COLLEGE OF FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES Strategic Plan 2000 - 2010
Issues related to the capacity of families and communities to meet human needs are paramount concerns as we begin the new millennium. Persistent educational, economic, and health conditions limit the development of individual human potential. The capacity of families to meet the needs of their members and to fulfill society=s expectations of our most fundamental social institution is challenged by the increasingly complex world. In addition, community support systems for individuals and families are stretched beyond capacity.
Enhancing the College=s resources will strengthen its ability to help build the social, economic, and cultural infrastructure of Georgia. Furthermore, enhancing the College=s capacity will advance its standing as a premier unit within the land-grant system.
The mission of the College of Family and Consumer Sciences is to advance the well-being of individuals and families over the life span and strengthen communities through the generation and dissemination of knowledge, the education of professionals, and the provision of research-based programs. The College strives for a highly integrated system of teaching, research, and public service/outreach in which expertise is brought to bear on multi-faceted issues related to families, consumers, and communities and the industries and agencies providing goods and services to them. In its strategic planning process, the College of Family and Consumer Sciences has identified five priorities.*
Priority I: Foster a Community of Learners through an addition to Dawson and Speirs Halls.
Situation
The College of Family and Consumer Sciences enrolls more than 1,000 students in
bachelor=s, master=s and Ph.D. programs. In the context of a very large university, the College strives to create a learning community. Rapid growth in research programs, enrollment and public service/outreach programs and the accompanying press for space make this increasingly difficult. Currently, faculty and staff are located in 10 buildings. This situation greatly restricts the ability of faculty, staff and students to work collaboratively and inhibits the development of a community of scholars.
Opportunity
The College of Family and Consumer Sciences envisions a facility in which its student-focused environment and its relevance to the well-being of Georgia are reflected in the physical space. Through an addition and renovation, the College will create a physical structure which engages students and faculty, as well as reaches out to off-campus constituents.
The proposed facility will include a central atrium Acommons@ for students and faculty to meet, study and interact. Laboratories with glass walls will allow, indeed encourage, students and visitors to observe the process of discovery occurring inside. Classrooms will feature state-of-the-art technology to facilitate distance learning, thus enhancing the College=s responsiveness to off-campus constituent groups by providing academic programs and community training. Studios and seminar rooms appropriate to the growing enrollments in high demand majors will meet students= expectations for excellence in the learning environment. The priceless Historic Costume Collection will be housed in a climate-controlled environment with conservation and exhibit space to provide study and viewing of the artifacts reflecting Georgia=s material culture and heritage. Departmental and faculty offices will be located to foster collaboration and accessibility.
Funding Prospects
A Afootprint@ for the addition to Dawson Hall is included in the UGA Master Plan. An estimate of the cost of the addition and renovation will be secured through a space analysis. Provost Holbrook has approved the College=s request to employ a consulting firm to conduct a space study in Spring 2000. A campaign to secure private and state funding will be initiated. Naming opportunities will be available for specific areas within the facility.
Priority: Establish the Center for the Prevention of Obesity and Related Disorders
Situation
Obesity affects more than 55% of Georgians and, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that rate is increasing among both adults and children. Obesity is the second leading cause of premature death. It also increases the risk of heart disease, Type II diabetes, hypertension, gallbladder disease, respiratory disorders, and some types of cancer. There is a significant burden to the State not only in health care costs, but also in absence from work and lost productivity.
New approaches are needed to prevent and treat obesity, but the genetic, biological, and behavioral elements have yet to be fully understood, thus additional research is needed. In a single year, Americans spend more than $40 billion on weight loss programs, drugs, and related apparatus much of which is not substantiated by research. Informing the public about what is effective and fostering behavioral change is a huge challenge.
Opportunity
The College of Family and Consumer Sciences is taking the lead in developing the Georgia Center for Prevention of Obesity and Related Disorders. The goal of the Center is to bring together an interdisciplinary group of researchers and health professionals to study the multifaceted manifestations of obesity and to test prevention and treatment strategies. The Center will link basic research with educational and policy approaches to support healthy behavior throughout the life span. Special emphasis will be given to approaches directed to children and families to prevent the development of obesity, and rigorously testing intervention strategies and technologies.
Funding Prospects
a. Eminent scholar for molecular studies of obesity
b. Named Distinguished Professor for behavior studies of intervention $ 500,000
c. Endowment to support Center initiatives $1,000,000
d. Funding for other administrative, research, and outreach components
is being sought through the Regents= biomedical initiative.
Naming opportunities will be provided.
Priority: Reduce Family Financial Illiteracy and Indebtedness
Situation
In 1997, 1.4 million households filed for bankruptcy in the United States. Georgia has
the third highest number of bankruptcies per household and the sixth highest rate of personal bankruptcy in the nation. The number of bankruptcy petitions filed in Georgia increased by 41% from 1990 to 1998. Credit card indebtedness is at an all-time high, to the point where the United States has been described as a nation of Adis-savers@. Concern about financial illiteracy among youth has prompted the U.S. House of Representatives to propose grants to the states to carry out youth financial education programs. Conflicts over financial issues are a source of family stress and are frequently the presenting factor in seeking marriage and family counseling.
At the other end of the financial management continuum, interest in personal finance and investing is at an all-time high as retirement issues become salient to the 76 million Ababy boomers= in their peak earning years. Career opportunities are plentiful for bachelor=s and master=s graduates with majors in Family Financial Management. Position announcements for faculty with Ph.D.s in Family Financial Management go unfilled at universities across the country as the number of graduates has not kept pace with the demand.
