Regents to take up engineering requests from UGA, Ga. Southern

While Chancellor Erroll Davis and the state Board of Regents chairman support a plan to allow the University of Georgia to offer more engineering degrees, some lawmakers and an engineering group oppose the proposal, according to documents obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The regents are expected to vote Tuesday on a plan to allow UGA to offer engineering degrees in civil, electrical and mechanical engineering -- three areas dominated by Georgia Tech. The regents also are expected to vote on Georgia Southern University's proposal to morph three existing engineering technology degrees into engineering degree programs.

If approved, UGA's first program would begin in fall 2012. Georgia Southern could begin next fall.

Much of the debate has focused on UGA. The regents were supposed to vote on the issue last month, but delayed it after Gov. Sonny Perdue urged them to slow down and build support for what is the second most expensive program a college can offer. Brian Robinson, spokesman for Gov.-elect Nathan Deal, said they had no comment on the issue.

Over the past couple of weeks, the regents have sent letters to Perdue and members of the Legislature explaining the new programs are needed because the state doesn't graduate enough engineers to meet workforce needs. The programs would keep in-state qualified Georgians who attend college elsewhere because they couldn't get into Georgia Tech, regents wrote.

Regent William "Dink" NeSmith, chairman of the academic affairs committee, wrote Nov. 3 that both colleges will pay for the programs with existing money and will not request additional funding.

Regents Chairman Willis Potts and Davis, both engineers, wrote Oct. 26 that "having more engineers is always better than having fewer." Their proposed solution includes the new degrees at UGA and Georgia Southern and expanding graduate programs at Georgia Tech.

Perdue spokesman Bert Brantley said Monday that the governor's concerns remain unchanged from last month.

"He was giving some friendly advice and a reminder that if you rush into something and don't have the full support of the people who write the budget, there could be consequences down the road," Brantley said. "It could be hard for the Legislature to understand how a system could go from being in financial jeopardy a year ago to being able to handle this new expense with no problem."

The regents have the constitutional authority to approve academic programs. Legislators decide budget requests for new facilities, labs or extra funding that often accompany program expansions.

Some lawmakers opposed UGA's plan and questioned expanding programs when the state struggles financially.

"The focus needs to be protecting the current educational programs in the state by building upon their successes, not diluting their resources and funding," wrote Sen. Hardie Davis, D-Augusta, a Georgia Tech graduate. "UGA beginning an entirely new program runs the risk of impacting every engineering school in the University System."

Georgia Tech President G.P. "Bud" Peterson has spoken against UGA's plans, arguing his school is in the best position to expand engineering offerings.

Peterson and others have questioned the need for more engineers. The American Council of Engineering Companies of Georgia, which represents about 300 firms, wrote in an Oct. 27 letter to the regents that more than 5,000 professional and "in training" engineers are out of work because of the recession.

"There is no longer a shortage of engineers in Georgia," wrote Tom Gambino, the group's president. "The projections for our industry show it will take us 10 years to get back to the level of engineering employment we had in 2007."

Georgia Southern President Brooks Keel and UGA Provost Jere Morehead wrote a letter challenging Gambino's conclusions and said the group's leadership includes Georgia Tech graduates.

The regents have received letters of support from several groups, including the Georgia Poultry Federation.