truthteller
The Critic
I tell ya.... I guess great things are happening across the board for HBCUs.
More Alcorn Courses Expected in a Year
By Fred Messina
Staff Writer
Vicksburg Post
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[10/10/01]More courses from Alcorn State University could be headed to Vicksburg in as little as a year, said the president of Lorman school.
Dr. Clinton Bristow Jr. was interviewed after a meeting with city officials Tuesday. He said Alcorn wants to offer computer networking, teacher education, hospitality and physician assistant programs here.
?We?ll have a new master?s degree in physician assisting, a new degree program in computer networking and additional course offerings in teacher education for Vicksburg at a minimum,? Bristow said Tuesday.
He said the meeting with city officials was ?an outstanding discussion.?
?We discussed how Alcorn and the City of Vicksburg can partner in line with the mayor?s agenda,? he said.
Among topics were some sites for the physician assistant program, including the existing ParkView structure, Bristow said.
That building, to be abandoned in February when River Region Medical Services moves to its new campus on U.S. 61 North, is too large for Alcorn?s program. But the school might use part of it.
?The next step on that discussion (is that) the mayor?s going to get all the parties around the table and we?re going to come back with the details of our space needs and other programming that we would possibly do here in Vicksburg,? Bristow said.
He said Alcorn officials are looking at expanding other programs including geriatrics, social science and nursing.
As one of Mississippi?s three historically black universities, Alcorn stands to share in a $500 million added infusion in a proposed settlement of the 26-year-old Ayers college desegregation case. U.S. District Judge Neal Biggers conducted hearings in September on the settlement, and more are planned this month for plaintiffs who don?t like the deal and want to opt out.
Ayers money is a big part of Alcorn?s planned expansion in Vicksburg, but Bristow said the expansion will occur regardless of what happens in the case.
?An expansion into Vicksburg is not contingent? on Ayers, he said. ?The Ayers money would help us do it in a different way.?
The physician assistant program would take longer to put together because outside consultants would have to be brought in to help develop the curriculum. Also, state law in Mississippi doesn?t license physician assistants as is common in other states.
?You?re talking minimally two years,? Bristow said.
The computer networking, high-performance computing and health sciences programs could be put together within a year while the teacher education programs could start almost immediately.
Bristow said Alcorn joins Hinds Community College in offering courses keyed to new employers in the automotive industry.
?We teach robotics classes and computer-integrated manufacturing,? he said.
Alcorn is already part of a consortium with other Mississippi universities and Hinds to offer four-year degrees locally. The school offers nurses? training and a master?s of business administration on its Natchez campus.
I'm excited about this. I think we'll be the first HBCU to offer the M.P.A. degree (physician assistant not public administration). The closest program in the regional area is LSU.
More Alcorn Courses Expected in a Year
By Fred Messina
Staff Writer
Vicksburg Post
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[10/10/01]More courses from Alcorn State University could be headed to Vicksburg in as little as a year, said the president of Lorman school.
Dr. Clinton Bristow Jr. was interviewed after a meeting with city officials Tuesday. He said Alcorn wants to offer computer networking, teacher education, hospitality and physician assistant programs here.
?We?ll have a new master?s degree in physician assisting, a new degree program in computer networking and additional course offerings in teacher education for Vicksburg at a minimum,? Bristow said Tuesday.
He said the meeting with city officials was ?an outstanding discussion.?
?We discussed how Alcorn and the City of Vicksburg can partner in line with the mayor?s agenda,? he said.
Among topics were some sites for the physician assistant program, including the existing ParkView structure, Bristow said.
That building, to be abandoned in February when River Region Medical Services moves to its new campus on U.S. 61 North, is too large for Alcorn?s program. But the school might use part of it.
?The next step on that discussion (is that) the mayor?s going to get all the parties around the table and we?re going to come back with the details of our space needs and other programming that we would possibly do here in Vicksburg,? Bristow said.
He said Alcorn officials are looking at expanding other programs including geriatrics, social science and nursing.
As one of Mississippi?s three historically black universities, Alcorn stands to share in a $500 million added infusion in a proposed settlement of the 26-year-old Ayers college desegregation case. U.S. District Judge Neal Biggers conducted hearings in September on the settlement, and more are planned this month for plaintiffs who don?t like the deal and want to opt out.
Ayers money is a big part of Alcorn?s planned expansion in Vicksburg, but Bristow said the expansion will occur regardless of what happens in the case.
?An expansion into Vicksburg is not contingent? on Ayers, he said. ?The Ayers money would help us do it in a different way.?
The physician assistant program would take longer to put together because outside consultants would have to be brought in to help develop the curriculum. Also, state law in Mississippi doesn?t license physician assistants as is common in other states.
?You?re talking minimally two years,? Bristow said.
The computer networking, high-performance computing and health sciences programs could be put together within a year while the teacher education programs could start almost immediately.
Bristow said Alcorn joins Hinds Community College in offering courses keyed to new employers in the automotive industry.
?We teach robotics classes and computer-integrated manufacturing,? he said.
Alcorn is already part of a consortium with other Mississippi universities and Hinds to offer four-year degrees locally. The school offers nurses? training and a master?s of business administration on its Natchez campus.
I'm excited about this. I think we'll be the first HBCU to offer the M.P.A. degree (physician assistant not public administration). The closest program in the regional area is LSU.