Opportunity
The College of Family and Consumer Sciences is uniquely positioned to respond to this situation. UGA=s Ph.D. program in Housing and Consumer Economics is one of only five departments in the U.S. capable of producing high quality Ph.D. graduates to meet the need. The curriculum for the B.S. degree major in Consumer Economics offers an option in Family Financial Management. Additional resources are needed to attract highly talented graduate students to this program as the competition with other universities is high. Additional support for the undergraduate program is needed to provide service learning opportunities and internships. To achieve premiere status as the foremost program nationally in Family Financial Management, two distinguished named professors, four named scholarships, and two academic support funds are needed to support the research programs of faculty and to enhance the learning experiences of students.
Funding Prospects
a. Named Distinguished Professorships Family Financial
Management 2 @ $500,000 $1,000,000
b. Endowed Graduate Scholarships 2 @ $50,000 $100,000
c. Academic Support Funds 2 @ $50,000 $100,000
Naming opportunities are available.
Priority: Promote Resilience Among Diverse Families
Situation
Diversity characterizes Georgia=s population. Immigration and migration in response to changing economic conditions are two of the major factors contributing to an already diverse state. There is a great variation across Georgia in terms of urban/rural living conditions, ethnic heritage and race, religious beliefs, incomes, disabilities, age, and political viewpoints. Rapidly changing social and economic conditions have affected greatly the ability of many Georgia families to care for family members while supporting independence and responsible citizenship. Moreover, many problems, such as school failure, violent behavior, teenage pregnancy, unemployment among youth and adults, and poverty, are over represented within certain groups in the Georgia population. There is a critical need for careful demographic and contextual studies to identify and understand families from diverse settings and for the development of prevention and intervention programs incorporating community participation and tailored to the needs of diverse audiences. Parents, teachers, health workers, employers, policy-makers, and agency administrators are struggling in their attempt to promote employability to strengthen Georgia=s economy, responsible citizenship, and resilience among families to meet new challenges and opportunities.
Opportunity
Faculty in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences have the expertise to provide intellectual leadership in addressing the issues related to diversity and resilience. The life-span and holistic approach of the College strengthens its capacity in this area. Establishing a local point of interdisciplinary work related to the promotion of resilience among diverse families (a connection not yet made at other universities) will bring recognition to the University of Georgia, as well as providing a source of information for educators and policy-makers. Strengthening that capacity will help to attract students reflecting greater diversity to study the theory, practice, and policy needed to promote resilience in families and communities. Two named professorships, two post-doctoral fellowships, and two named scholarships are needed to support the research programs of faculty, attract graduate students, and enhance the outreach dimension focusing on resilience in diverse families.
Funding Prospects
a. Named Professorships (research and outreach emphasis)
2 @ $250,000 $500,000
b. Post-doctoral fellowships 2 @ $50,000 $100,000
c. Endowed Graduate Scholarships 2 @ $50,000 $100,000
Naming opportunities will be provided.
Priority: Preserve Georgia=s Material Culture in the Historic Costume Collection
Situation
The study of historic costumes provides opportunities to understand the culture and social
mores of specific historic periods. Georgia=s diverse populations contributed to a rich heritage reflected in the material culture of dress and accessories. Furthermore, because elements of design are repeated, the study of historic costume provides Fashion Merchandising students with a broader understanding of the current fashion industry.
The College of Family and Consumer Sciences houses a significant collection of historic costumes and related artifacts. The collection consists of 1,200 items and spans the time period beginning in 1800. The facilities in which the Historic Costume Collection are currently located provide substandard storage; have inadequate climate control; and offer no space for research, demonstration of preservation techniques, or teaching about museum collections management.
Opportunity
As noted in Priority I, adequate space and appropriate conditions for the Historic Costume Collection are an integral part of the building addition. An additional endowment is needed to support conservation and maintenance of the Collection. Funds are needed to support adequate staff, equipment purchases and maintenance as well as the acquisition of pieces as appropriate. Discussions currently underway with several University units including the Georgia Museum of Art, the Natural History Museum, and the Interdisciplinary Historic Preservation Graduate Program have as their goal an academic program of Museum Studies. A state-of-the-art Historic Costume Collection facility should be an integral part of this program.
Funding Prospects
The Historic Costume Collection presents a variety of funding opportunities, such as an endowment for the entire collection or endowments to support a specific period of the collection, for example, an endowment of $350,000 might support the Formal Dress Collection or Nineteenth Century Costume.
a. Historic Costume Collection (physical facilities) $1,000,000
b. Collection Endowment Fund $500,000
c. Specific Period Funds 2 @ $350,000 $700,000
Summary
ATo teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things.@ The University=s motto provides a context for the College of Family and Consumer Sciences= vision to be among the top tier institutions in the nation excelling in the development of professionals, the scholarship of discovery, and the delivery of outreach programs for viable families and communities. Following the 1999 accreditation review of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, the AAFCS Accreditation Council commended A...the unit and faculty for the high quality of family and consumer sciences programs,@ noting its numerous strengths. UGA=s College of Family and Consumer Sciences is excellent today, and it can be better tomorrow. This is not an end in itself. The ultimate purpose of strengthening the capacity of the College is to benefit the families and communities of Georgia, the nation, and our international partners.
*Note: The highest priority of the College of Family and Consumer Sciences is an addition and renovation to foster a community of learners and to provide state-of-the-art facilities for the ever-expanding programs of the College. The other priorities are of equal importance.
