“We had ideas come from several of you, we had ideas from legislators, we had ideas bubble up from the communities. ... We took all of those and talked about them because we felt it was important to take anybody’s idea and think about it and look at it.”
These words from University System Vice Chancellor Steve Wrigley, made at the regents’ meeting where the merger of eight Georgia colleges was approved, would suggest that this decision was reached through openness, transparency, diligence and deliberation as to the relative merits of approving or disapproving the proposal.
But the University System’s claims of transparency thus far fall flat. I reach this conclusion, along with a great many southeast Georgians, after witnessing a complete refusal to allow residents any input in the plan to consolidate our local school, Waycross College, with South Georgia College in Douglas, an hour’s drive.
Waycross officials were first asked to meet with the University System in a “private” meeting at Waycross College on Jan. 4. Chancellor Hank Huckaby and Board of Regents Chairman Ben Tarbutton notified us that the chancellor was seeking to merge Waycross College into South Georgia College. However, we were shocked to learn that the regents intended to approve the proposal in less than a week.
While we were told that mergers were made necessary by budgetary constraints, and that the mergers would result in job losses in our community, we were absolutely stunned that the chancellor admittedly had no financial data or analyses to support his decision.
We explained that Waycross College pulls students not just from Ware County, but from a 40- to 60-mile area and numerous surrounding counties. Many are non-traditional students who may be older and simultaneously going to school, working a part- or full-time job and raising a family. Many area high school students are dually enrolled at Waycross College. Finally, we pointed out that Waycross College is a major factor in boosting economic development. For each of these reasons, and others, we respectfully explained to the chancellor that a change in the status of our college campus, in the course offerings, or in the location of classes may well be devastating to individuals and families and our region’s economy.
All we asked of the chancellor was just a delay in the vote — a delay to allow our community to be informed of what was happening and to properly state our case. Our request fell on deaf ears. The decision had been made, Southeast Georgia was told.
It seems transparency, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.
Rep. Mark Hatfield, R-Waycross, is an attorney.
About the Author
