NEXT EVENTS
On April 23, 2024, the Stakeholder Symposium hosted by Save GSUPEP in partnership with RISE Free will convene leaders from various sectors to address the imperative of sustaining Georgia State University’s Prison Education Project. The event will rally elected officials, educators, and students to explore strategies for ensuring the program's continuity.
Join us on May 1st, in a conversation with the Alliance for Higher Education in Prisons to discuss the Georgia State University Prison Education Project shutdown and what this represents for PEP programs nationwide.
The Georgia State University Prison Education Project (GSUPEP) is an initiative of Georgia State University Perimeter College, providing college education to incarcerated individuals, aiding in reentry efforts, and promoting awareness of mass incarceration and criminal justice among our student body.
As the only institution in the state of Georgia offering for-credit education to underserved communities, GSUPEP embodies the university's mission. Despite historic achievements, including graduating the first two classes of incarcerated students in 30 years in the state of Georgia, the university has decided to defund this program.
The university's decision to withdraw financial support threatens our program's continuation, undermining the university's commitment to educational access and equity.
We urge you to join us in advocating for GSUPEP's preservation. Please use the prewritten email to address the provost expressing your concerns and complete our anonymous survey to demonstrate student support. Together, we can safeguard educational opportunities for all!
Click the links above to email the provost and voice support for the Georgia State University Prison Education Project! Do not forget to fill out our anonymous survey to help us gauge student support for access to prison education.
Scroll down to access the faculty, student, and alumni petitions.
SAVEGSUPEP in the News
WABE Atlanta: Georgia State plans to pull the plug on Prison Education Project after nearly a decade
Open Campus Media: Georgia State University pulls the plug on prison education
FOX5 Atlanta: Georgia State University to discontinue its Prison Education Project due to budget cuts / News Fragment
WSB-TV2 (ABC News): GSU announces Prison Education Program to end after next 2 years, citing financial difficulties
Georgia Recorder: Georgia State University pulls the plug on prison education
UPDATES
Laughing Gull Foundation Statement:
"We can't turn our backs on students in prison.
April 2, 2024
We at the Laughing Gull Foundation are deeply disappointed by Georgia State University's decision to discontinue its prison education program, which we have proudly supported with a general operating support grant since 2018. In total, we have given the university $432,500 in support of this program. This program exemplifies the best of prison education initiatives—offering exceptional faculty, credit-bearing classes with a pathway to obtain a degree, and crucial re-entry support for students. It is a model program; as we talk to other prison education programs across the country, it is GSUʼs program that we frequently highlight as an example of what is possible. During our visits to GSU's program, including participating in a class with incarcerated students, we have witnessed firsthand the passion and dedication of the coordinators, faculty, administrators, and students. The program's steady growth and impact over the years are a testament to its effectiveness and importance. As such, GSU's administration's decision to end this program was a surprise to us. It is a tremendous loss for current and prospective students who deserve the opportunity to pursue their educational aspirations. It is our belief that higher education institutions like Georgia State University have a responsibility to treat all students with dignity and respect, mitigating barriers to high-quality postsecondary education. Education has power and transforms people, families, and communities. It opens doors to rewarding and life-changing careers and meaningful community engagement. Broadening access to college in prison reduces recidivism, disrupts the injustice and harm of mass incarceration, and increases economic mobility, especially for people of color who make up a disproportionate number of the prison population. We strongly urge Georgia State University to reconsider this decision. With the reinstatement of Pell Grants for students who are incarcerated, now is the time to identify creative ways to increase access to education for incarcerated students. The U.S. Department of Education estimates that some 760,000 people across the country are newly eligible for federal funding to help pay for their education. As a result, many higher education institutions are stepping up and ramping up their offerings to incarcerated students. By choosing to end this exemplary program, GSU is turning their backs on whatʼs possible—a future where we offer second chances and leave no one behind. We are eager to be a partner in this effort and support Georgia State University to find a path forward for GSUʼs Prison Education Program. We have and will continue to offer our time, resources, and connections to ensure incarcerated students are heard, seen, and valued. We know that possibilities are limitless if we commit ourselves to this transformative work."
STUDENTS & ALUMNI: Join your fellow Panthers in signing our letter of support!
