ATLANTA – State Representative Calvin Smyre (D-Columbus), Dean of the Georgia House, today expressed his strong opposition to Senate Bills 273 and 278. In a recent letter to University System of Georgia Chancellor Steve Wrigley, Rep. Smyre stated:
“I am a proud 1970 graduate of the Fort Valley State University, a former National President of the FVSU National Alumni Association and presently serve as Chairman of the FVSU Foundation Board of Directors. Furthermore, I have strongly supported Savannah State University and Albany State University personally and as a member of the Georgia General Assembly for the past 45 years.
“Since 1932, Fort Valley State University (FVSU) has operated as a unique entity within the University System of Georgia. The Fort Valley State University Foundation is extraordinarily proud of FVSU tradition of bringing brilliance forward from students who might otherwise be overlooked, and of our emergence as a center of research, innovation, and excellence in the state. While I believe that recognition of our value within the system has room for growth; I want to go on record that I unequivocally do not support Georgia Senate Bill 273 in its original form nor SB 278 in its present form. Both would create the Georgia Agricultural and Mechanical University System and consolidate ASU, FVSU and SSU, which I could not more strongly oppose.
“Notwithstanding the dilution of FVSU’s singular role as Georgia’s only 1890 land-grant institution, SB 278 would also unnecessarily and perhaps unwittingly diminish the particular role each public HBCU plays in this state by assuming that their needs and ability to educate Georgians are different from those of non-HBCUs.
“I believe strongly that African-American students are perfectly capable of competing against students of any race. Though ASU, FVSU & SSU are proud HBCUs, I do not currently see the positive utility in separating the needs and opportunities of the state’s public HBCUs from that of the other institutions in the University System of Georgia. I do believe that the three institutions have an incomparable role to play in addressing the historic and socio-economic realities that many African-American college students face, but I do not believe that the way to address them is to create a separate entity which could, advertently or inadvertently, provide license for the same abuses the “separate but equal” system created. Instead I strongly feel that the best course of action is to ensure that these institutions receive the necessary resources they need to enable them to do more of the work they have demonstrated their novel unique capacity to engage in.
“The best way to ensure that all of our Georgia students are prepared to be competitive in the workforce is to ensure that each college or university is able to leverage the best aspects of their traditions and core competencies through the provision of needed resources and fair guidance. Simply separating the three historically black universities off to one side, however well-intentioned it may be, is a nineteenth-century solution to twenty-first century challenges. The goal, instead, should be to equitably empower these institutions to be centers of excellence so that they may prepare students to become the professionals this state, nation, and world needs to move humanity forward.”
Chairman Emeritus Calvin Smyre, Dean of the House, represents the citizens of District 135, which includes portions of Muscogee County. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1974 and currently serves as Vice Chairman on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education. He also serves on the Higher Education and Rules committees.
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