Georgia Southern University employee gets $250,000 in transgender student rights case

As Georgia’s college campuses are bustling with students again, this edition of the AJC On Campus roundup begins with a $250,000 settlement.

Fired Georgia Southern University employee Gemma Skuraton claimed in federal court last year she was terminated for defending the rights of transgender students. Her dismissal, according to the March 2025 complaint, followed the school’s decision to reject a grant application she helped write that would have supplied free chest binders – a garment used to flatten the anatomy of the chest and a “recognized therapeutic tool for individuals with gender Dysphoria” – to students.

Skuraton, GSU’s director of student wellness and health promotion, objected to the decision. She told an administrator that failing to fund the grant could be a violation of Title IX’s gender-based protections.

The school’s decision came in May 2025, days after Georgia passed a bill that precluded high school and college athletes from participating in team sports on teams that do not match their sex assigned at birth.

It also followed a 2024 presidential election cycle wherein the school’s “enthusiasm toward promoting the interest of LGBT students notably waned,” according to the complaint. The lawsuit claims the school removed the Pride Flag from the student counseling center and gender affirming healthcare posters from university buildings.

Skuraton was terminated, according to the filing, for opposing the decision and because administrators believed she had “instigated students to raise public concerns.”

The University System of Georgia reached a $250,000 settlement with Skuraton a few weeks ago, while not admitting to any liability or wrongdoing, according to the settlement agreement.

UGA’s white coats are here

The highly anticipated medical school at the University of Georgia reached another milestone last week, holding its first White Coat Ceremony. It was the first time the inaugural class of UGA med students, 95% of whom are from Georgia, donned their white coats.

The next step for the school – only the second public medical school in the state – will be the completion of the 93,000-square-foot medical education and research building in December.

First year students at the UGA School of Medicine recite a medical oath after receiving their white coats during the White Coat Ceremony held at the Performing Arts Center. (Courtesy University of Georgia)

USG raises $2 million for scholarships

Earlier this year, Georgia became one of the final states to embrace a comprehensive needs-based scholarship program.

The USG announced last week it had raised $2.4 million for the DREAMS program. The fundraising effort was capped off by the 22nd annual Board of Regents’ Scholarship & Awards Gala, held at the Georgia Aquarium.

“Serving as chancellor has been the most impactful role of my career, and I’m proud of one of the final achievements we made this year by establishing DREAMS, Georgia’s first statewide need-based scholarship,” USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue said in a media release.

Proceeds from the gala will benefit the DREAMS Scholarship Endowment, designed to support Georgia students in perpetuity.

University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue stands during a press conference at the Capitol in Atlanta on May 5, 2026. The press conference was for the governor to sign a series of bills, including a literacy bill that provides training and support for educators, requires screening for dyslexia and other learning disabilities and mandates kindergarten attendance. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Workforce ready at UNG

Helping students find well-paying jobs has been a top priority for the USG, and the University of North Georgia is focusing on that mission by launching its Institute for a Future-Ready Workforce.

“Artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and global disruption are reshaping how we live, work, and lead faster than most institutions can adapt,” UNG said in a media release announcing the new institute. Its goal is to create “Graduates and professionals who are ready – not someday, but now – to face what comes next.”

It aims to do that by creating a talent pipeline where college students are prepared to meet “critical workforce needs.”

Departing president

UNG’s new institute will be one of the final achievements of school President Michael P. Shannon. In late August, he informed faculty via email he is planning to leave for the University of North Florida.

Shannon was named as the finalist for UNF’s presidential role, separating himself from the roughly 150 applicants.

“My decision to pursue this opportunity was incredibly difficult - the hardest of my professional life,” Shannon wrote. “I love the University of North Georgia and serving alongside you - our students, faculty, staff, and alumni - has been one of my greatest professional honors.”

University of North Georgia Dahlonega Campus on Wednesday, April 19, 2017. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Free mental health counseling

The Technical College System of Georgia announced it will offer 24/7 counseling services to students at 16 of its schools, thanks to a partnership with Uwill, a virtual mental healthcare provider.

“Many of our students are balancing jobs, supporting families, and meeting countless other responsibilities while pursuing their education,” said TCSG Commissioner Greg Dozier in a media release. “This partnership helps ensure that no matter where they attend college or what their schedule looks like, they have access to the mental health resources they need to stay focused, overcome challenges, and achieve their education and career goals.”

A 2024 study found that while over 1.3 million Georgians are affected by a mental illness, 61% of adults in Georgia with mental health conditions go without treatment.

Cybersecurity in Augusta

The Georgia Cyber Center at Augusta University recently opened its Cyber Resiliency Center, part of a statewide initiative to help organizations respond to cybersecurity threats.

The center “provides practical, vendor-neutral, low to no cost cybersecurity resiliency services to critical infrastructure organizations across Georgia, including rural hospitals, local governments, school districts and manufacturers,” according to a press release.

More than 80% of the center is staffed by students, making it a “workforce development engine.”