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Board of Regents Hear Yamacraw Mission on Track

System-on-a-Chip. Optical Networks. Digital Signal Processing. These highly technical terms are being virtually imbedded on the minds of more and more University System of Georgia students, with the help of 22 new faculty members appointed this year to increase the number of high-technology professionals in the state.

During their May board meeting, the Board of Regents received an update on the Yamacraw Mission -- Gov. Roy Barnes' strategic economic development initiative combining academia, industry and state government. As the academic arm of Yamacraw, the University System is moving swiftly to achieve a goal of educating and attracting back to Georgia 2,000 new computer scientists and electrical, computer and software engineers by the year 2003. The state allocated an initial $4.65 million in FY 2000 to the System's academic programs to meet this goal.

The University System is working jointly with the Georgia Department of Industry, Trade & Tourism and several state and private sector agencies to help Georgia compete nationally in key broad-band technology sectors (system-on-a-chip, embedded systems, optical networks, wireless, content processing, and high-speed access devices).

The end goal is to carve a knowledge-based niche for the state among economic development contenders as a major producer of high-end, high-tech graduates. Staffing-up to achieve that goal will require recruiting 85 to 90 faculty in those broad-band specialties. The 22 new hires represent about one-fourth of that long-term target.

Eight University System of Georgia institutions are involved in Yamacraw: Armstrong Atlantic State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Southern University, Georgia State University, Kennesaw State University, Savannah State University, Southern Polytechnic State University, and the University of Georgia. In Yamacraw's first year, these institutions hired 22 new faculty in Yamacraw areas.

In addition to hiring faculty, participating institutions have begun modifying and restructuring the curriculum in electrical and computer engineering, software engineering and computer science to include an emphasis in the Yamacraw focus areas.

Oversight of Yamacraw is provided by a collaborative Steering Committee representing the various inter-agency partners in the initiative. That committee hired James D. Foley as chief executive officer of Yamacraw, to manage the project's daily operations. A scholar of international renown for his work on computer graphics, computer visualization and computer usability, Foley founded Georgia Tech's Center for Graphics, Visualization and Usability in 1991, and guided it to number one in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report. He left Georgia Tech in 1996 to lead Mitsubishi's Electronics Research Lab in Cambridge, Ma., returning in December 1999 to spearhead the Yamacraw project.

To lead the charge in the academic arena, University System Chancellor Stephen R. Portch appointed Dr. Daniel S. Papp, former professor of international affairs in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at Georgia Tech, as director of Yamacraw Educational Programs. Papp joined Georgia Tech in 1973, and has held an impressive array of faculty and administrative assignments, both on the campus and within the University System of Georgia.

Papp and Foley jointly presented the status report on Yamacraw to the Regents.

Ten months into the University System's implementation of Yamacraw, Papp reports that the educational programs "are proceeding entirely on or ahead of schedule." ¶

USG Enrollment Targets Being Shortened to Three Years

The Board of Regents heard a proposal at their May board meeting encouraging them to adopt three-year rolling targets for enrollment at the University System's 34 institutions instead of the current five-year targets.

"You can put more faith in a three-year plan than you can in a five-year plan, because it's more reasonable and realistic," Dr. Beheruz Sethna, interim senior vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, told board members. Sethna, who previously worked in corporate strategic planning, said that three-year plans are widely accepted in industry.

Sethna also asked the Regents to be poised to consider the future adjustment of individual campus enrollment targets when circumstances warrant such action.

"This is an enrollment management process, not simply forecasting," he explained. "While initial projections are based on forecasts, institutional plans greatly influence the targets."