Provost Parsons-Pollard:
As proud Panthers, we, the students and alumni of Georgia State University, are writing to you to express our support for the continuation of the Georgia State University Prison Education Project (GSUPEP).
Georgia State University has long been committed to expanding educational access, particularly to marginalized communities. GSUPEP embodies this commitment by providing degree-seeking educational programs to incarcerated individuals, thereby offering them a chance for growth, empowerment, and leadership.
We believe in the transformative power of education, and GSUPEP exemplifies everything our university stands for: inclusivity, opportunity, and excellence. The success of our first incarcerated class, where all students graduated with a GPA of 3.7 and higher, underscores the impact of this program and the eagerness of our fellow Panthers to excel academically.
GSUPEP is not just about providing education; it's about offering hope and the opportunity for meaningful change and rehabilitation. By supporting the academic pursuits of all students, including those who are incarcerated, we uphold our university's mission of fostering equity and social justice. That is what it means to do something The State Way.
We urge you to continue supporting GSUPEP and its vital role in advancing the principles of inclusivity and educational access within our institution and beyond. As proud members of the Panther family, we stand united in our commitment to ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their circumstances, have the opportunity to pursue higher education.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. We trust in your dedication to our university's values and look forward to your continued support for GSUPEP.
Sincerely,
The Students and Alumni of Georgia State University
FACULTY & STAFF: Join 100 of your colleagues in signing our letter of support!
Provost Parsons-Pollard:
We, the faculty and staff at Georgia State University, are writing to you to express our support for the continuation of the Georgia State University Prison Education Project (GSUPEP).
We are proud to call ourselves members of the Panther family and to be building a community and institution that supports the education of people from all backgrounds. We believe in the transformative power of education, and GSUPEP embodies everything our university stands for: growth, empowerment, and leadership.
This is an initiative in which Georgia State University has taken a leadership position and has set an example for other universities in the state, as we are the only University System of Georgia institution offering degree-seeking educational programs to incarcerated people. This is what it means to do something The State Way.
Our belief in education, specifically the value of Georgia State University’s education, has inspired our passion for offering opportunities to those who seek them. Many incarcerated individuals in Georgia prisons are eager to learn, contribute, and grow. We must do what we can to support the academic pursuits of all students, including those who are incarcerated.
The graduation of our first incarcerated class, in which all our students graduated with a GPA of 3.7 and higher, is a testament to Georgia State’s remarkable success in providing education to incarcerated individuals and the eagerness of the students to excel academically. Moreover, this achievement reflects the dedication of our faculty and staff and highlights the potential for meaningful change and rehabilitation through education. As advocates for access to education for all, we firmly believe in the value of GSUPEP's mission and urge its continuation.
We thank you for your attention and consideration of this matter. We trust that you share our commitment to fostering inclusivity and providing educational opportunities for all members of our community. We look forward to your continued support of GSUPEP and its vital role in advancing the principles of equity and social justice within our institution and beyond.
Sincerely,
Not a Panther? Sign our petition!
GSUPEP is more than a prison education program, it's the culmination of national efforts to educate incarcerated people so that they can rebuild their lives when the come home.
How GSUPEP embodies Georgia state university's mission
Georgia State University Mission Statement
“Georgia State University (...) transforms the lives of students, advances the frontiers of knowledge and strengthens the workforce of the future. The university provides an outstanding education and exceptional support for students from all backgrounds" (Georgia State University Mission Statement).
Research consistently demonstrates the transformative potential of prison education. By offering incarcerated individuals an opportunity to engage in academic pursuits, prison education fosters personal growth, humanizes the learning experience, and instills hope for a brighter future beyond incarceration.
To uphold its commitment to inclusive education and support for all, Georgia State must continue to provide access to educational opportunities, particularly for those who lack access to traditional for-credit courses in Georgia.
In 2023, Georgia State celebrated historic milestones by graduating the first two classes of incarcerated students in the state in three decades. These achievements underscore the university's transformative influence and the importance of continuing initiatives like GSUPEP.
How GSUPEP embodies Georgia State University's 2023-2024 Strategic Plan
IDENTITY, PLACEMAKING AND BELONGING
“As a dynamic, multi-campus institution, Georgia State University will be a place where people want to learn, study, work, live, play and connect. GSU is a place for all!”
