Personal Philosophy Statement
I believe higher education is the center of knowledge. Throughout history, higher learning institutions have made significant contributions in the growth of economy and development through promoting innovation and higher skills. However, all through history, women and African-American have struggled to secure places in affluent University, such as the University of Georgia.. Some of the challenges include racial discrimination, gender inequality, lack of streamlined curriculum, and financial constraints. I believe any learning institution should have a place where students can grow socially, intellectually, emotionally, and physically. Students should be in an environment that fosters risk-taking and supports the sharing of ideas. There are two elements to establish such an environment; respects for all people and allowing the natural curiosity of a student to direct his/her learning.
Similarly, significant to self-discovery, is getting the chance to learn and study things that are important to the life and interest of someone. Therefore, establishing a curriculum centering on interests of students promotes inherent motivation and stimulates the passion to learn. A better way to make learning student-oriented is by inviting student dialogue on lessons and units of study. Provided with the opportunity for contribution, students can produce ideas and develop goals that render much more productive activities than the institution could have created. Moreover, when students have the ownership in curriculum, they get motivated to work hard.
Assisting students to establish a deep love and respect for themselves, others and the environment. The assistance prevents racial prejudice and gender inequality. Racial sensitization can be done through class meetings where everyone is given a chance to address their issues. Moreover, sensitive issues raised should be taken to the administration for further reviews and way forward. In addition, I believe students will feel safe and sure of what is expected of them if they feel respected by their peers, teachers and even the administration.
Personal Development
I believe that tertiary education is an opportunity for every individual to grow into their career while incorporating the societal aspect of equality, respect, and hard work. As an individual, obtaining a university degree is the pathway for my career development. The institutions of higher learning offer a platform where I can grow into the person I want to be in the future. These institutions provide a platform where people get to extend their connections. These connections help when expanding a career because a person will have many options to consider.
Equality is a key element in life. Today’s society is shaped such that every individual strives to have their own sources of income, employment, and other benefits without considering others. As an individual, getting to the top should always involve other people of similar mindsets. Therefore, when interacting with anyone, I should be considerate of their welfare. Having such a heart requires a daily devotion to a disciplined life.
Respect is a vital aspect in life as one interacts with others in the society. It requires that one holds in high regards the opinions of others despite their status in the society. There is always a freedom of speech and expression and whether someone is wrong or right, they deserve to be heard. In the school system for example, giving opinions requires a high level of maturity. In addition, hard work in school is automatic necessity if someone would like to succeed. The amount of time spent handling schoolwork goes into career development as it determines the grades scored. As an individual, being hard working will help me achieve my life goals and surpass my limits ultimately.
Major Historical Event Project
Since its establishment, the University of Georgia has had great impacts both in the state and nationally. The university’s core mission was to educate young people from Georgia State, which it has accomplished. The institution has fostered a culture of leadership in the state. Alumni from this institution left a mark on Georgia. For instance, Augustin Smith Clayton, who graduated in 1804, was a US Congressman who diligently served the country (Hatfield, 2017). In addition, there have been governors, senators, and other leaders who were proud alumni of the University of Georgia. The institution has positively impacted the society and contributed to social change through ardent leadership. UGA informed today’s higher learning by influencing student’s demographics, curriculum deliver, and completion.
University of Georgia has shaped higher education by increasing the number of students’ enrolment from minority groups. This learning institution was a pathway to achieve educational independence (Chiles, 2016). UGA has the best professors in the state which places it at the top on everyone’s preference (Hatfield, 2017). Despite the white student majority, minority groups have a place at the institution. In addition, the prioritization of Georgians in admission helps it remain focused on its main objective.
The University of Georgia stopped segregation after the United States Congress passed both the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act in 1964 and 1965 respectively. Prior to this, black students had organized sit-ins which were against segregation at the lunch counters (Hatfield, 2017). These actions occurred during the Albany Movement protests that were against racial discrimination in the country. These movements pressured public institutions such as schools and hospitals to ban segregation as it violated equality. Following their advances, the University of Georgia began admitting African Americans (Wells, Fox, & Cordova-Cobo, 2019). However, a 2012 report shows that white students dominated admissions into public institutions in Georgia. Whites comprised 51% of the total student population while 34.1% were blacks (Ballotpedia, 2016). The rest of the ethnic groups took the remaining percentages. This is a great progress in higher education considering that the minority groups have always been discriminated in higher education admissions.
