A vote by the Georgia Board of Regents has triggered some confusion about the ability to provide assorted degree programs at the state’s colleges and universities, including Augusta University.
During the Sept. 8 meeting, regents voted to terminate more than 200 programs across 18 local campuses. UGA had the highest number deactivated at 43; AU will lose 26 programs.
The meeting agenda said the action was requested by the presidents of each school. The agenda also included the rationale behind the requests.
“The following programs have been deactivated for longer than 2 years. Each institution has reviewed the deactivated programs to confirm that no students are currently in the program or that any remaining students in the program have been appropriately advised and counseled concerning degree program options,” it said.
AU released a written statement clarifying how the regents’ vote impacts the local campus.
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The statement confirms the programs had been recommended for termination because they had been deactivated two or more years ago as part of regular evaluations to ensure the needs of students are being met. Programs are also evaluated to better address the changing needs of potential employers for students who graduate.
As an example, the university said, the Bachelor of Arts degrees in French and Spanish have been terminated. However, it now offers a BA in World Languages with a concentration in French or Spanish. The on-line program description said the faculty includes instructors in German, Arabic and Chinese.
Similarly, the Hull College of Business now offers a Bachelor of Business Administration with concentrations in Marketing, Management and Finance, leading to the deactivation of programs offering the individual degrees.
Among the new programs created over the past few years is a doctor of philosophy with a major in computer and cyber sciences. It is the latest in the university’s expanding cyber-related offerings.
In October 2018, regents approved AU’s request to create the state’s first cybersecurity engineering degree. Regents also approved changing the existing bachelor of science with a major in computer science and a concentration in cyber operations to create a stand-alone bachelor of science with a major in cyber operations. Also approved was changing the bachelor of science in information technology and a concentration in cybersecurity to establish a stand-alone bachelor of science with a major in cyber security.
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AU justified the new programs saying, “In the past 24 months, a number of companies have opened or expanded cybersecurity-related operations in the Augusta-Richmond County (GA-SC) Metropolitan Statistical Area. These companies require a workforce with advanced cybersecurity and engineering knowledge and skills. … In addition to this expansion in the private industry, there is a growing local presence by the federal government with the National Security Agency (NSA) and the United States Army Cyber Center of Excellence headquartered at Fort Gordon as well as the soon-to-be-relocated U.S. Army Cyber Command operations in 2019
Overall, the latest statement said AU has added 18 new programs and currently offers 155 academic programs. That compares to 140 offered five years ago.
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a general assignment reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com
