Macon State College

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Macon State College


Established	October, 1965
Type	Public
President	Dr. David A. Bell
Staff	425
Undergraduates	6,244
Location	Macon, Georgia, USA
Campus	Macon, Warner Robins, Robins Air Force Base
Colors	Blue and gold
Website	http://www.maconstate.edu

Macon State College, formerly Macon College and Macon Junior College, is a four-year undergraduate institution of the University System of Georgia located in Macon, Georgia with a satellite campus in Warner Robins, Georgia.

The college offers 12 bachelor's degrees -- biology, business & information technology, communications & information technology, early childhood education, English, health information management, health services administration, history, information technology, mathematics, nursing and public service -- with 27 areas of concentration. Associate degrees also are offered. (Request information about degrees)

With an affordable tuition designed to encourage access to the University System, as well as excellent instruction offered in convenient locations, Macon State has become the largest college in Central Georgia and one of the state's fastest growing. In the fall of 2006, Macon State had 6,244 students, an increase of 73 percent from the fall of 1997. More than 1,200 students have received bachelor's degrees at Macon State as the college continues to fulfill its mission of serving the region's residents and its economic interests by providing higher education programs of recognized quality.

Macon State's main campus is located on 167 acres on College Station Drive, near Eisenhower Parkway (US 80), in western Bibb County, Georgia. The Warner Robins campus is located on 79 acres along Watson Boulevard, just a half-mile from the main gate of Robins Air Force Base. The college's current president is Dr. David A. Bell.

[edit] History

The history of Macon State College began in 1965, when the University System of Georgia's Board of Regents passed a resolution to create a public two-year college in Middle Georgia. Subsequently, the voters of Bibb County approved a bond issue to fund the college.

Macon Junior College, as it was then known, opened its doors in 1968 to the largest enrollment ever for a new state college in Georgia. In 1970, the Board of Regents directed Macon Junior College to serve civilian and military employees at Robins Air Force Base. The Robins Resident Center, located on the base, was subsequently established.

As several other junior colleges had recently gained four-year status, many speculated that Macon's would as well. However, the change took some time. It was not until 1983 that a statewide needs assessment indicated that the Macon area was underserved by state higher education. In 1987, the Regents removed "Junior" from the college's name but Macon College remained a two-year school.

In 1989, the college's president, S. Aaron Hyatt, asked the state to grant his college senior status. The following year, 25,000 local citizens signed a petition supporting the move, but state budget cuts prevented the issue from advancing.

Over the next several years, the topic was repeatedly discussed, and "senior status" was often recommended by University System consultants, but it would be 1996 before the Regents finally approved a change in mission and the introduction of the Bachelor of Science degree. Later that year, the school became known as "Macon State College" to indicate the new status. Both changes formally took effect in 1997. The first bachelor's degrees were awarded in May 1999.