GRU: So what's going to happen to Augusta State U students? (Atlanta: real estate, apartments)

[dichloromethane]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

I thought my implications were clear. GRU need not break into Atlanta.

Alright. Interesting.

Why do you think Azziz marked 8 campuses as part of his plan? Just a higher enrollment and more money?

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by dichloromethane

What I'm suggesting a strictly research partnership. Georgia Tech on the other hand could start something pretty considerable. Something new. A center for biotechnology.

Nothing new there. Georgia Tech is already doing biotech. It would be more like GRU saying "us too!"

Buzz on Biotechnology High Open House | Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering & Bioscience

An Augusta based partnership could work, but it's just that nobody really wants to take the time to go down to Augusta and do it. There really isn't any reason to.

No need. GRU does its part in Augusta.

As I've said many times before, GRU is perfectly fine in terms of expanding it's research image. They do good work there. If we're talking expansion, we should look at what's happening rather than dreaming.

This whole discussion started out by GRU's president's plans to expand GRU over eight regional campuses including Atlanta:

...

We can expect the other eight campuses to be in the major Georgian cities. Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, Columbus, Macon, Athens, Valdosta or Albany. Who knows maybe even Sandy Springs or Alpharetta.

Like they say...talk is cheap. Doing it costs real money. And none of Azziz's dreams fly without the BOR behind it. If the biotech thing is done at Fort Mac, GRU could have a presence there.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by dichloromethane

Alright. Interesting.

Why do you think Azziz marked 8 campuses as part of his plan? Just a higher enrollment and more money?

Can't know for sure what his motives are. Feeder schools for GRU in Augusta? Health/Med schools around the state to block other schools from doing it? Is this Azziz's idea alone or is he echoing the BOR's plan?

[dichloromethane]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

Like they say...talk is cheap. Doing it costs real money. And none of Azziz's dreams fly without the BOR behind it. If the biotech thing is done at Fort Mac, GRU could have a presence there.

Oh sure, now you pay attention to the money. Where was that mentality when you were talking about GSU-UGA merger or the GT-KSU merger or the SPSU-GSU merger?

GRU has no partnership with Georgia Tech. GRU wants to grow and partnerships are a way of doing it. Be it in Atlanta or Augusta. You would recommend they just keep at whatever it is they're doing in Augusta? They could and will, but every school in the nation is doing just that. You don't think they ought to do more?

GRU is not in a partnership with Georgia Tech. A partnership like that would be benefiting GRU, providing the GHSU-UGA medical partnership floats off into UGA's med school. Same goes for GSU, Emory, the CDC or any other potential partnership.

Regarding BOR, I haven't heard or read anything about the BOR stating plans to replicate GRU's campus. Azziz also wants to develop sports for the new campus. I admire his ambition, but I question his reasoning.

And if UGA gets it's own medical school, wouldn't they also be quenching the physician shortage? The USG is massive. Do we really want to start opening up more campuses? I thought the point of mergers was to consolidate the schools and save money. Dr. Azziz wants to open more campuses and spend more money?

[dichloromethane]

GRU's combined endowment will be 166.7 million. GSU's endowment is 149 million.

Lofty goals. While we're at numbers. UNG will receive a 4 million bonus in endowment for merging with Gainesville.

[therealpattman]

Originally Posted by dichloromethane

Oh sure, now you pay attention to the money. Where was that mentality when you were talking about GSU-UGA merger or the GT-KSU merger or the SPSU-GSU merger?

GRU has no partnership with Georgia Tech. GRU wants to grow and partnerships are a way of doing it. Be it in Atlanta or Augusta. You would recommend they just keep at whatever it is they're doing in Augusta? They could and will, but every school in the nation is doing just that. You don't think they ought to do more?

GRU is not in a partnership with Georgia Tech. A partnership like that would be benefiting GRU, providing the GHSU-UGA medical partnership floats off into UGA's med school. Same goes for GSU, Emory, the CDC or any other potential partnership.

Regarding BOR, I haven't heard or read anything about the BOR stating plans to replicate GRU's campus. Azziz also wants to develop sports for the new campus. I admire his ambition, but I question his reasoning.

And if UGA gets it's own medical school, wouldn't they also be quenching the physician shortage? The USG is massive. Do we really want to start opening up more campuses? I thought the point of mergers was to consolidate the schools and save money. Dr. Azziz wants to open more campuses and spend more money?

I am one for ambition, and no matter what the public thinks, I think Dr. Azziz and his ambitions was what the city of Augusta and the school needed. Augusta for years has been on the same wave length and when one comes in with change he or she is criticized. Dr. Azziz's has something special in his possession and maximizing the campus in Augusta is the smartest move at the current time. Augusta is in a unique position to capture tremendous growth and this school is one of the factors. Augusta has the land to fully support this school. Dr. Azziz won't be able to do as he pleases in Atlanta as easily as in Augusta, and remember you have to grow the tree before it can sprout seeds.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by dichloromethane

Oh sure, now you pay attention to the money. Where was that mentality when you were talking about GSU-UGA merger or the GT-KSU merger or the SPSU-GSU merger?