Sethna's presentation met with the board's approval. Existing enrollment targets set in 1999 will remain in effect through 2003, unless modified by future board action. ¶

Winners of 2000 Regents Awards Recognized

Some of the University System's best and brightest faculty members, academic departments and programs were recognized when the recipients of the 2000 Regents Awards were introduced to the Board of Regents during the May board meeting ( see story below). Pictured here are: (seated, left to right) Dr. Patricia Reggio (Kennesaw State Univ.), Dr. Erian Armanios (Georgia Tech), (standing, left to right) Dr. Carol Edwards (Kennesaw State), Dr. Charles Eckert (Georgia Tech), Dr. Larry Peterson (representing the Mentor-Protégé Undergraduate Research Program at Kennesaw State), Dr. David Lake (representing the Department of Physical Therapy at Armstrong Atlantic State Univ.), and Marolyn Mixon (Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College). ¶

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Rising Costs Prompt Increases in USG Health Care Plan

Responding to escalating health care costs associated with its Blue Cross/Blue Shield Health Benefits Plan, the Board of Regents in May approved health care premium increases that will impact both the University System of Georgia and its employees.

The Regents approved a 17.4 percent increase in the employer-paid portion of the indemnity plan premiums, which will go into effect on July 1. The board also approved a two-tiered phase in of an employee premium increase, the first phase of which will be implemented on August 1, when participants in the plan will see a 15 percent increase in their premiums.

Another employee increase, as yet undetermined, will be implemented in January 2001. The approved 15 percent increase is slightly higher than the 12 percent increase charged to indemnity plan participants last year.

The combined increases are necessary to help offset continually rising health care costs that have surpassed the plan's projected claims and administrative costs (the cost of the contract to administer the plan). Between July 1998 and December 1999, the number of total paid claims exceeded the amount of premiums collected during that 18-month period, until USG campus officials made additional payments into the fund to cover depleted reserves.

In March of this year, the Health Benefits Plan also received a supplemental appropriation from the legislature of $33 million to cover the projected deficit for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2000. The plan is now expected to complete the fiscal year with less than the minimum two months reserve considered prudent, and costs continue to rise. The increased premiums will cover these increased costs.

In November of this year, during the University System's annual open enrollment period for health care plan selection, participants will be able to consider different healthcare-plan choices.

At that time, both indemnity plan participants and HMO participants may exercise one of several options. They may remain with their current provider, select the indemnity plan, choose from several existing HMO plans provided for University System of Georgia employees or they may sign up for a new preferred provider plan. The Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) option is being negotiated by the Department of Community Health, on behalf of the Board of Regents.

"We are implementing these increases in a manner that reflects sensitivity to their impact on employees budgets," said Lindsay Desrochers, senior vice chancellor for capital resources for the Board of Regents. "By saving the second phase of the increase for January, employees will have an opportunity to select a more economical option to meet their needs, while maintaining quality health-care coverage."

As of August 1, employees with "Single" coverage in the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Self Insured Indemnity Plan, will see their rates change by $7.30 monthly, from $48.70 per month to $56.00 monthly. The employer contribution also increased correspondingly, to $187.72 monthly, up from $159.90.

Employees carrying "Single +1" coverage will see their premiums increase by $15.22 monthly, from $101.50 to $116.72. The employer contribution will move from $333.40 to $391.42, to cover rising costs.

USG employees with "Family" coverage will see new premiums charges of $136.40 monthly, up from $118.60, a difference of $17.80. The employer portion of the coverage will jump to $457.50, up from $389.70.

"Health care is an important incentive for attracting and retaining high quality faculty and staff," stated Desrochers. "And while the University System, given its demographics, has a somewhat better utilization rate than many employers, health care costs are rising significantly for all organizations. We are diligently working towards affordable options for all employees in order to ensure this important employee benefit."

Desrochers and other University System officials have said they expect the new Blue Cross/Blue Shield premiums to prompt many employees to consider one of the existing HMOs or the new PPO plan to minimize their health care costs. "The indemnity plan is the University System's top-shelf program, and it will remain available for those who wish to maintain optimal choice in their health care plan," she stated. "But those who continue to utilize this plan must do so with the recognition that the costs have gone up and continue to go up dramatically." ¶

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Campuses Show Team Spirit

Teams of victorious student athletes and debaters from four University System campuses received special recognition during the Board of Regents' May meeting:

• The Blue Ridge Rifle Precision Drill Team from North Georgia College and State University was applauded for having won the 2000 National Drill Team Championship.



