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Renovations at Legion Field are nearing completion. Read more on page 3.
Read more about what the new Dining, Learning, and Well-being Center offers on page 2. Vol. 54, No. 5
August 17, 2026
columns.uga.edu
BACK TOCAMPUS
Presidential hiring initiative to expand research, instruction
The 2025-2026 academic year was marked by important firsts for the University of Georgia.
Andrew Davis Tucker
Continued excellence UGA celebrates historic 2025-2026 academic year
The 2025-2026 academic year will almost certainly go down as one of the most significant in the history of the University of Georgia. It was a year marked by important firsts as well as continued excellence from all corners of the university. “The University of Georgia is on a remarkable trajectory thanks to the tireless efforts of our faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “As we celebrate a year defined by outstanding achievements and look ahead to a future filled with promise, I encourage everyone to reflect on the tremendous impact we are making as a university community.
I am grateful to each of you for your continued support of our vital land-grant and sea-grant mission.”
Continued excellence
There was much to celebrate across the university during this academic year. For the 10th consecutive year, UGA placed in the top 20 among the nation’s best public universities, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 rankings. UGA and Georgia Tech were the only two Georgia institutions in the top 20, making Georgia and California the only two states with multiple universities ranked in that tier. In the 2025 Princeton Review
best colleges list, UGA ranked No. 12 among the top 50 best value public universities, reflecting its strong combination of educational achievements and return on investment. For the first time in its history, the university hit $654 million in research and development expenditures, representing a 4.1% increase over the previous year. Since 2015, UGA’s R&D activity has grown by 75%. Given this extraordinary growth, it is no coincidence that UGA once again ranked No. 1 among U.S. universities for the number of commercial products brought to market See EXCELLENCE on page 4
DIVISION OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
Spaces open, building projects reach milestones
From residence halls and dining commons to research labs and campus landscapes, the University of Georgia continues to invest in spaces that support learning, living and community engagement. This fall, several new buildings open their doors while other capital projects move closer to completion.
Dining, Learning, and Wellbeing Center
The Dining, Learning, and Well-being Center officially opened this fall following its Aug. 6 dedication ceremony. Located at East Cloverhurst Avenue and University Court, the three-story building brings together dining, academics, health and well-being in a first-ofits-kind space for the university. The first floor houses active learning classrooms, collaborative study rooms and a well-being center
offering medical care, well-being coaching and mental health support. Hillside Dining Commons occupies the second and third floors and is expected to serve between 8,000 and 10,000 customers daily. The building also features a nutrition kitchen where students can take cooking classes, learn new recipes and explore the relationships between food, health and well-being. Designed to support hands-on learning through partnerships across the university, the space builds on UGA’s longstanding commitment to experiential learning.
First-Year Student Residence Hall, Building 2266
Also dedicated Aug. 6, the new First-Year Student Residence Hall, Building 2266, opened its doors this fall semester. Located at the corner of South Lumpkin Street and West
Wray Street, the six-and-a-half-story building houses 565 students in double-occupancy rooms that include modular furniture, large windows and individual temperature controls. Residents have access to shared study lounges, gathering spaces, privacyenhanced community bathrooms and an outdoor courtyard. Building 2266 is also the new home of Launch Pad, an entrepreneurial living-learning community previously located in Creswell Hall.
School of Medicine
Construction continues on the School of Medicine building at the Health Sciences Campus, where work remains on schedule for dedication in December 2026. Following the topping-out ceremony last November, the building has taken shape both inside and out. See BUILDINGS on page 4
University of Georgia President Jere W. Morehead announced that resources have been set aside for the 2026-2027 Presidential Faculty Hiring Initiative. The initiative focuses on strategic faculty hires that strengthen the university’s research enterprise while also expanding instructional capacity to meet growing student demand. Proposals will be selected based on their potential to advance the university’s strategic priorities. In total, the initiative will support the recruitment of up to 34 new faculty members across two funding tracks. The research priority track will focus on recruiting faculty whose work aligns with key areas
of research emphasis, including artificial intelligence-enabled agriculture, food systems and robotics; One Health, infectious disease, antimicrobial resistance and precision population health; and energy, materials, bioeconomy and advanced manufacturing. Up to 24 positions are available in the research priority track. The instructional priority track targets non-tenure track, full-time faculty. This portion of the initiative is intended to grow the total faculty ranks serving undergraduate and graduate students. Particular emphasis will be placed on strengthening undergraduate instruction in gateway science courses that
See HIRING on page 3
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, IVESTER SCHOOL OF NURSING
New schools help address healthcare needs across state The University of Georgia announced in February 2024 that the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia authorized the establishment of a School of Medicine at UGA. Since that announcement, teams across the university worked tirelessly to prepare the new school to serve the state’s healthcare needs. Just two years later, in February 2026, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education granted preliminary accreditation, allowing the school to recruit and admit its inaugural class. By April, the School of Medicine had extended admission offers to prospective students amid incredible demand. More than 2,000
applications were submitted during a condensed two-week admissions cycle, and school officials interviewed 235 prospective students. The School of Medicine extended admission offers to 64 prospective students for its inaugural class. Students were offered admission to the historic first class with personal phone calls from Dean Shelley Nuss, who congratulated them on their acceptance. The School of Medicine is now the second public medical school in the state. Its 93,000-squarefoot medical education and research building is scheduled to
See SCHOOLS on page 2
DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS
Donors fuel another historic year of giving and impact to university By Rachael Andrews
rachael.andrews25@uga.edu
Support from the University of Georgia’s alumni, parents and friends reached new heights in fiscal year 2026, with 69,789 donors contributing $324.4 million in private support to elevate student success, faculty excellence and university initiatives. Gifts from across Bulldog Nation continue to advance UGA’s mission as the state’s flagship university, directing resources to scholarships, academic programs, research, faculty support and facilities that benefit communities throughout Georgia.
“Private support is essential to the University of Georgia’s ability to serve our state and prepare the next generation of leaders, and we are deeply grateful to all of our loyal alumni and friends who continue to propel our institution forward,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “Because of their generosity, donors are expanding opportunities for students, elevating research excellence and strengthening our impact across Georgia and beyond.” During the academic year, privately funded scholarships supported 10,050 students, expanding access See DONORS on page 4