Two University System of Georgia Institutions to Merge

The University of Georgia System Board of Regents voted Tuesday to consolidate East Georgia State College and Georgia Southern University.

EGSC will become part of GSU while still retaining its identity, according to a news release.

The move “increases our ability to improve student success while expanding access to high-skilled degree programs that attract industry and help the state thrive,” USG chancellor Sonny Perdue said in a statement. “By using public resources as efficiently as possible, we’re making sure every dollar saved is reinvested into those programs that truly empower our students, support our faculty and strengthen our communities for a brighter future.”

It is the system’s sixth round of consolidations since 2011, reportedly leading to at least $30 million in administrative savings. What was then 35 state institutions will become 25 if the plan is finalized.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges still needs to approve the merger. Once it does, a timeline for the consolidation will be announced.