The students of Georgia State University affirm that this institution is inclusive and accessible to everyone. By maintaining educational opportunities for those facing significant barriers to integration into communities, the university upholds its commitment to inclusivity and belonging. If Georgia State University declares itself as a place for all, it must not withdraw support for incarcerated students.
INNOVATING RESEARCH, SCHOLARSHIP AND CREATIVE ACTIVITY
“Scholars from all disciplines at Georgia State University produce new knowledge that transforms lives and communities, improves the human condition and answers critical questions in our global society.”
By defunding GSUPEP, the university not only restricts educational opportunities for students in carceral facilities but also hinders engagement for students across conventional Georgia State University campuses. This impediment obstructs opportunities for students to actively participate in prison education, limiting their ability to contribute to improving conditions in a nation with the highest rates of incarceration globally. GSUPEP is essential for cultivating a workforce capable of meaningful change, enabling students to engage with pressing issues in our contemporary world, both within academia and through extracurricular activities.
STUDENT SUCCESS 2.0
“Georgia State University boasts one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation and consistently demonstrates that students from all backgrounds can succeed at equal rates. We strive to support learners of all ages, identities, and experiences.”
Georgia State University's commitment to supporting learners of all ages, identities, and experiences is integral to its mission of fostering student success. This dedication extends to ensuring educational opportunities for individuals who experience incarceration. By providing education to this demographic, the university upholds its commitment to inclusivity and ensures that all students have the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background or life experiences.
Defunding the prison education program would contradict this commitment by denying access to education to a marginalized group of individuals. It would undermine the university's efforts to support learners from diverse backgrounds and perpetuate barriers to success for those who are already marginalized.
STUDENT SUCCESS, THE PRESIDENT'S PILLAR
“Georgia State is committed to student success and has eliminated achievement gaps based on race, ethnicity, and income. We are a nationally recognized leader in this area, but we need to continue to push ourselves to go even further.”
Georgia State University's commitment to student success is exemplified by its efforts to eliminate achievement gaps based on race, ethnicity, and income. As a nationally recognized leader in this endeavor, the university continuously strives to exceed its own benchmarks.
In light of this mission to push boundaries further, it is crucial not to backtrack on progress by denying individuals access to education. Defunding the state's only for-credit prison education project would contradict Georgia State's commitment to closing achievement gaps and hinder efforts to promote inclusivity and equity in education.
BEYOND COLLEGE TO CAREER
“Students from all backgrounds deserve the opportunity to achieve their full potential in their career and life. Georgia State University prepares diverse populations of undergraduate and graduate students across the life course to pursue their chosen fields with adaptability, agility, and creativity. Our students are primed to be engaged citizens, community leaders and innovators, and effective collaborators who give back to society.”
By extending educational access to incarcerated individuals who would otherwise lack such opportunities, the program aligns with the university's mission of preparing a diverse student body for success in their chosen fields with adaptability, agility, and creativity.
The decision to defund this essential program would undermine these principles, sending a message that financial constraints take precedence over the university's commitment to providing hope and opportunity to marginalized communities. Such actions would contradict the university's ethos and set a detrimental example for its students.
As Georgia State University aims to cultivate engaged citizens, community leaders, and innovators, it must lead by example. Upholding and supporting initiatives like the Prison Education Program not only enriches the lives of those directly involved but also reinforces the university's commitment to inclusivity, equity, and academic excellence.
Click here to read the full 2023-2033 Strategic plan.
GSUPEP NEWS FEATURES
11Alive: First-ever class of incarcerated students graduates from Georgia State Perimeter College
Fox5 Atlanta: First-ever class of incarcerated students graduates from Georgia State Perimeter College
Georgia State News Hub: Georgia Power Foundation Grant Helps Expand GSU Prison Education Sites and Programs
The EPIC Program, Office of the Provost: Spotlight on Prison Education Project
Learn More About the Georgia State Prison Education Project
* This initiative is exclusively student-led. No Georgia State University faculty or staff member is involved in the coordination of this initiative; it is entirely driven by the concern and dedication of the student body.
Contact mtilder1@gsu.edu or rberry18@student.gsu.edu for more information