University System mergers advance forward

      Up for consideration today by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents is a cost-cutting plan to consolidate eight of the state's public institutions.

     Proponents of the plan hope to save the University System money with the consolidations through reductions in administrative costs and lay-offs.

      The plan has the full support of the chancellor of University System Chancellor Hank Huckaby, who said the consolidation process would begin immediately and that the Board of Regents expects a full integration target date of fall 2013.

     "Georgia needs more of its citizens completing some level of postsecondary education. But we have to achieve this goal by considering some different approaches – approaches that put the needs of our students and the imperative to reach this goal first and foremost," Huckaby said in a press release. "These proposed consolidations are the right approach for us to take at the right time in the System and the State's history."

     "We are going to fulfill our mission within the limited resources available," he continued.

     The plan by the Board of Regents would merge Augusta State University with Georgia Health Sciences University, among others, to reduce the total number of colleges in the state to 31.

     If approved, colleges affected by the plan will remain open, although lay-offs are expected. What each of the four colleges remaining following the merger will be called remains unclear, although the University System has indicated that the names would be decided during "the course of implementation."

     Other decisions regarding the merger will be decided by the Regent's Special Committee on Consolidation before being approved by the larger body.

Colleges affected by the plan (Source: USG):

Gainesville State College and North Georgia College & State University (Dahlonega)

Middle Georgia College (Cochran) and Macon State College

Waycross College and South Georgia College (Douglas)

Augusta State University and Georgia Health Sciences University.