December 13, 2016
by Jere W. Morehead, President
As 2016 concludes, I would like to thank our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends for another outstanding semester at UGA. Together, we shared many accomplishments:
- Enrolling the most academically talented class in the institution’s history for the fourth consecutive year.
- Achieving a record high four-year graduation rate of 66 percent and maintaining our six-year graduation rate at a record level of 85 percent.
- Implementing the experiential learning initiative, marking a new era for undergraduate education at UGA.
- Expanding our faculty to reduce class sizes and strengthen the research enterprise.
- Opening the Science Learning Center, rededicating the historic H.H. Tift Building, and making progress on a number of other capital projects.
- Bolstering academic advising for undergraduate students by adding the Exploratory Center.
- Supporting communities around the state through a vast array of public service and outreach initiatives.
- Jumping three spots to No. 18 on the list of best public universities in U.S. News & World Report.
- Launching the public phase of our Commit to Georgia campaign to raise $1.2 billion to amplify the impact of UGA students, faculty, and staff on our state and the world. We remain grateful to the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation for their remarkable $30 million gift to support need-based aid for students, the top priority of the campaign.
Of course, this list is not exhaustive, but these select achievements illustrate the continued upward trajectory of the University of Georgia, to which the entire UGA community has contributed. Thank you for your hard work and commitment to this institution. I wish each of you a joyful and restful holiday season.