For the first time ever, students at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College will be able to obtain a four-year degree from ABAC on its Tifton campus.

The Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia gave ABAC approval today to offer a bachelor of applied science degree with a major in turf grass and golf course management and a bachelor of applied science degree with a major in diversified agriculture. The board is expected to formally approve the new degrees Wednesday.

“The main benefit from the four-year degrees on our campus is the fact that we can better serve our students,” Interim President Tom Call said. “At ABAC, we specialize in real-world experiences, and both of these degrees are practical, hands-on programs that will allow our students to be more attractive to prospective employers.”

Dr. David Bridges will step in as the 10th president in ABAC’s history on July 1. He was excited about the news.

“I want to thank the Chancellor and the Board of Regents for allowing ABAC to take this giant step forward in meeting the needs of our students,” Bridges said. “I can’t wait to get started.”

Under its previous names of South Georgia A&M College and Georgia State College For Men, the institution actually offered four-year degrees from 1925 to 1933. Since the name changed to ABAC in 1933, the college has offered only two-year degrees.

“I am pleased that our institutions are responding to unique and documented state needs,” University System Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr., said.

Call said diversified agriculture graduates will meet the needs of major agricultural, chemical and equipment companies who require four-year degrees for their sales and product promotion positions.

The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America now recommends a four-year turf grass and golf course management degree for an industry where technology is developing rapidly and environmental issues are growing more complex.

ABAC has an advantage with this particular program because the college operates the Forest Lakes Golf Club. The nine-hole course was donated to the ABAC Foundation by Tifton ophthalmologist Larry Moorman and his wife Debra.

ABAC currently offers 55 two-year programs of study in a wide range of majors including nursing, education, wildlife, criminal justice and forestry. The college experienced an all-time enrollment high of 3,423 students during the 2005 fall term which included students from 149 Georgia counties, 16 states, and 17 countries.

Call emphasized that ABAC will continue to concentrate on its two-year programs as well as recruit students for the new four-year degrees.

“These new degrees will just add to what is already a quality academic program at ABAC,” Call said. “Our graduates have always excelled in the workplace, and that will continue to be the case.”

Call believes housing will not be a problem for students in the new programs since the ABAC Foundation hopes to build a complex housing 400 students on the banks of Lake Baldwin in time for the 2007 fall term. The $32 million ABAC Place apartments already hold 835 students, and all rooms are currently filled for the 2006 fall semester.

“With our new housing complex coming online, we anticipate some of these new students living on campus all four years of their ABAC careers,” Call said.