradition with the school itself. NGCSU is known for its academics, holding the third best GPA in the state of Georgia only to UGA and GA Tech. NGCSU is also known for its nursing programs which may be second only to Mercer University. NGCSU also has a strong English department, which Mr. VanFleet could benefit from. The language programs at NGCSU have no comparison to any other school in Georgia, often cooperating with military and civilian contractor’s home and afar. Lastly, NGCSU is the leadership Institution of Georgia. Leadership skills and abilities are underestimated until they are needed, which occurs often especially in today’s time. These are just some examples of what NGCSU is known for which you have overlooked.
Again, we the students of NGCSU, ask what does GSC bring to the table?
This looks like major backpedaling to me.
Here are the facts.
The merger is happening no matter who gets mad or insulted.
It’s not uncommon for humans to name call.
I have attended both GSC and NGCSU, and the only time I was ashamed to admit either one was when a local person in Dahlonega asked me why the students at NGCSU called him a “Lumpkin Pumpkin”. (Name calling example.)
Seriously folks, all childish name calling aside, Grow up and deal with it.
To whom it may concern:
Obviously, this is the first time that Gainesville State College and North Georgia have been through the process of a merger, so there is a great degree of concern, worry, and fear. This is common with any first.
As a North Georgia student, I am unfamiliar with the general feeling of the student body at GSU. I can only hope Mr. VanFleet’s comments are not representative of his peers. Nevertheless, Mr. VanFleet has a constitutional right to exercise his free speech. In my experience, the vocal minority tends to overshadow the less vocal majority. I sincerely hope that is the case with the two articles which have incited so much animosity. Having said that, at North Georgia, my peers and I are hopeful for what the future holds. I have no qualms about a merger with GSU.
Still, the uncertainty felt by many is not helped by inflammatory articles, regardless of their intent. Most people who use sarcasm learn that it is more easily understood when spoken than when written. If the article was a satire, which is how I interpret the claims of its defense, it would have been better left unpublished. Regardless, the fact that it was published does not mean that Gainesville and North Georgia students must now engage in a back-and-forth volley of bitter comments.
As the merger progresses, all involved must take into consideration the consequences of their words and actions. The more smoothly the merger goes, the better the end result will be. There is no need for recklessness and deliberately antagonistic comments. This is especially true in light of the upcoming final exams.
Best wishes,
Mitch
Mr. VanFleet’s frustration is understandable and his friends did not misinform him. There are many students on the NGCSU campus who are making unkind remarks regarding GSC students. The really sad thing is that while those students are negating the qualities of GSC, there are former GSC students in the classroom who are feeling very isolated and offended and unable or unwilling to defend their choice to attend GSC. I have attended both schools. Each has its pros and cons. I think that NGCSU students need to ask themselves “What would a Saint do?” Would a true Saint perpetuate negativity? Would a true Saint really create an environment where a student, a person who just wants an education, feels unwelcome? Saints you need to focus on what you bring to the table and do what you can to help the newcomers, not point out what you perceive as different. GSC please ignore the naysayers and show them what you are made of. You are bright individuals and you have some fantastic professors on your campus to back you up. Let academic achievement unite us not divide us.
This has nothing to do with how a Saint would act. Yes, his friends DID misinform him (read his other article) on just about everything about North Georgia.
Funny, I’ve not heard a single negative comment about GSC on campus (until this article came out) and I am a student at North Georgia.
Also, just for the record (this is annoying), everyone may have a right to their opinion, but opinions can be wrong.
Can someone answer Patron Saint’s question? What does GSC bring to the table? Please don’t use pseudo answers like “A great staff!” or “Terrific and bright students!”. We have both of those already.
Brent,
Bravo! I applaud you in this article as I did for the last.
However, I do take some of that applause away for your apologies regarding the ‘mountain troll’ business. You had every right to say that, and I still back you up in it.
English Major, NGCSU
CBS
James Barbee:
You are aware that GSC has more professors with doctorates than NGSCU does aren’t you?
Brent,
You are an idiot.
Sincerely,
The University System of Georgia
P.S.
We have reviewed your transcript and have revoked your enrollment status.
If this is what passes as journalism at GSC, you guys can keep that school to yourself.
