Longtime Georgia senator Cecil Staton has been named vice chancellor for extended education for the University System of Georgia.

Staton, the former Senate majority whip, was elected to the state senate in 2004. He decided not to seek re-election this year.

In his new position, Staton will served as a liaison between the Board of Regents for the University System, USG institutions and other government and business entities. He will be responsible for guiding long-term initiatives of military affairs, extended and continuing education, entrepreneurship and international education for the University System.

Staton will also work with the system’s economic development team to find new funding and expansion projects in the private sector.

Before his time in the legislature, Staton was an administrator at Mercer University in Macon for about a dozen years, and an assistant professor at at Brewton-Parker College in Mount Vernon, Ga. for two years. Staton is also the founder of two publishing company and a broadcast company.

He begins his new position June 1.

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