"It's been a pleasure to be a part of this marvelous school and community for seven years," Horne said. "I appreciate the hard work and dedication that characterize the work of everyone here, particularly the members of the Academic Council. An administrator couldn't ask for a more talented and hard-working group of professionals."
Horne has taken on several assignments with the University System in recent years, and presently serves on committees engaged in reviewing the formula by which USG institutions are funded, examining "best practices" in recruiting and retaining excellent faculty, examining the Optional Retirement System, and serving on an advisory committee on Teaching and Learning with Advanced Technology. She has for three years served as the chair of the committee of the 15 academic vice presidents at the two-year colleges in the system and is in her second year as chair of the committee of all 34 academic vice presidents for the system.
Horne said ABAC has accomplished several important steps during her tenure that have made the college stronger, including semester conversion, comprehensive promotion and tenure review (including pre- and post-tenure), an improved orientation for both new students and new faculty, a more "student-friendly" way of conducting administrative business, and expanded offerings in several disciplines and cooperative programs with sister institutions.
She also said ABAC now has an assessment program that documents student achievement in the core curriculum and each program, as well as extensive mentoring services to help students, including the Academic Intervention Management (AIM) program and an expanded Academic Assistance Center. ABAC has also made gains in diversity, nearly doubling the percentage of minority students in the student body and bringing a significant number of women into academic administration.
Horne joined the ABAC administration in 1995 after a long academic career at Lander (S.C.) University. She has been active in local, civic, and church activities, including the Tift County Rotary Club and the First Presbyterian Church.
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