Georgia college grants

ATLANTA

Continuing the Board of Regents' efforts to increase the low numbers of African American males who attend college, University System of Georgia Chancellor Thomas C. Meredith announced recently the funding of three new collaborative pilot programs in Atlanta, Albany and Savannah.

The board has made tackling the low college-going rate of African American males a priority over the past two years, through a nationally recognized project known as the University System of Georgia's African American Male Initiative (AAMI), (see Black Issues, Oct. 23, 2003).

In the new round of AAMI pilot grants, six university system institutions in three targeted areas of the state have been selected to receive $27,000 each to develop and implement public/private programs to enhance the recruitment and retention of African American males in college. The newly funded programs require a collaborative approach between "sister institutions" in the three regions of the state and the participation of a civic partner with a track record of successful work with African American males. University system officials anticipate the creation of new campus-community partnerships focused on the educational attainment of African American males.

Meredith announced the $162,000 in new funding today to a statewide volunteer group assembled at the regents' offices in Atlanta to assist in the development of a marketing plan for the AAMI. Last year, the Board of Regents funded six AAMI pilot programs at $10,000 for a total of $60,000.

The new round of grants have been awarded to the following university system institutions in these three regions:

* Atlanta area: Atlanta Metropolitan College and Georgia State University will partner.

* Albany area: Albany State University and Darton College will partner.

* Savannah area: Armstrong Atlantic State University and Savannah State University will partner.

"We made solid progress through the AAMI research in identifying the problems underlying low African American male participation in college, and we identified specific ways to begin tackling this issue," said Meredith. "Now we must be equally aggressive in implementing programs and marketing efforts to impact African American male college enrollment."

The marketing task force composed of education, business and civic leaders from across Georgia will complement the pilot programs. The group will focus on developing and implementing a statewide program to communicate messages about the importance of postsecondary education to African American males and those who influence their academic choices.