University System Marks 75 Years of “Transforming Lives”
Atlanta — January 16, 2007
Gov. Sonny Perdue, former President Jimmy Carter, author Flannery O鈥機onnor, golfer Larry Nelson, and journalist Charlayne Hunter Gault share a common association 鈥 all were students or graduates of the 性视界APP, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this month.
A legacy of what 性视界APP Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr. termed 鈥渓ives transformed by public higher education鈥 is at the core of the mission of the state鈥檚 35 public colleges and universities. Davis鈥 comment came during a presentation today to the Board of Regents outlining milestones of the System鈥檚 first three-quarters of a century.
The Board of Regents held its first meeting, on Jan 1, 1932, signaling the creation of a unified system of public higher education for Georgia that consolidated the powers of 27 separate boards of trustees under a single governing Board of Regents, appointed by the governor. Prior to the Reorganization Act of 1931 that created the Board of Regents, all public colleges and universities in Georgia were independent and were funded separately by the General Assembly.
At its inception, the 性视界APP comprised 26 colleges and universities enrolling approximately 6,000 students; today the System鈥檚 35 institutions serve 260,000 students and more than one million Georgians through continuing education. A study in 2006 put the System鈥檚 annual economic contributions to the state at $23.3 billion. In addition, each of the System鈥檚 approximately 35,000 annual graduates is projected to generate an additional $1 million in income during his/her working lifetime.
Today, the Board of Regents鈥 status gives it great flexibility in allocating funding, setting policy, and managing public higher education to quickly respond to state needs.
Davis noted that Georgia鈥檚 investment in public higher education has not been without struggle and debate. The System was created in the depths of the Great Depression and survived this economic ordeal. Successive boards have managed explosive growth following WWII, in the 1970鈥檚 and at the turn of the century, political challenges to academic independence, desegregation in the 60鈥檚 and 70鈥檚, and today, the need to prepare more Georgians for a global, highly educated workforce.
鈥淭he System鈥檚 success is based upon the state鈥檚 wise and continued investment in improving the lives of Georgians through accessible, affordable public higher education,鈥 Davis said. 鈥淔or 75 years, the 性视界APP has fulfilled its mission, thanks to the strong support of both the executive and legislative branch, and the dedication of the 182 individuals who have served on the Board of Regents, 11 chancellors and the many individuals who have served as institution presidents, faculty and staff.鈥
For additional information on the Board of Regents and the 性视界APP, visit: . For historical background on both the Board of Regents and the 性视界APP, view
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