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Campus Review
September 19, 2012
and is about the learning process to con-
tinually improve and find what works.”
Weisenbach said that throughout the
University System, many efforts will have
a positive affect on college affordability
by shortening the time to degree, lessen-
ing the likelihood a student may stop-out
temporarily from their education, and pro-
viding options so students may attend
school while working, serving their coun-
try and raising a family.
University System institutions have built
upon localized partnerships with K-12
schools, TCSG, businesses, and founda-
tions in developing the plans.
“This is about serving and working with
the local community and in many cases
Complete College Georgia gives institu-
tions a new avenue to reach
out and build on those relationships,” said
Weisenbach.
In the executive summary of the
Complete College Georgia plan, the
authors noted that the campus plans
address a number of components that,
taken together, will work to increase
access to college and college completion.
These are:
• Better data collection and analysis to
identify strengths and areas for improve-
ment as well as the needs of various
regions and populations;
• Increased partnerships with K-12 to
improve college readiness for students out
of high school;
• The improvement of access to college
and graduation for all students;
• The reduction of the time it takes to
earn a college degree;
• The development of new models of
instruction and learning for students;
• The transformation of remediation.
The campus plans also look at different
ways to use technology and online learn-
ing to attract new student populations, the
ease with which students can transfer
between systems and institutions, and the
use of prior learning assessment to give
college credits to those who have signifi-
cant life experiences that traditionally
have not been factored into a student’s
potential.
Experiential Learning at Clayton State
CMS Students Write News Release
For Hatfield Teacher of the Year
Award Winner Dr. Virginia Bonner
By John Shiffert, University Relations
With eight departments, the College of
Arts and Sciences is the largest college at
Clayton State University, and serves the
community through its excellence in
teaching, research and creative endeavors.
The Gene Hatfield Teacher of the Year
Award builds recognition for College of
Arts and Sciences teachers who stimulate
intellectual curiosity and foster learning
that engages students – values identified
in the University’s Strategic Plan.
The Clayton State University Office of
University Relations recently sent out a
news release regarding the College of Arts
and Sciences at Clayton State awarding
Dr. Virginia Bonner the Gene Hatfield
Teacher of the Year Award for the 2011 to
2012 academic year.
However, the release wasn’t written by
the professionals in University Relations,
it was a collaborative effort by 11 students
in Assistant Professor – Communication
Dr. Susan McFarlane-Alvarez’ CMS
(Communication and Media Studies)
4560 class.
Upon learning that her colleague had won
the
prestigious
Hatfield Award,
McFarlane-Alvarez had an idea for pro-
viding her class with a hands-on learning
experience.
“As they delve into learning about how to
write press releases, I wanted us to collab-
orate on the writing of a press release on
Dr. Bonner’s recent win of the Teacher of
the Year Award for Arts & Sciences,”
McFarlane-Alvarez explains. “Dr. Bonner
agreed to participate and for my students
to interview her toward such an exercise.”
Undertaking the exercise with profession-
alism were the following CMS4560 stu-
dents; Breanna Mack, Yolanda Solomon,
Sarah Boyd, Lindsey Gregory, Laticia
Lewis, Tiffany McKinney, Amanda
Parham, Sabrena Stolze, Aisha White,
Avery Crow and Christopher Baldwin.
Upon completion of their classwork,
McFarlane-Alvarez sent their finished
release to University Relations, where-
upon it was released to the news media as
a standard Clayton State release, also
appearing on page two of this issue of
Campus Review
.
Hatfield presents Bonner with the Gene Hatfield Teacher of the Year Award.
Bonner, cont’d., from p. 2
Degrees, cont’d. from p. 2