ASU, GHSU Presidents Talk About Merger

The University System of Georgia can count 31 schools in its system, down from 35, after the Georgia Board of Regents approved the merger of 8 colleges. Part of the consolidation is to save money for the state, which means cutting duplicate positions.

"What we hope is done through retirement, or attrition. We want to put less money into administration and more money into the academic side," said University System of Georgia Chancellor Hank Huckaby.

An implementation team will determine what to do with faculty contracts, accreditations, and the curriculum.

Students at Augusta State University (ASU) and Georgia Health Sciences University (GHSU) fear the move could mean more money for tuition, but others think it will make their degree more valuable.

But, the big question is... the new name of the consolidated schools.

Dr. Ricardo Azziz: "I do understand the students' concern about a name, but the real values about our diploma come from the strengths of the universities we have left. That is what we are trying to do, and look at the diplomas of our students, 30-40 years from now, than worry about the name today," said Georgia Health Sciences University president Dr. Ricardo Azziz.

"They're still going to be graduating from a high quality program with the same focus, except they may have more resources." said Augusta State University president William Bloodworth.

Bloodworth will step down in June...and merger means a new leader.

"I anticipate Dr. Azziz would be the president of this university," said Huckaby.

This actually creates a new university with tremendous potential...potential to attract students from outside, potential to attract researchers from outside, attract more faculty, more educators, a much greater economic engine," said Dr. Azziz.

The new school would have a combined enrollment of nearly 10,000 students...with an opening date of Fall 2013.

You can get all the details on the merger Thursday at four town hall meetings.

GHSU will hold one at 7:30 a.m. and another at 5:00 p.m., at the school's auditorium.

ASU will hold one at 11:00 a.m. and another at 2:30 p.m., at the Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre.

Here are the other schools that are part that of the consolidation: Gainesville State College and North Georgia College and State University, Middle Georgia College and Macon State College, and Waycross College and South Georgia College.