Students, faculty, staff, and community members filled the auditorium at East Georgia State College (EGSC) in Sawinsboro on April 15, 2025 for a town hall meeting with University System of Georgia (USG) Chancellor Sonny Perdue, Georgia Southern University President Dr. Kyle Marrero, and EGSC President Dr. David Schecter. The session followed the Board of Regents’ April 15 vote to approve the consolidation of EGSC and Georgia Southern.
The meeting opened with logistical announcements and acknowledgments of elected officials and foundation members in attendance. President Schecter set the tone by encouraging attendees to look toward the future, while acknowledging the strong ties so many have to the EGSC campus and identity.
“Colleges undergo change. It’s part of the process,” Schecter said, adding that he hoped the campus could move forward with unity and optimism. Chancellor Perdue and President Marrero echoed that sentiment, assuring the audience that the Swainsboro campus will remain open and continue to serve its students and community.
“We’ve got a big brother coming alongside East Georgia,” Perdue said, referencing Georgia Southern. “From an economy of scale perspective, this will enhance and increase the opportunities for students in this region.”
Key Takeaways from the Q&A Session
Faculty and Staff Employment
Questions about job security were among the first raised. Marrero and Perdue stated that while administrative redundancies may be evaluated, faculty positions are expected to remain stable, especially if the campus continues to grow.
Marrero emphasized that hiring paths for East Georgia faculty would continue under the open-access mission and that instructional roles would be preserved or even expanded based on enrollment trends.
Campus Identities and Locations
Perdue clarified that the Swainsboro campus will retain its identity and presence. While the Augusta site may eventually transition out of EGSC’s scope, the Statesboro campus will remain a valuable access point under the new structure.
Marrero said the Statesboro EGSC site would offer an alternative for students who may not initially meet Georgia Southern’s admissions requirements but still want to pursue a degree pathway that leads to GSU.
Tuition, Dining, and Bookstore Changes
In response to concerns about affordability, leaders confirmed that EGSC’s historically low tuition and financial aid offerings would remain intact for the foreseeable future.
Dining services will undergo changes this summer, with a new contract signed with Aladdin Services to provide expanded meal options starting in the fall. The number of weekly meals will more than double, and current dining staff may have opportunities to remain.
Concerns were also raised about the campus bookstore. Chancellor Perdue responded that the University System is reviewing bookstore operations statewide due to financial pressures but said the EGSC bookstore isn’t expected to close.
“My expectation is there will still be an outpost of branded merchandise,” he said. “That campus experience is important, and students love to come in, grab gear, and feel that sense of identity.”
Transportation and Athletics
Marrero confirmed that shuttle services similar to those operating between Savannah and Statesboro may eventually connect EGSC campuses with Georgia Southern, pending demand.
On athletics, both Perdue and Marrero stated that the goal is to maintain EGSC's sports programs under separate athletic affiliations—potentially giving student-athletes the option to compete under NAIA guidelines while preserving Georgia Southern's Division I status.
Academic Offerings and Support Services
Marrero assured students that programs like the ACE (Academic Center for Excellence) would remain operational in the fall and that additional resources, including student tutors and virtual support platforms, would be brought in to enhance services.
Specialized programs, such as Business Administration, may be expanded with unique concentrations to distinguish EGSC’s academic contributions within the new consolidated institution.
SACSCOC Timeline
Perdue and Marrero outlined the accreditation and consolidation timeline. Both institutions must submit plans to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) by September 15. A decision is expected by December 2025, followed by a final vote from the Board of Regents. On-site evaluations will likely take place in spring 2026.
“This isn’t a light switch—it’s more like a dimmer,” Perdue said. “We’ll phase into the transition slowly over many months.”
Recruitment and Future Identity
Recruiters and community members voiced concern about how the change might affect local enrollment. Officials committed to strengthening recruitment strategies and ensuring EGSC maintains its unique identity.
“This is not something behind closed doors. It’s still something that we need you as a community to engage in to help us understand what your desires and wishes are, or the really critical points that you want to make sure that we take into consideration as we form this partnership going forward," Perdue stated.
Campus Life
Representatives from student life also asked how the consolidation might affect EGSC’s student organizations, such as the Student Government Association, academic support groups like the ACE Center, and student groups.
Marrero assured the crowd that maintaining student engagement is a high priority. “We learned in consolidation how important it is that you as a student body ensure that you have a voice, holistically, and specific to your campus,” he said.
Both Marrero and Schecter emphasized that many existing student resources will remain in place for the upcoming fall semester, with gradual changes expected over the next year. Both presidents had a moment to brag on some of their programs, noting that Georgia Southern's Rifle Team and East Georgia's ESports league was doing great things.
Student life will not change. If anything, the students will have access to more features at Georgia Southern.
Dual Enrollment and Local Access
One of the final questions of the afternoon came from a representative of Emanuel County Schools, who asked whether the popular dual enrollment program that allows high school students to take college courses through EGSC would continue.
“There won’t be any change,” Perdue said. “We want to have more opportunities, not less.”
President Marrero added that Georgia Southern sees the consolidation as a chance to improve local access points and make degree pathways more flexible. “It gives us a great opportunity to serve multiple constituents of students at the point of which they are,” he said.
The town hall concluded with students, faculty, and community leaders thanking USG and university leaders for their transparency and for creating space for questions during what many described as a bittersweet but hopeful transition.
