James July-August 2025 web - Flipbook - Page 36
statement of principles that affirm
and protect academic freedom and
freedom of expression for students,
faculty and staff. Those are fundamental values within USG, and we
will continue to protect those values
while providing the best public higher education in the nation. Campus
rules regarding demonstrations and
their locations, however, must be
strictly followed.
Finally, I want to stress that USG
institutions are focused on objective
scholarship and inquiry, equal opportunity and merit-based decisions.
PK Student tuition and related college costs present a big challenge for
many parents and students. What
are your thoughts on USG colleges
and universities providing an affordable, high-quality education?
DS The Board of Regents is committed to maintaining affordability
for Georgia’s students. It should be
noted that this year the board voted
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against any tuition increase for most
in-state undergraduates. (Out-ofstate tuition increased by 2 percent
and out-of-country increased by 3
percent.) This is now the seventh
time in 10 years that the board has
approved keeping overall tuition
costs flat for Georgia students
across most institutions in the University System.
Interestingly, an independent
performance audit release last December by the Georgia Department
of Audits and Accounts found that
USG tuition declined by more than
24 percent after adjusting for inflation. So students today are paying,
on average, less in tuition than they
were in 2017.
PK As you look to the future, what
is your vision for coming years and
what are the main challenges that
USG faces?
DS A main challenge, unfortunately,
is that public trust in higher edu-
cation has plummeted— from 57
percent in 2015 to just over one third
now, according to a recent Gallup
poll. Demographics are also changing, including the effect of lower
birth rates that impact the number
of traditional college age students
who can matriculate on our campus.
Also challenging is that institutions
are expanding recruitment including people who have some college
experience but never graduated, and
there are increasing efforts to retain
students and get them to graduate.
I’d like to emphasize that the
Regents have increased our focus
on high-skilled talent that advance
Georgia’s workforce. Requests for
new degree programs must include
job postings, skills training, employment projections and expected
industry support.
Indeed, higher education is
the path to economic success and
prosperity for our students and the
entire state.
