Office of the President

Dr. Dana Nichols named interim president

The University System of Georgia (USG) named Dana Nichols as interim president of Georgia Highlands College, effective July 7, 2021. Nichols was the college’s chief academic officer and provost.

She succeeded President Don Green, who accepted a new position as president of Point Park University in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Nichols served in her provost role since August 2018. Among other duties, she supervised the deans in each academic area which includes Health Sciences, STEM, Humanities, Social Sciences and Education, Business and Professional Studies, and Libraries and Testing, as well directors for the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Enrollment Management, and Student Support Services.

“Dr. Nichols’ experience and knowledge of Georgia Highlands College make her an excellent choice as the college continues to focus on student success and degree attainment for the communities it serves,” recently retired USG Chancellor Steve Wrigley said. “She understands how important GHC’s mission is, and I’m grateful for her leadership.”

Nichols previously worked as vice president for academic affairs at Chattanooga State Community College. She began her academic career at Gainesville State College, serving first as a tutor in the Foreign Language and Writing Labs, and then as associate professor of both English and Spanish.

A native of northeast Georgia, Nichols has also served as assistant vice president and dean of Academic Affairs at Lanier Technical College. She earned a doctorate in English from Georgia State University, dual bachelor’s degrees in English and Spanish from Mercer University, and two associate degrees from Gainesville College.

“I am so honored to assume the role of interim president at GHC,” Nichols said. “With the support of a great team of faculty and staff, we will not only continue GHC’s tradition of providing the type of student-centered, quality, and affordable education and training opportunities that we are known for, but we will also expand our innovative curriculum and outreach efforts together with our partners in industry and K12 education.”

In her role as provost, Nichols has been focused on retention and graduation efforts at GHC with a strong commitment to student success strategies, creating new degree programs and certificates that complement local workforce needs, and pursuing strategic scheduling across GHC’s five locations.

GHC Interim President Dana Nichols

FALL IN-SERVICE

GHC faculty and staff gathered at the Floyd campus in August 2021 to kick off fall semester and the new academic year. Dr. Nichols welcomes guests to the Boots and BBQ celebration event in November. See more on pages 28-29 in this issue.

Office of the President

Office of the President

A Fond Farewell

Dr. Donald J. Green GHC’s fourth president 2014-2021

Dear GHC family,

I write to offer my most sincere thanks for the last seven years. Together, we have heightened the public perception of our college, enriched the student experience, and enhanced the college’s facilities. All the while, you have maintained your compassion and commitment to each individual student, creating lifechanging service to provide future opportunity.

Seven years ago, Georgia Highlands was perceived as solely a transfer institution. That remains our primary mission and should be something in which we always take great pride. We provide an amazing affordable start for many students. But GHC has also become a provider of high-value, low-cost baccalaureate degrees leading to graduate school and great careers. As we continue to innovate curricula and provide student support, we will enhance the lives of our graduates while growing our reputation for relevant academic excellence.

As GHC endured the effects of a pandemic, we were quick to adopt new methods of service and instruction. The lessons you so adeptly employed will serve this college for years to come. As a multi-site college, you have cracked the code on effective service through our Virtual HUB. We have applied a variety of instructional technologies that will allow GHC to exchange low enrollment site-based course sections with efficient online options by combining students from across the region, allowing those students to complete their education in a timely manner.

We have changed the paradigm of student life from student entertainment to student engagement. Recent Zoom-based workshops have had participation five times that of traditional acts traveling from campus to campus and the content has been life-changing. I see a future where intramural sports may include team-based activities but will also embrace personal health and wellness, all the while allowing our exercise science and sport management students internship opportunities.

Underrepresented communities have thrived because of your outreach and support. Examples of our work include the growth of our Hispanic communities in our student ranks. Seven years ago, Hispanic students made up approximately 3% of our enrollment. Today, these students represent about 12% of our enrollment. Our Brother-to-Brother chapter was named national chapter of the year three times amongst 300 chapters nationally. Phi Theta Kappa has grown both in national stature and diversity! I am proud of the college we are and the communities we reflect. Our entire student population has improved in retention and completion.

Your innovation and tenacity have allowed Georgia Highlands to become more secure and steady. We have stood up a police force, implemented annual advertising campaigns, established a brand and strong social media presence, adapted sustainable business practices, championed an emphasis on environmental health, renovated older facilities and constructed new ones. We have leveraged a low-interest rate environment to bring greater fiscal health and pursued wellness campaigns to create greater physical and mental health.

I am honored to have had the opportunity to serve you. We are a community that has made great strides while never losing track of our primary objective: student success. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of Georgia Highlands College.

Green extolls growth of graduation rate at GHC during farewell news conference

EXCERPT AS SEEN IN THE ROME NEWS-TRIBUNE:

A graduation rate that has jumped dramatically over the last five years is one of the things Don Green is proud of as he left Georgia Highlands College at the end of June.

During a virtual interview with Green and GHC [incoming] Interim President Dana Nichols, he said he is most proud of the college’s faculty and staff.

“These are people who would run through a brick wall to help a student,” Green said.

During his seven-year term as president, they kept an emphasis on growing the baccalaureate programs and keeping the acquisition of a college degree affordable.

The graduation rate at GHC has grown significantly over the last five years, he said.

In 2017, the number of graduates was up by 9%. In 2018 that percentage increased by 10%, then by another 9% in 2019. It was up again, by 14%, in 2020. Green said that, when summer classes are over this year, the 2021 graduation rate should be up by another 14% or more.

The rearrangement of the college from different divisions into different schools allowed the rapid development of new programs, Nichols said.

The college combined its business and professional studies schools, and the stand-alone math division program was moved into the school of science, engineering technology and mathematics.

A new entrepreneurship program within the school of business and a customizable bachelor’s program in health sciences is already seeing significant growth. [Also see story on page 13 about GHC’s newest bachelor’s degree in Building Information Modeling Management.]

Nichols stressed that growing the number of baccalaureate programs available at GHC is a major goal going forward, but a focus on the number of students who actually complete their degrees is the highest priority.

“Graduation is life changing and we know that,” Green said. “I’m very proud of our institution and I’m very proud of our people.”

Office of the President

SAYING GOODBYE –

A farewell reception was held for President Green at the Cartersville site in July 2021. Friends, GHC employees, USG colleagues, and community members came out to congratulate and bid farewell to Green. A commendation letter was presented by State Representatives Katie Dempsey and Matt Gambill.