UGA President Jere Morehead thanked Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and lawmakers in a statement released by the university after the state budget was signed on Tuesday. The new budget prevents unpaid furloughs of thousands of university employees and provides critical funding to certain UGA capital projects.
“On behalf of the University of Georgia, I want to extend my deepest appreciation to Gov. Brian Kemp and his team, the Georgia General Assembly and the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, including Chairman Sachin Shailendra and Chancellor Steve Wrigley,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “The University of Georgia is extremely grateful for their dedication to creating a state budget that continues to make higher education a priority even during these very challenging times.”
The budget poses an overall reduction in state funding to the campus, and President Morehead acknowledged that challenging times lay ahead: “Managing very carefully with our more limited state resources and remaining focused on the ongoing development of non-state revenue sources will be crucial as we navigate through what will most certainly be a very difficult year ahead with regards to our fiscal affairs.”
However, the state budget did provide tens of millions of dollars in funding for current projects at UGA, including construction of the second phase of I-STEM, renovations at the Driftmier Engineering Center, designs for the new Poultry Sciences Complex, and other major renovations around campus. Money was also allocated to support the AU/UGA Medical Partnership.
President Morehead also expressed thanks to Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan; Speaker David Ralston; Appropriations chairmen Terry England, Blake Tillery and the late Jack Hill; House and Senate leaders, and members of the local Athens delegation for supporting higher education in the passage of this year’s budget.