Post a Comment        E-mail To A Friend        Join The List

UGA's Odum School of Ecology Tries To Find Its Place On Campus

by Emily Saeger
04/24/2008

The University of Georgia continues to make milestones. It is now home to the Odum School of Ecology, the very first of its kind in the world.

The study of ecology is not new to UGA. The Ecology Institute came to the university in 1966. It then merged with the School of Environmental Design in 2001. In 2007, the Odum School of Ecology became an independent college at the university.

But with only two graduates in fall 2007, can the school sustain itself? At least one student seems to think so. Chris Morphis is an ecology major and the ecology school senator for the Student Government Association.

“With the growing importance of the environment in our world today, I think the Odum School will grow into a thriving institution,” Morphis said.

He changed his major from business to ecology to help find solutions to environmental problems, and this guy isn’t thinking small-scale. He said he is concerned with issues that people face globally.

“Ecology is a growing field of science, and I think that great discoveries and accomplishments will be made as it expands and more people become interested,” Morphis said.

Students and faculty are concerned about program cuts university-wide. The most notable of these was the threat of eliminating the Spanish minor program. That particular battle has since been resolved, but can the university justify instituting a program for such a small student constituency?

Morphis said the program serves around 80 students. The website claims 100. In comparison to nearly 1,000 Grady College students and more than 2,000 Terry College students, Odum has some growing to do, but with six degree and certification programs, five core areas of expertise, two international curricula and a slew of renowned faculty, it has a promising future.

Name
Email
URL
Body
Are you human?