The state Board of Regents granted final approval Wednesday to a merger of Georgia State University and Georgia Perimeter College.
The newly consolidated Georgia State unseats the University of Georgia as the state’s largest public college. The merger is the sixth merger of colleges in the state’s public college system, and reduces the number of institutions in the system to 29.
Regents also approved Georgia State’s current president Mark Becker as the leader of the newly combined Georgia State University.
Wednesday’s approval was given with little fanfare and no public discussion by the regents. Georgia Perimeter’s student government president even included a bid for the merger approval in her opening prayer for the monthly meeting.
“We are keenly focused on access and college completion,” said University System Chancellor Hank Huckaby. “The new Georgia State University will continue to expand upon its successes in these areas for students beyond the downtown campus, throughout metropolitan Atlanta.”
The board’s action Wednesday follows approval of the merger last month by regional accreditor the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
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