Except for a GSU-SPSU merger, I wasn't endorsing them. Just speculation of some grander BOR scheme. But Azziz wants 8 satellite schools! And does he intend to build them from the ground up or what?

GRU has no partnership with Georgia Tech. GRU wants to grow and partnerships are a way of doing it. Be it in Atlanta or Augusta. You would recommend they just keep at whatever it is they're doing in Augusta? They could and will, but every school in the nation is doing just that. You don't think they ought to do more?

They can do more but if it requires taxpayer money to fuel GRU's expansion plans outside of Augusta we have to ask is this for the good of Georgia or just GRU?

Regarding BOR, I haven't heard or read anything about the BOR stating plans to replicate GRU's campus. Azziz also wants to develop sports for the new campus. I admire his ambition, but I question his reasoning.

I admire his ambition and clear vision. So often schools offer vague and innocuous strategic plans that don't say much of anything. But he wants to move in on other University System turfs and just how is all this to be financed? I think GRU's ambitions should be confined to Augusta and any expansion outside should be deemed as something needed and carefully considered by the BOR and perhaps done if there is no other more cost effective way.

And if UGA gets it's own medical school, wouldn't they also be quenching the physician shortage? The USG is massive. Do we really want to start opening up more campuses? I thought the point of mergers was to consolidate the schools and save money. Dr. Azziz wants to open more campuses and spend more money?

One of the few times we agree.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by dpatt.marine1

I am one for ambition, and no matter what the public thinks, I think Dr. Azziz and his ambitions was what the city of Augusta and the school needed. Augusta for years has been on the same wave length and when one comes in with change he or she is criticized. Dr. Azziz's has something special in his possession and maximizing the campus in Augusta is the smartest move at the current time. Augusta is in a unique position to capture tremendous growth and this school is one of the factors. Augusta has the land to fully support this school. Dr. Azziz won't be able to do as he pleases in Atlanta as easily as in Augusta, and remember you have to grow the tree before it can sprout seeds.

I'm all for him doing what he can in Augusta. It's his expansion plans outside Augusta that could affect other schools directly.

[therealpattman]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

I'm all for him doing what he can in Augusta. It's his expansion plans outside Augusta that could affect other schools directly.

What that being said, I see many posters support partnerships with GRU, especially UGA which already has a partnership established. Posters seem to want medical schools for all of Georgia' Research universities it seems. You mentioned how GRU expansion outside of Augusta could affect other schools, well how would such expansions or even the establishment of multiple medical schools effect GRU and Augusta?

[dichloromethane]

Originally Posted by dpatt.marine1

What that being said, I see many posters support partnerships with GRU, especially UGA which already has a partnership established. Posters seem to want medical schools for all of Georgia' Research universities it seems. You mentioned how GRU expansion outside of Augusta could affect other schools, well how would such expansions or even the establishment of multiple medical schools effect GRU and Augusta?

I can shed some light on this.

The UGA medical school was a dream of Michael Adams and the school as a whole. In order to make the jump the top notch research U, UGA will need a medical school. Every other flagship school has a medical school including schools that aren't on UGA's level. UGA has a vet school and pharmacy school...med school was next. The Public Health school was plan B under Adam's tenure. That man has had more gaffes than the Kardashians. I am happy to see him go. UGA's endowment is about to sky rocket.

So the College of Engineering was step 1 to AAU accreditation. UGA School of Medicine will be part 2. Incidentally, Georgia along with the rest of the nation is faced with a severe physician crunch. Meanwhile, GRU was looking to expand. The state of GA was also looking to increase it's investment into medical and STEM research. One thing led to another..UGA-GHSU medical partnership.

As for the GRU easy-bake medical school edition. That was actually a joke on my end. Mathman went with it, so I did as well. It is HIGHLY unlikely that GRU forms partnerships with GT or GSU to create more medical schools. We need doctors, we don't need THAT many doctors. The budget, practicality, reputation, facilities, construction is all on the side of no multiple medical schools. Besides, once UGA finally gets it's medical school

GRU may, and probably will expand it's dental and med school classes...as all med and dental schools are, but satillite campuses are something new. I don't know what Azziz is getting at. What he could do is in a sense lease out land from existing schools...Macon State...GT-Savannah etc.

Why? Beats me.

And the sports?

I liked Gordon Gee's erratic ambition. I liked Bollinger's erratic ambition. I'm skeptical of Azziz's erratic ambition.