In my honest opinion, the damage is already done. This sounded more like a forced apology just to cover you own behind because you created so much anger between the two campuses. I understand wanting to write a good story to keep the reader intrigued however, this piece was just starting unneeded drama. The only thing you were successful at was looking like an immature high schooler with spell check and an internet connection. If you wanted to write a real article on NGCSU, it may have been more beneficial to get the real facts rather than what you thought you heard. Getting your own information also would help you to write on your own instead of using others irritations and angst to attempt to write a good article. If you can’t write a decent critique without bashing someone else to benefit yourself maybe you should find a new hobby. You go on and on in your rebuttal about how you just wanted to let North Georgia students know how you felt, when in reality you have no idea how we would react. Even if you or your reporters really did spend an ample amount of time speaking to NGCSU students, putting words in our mouths only discredits you in the end. You see how much this back fired on you. The merger is going to happen regardless of what any of us say or do. I feel is will be best to let each individual decide how they feel when they are confronted with the situation themselves.
Well, good job playing off like your previous article wasn’t your exact feelings and that you were “exaggerating”.
But just look at the facts for a moment: North Georgia has higher academic standards for admittance, which also means that it requires a higher degree of diligence to be successful academically, mostly due to the fact that North Georgia is a Senior Military College and therefore has to be held at a higher standard. By merging the two schools and thereby increasing the acceptance rate of students into the institution, they are essentially watering down the degree.
That is what the students at NGCSU do not like about the merger. It has nothing to do with the students at GSC personally.
I began college at GSC and after two years I was able to transfer to NGCSU. Before you ask, yes, I did attend GSC because my SAT and high school GPA were not high enough for me to get into NGCSU as a freshman. I’ll admit that I wasn’t the most serious student in high school and that hurt my college applications. However, in my first two years of college, GSC prepared me well and I have been able to excel after transferring to NGCSU. Both schools have my respect and I am thankful to have been educated by some great teachers at both institutions. However, I have serious problems with these newspaper pieces. I spend roughly six hours each day on campus at NGCSU so I should have a feel for the talk that’s been happening on campus. No, NGCSU students are not happy about the merger. But NEVER did I hear NGCSU students refer to Gainesville’s student body as intellectually inferior. That is, until this piece was published. And I can’t say I disagree with them. This article was immature and ignorant. It disrespects both NGCSU and GSC. I know GSC has the ability to give students a top tier education. As I said, they prepared me well for my transfer to NGCSU and I know countless others who have done the same. This article just doesn’t represent the GSC I speak of. It’s shameful for me both as a current NGCSU student and a former GSC student. I hope that more class will be shown by this paper in the future.
Ok, after reading the articles again, he was talking about the size of the ROTC program, it will be 5% once the schools merge. Maybe give or take a percent or two. As a student who went up to North Ga and has friends there, those things were being said! They are not rumors! Everything in that article was true but generalized.
Michael Mullins,
Why would someone with a doctorate take a job at a mostly Associate’s degree-level school when there is an entirely Bacehelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degree offering school a half hour up the road? Hmmmmm.….
Don’t worry Brent. NGCSU has a GREAT writing center that can help out with your grammar. Maybe you can come visit once the merger is complete.
Concerned Saint said all that needed to be said. The amount of teachers with doctorates has nothing to do with quality, just quantity.
Like I said before, GSC has nothing to offer NGCSU, this is an overall negative for North GA and a positive for GSC.
Yes, NGCSU can offer GSC their 150 million dollar foundation debt.
And yes, the number of PhDs on the faculty is very important. It’s how “quality” is measured and how institutions are evaluated. It shows the depth of the faculty member’s knowledge in his or her field.
Someone with a doctorate might take a job at an “Associate’s degree level school”(which GSC is not) if they care about the access mission, and about educating students who can’t afford to attend a university or go away to college, and about educating nontraditional students.
GSC has state-of-the-art technology, excellent buildings, a lovely campus, a caring staff, accomplished and dedicated faculty, and most of all hardworking and involved students. Everyone involved with GSC has a great deal to offer NGCSU.
You don’t represent your school’s paper very well. As a matter of fact your pieces live up to the “glorified high school/juco” status GSC school is trying to shed. Maybe if your grades are good enough you could enroll in a school that could teach you journalism, or just general writing. Until then good luck with your Associates Degree at clown college.