The University System of Georgia Chancellor has recommended a consolidation of Georgia Southern University and East Georgia State College.
Chancellor Sonny Perdue will present his recommendation to the Board of Regents who will decide on the proposal in their upcoming meeting on April 15-16, according to a press release from the USG website. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission will also need to approve the action.
“If approved, the new institution will retain EGSC’s identity while becoming a part of Georgia Southern University, to be led by President Kyle Marrero,” the letter reads. “The proposed consolidation will enable USG to better serve students, broaden academic programs offered in Georgia’s Lower Coastal Plain region and reinvest savings into academics to improve student success.”
USG listed “initial opportunities from consolidating Georgia Southern and EGSC” on their website:
- Builds on existing collaboration between the two institutions.
- Reinvests savings from administrative efficiencies into academic and support programs to increase student success.
- Minimizes duplication of academic programs while increasing degree pathways for all students.
- Creates a more comprehensive institution of 29,000+ students, making it the fifth largest public university in Georgia.
- Expands upon EGSC’s commitment to offering an affordable gateway to quality higher education.
- Creates opportunities for raising retention and graduation rates for all students.
This is not the first time Georgia Southern has undergone a consolidation. Georgia Southern consolidated with Armstrong State University (now identified as Georgia Southern’s Armstrong campus) on January 1, 2018. This decision sparked backlash from the Armstrong community and the greater Savannah area.
