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TODAY'S ISSUE
Transitional legislature might come around next time
By Former Georgia Rep. Bob Irvin
House Minority Leader, 1995-2001
Special to GwinnettForum.com

MAY 16, 2003 -- The 2003 Georgia legislative session was a transition. The question is: a transition to what? If the future is an unending series of sessions like this one (long, unproductive, and bitter), many legislators, not to mention the public and press, will get tired of it quickly.

There were three main reasons for the fiasco of 2003: new leadership everywhere, most of them Republicans; a severe budget crunch offering only very difficult alternatives; and the most racially explosive issue (the flag) in many years.

Ironically, in the Legislature, it was the new Democratic leaders who ended up with the biggest gains in public stature. Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor, new to the position of having no power in the Senate, became an effective Democratic spokesman. He is now in the enviable position where he can pick his issues, get coverage when he wants it, and avoid blame for most bad things that happen. Democratic Speaker Terry Coleman got most of the credit for "solving" the budget crisis" (i.e., passing a modest tax increase) and for slaying the flag dragon (although, as usual, a small band of brave and underappreciated Republicans provided the winning margin).

Senate Republicans -- especially Sen. Tom Price -- did "make the train run", which is to their credit, never having had to do so before. They also didn't flinch from deep-sixing most of ex-Gov. Roy Barnes's lame-duck appointments to state boards, in spite of all the "crying wolf" by the Secretary of State and the media.

These Republicans, as a group, have yet to find their real footing. Too many of them showed a disappointing tendency to stuff the budget full of pork just like the Democrats they displaced -- even in a year of budgetary crisis. And while they threatened to hold up any number of things unless the Democrats passed Senate reapportionment --truly a matter of life and death for their Senate majority -- they ultimately folded.

In the House, Republican Leader Lynn Westmoreland first alienated his caucus by pressuring them to rescind their no-tax-increase pledges. (He said that he had written a letter rescinding his own pledge and that he expected all of them to do the same). Then he reversed himself and alienated the Governor by openly siding against him on ethics and on the budget. Next he destroyed his own credibility as a budget-cutter by seeking his own extravagant slice of pork, a completely new, unapproved judicial circuit. Finally, he alienated the business community by his die-hard attachment to the Confederate Battle Flag. All this was widely attributed to his statewide ambitions, but it damaged the House Republicans as a group.

There are prospects for better times, however. The flag issue is now settled, even if by a miracle of sorts. Governor Perdue now has the time to reshape the budget in the right way -- by a carefully thought out program of cuts -- rather than the crisis measures that dominated this session. And the new legislative leaders will mature, or in a few cases be replaced.

Moreover, there is a precedent for thinking all this may work out okay. In 1975, the state also had a completely new set of leaders, and a similarly dismal budget picture. The regular session ran unusually long. A special session was even required to deal with a budget shortfall.

But in retrospect, 1975 was the year Georgia jettisoned the old divisiveness
between Carl, Sanders, Jimmy Carter and Lester Maddox. It set the stage for a 24 year run of successful governors (Busbee, Harris, Miller) and Lieutenant Governors (Miller, Howard), and a remarkable 27-year run for Speaker Tom Murphy. Pretty soon, the rocky start was forgotten.

It can happen again.

ELLIOTT BRACK
UGA provost tells of achievements, looks at Gwinnett
By Elliott Brack
editor and publisher
GwinnettForum.com

MAY 16, 2003 -- For years people in Gwinnett have wanted a four-year college. Unfortunately, the growth that has taken place in Gwinnett has been speedy growth, but came after the Board of Regents virtually halted the establishment of new campuses in the state.

Yet Gwinnett may come out far better in the current arrangement offering full college courses entirely in Gwinnett through the Gwinnett University Center. It's a combination of Perimeter College for the first two years of study, coupled with primarily the University of Georgia for the upper level, plus most graduate courses.

Recently, the new provost and senior vice president for academic affairs for the University of Georgia, Dr. Arnett Mace, was in Gwinnett, visiting the new state-of-the-art GUC Center, and telling of activities at the University. Dr. Mace, an eminent scholar himself in the field of forest management, for 11 years was dean of the UGA School of Forest Resources, and before that was at the University of Florida.

Gwinnett benefits from the GUC's affiliation with the University of Georgia. For one thing, persons going through GUC will get a degree from the University of Georgia. Had the Regents begun a separate four year college in Gwinnett, a "Gwinnett University" degree would not have the same prestige as UGA's degree. Maybe years in the future, when GUC has earned its own mantle, so to speak, perhaps then Gwinnett can begin efforts to have a stand-alone University. For now, students at GUC are probably better off working toward degrees from UGA.

