Chapter 1
GENERAL INFORMATION
DESCRIPTION OF THE UNIVERSITY
MISSION OF THE UNIVERSITY
ACCREDITATION AND APPROVALS
Clayton State University ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
SPIVEY HALL
DESCRIPTION OF THE UNIVERSITY
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 1998 the University enrolled nearly 5,000 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, Computer Information Systems, 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 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.
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MISSION OF THE UNIVERSITY
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 (italics below). The University’s unique characteristics
and its five common thematic elements are particularly applicable to several of the
University System characteristics as highlighted below.
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.
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ACCREDITATION AND APPROVALS
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
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ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
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. ’91, ’90
Jacqueline J. Geter ’95, ’92
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 ’87, ’84
Reda K. Rowell ’98, ‘93
Regina L. Smith-Thomas ’88, ’97
David H. Sparer, ’97
For more information about the Alumni Association, please call the
Office of Alumni Relations at (770) 961-3580, or visit our web site at
http://adminservices.clayton.edu/alumni/.
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SPIVEY HALL
Clayton State University’s Spivey Hall, a
world-class concert hall, presents renowned musicians as well as a series of student
performances and community ensembles. With the intimacy of 400 seats, Spivey Hall’s
acoustical excellence and superior classical and jazz music series have brought widespread
recognition from artists, media, and audiences throughout the Southeast. Spivey
Hall’s 79-rank Albert Schweitzer Memorial Organ was dedicated to Dr.
Schweitzer’s memory in May 1992.
In addition to Spivey Hall’s extensive concert series, Spivey
Hall’s education programs serve metropolitan Atlanta area schools. The Spivey Hall
Education Committee is a unique collaboration between a performance venue and public
school systems which sponsors such programs as the following:
- Student Concert Series
- Spivey Hall Children’s Choir
- Master Classes
- Robert Shaw Choral Workshop
- Teacher Staff Development Programs.
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.
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