Clayton State University’s core mission is to provide superior career-oriented studies that will prepare students to succeed in the world of work in the 21st Century.

In more than 30 years of service to south metropolitan Atlanta, Clayton State University has effectively responded to the needs of its community. In the fall of 1999 the University enrolled nearly 4,500 students in credit programs. Thousands more attended non-credit classes through the Continuing Education Center. In all cases, the University is dedicated to helping students develop into capable, productive citizens through its baccalaureate degree, associate degree, certificate, and continuing education programs.

The foundation for all degree programs is a strong general education curriculum designed to enable students to develop communication and critical thinking skills and to acquire the broad and varied perspectives essential for understanding today’s world. Central to the general education program and to major programs is an emphasis on the assessment of each student’s progress toward the desired learning outcomes.

The University offers baccalaureate degrees in the following areas:

• The Bachelor of Business Administration, with majors in Accounting, Management, Marketing, and General Business;
• The Bachelor of Science in Nursing and in Health Care Management;
• The Bachelor of Music, with majors in Composition and Performance;
• The Bachelor of Arts, with a major in Middle Level Education;
• The Bachelor of Applied Science, with majors in Technology Management, Administrative Management, Allied Health Administration, and Dental Hygiene Administration and Practice;
• The Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Science in Integrative Studies, wherein students may create their own programs of study by drawing on the course offerings of Clayton State and the 18 other Atlanta Regional Consortium of Higher Education college and university members, as well as the resources of the Atlanta-area business community; and
• The Bachelor of Information Technology, with majors in Database Administration; Software Development; Information Design and Production; Network Planning, Design and Management; General Information Technology; Information Technology Management; and Wireless Technology. (Some majors are not yet fully implemented.)

These baccalaureate degree programs are designed to develop graduates who have the abilities and knowledge essential to successful career performance. The University provides career guidance services and strongly encourages students to acquire work experiences before graduation.

Clayton State University also offers its students a variety of associate degree and certificate programs. The University provides the first two years of work in more than 40 fields of study common to all state-supported colleges and universities in Georgia. These programs serve both those students who plan to continue work toward a baccalaureate degree at Clayton State University and those who plan to transfer to other institutions. The University also provides one- and two-year career and technical programs designed to prepare students for immediate employment.

Students admitted to the University are eligible to accelerate their studies through examination and by experience. Advanced high school students are encouraged to begin their first year of college work while completing high school through the Freshman Scholar Program.

In addition, the University offers a Learning Support Program for students whose academic records indicate that they are not yet prepared to do college-level work and for students returning to an academic atmosphere who require a review of basic academic skills.

The Continuing Education Center offers a regular program of non-credit courses and seminars to provide personal and career enrichment and to meet special educational needs for individuals and groups within the community.

Clayton State University has a demonstrated commitment of service to its community and region—particularly the Southern Crescent of metropolitan Atlanta. Bringing educational opportunities to the citizens and businesses of the Southern Crescent to contribute to the region’s future development is central to the University’s mission and aspirations.

As Georgia’s only university that also houses a regional technical institute, Clayton State is a unique institution. This status enables the University to serve as a practical bridge between Georgia’s two systems of post-secondary education and between the liberal arts and specialized career/vocational education.

Clayton State University’s core mission is to provide superior career-oriented studies that will prepare students to succeed in the world of work in the 21st Century and to provide services and continuing education that will assist the Southern Crescent and the state in improving the quality of life for residents. In approaching this mission, the University incorporates five common elements in all of its programs and services:

• developing effective communication including broad and technologically sophisticated access to information
• recognizing and responding to the increasingly global context of contemporary life
• promoting community-based, experiential learning to create durable and meaningful connections between education and all other aspects of life
• focusing on continuous education and growth as a result of ongoing assessment of learning
• understanding and developing a facility with the power and limitations of modern technology.

As a senior institution of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State shares characteristics with all of its sister institutions and with the state universities in particular. The common portions of the mission are indicated in the italics portion of each bullet (italics below). Clayton State University's unique characteristics and its five common thematic elements are reflected below in the regular print portion of each bullet:

