Come the new year, North Georgia College & State University and Gainesville State College will be one, forming the University of North Georgia after the nearly year-long process of consolidation reaches its first terminus.

To mark that era, the school will host campus-based events on Jan. 10 to unveil the new logo and introduce the students and community to the new university.

That Thursday, the university’s president, Bonita C. Jacobs, will visit each of the four campuses during a rolling tour, beginning at 8 a.m. in Dahlonega at Memorial Hall Gymnasium.

Stops will follow at the Oconee campus in Watkinsville at 10:45 a.m., at the Gainesville campus’ student center at 1:30 p.m. and in Cumming at 4 p.m. in the community room.

Earlier this month, Officials from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the Southeast’s accrediting organization for higher education, announced approval of the new university during the SACS annual meeting in Dallas.

The final approval for the university will come at the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia’s Jan. 8 meeting.

University system chancellor Hank Huckaby announced his consolidation plan in August of 2011, and the regents approved six principles for consolidation in November of that year.

At its January 2012 meeting the regents approved the recommendations to consolidate eight institutions into four schools, and working groups on the campuses and at the system office then began the complex process of consolidation.

School systems have different return dates
Both Hall County and Gainesville City schools are on holiday break until the beginning of the new year, but depending on where students are enrolled, the return dates differ.

Gainesville City Schools students spent an extra week in school while their counterparts in the county were released on Dec. 14.

But, those Hall County students return on Jan. 2 while city schools are out until Jan. 7.

A complete calendar for the rest of the school year can be found on each of the system’s websites.

Hall County Schools
Gainesville City Schools

Lee Johnson covers education issues for The Times. Share your thoughts, news tips and questions with him:
ljohnson@gainesvilletimes.com, facebook.com/TimesLeeJohnson, @LeeJTimes