• The Savannah State University baseball team drew the spotlight for beginning the new millennium by breaking a 27-year-old National Collegiate Athletics Association record by winning 46 consecutive games this spring.



• The Regents also saluted the University of Georgia women's swimming and diving team for winning its second straight national championship and setting new American and U.S. Open records.



• The debate team from the State University of West Georgia was recognized for capturing the National Championship of the Cross Examination Debate Association in March (see article in the last issue of The System Supplement). ¶

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Regents Awards Honor Excellence in Teaching, Undergraduate Education

Five University System of Georgia faculty members, two academic departments and a research program received the 2000 Regents Awards for teaching excellence and undergraduate research during the May Board of Regents meeting.

The awards program, now in its fourth year, recognizes individuals, departments and programs that enhance learning through superlative teaching and efforts to involve undergraduate students in applied, innovative research. The research category is new this year.

"These faculty members, departments and programs are the lynchpins of the University System," said Chancellor Stephen R. Portch in handing out the awards. "They are the reason our system is recognized throughout the country for its excellence."

The recipients of the 2000 Regents Teaching Excellence Awards are:

• Marolyn Mixon, associate professor of education at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. Mixon won praise for helping ABAC to produce some of Georgia's best transfer students in education.



• Dr. Carol Edwards, associate professor of art and art education and chair of the Department of Visual Arts at Kennesaw State University. Edwards, who received the 1996 Chancellor's Award was described as "a role model of the teacher-scholar and an instructional leader."



• Dr. Erian Armanios, professor of aerospace engineering and director of the Georgia Space Grant Consortium at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Armanios' strong commitment to teaching and mentoring students also has earned him two Georgia Tech awards.
• The Department of Physical Therapy at Armstrong Atlantic State University. Graduates of ASU's Master of Science program in physical therapy have a 100 percent pass rate on national licensure examinations, and nearly 98 percent are employed.

The recipients of the 2000 Regents Research in Undergraduate Education Awards are:

• Dr. Patricia Reggio, professor of chemistry at Kennesaw State University. A member of the KSU faculty for 21 years, Reggio is committed to involving students in her pioneering research in computational chemistry.



• Dr. Charles Eckert, professor of chemical engineering and physical chemistry at Georgia Tech. Eckert, who has been involving undergraduates in his research for more than 30 years, has worked with more than 80 students.



• The Mentor-Protégé Undergraduate Research Program at Kennesaw State University. Created in 1998 to attract and retain more students in the sciences and mathematics by engaging them in faculty research, this program has partnered 56 undergraduate proteges with 27 mentor faculty members, and their subsequent papers have been presented at regional and national meetings.



• The Department of Geology at Georgia State University. Since 1991, 42 percent of GSU students earning a B.S. in geology have had a research experience, thanks to the faculty's efforts to identify industrial learning environments for students, integrate a research component into geology courses and collaborate with other system institutions to extend and diversify research project participants. ¶

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Kenneth W. Cannestra
Atlanta
CHAIR

J. Tom Coleman, Jr.
Savannah
VICE-CHAIR

Thomas F. Allgood, Sr.
Augusta

Juanita Powell Baranco
Lithonia

Connie Cater
Macon

Joe Frank Harris
Cartersville

Hilton Hatchett Howell, Jr.
Atlanta

John Hunt
Tifton

Edgar L. Jenkins
Jasper

Charles H. Jones
Macon

Donald M. Leebern, Jr.
Columbus

Elridge W. McMillan
Atlanta

Martin W. NeSmith
Claxton

Glenn S. White
Lawrenceville

Joel O. Wooten, Jr.
Columbus

James D. Yancey
Columbus

Stephen R. Portch
CHANCELLOR

Gail S. Weber
SECRETARY TO THE BOARD

Lindsay A. Desrochers
TREASURER

The System Supplement

Arlethia Perry-Johnson
ASSISTANT VICE CHANCELLOR

John Millsaps
MANAGING EDITOR

Diane Payne
WRITER/EDITOR

OFFICE OF MEDIA & PUBLICATIONS
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