Recent changes in Georgia’s aid in education programs have adversely affected admission and completion. The policies undertaken reduced financial aid contributing to lower completion rate. As it stands, there will be a gap in admission and completion between races as education becomes more expensive. The policies have also undermined Georgia’s competitiveness in the 21st century (Finney et al., 2018). Since UGA is the best institution of higher learning in the state, the policies thereof will reduce the number of people admitted due to lack of affordability.
Consequently, the state government started the Complete College Georgia (CCG), an initiative that would ensure better curriculum attainment in the state. Georgia has not been performing well in education due to lack of streamlined systems. However, with the CCG, the state has been able to address some of the challenges. Some of these challenges include college readiness, shorter degree time, transforming remediation, changing the instructional delivery, and improving the completion for low level students (Finney et al., 2018). The state government has been addressing such cases in collaboration with the University of Georgia and other stakeholders. Therefore, the University of Georgia has been a source of change in the state’s educational policies.
The establishment of the University of Georgia was a breakthrough in the state’s education system. The institution has been a key stakeholder in ensuring equality, better school completion, and improved curriculum. As outlined, the institution has improved on the number of admissions from the minority groups and the completion rate. Consequently, the school has been a source of change in education system. These achievements became a reality when the in 1785, the state’s leadership enacted the law that led to the establishment of Georgia State College.
Philosophy of Discrimination, Access, and Diversification
Philosophy examines the presuppositions and principles of any field of study like education. It aims at looking into the core problems that a societal necessity faces and try to find solutions. In review, philosophy has five branches including metaphysics, ethics, epistemology, politics, and logic. Metaphysics is concerned with the physical world and reality’s nature while logic examines reasoning. Ethics seeks to question morals and individual values (Lynch, 2018). In addition, epistemology reflects on how individuals learn the things that they comprehend. The branch proposes four sub-groups which are essential and include experience, reason, intuition, and divine teaching. These are important in defining how teaching comes about in the class.
Higher education stakeholders utilize philosophy to advocate for various needs in society. For instance, in discrimination, philosophy establishes that the state should never act as a parent. The state should not be somewhere on and distribute resources among the people. Higher education stakeholders should have relational equality (Moreau, 2016). Philosophers here claim that every individual should receive equal resources or access to education regardless of his or her background. Relational equality demands that every person in society obtain an education, employment, and other services that may be available. Higher education advocators stress on the need to have equal treatment.
Access to education is crucial and each person should have it. Education is crucial and societies strive to excel in it. The best thing is always to pressure authorities where a specific demographic lacks access to education,. Discrimination law stresses on the need to push against authorities until there is a breakthrough (Moreau, 2016). In addition, higher learning professionals stress the need to have morals, understanding diversification. People have different cultures, and each has its ways of handling things. Therefore, respecting each person is a way of enhancing morality.
Philosophy plays a fundamental role in higher education. Higher education professionals handle cases of diversification, discrimination, and access to education by using some of the philosophical principles mentioned above. As explained, education is vital and acquiring it is a basic need. Education professionals use philosophy to handle cases in schools.
University Charter of 1785
The university held its first formal graduation in 1804. With Josiah Meigs being the university’s president, it expanded the number of courses offered to include law. In 1872, the university received federal funding which it used in its mechanical and agricultural arts. The University of Georgia marked the beginning of changes in the higher education in the country. Being a state-chartered institution, the university represented a new era of educational independence (Boney, 2000). The establishment of this university changed the course of the education system in Georgia because other institutions would later emerge. The institution represented a milestone in political, social, and economic aspects.