… At the Gwinnett campus, three-fourths of the undergrads and one-third of the graduate students are residents of Gwinnett.

… Gwinnett is home to the third largest contingent of UGA alumni, only behind Fulton and Clarke Counties. Eight percent of UGA alumni live in Gwinnett.

… The greatest number of UGA students, undergrads and graduate students, come from Gwinnett. On the Athens campus, 15 percent of the enrollment is from Gwinnett.

… UGA opens a new Student Learning Center this summer, as Dr. Mace says "like no other facility on any other American campus." It integrates classroom and library space, has a capacity to seat 2,400 students in classes, has an electronic library, 500 computer work stations and 2,000 computer connections. It's located between the old theatre and bookstore, across from the Journalism School.

… Beginning in fall 2004, all first year students will be required to live on campus. "Evidence here and nationally indicates that students who live on campus perform better academically, and are more likely to take advantage of campus activities," Dr. Mace says.

… This year UGA joins three other institutions, Yale, Brown and Harvard, having winners of the four most prestigious postgraduate scholarships. UGA had winners of the Rhodes, Marshall, and Truman scholarships, plus two Goldwater winners.

… UGA ranks first in the nation in total spending for research and development among universities with no medical or engineering school.

… The University earned $3.8 million in 2002 in patent fees and royalties resulting from its research.

Dr. Mace adds: "Those of us who are committed to the institution and Gwinnett County will be asked to step forward. We cannot be satisfied with the UGA and Gwinnett County of today. Together we can make UGA and Gwinnett County truly great."

FEEDBACK
5/16: Mayor thanks all involved with 30th Snellville Days

Editor, the Forum:

Thank you so much to our entire community for making our 30th Snellville Days a success in every way. We had a record number of sponsors this year, a wonderful parade, a tremendous Grand Marshal in David Greene -- a South Gwinnett graduate leading the Georgia Bulldogs as quarterback, and two great days at Briscoe Park with crafters, entertainment, kids fun, food, a car show, and dog and disc show. The volunteers and City staff did an exemplary job putting the entire weekend together and pulling it off with minimal interruptions. Thanks again.

-- Brett Harrell, Mayor of Snellville

5/16: Wonders why Bush Administration wants this information

Editor, the Forum:

The May 5 London Guardian reported that ChoicePoint, a Georgia company who is the parent company of Database Technologies, has been given a $67 million contract to obtain personal data on citizens of Latin American countries, including names, addresses, occupations, dates of birth, passport numbers, tax records and blood groups. Among others, the governments of Nicaragua and Mexico are enraged at the invasion of their citizens' privacy.

Now, I wonder why the Bush Administration wants this information?

DataBase is the company that wrongfully purged at least 57,700 votes of supposed felons from Florida's voting roles, most of whom were either poor, black or Democrat, the majority of whom only had names that were similar to those of felons.

Is it possible that the Latin identities that are being absorbed by this company are going to be used to "pad" our next election? It's my understanding that ChoicePoint's subsidiaries are in line to be hired by many states to screw up (sorry..."handle" better choice) the 2004 election.

-- Charles Prendergast, Texarkana, Tex.

NEWS
Georgia Perimeter College earns reaccreditation

After two years of self study, Georgia Perimeter College (GPC) has been accredited for another 10 years by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). GPC also received a commendation for its financial and facilities management.

Debi Moon, director of the GPC self study Committee, says of the process: "Our commendation was a reflection of the staff at this college doing an outstanding job managing in tight economic times and still providing us with a quality environment for students and the college community."

SACS is one of six private, non-profit, voluntary regional accrediting associations established for the purpose of improving education through a process of evaluating against a set of criteria. The Commission on Colleges is the recognized regional body that accredits institutions awarding associate’s, baccalaureate’s, master’s, specialist’s or doctoral degrees in 11 southern states and Latin America.

Like all colleges and universities, GPC must earn a "stamp of approval" every 10 years in order to retain its accreditation. GPC was first accredited as DeKalb College in 1967 with reaffirmation of accreditation in 1971, 1982 and 1992.

Georgia Perimeter College, the largest associate degree-granting college in the University System of Georgia, serves more than 20,000 credit and non-credit students through six locations in metro Atlanta. For additional
information, visit www.gpc.edu.