Dive Temporary:
- The College System of Georgia desires to merge East Georgia State School with Georgia Southern Collegea transfer that might hold the previous’s identification whereas making it part of Georgia Southern.
- USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue will suggest the plan to the system’s board of regents for a choice at their mid-April assembly, based on USG’s announcement on Tuesday. The merger would additionally require accreditation approval by the Southern Affiliation of Schools and Faculties Fee on Schools.
- USG hopes to save lots of on administrative prices and cut back educational duplication, amongst different anticipated advantages, via the merger. The transfer would proceed efforts to consolidate the system that stretch again greater than a decade.
Dive Perception:
East Georgia State and Georgia Southern are lower than 40 miles aside, however they function at very totally different scales.
Georgia Southern is by far the bigger establishment, with 26,041 college students in fall 2023, based on federal information. That enrollment has remained comparatively steady in recent times, dipping simply 1.4% since 2018. East Georgia State, in the meantime, has a fraction of that pupil physique — 1,756 college students in fall 2023, which was down about 40% from 5 years prior.
First opened in 1973 because the two-year Emanuel Nation Junior SchoolEast Georgia State immediately nonetheless solely provides a handful of bachelor’s levels. The practically 120-year-old Georgia Southern, alternatively, boasts 150 packagestogether with a variety of bachelor’s and grasp’s levels, together with certificates and doctoral choices.
Bringing the 2 establishments collectively is supposed to “higher serve college students, broaden educational packages supplied in Georgia’s Decrease Coastal Plain area and reinvest financial savings into teachers to enhance pupil success,” USG mentioned.
Below the plan, East Georgia State would come below the management of Georgia Southern President Kyle Marrero. If accepted by the system’s regents, an implementation group made up of representatives from every establishment would start ironing out the main points of the merger.
In asserting his advice for the merger, Perdue mentioned the system’s consolidation efforts are based mostly on “core priorities of attainment, affordability and effectivity.”
On the identical time, he famous management additionally understands “the significance of creating positive East Georgia State School’s legacy of making data and prosperity continues” in Swainsboro, the place the establishment is predicated.
USG has been actively consolidating its establishments and simplifying the system since launching a consolidation initiative in 2011. Throughout that point, the college system has appeared to steadiness value financial savings with providing regional alternatives to college students. Thus far, the consolidations have saved a complete $30 million in administrative billsUSG mentioned Tuesday.
The trouble received underway in early 2012 with a consolidation of eight establishments out of what was then 35. 5 extra consolidations had been later accepted. If the mix of Georgia Southern and East Georgia State goes via, the system will come out of the method with 25 establishments.
One of many earlier consolidations concerned Georgia Southern as nicely, with it in 2017 absorbing Armstrong State College, which immediately is named the college’s Armstrong Campus in Savannah.