University of Georgia struggled financially after it was established. It was not difficult to fund the institution owing to the situation in the country at the time. The institution went into full closure during the Civil War (1861-1865) and in 1872, the institution escaped bankruptcy (Dendy, 2017). Financing from the federal government helped the institution at the time. The twentieth century saw the school expand by adding schools of forestry, pharmacy, education, business, home economics, journalism, and graduate school. In 1918, women made history by being admitted into the institution. Previously, it was difficult to have women admitted into institution of higher learning. However, the University of Georgia made history by admitting the women in the state of Georgia.
Women formed a crucial part of the university. However, the female students admitted to this university encountered various challenges such as inadequate housing. These forced them to seek accommodation in private homes or boarding houses. Socially, these female students became impactful as they formed Students Government Association of Women, which addressed gender issues at the university (Dendy, 2017). These female students majored in education and home economics.
University and Racial Segregation
The University of Georgia encountered problems in the society that they had to deal with in the early stages. The gender barrier was one of the most profound issues that affected the university. Women fought tirelessly to have this dismantled and the university finally heeded to their demands. However, after this came the racial segregation menace. The people resistant to women admission into campus felt that the inclusion of women and minority groups would deny qualified whites a chance at the university (Dotts, 2017). These opponents also thought that by admitting women and minority groups, it would increase the tension between the various groups and kill the school spirit. These issues are prevalent even today as people fail to integrate and respect one another despite the color of their skin.
Georgia’s Desegregation
Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter were the first two African Americans to be accepted into the University of Georgia. Their admission caused an outcry as this was not the norm for most institutions of higher learning (Dotts, 2017). Before their admission, their case was taken to court to determine whether they should be admitted into the university. The judges ruled in their favor and were accepted in school. However, that night, other students attacked their residence and Athens police had to intervene. The school dismissed them citing insecurity of the two and the other 7000 students. Later that night, state troopers escorted them, but their case was presented before a judge for the second time and the ruling brought them back to school.
The University of Georgia produced the first graduate of the African American origin. After seeing what had happened to their colleagues, many blacks transferred to University of Georgia to offer moral support to their colleagues (Boney, 2000). The form of segregation experienced during this time showed a different side of the school. Many of the institution’s staff signed a resolution to have the two brought back to school amid threats from segregationists. It was a tough time for the school as it stood the test of race. Being a prestigious and remarkable institution, the University of Georgia had to showcase maturity in handling segregation and gender inequality.
Structural Changes in Higher Education
The General Assembly of Georgia placed all institutions of higher learning supported by the state under a single board’s jurisdiction in 1931. The organization, referred to as University System of Georgia, fell under the authority of the board of regents. The board’s officer, the chancellor, exercised supervisory roles over every institution of higher learning in the state (Dendy, 2017). However, each institution had its own officers and a board that managed the internal affairs.
The University and its Subsidiaries
University of Georgia’s research, teaching, and service functions are handled by its seventeen subsidiaries. These schools were established during different times and have different roles in the sector of higher education. Overall, the schools play a fundamental role in expanding the original intent of the University of Georgia. They include Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, College of Pharmacy, School of Law, College of Education, among others (Boney, 2000). The University of Georgia has worked to shape higher education in the state. The school’s initial plan of educating more Georgians still holds to date. University of Georgia has been a leading institution for research over the years.
Georgia State University Charter 1785
Georgia State University is the oldest state-established institution of higher learning. In 1785, the Georgia General Assembly chartered the University paving the way for educational expansion in the state. The founders helped shape the culture of higher learning in the United States. The school had its foundation built on three fundamental principles. First, the provision of outstanding instruction in laboratory and class was a fundamental principle where they hoped to have their students grounded in a more profound knowledge of education. Secondly, the school hoped to provide knowledge to the citizens of Georgia to improve their standards of living (Dendy, 2017). Finally, the institution hoped to use research to discover new information and knowledge to help in various sectors. The chartering of Georgia State University in 1785 marked a tremendous turn in higher education in the United States.
