By: Farhin Lilywala

On Feb. 24, as requested by Georgia State President Mark Becker, leadership from the Clarkston campus gathered in the CN building.

Attendees included most Consolidation Implementation Committee members, as well as other faculty and staff members, totalling about 50-60 people.

At this meeting, Clarkston Dean of Student Affairs Matthew Robison and Clarkston Dean of Academic Services Susan Cody-Rydzewski presented to Becker the strengths of the Clarkston campus.

These characteristics ranged from academia such as nursing and sign language to co- curriculars such as Student Life and Advising.

After the presentation, Becker addressed the attendees on his vision for the college.

Becker said, “There’s a lot of work to do, but we’re very pleased and encouraged by what has taken place already, the meetings for the Implementation Committee and for the working committees.”

When asked how clubs and organizations would be affected by this change, Becker said, “There’s going to be a lot of student input in that. I can tell you that I, personally, am not going to shut any clubs down. I know that the two SGAs are already in talks, but most of it will be based on student input.”

President Becker intends to try to fuse the two cultures of Georgia State and GPC together.

“I think there are two really hard parts about consolidating two institutions, one is technical (how the banner will look, combining databases, etc.), the other part is cultural,” said Becker. “Our culture has been changing, and it would be safe to say that it’s been most manifest in the work we’ve done in student success.”

He also says the contracts with recruiting unversities will most likely be upheld, with a few changes in language.

Becker anticipates the consolidation to go into effect January of 2016.

“Success on day one in January of 2016 means that students can enroll for classes, they can get financial aid and faculty gets paid,” said Becker. “Many things will have happened; other things will not be done in January of 2016.”