Earlier this month, ABAC hosted the Board of Regents meeting in the Carlton center, with the event featuring representatives from schools across the University of Georgia System in addition to the board members themselves.
Several members of ABAC’s faculty and student body spoke at the event, highlighting the numerous successes the school has had in recent years and putting its achievements on full display.
From student leaders like The Stallion’s own Delaney Garcia to faculty going up to President Brundage herself, ABAC’s leadership aspired to paint the school in the best light possible to the Board of Regents.
Their efforts are reflected in the board’s glowing comments, with its Chairman, Chancellor Harold Reynolds, describing how he and the other members were “really blown away with ABAC,” calling the school “a special place.”
Board member Bárbara Rivera Holmes seconded the Chairman’s thoughts, saying, “ABAC is a phenomenal school. It has a unique mission… and I commend the President, students, and faculty for rallying around that mission.”
“There is a strong sense of belonging here,” Holmes continued, “and that is evident in the way they have embraced the visitors during our visit.”
Compliments were also given to the students and faculty by board member Dr. C. Thomas Hopkins, Jr., who stressed that “they should be proud of this school and what it’s doing for Georgia’s largest industry in agriculture.”
Board member Chancellor Sonny Perdue offered his own commendation to the school, saying, “The culture here is ABAC students work hard… and graduates are empowered when they leave here, and that’s what we want to do.”
Aside from ABAC’s highlights and the high praise that followed it, several other universities spoke at the event to share their achievements, such as the Georgia Film Academy, with one of its representatives discussing how her time with the GFA led to her first film internship working on “Avengers: Infinity War.”
In addition to schools having a chance to share their accolades, the meeting covered general areas of interest for the USG.
For example, a reduction in insurance benefits for conditions resulting from poor lifestyle choices like hypertension and diabetes was one of the main points of discussion during the meeting’s second day.
Another significant piece of USG business conducted during the meeting was the board’s appointment of Georgia National Guard Colonel John Fuchko as the new president of Dalton State College.
Several policies and their potential implementations USG-wide were also discussed, including a recommendation for the board to add vaping to their definition of smoking so that it may be placed under the same rules and regulations as cigarettes or other tobacco products.
Overall, the Board of Regents meeting was a productive meeting for ABAC and its USG guests, with Chancellor Perdue’s ending declaration: “I want the USG system to be the best in the United States,” being echoed by all in attendance as the meeting came to a close.