After the end of the Revolutionary War, Georgia General Assembly secured 40,000 acres of land specifically for a seminary or college of learning. Abraham Baldwin wrote the charter to the Georgia Assembly, which helped create the college. Baldwin was a lawyer who completed his education at Yale University. The document written by Baldwin explained the freedom that came with having a higher level of education. In the charter, Baldwin explicitly asserted that the government had an obligation to educate its citizens (Dotts, 2017). Besides, the charter stated that every individual had a right to education irrespective of their status in society. On January 27, 1785, the assembly approved the charter thus making the institution the first under a state government (Boney, 2000). However, the university only existed on paper since the land designated for the same gained other purposes. However, John Milledge, in 1801, bought 633 acres and used the same to set up the university (Dotts, 2017). Later on, the institution began operations, and Josiah Meigs, a Yale University graduate, taught the first class at Franklin College, which was the original university name.
The establishment of Georgia University came at a time when the state needed more educated people. The assembly noted that they needed more individuals who could represent the state and therefore thought of the need to employ education policies. Other external factors, such as the impacts of the Revolutionary War, contributed to the need to have a state-chartered university (Dendy, 2017). The 1785 event helped shape higher education in America at large. More people would acquire education and help the state in development projects. Chartering of the university by a state assembly was a great move as it showed independence (Boney, 2000, p.12). Many Georgians continue to benefit from the university as the records show the student population consists of 80% locals.
The charter employed reconstruction theory in that the enforcers wanted to address the social question of knowledge amongst the locals. They wanted to create a better society by ensuring that everyone received education and exercised his or her freedom. The general assembly clearly understood the dire need to have a new social order in the state through education. Georgia University is still an excellent place that continues to teach many enthusiasts (Dendy, 2017). The 1785 charter helped shape the future of the state of Georgia as many people received their education through its establishment. The vision to build the university assisted in eradicating the cynical notion that people had on education at the time. The society believed the upper class should get educated. However, with the 1785 charter, change was inevitable.
References
Ballotpedia (2016). Affirmative action in Georgia. BP. Retrieved from https://ballotpedia.org/Affirmative_action_in_Georgia
Boney, F. N. (2000). A pictorial history of the University of Georgia. Athens: University of Georgia Press.
Boney, F. N. (2000). A pictorial history of the University of Georgia. Athens: University of Georgia Press.
Chiles, N. (2016). At the University of Georgia, black students navigate in a white world. The Hechinger Report. Retrieved from https://hechingerreport.org/university-georgia-black-students-navigate-white-world/
Dendy, L. (2017). University of Georgia. New Georgia Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/education/university-georgia
Dendy, L. (2017). University of Georgia. New Georgia Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/education/university-georgia
Dooley, V., & Penley, S. (2011). History and reminiscences of the University of Georgia. Decatur, Ga.: Looking Glass Books.
Dotts, B. (2017). Southern History of Education Society. SHOES Conference. Retrieved from https://southernhistoryofeducationsociety.wordpress.com/history-of-uga/
Dotts, B. (2017). Southern History of Education Society. SHOES Conference. Retrieved from https://southernhistoryofeducationsociety.wordpress.com/history-of-uga/
Finney, J., Maloney, L., Granville, P., Edgerton, A., & Napier, A. (2018). Uneven Progress, Uncertain Future: The Policies and Performance of Higher Education in Georgia. Philadelphia, PA: Institute for Research on Higher Education, Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania.
Hatfield, E. (2017). Civil Rights & Modern Georgia, Since 1945. History & Archaeology. Retrieved from https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/segregation
Lynch, M. (2018). What You Need to Know as An Educator: Understanding The 4 Main Branches of Philosophy. The Advocate. Retrieved from https://www.theedadvocate.org/need-know-education-understanding-4-main-branches-philosophy/
Moreau, S. (2016). Equality and Discrimination. The Cambridge Companion to Philosophy of Law.
Wells, A…, Fox, L., & Cordova-Cobo, D. (2019). How Racially Diverse Schools and Classrooms Can Benefit All Students. The Century Foundation. Retrieved from https://tcf.org/content/report/how-racially-diverse-schools-and-classrooms-can-benefit-all-students/?agreed=1