Havard on the Hill Goes Downtown

Augusta State University (ASU) as it exists today is the culmination of decades of development stretching back to origins in the Academy of Richmond County in 1783. The progression from the former Junior College of Augusta to the former Augusta College and present-day Augusta State University all reflect changes that have occurred in our community and state and the changing needs presented by each generation. The present incarnation is radically different in terms of its physical layout in comparison to the college of the ’70s and ’80s. The programs and courses of study are much different than they were 45 years ago. Much the same can be said of Georgia Health Sciences University (GHSU). Formerly and recently the Medical College of Georgia, GHSU has been the premier public institute of medical education and research in Georgia since men wore stovepipe hats. Evolving from a study group taking lectures in private homes and the Telfair Street site now used for wedding receptions to a leading research and teaching institution with a major hospital and public health component has been a good thing, no doubt. An evolution of the institutions into the 21st century is natural and to be expected. A combination of the institutions was unexpected by almost everyone. The merger of ASU and GHSU may be a benefit to the area and to the students that the institutions serve. There are many doubting stakeholders of both institutions in the form of alumni, faculty, staff, business partners, supporters, donors and others. The merger having been presented as a fait accompli, no work has been done to “sell” the concept of the merger and explain the rationale to stakeholders. Dissatisfaction will be the result with this top-down decision-making process until such time as stakeholders adopt the concept and invest in it emotionally and, ultimately, financially. At present, no one person seems to have either a vision for what the completed university will be or the ability to sell the non-existent concept. This Insider is of the opinion that it is a bad idea to embark upon the dissolution of two institutions and the creation of a new one without a vision of the future that can be articulated to others in a simple fashion. Many anxiously await the presentation of a mission statement for the new hybrid institution. Will it be a medical college with a liberal arts program and business school or will it be a true university with a medical program? While ASU has the most students by a wide margin, the budget and facilities of GHSU dwarf that of the Hill academy. Will the tail wag the dog and, if so, which is the dog and which is the tail? The Board of Regents approved the merger, along with similar mergers of other University System institutions, but it appears the mergers are receiving all of their political life from Georgia Governor Nathan Deal. Will the merger lead to a more effective delivery of services to the students of both institutions? Will the local area lose the excellence of a four-year liberal arts institution to the needs of the medical school? The mission of ASU has always been to educate Georgians, and most particularly to provide bachelor-level degree programs to Augustans. Will that remain a priority? If a coherent plan and philosophy for a future educational institution cannot be presented to adequately explain the merger, discerning observers should ask if there is a reason that is not being articulated publicly. Cost savings are often the stated reason for government initiatives related to consolidation, but they are rarely the true reasons for them. There is, most certainly, a reason why the political leadership has advocated the merger. A cynic asks whose pockets are being lined in the deal. It’s a lot like combining the darts teams from Squeaky’s and The OR, but real. You Might Also Like: