President Jere W. Morehead began his tenure as the 22nd University of Georgia president on July 1, 2013. Under his leadership, UGA has risen in the rankings of the best public colleges and universities and has completed a series of initiatives to enhance student learning and success, including a requirement for experiential learning for all undergraduates.
Additionally, the University established a School of Medicine and completed the most successful capital campaign in its history, raising $1.45 billion. It also created an Innovation District, where students and faculty partner with industry to generate ideas and solutions to enhance the University’s role as a powerful driver of economic development in Georgia.
During President Morehead’s tenure, UGA has increased its research and development expenditures by over 75%. The University of Georgia ranks No. 1 among U.S. universities for the number of products brought to market based on its research, according to the annual survey by AUTM. UGA has ranked either first or second in this measure for nine consecutive years.
In keeping with his focus on student success, President Morehead launched the ALL Georgia Program to support students from rural areas and created the Double Dawgs program, which enables students to save time and money by earning an undergraduate and graduate degree in five years or less. A UGA education is in greater demand than ever, with over 43,000 students enrolled in fall 2024 and nearly 48,000 applications submitted for a spot in the incoming Class of 2029.
President Morehead has served the University of Georgia since 1986 in both faculty and administrative roles. Before becoming President, he was Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost from 2010 to 2013. Prior to 2010, he held several key administrative assignments, including Vice President for Instruction, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Associate Provost and Director of the Honors Program, and acting Executive Director of Legal Affairs.
He is the Meigs Professor of Legal Studies in the Terry College of Business, where he has held a faculty appointment since 1986. He is a co-author of several books and book chapters, including “The Legal and Regulatory Environment of Business,” and he has published scholarly articles on legal topics ranging from export controls to jury selection. He has served as Editor-in-Chief of the American Business Law Journal.
