Albany State University holds annual Legislative Appreciation Luncheon

ALBANY — As a general rule, Albany State University’s annual legislative luncheon is a matter of routine — just a generic tip of the cap to the state house and senate members who represent the university’s interests in the state legislature.

However, Thursday’s 2015 luncheon was different in that Albany State actually had something tangible to appreciate.

On Monday, Gov. Nathan Deal will be on campus to sign the state’s $21.9 billion FY 2015-16 state budget along with two other judicial reform bills. Included in that budget is $19.8 million to fund a new fine arts center to replace the aging and overcrowded Holley Hall.

For more than 10 years funding for a new facility, which will officially be called a multi-purpose academic center, has been a thorn in the sides of former school presidents Portia Shields and Everette Freeman. It took Interim President Art Dunning, State Sen. Freddie Powell Sims, an assist from several area state representatives and fortuitous timing to finally pull it off.

“Albany State is sort of a capstone for me and one thing about this place is that it has a lot of history and I love living in

Southwest Georgia,” Dunning said. “But one of the things that has caused me to feel so good about the sense of place is what our legislative delegation has done for us this year. Thomas Jefferson wrote that government is all about give and take. And he described what happened with our delegation in Atlanta this year. People have to give up some things to get some things, but also make some changes, and Albany State has been the beneficiary of that.”

As in the previous year, the Georgia Board of Regents had included money in its budget recommendation to the governor. And as in the previous year, Deal had removed funding from the budget. What was different this year is that the centerpiece of Deal’s education reform package which would allow a state take over of failing schools through out the state.

SB133 provides the framework for the governor’s “Opportunity Schools” amendment that need two-thirds majority from both house and senate to be included as a constitutional referendum on the 2016 state ballot.

Powell Sims threw her support behind SB133 and funding for Albany State’s new fine arts center magically appeared on the 115-15 state budget. The bill eventually passed by one vote in the Senate and two votes in the house.

“I want the legislators to know this, you have touched the hearts of the citizens of Southwest Georgia,” Dunning said. “As president of this institution I want to say ‘thank you’ to this local delegation. There are some people I want to thank personally, especially Sen. Sims. Every time I see her I get a strut in my walk. I don’t know how we could do anything without this lady. She has been so important to us. Rep. (Darrel) Ealum is a good friend to us, and great things come out of the state of Alabama. Rep. (Ed) Rynders, you and I had conversations from the very beginning and I appreciate what you’ve done.

“We could not have done this without a sense of timing and team work.”

On Monday afternoon, Deal will make funding official with the stroke of a pen.

“This is a signature event for Albany State, in many ways it is historic for us,” Dunning said. “We are looking forward to hosting his visit.”