• a supportive campus climate, necessary services, and leadership and development opportunities, all to educate the whole person and meet the needs of students, faculty and staff. As a metropolitan institution, Clayton State provides an array of student services designed to meet the varied needs of students of differing ages and interests. Opportunities for leadership development are provided through an honors program, a wide range of student organizations, and an active Student Government Association. Cultural and educational enhancements are offered to students and the community through the widely recognized Lyceum and Spivey Hall programming.
• cultural, ethnic, racial, and gender diversity in the faculty, staff, and student body, supported by practices and programs that embody the ideals of an open, democratic, and global society. Clayton State particularly values ethnic and racial diversity. The University has the highest percentage of minority enrollment of any institution in the University System of Georgia except for the historically black universities and is experiencing growth in its international student population. Clayton State University is committed to highlighting global contexts throughout its programs and services.
• technology to advance educational purposes, including instructional technology, student support services, and distance education. Clayton State is dedicated to placing a major emphasis on technologically advanced access to information and to ensuring that all students acquire a working familiarity with the uses, limitations, and ethical implications of modern informational technology.
• collaborative relationships with other University System institutions, state agencies, local schools and technical institutes, and business and industry, sharing physical, human, information, and other resources to expand and enhance programs and services available to the citizens of Georgia. A pioneer in cooperation with the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education, Clayton State has advanced this relationship to the baccalaureate level through the Bachelor of Applied Science degree program. The University has also been a leader in building partnerships with local school systems to train teachers and to raise the educational aspirations of school children. An emphasis on community-based experiential learning strengthens the connection between formal education and life.
• a commitment to excellence and responsiveness within a scope of influence defined by the needs of an area of the state, and by particularly outstanding programs or distinctive characteristics that have a magnet effect throughout the region or state. Given the proximity of Hartsfield International Airport and the rapid development of the Interstate 75 corridor, the region is poised on the threshold of dramatic change. Clayton State has a special role to play in helping to ensure that the economic and cultural development of its region keeps pace with other areas of metropolitan Atlanta. The internationally acclaimed Spivey Hall concert facility and the support provided by the Spivey Foundation positions the University for national excellence in music education.
• a commitment to a teaching/learning environment, both inside and outside the classroom, that sustains instructional excellence, serves a diverse and college-prepared student body, promotes high levels of student achievement, offers academic assistance, and provides developmental studies programs for a limited student cohort. As a community-based institution, Clayton State is committed to serving young learners and life-long learners alike. Flexible hours, multiple instructional sites, and distance learning promote access within the context of admission standards that promote excellence. A leader in the assessment of student learning outcomes, Clayton State uses individual assessment results for placement and feedback and draws on aggregate results to inform program improvement.
• a high-quality general education program supporting a variety of disciplinary, interdisciplinary, and professional academic programming at the baccalaureate level, with selected master’s and educational specialist degrees, and selected associate degree programs based on area need and/or institutional collaborations. Defining general education outcomes and explicitly focusing curricula to achieve them has been a hallmark of Clayton State, and the University aspires to continued leadership in this domain. At Clayton State, students will find career-oriented education with a solid liberal arts foundation. Associate and baccalaureate majors, including integrated and interdisciplinary programming, focus on clearly defined student learning outcomes. Graduate programming will be undertaken by the University in collaboration with other institutions as community needs dictate.
• a commitment to public service, continuing education, technical assistance, and economic development activities that address the needs, improve the quality of life, and raise the educational level within the University’s scope of influence. Clayton State University provides a strong resource for the Southern Crescent in these areas through its varied educational programming. The University’s continuing education and community services program is one of the state’s largest and provides direct educational and technical support to the economic development of the communities served. In addition, Spivey Hall’s outreach programs serve the cultural needs of the community and develop future audiences.
• a commitment to scholarly and creative work to enhance instructional effectiveness and to encourage faculty scholarly pursuits, and a commitment to applied research in selected areas of institutional strength and area need. The University is committed to a continuing investment in its faculty development program, which is specifically designed to enhance areas such as the use of instructional technology and applied research to benefit the campus and community.

Clayton State University is a unit of the University System of Georgia; therefore, credits earned within College Transfer Programs at the University are accepted by all other units of the University System.

Clayton State University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097: Telephone number 404-679-4501) to award the associate degree and the baccalaureate degree.

The University also is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, the Georgia Board of Nursing, and the National League for Nursing.

The University’s teacher preparation program is approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission and is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

The University has been approved for the following state and federal programs:

Veterans Administration Benefits

Federal College Work Study Program

Regents’ Scholarships

Federal Perkins Loans

Federal Nursing Loans

Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Grants

Federal Guaranteed Student Loans

Federal Pell Grants

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants

Georgia Student Incentive Grants

Postsecondary Option Program

HOPE Grant

The Clayton State University Alumni Association was formed in 1991.

The Alumni Association provides opportunities for former students to be of service to and involved with the University in several ways. The alumni organization schedules various on- and off-campus events throughout the year involving all former Clayton State students, as well as current students and the community.

The 1999 Clayton State University Alumni Board of Directors are as follows:

Renee Blackmon ‘82
Deborah L. Chastain ’93
Vicki Corley ’89
Rebecca B. Dean ’87, ’94
Priscilla R. Foster ’94
Thomas A. George, Jr. ’90, ’91
Jacqueline J. Geter ’92, ’95
Douglas G. Gray ’95
Norman E. Grizzell ‘87
Peggy L. Hand ’87
Betty J. Haripar ’97
Mary Ann Headrick ’94
Audrey M. Horetz, ’88
Karen E. Huffaker
William C. Jones ’90
N. Anthony Kimbrell ’93
Beverly M. Lane ’97
Lanelle U. LaRue ’85
Patrick J. Maloney, Sr. ’73
M. David Marler ‘94

Michael J. McCullough ’86
Richard A. Neal ‘94
Diane S. Neville ’90
Terry L. Penn ’84, ’87
Reda K. Rowell ‘93, ’98
Regina L. Smith-Thomas ’88, ’97
David H. Sparer, ’97

  Nestled lakeside on the campus of Clayton State University is Spivey Hall, an elegant world-class 400-seat concert hall with incomparable acoustics. Presenting renowned musicians through superior classical and jazz music series as well as a series of student performances and community ensembles has earned Spivey Hall widespread recognition from artists, media, and audiences, both nationally and internationally.

Spivey Hall is also the primary performance space for the Clayton State University Music Department, which presents an extensive series of student and faculty recitals, musical theatre productions, and opera. As part of Clayton State University students' activity fees, students are entitled to two tickets to Spivey Hall concerts of their choice.

National Public Radio’s "Performance Today" broadcasts more Spivey Hall concert recordings than any other hall in America. Superb acoustics have also made Spivey Hall the choice location for full-scale recording projects by major artists in the classical music genre. Dedicated in May 1992 above the stage, Spivey Hall’s 79-rank Albert Schwietzer Memorial Organ with its tasteful, yet ornate casework is the focal point of this hall.

In addition, to Spivey Hall's extensive concert-series, the Spivey Hall Education Committee’s award-winning education programs serve metropolitan Atlanta area schools. This collaboration between a performance venue and sixteen public school systems has produced the Student Concert Series, Spivey Hall Children’s Choir, Master Classes, Robert Shaw Choral Workshop, and Teacher Staff Development Programs.