Georgia Gwinnett College - History

History

Local leaders had long wanted a college within Gwinnett County, the largest county east of the Mississippi River lacking a four-year college. In 1994, the county purchased 160 acres of land and designated it specifically for the development of a college campus. Five years later, the Georgia legislature showed support by allocating nearly $20 million for a building on the property. The following year, the county donated the land to establish the Gwinnett University Center (GUC), a partnership among four University System of Georgia (USG) institutions. Before the year ended, the USG Board of Regents approved construction of the first classroom building. GUC opened in January 2002.

In October 2004, the USG Board of Regents voted to create a new four-year college in Gwinnett County, then home to nearly 700,000 people. The new college would inhabit the GUC campus and replace the four institutions then offering courses on the site and was the first first four-year public college in the United States founded in the 21st century. In March 2005, the Georgia legislature passed Senate Resolution 33, authored by Senator Don Balfour, establishing the new college. The bill was signed into law by Governor Sonny Perdue on May 10, 2005 on the campus of the Georgia University Center in Lawrenceville. That same year, Governor Perdue deferred a $5 million appropriation in the 2006 state budget for a 29,000 square-foot classroom building. In September 2005, the Georgia Board of Regents hired Dr. Daniel J. Kaufman, a retired U.S. Army brigadier general and former chief academic officer of the U. S. Military Academy at West Point, as the college’s inaugural president. A month later, the Board of Regents voted to name the institution, “Georgia Gwinnett College.”

Georgia Gwinnett College opened its doors to 118 juniors on Aug. 18, 2006. The following fall, the college’s enrolled its first freshman class and in 2008, GGC held its inaugural commencement ceremony, graduating 17 students. In January 2009, Georgia Gwinnett College held its first winter graduation ceremony. In June 2009, the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools granted Georgia Gwinnett its initial accreditation in record time, enabling the college to apply for research grants and awards for students and faculty members, and expand its degree programs. That fall, more than 3,000 students were on campus.

In 2010, GGC opened a new Library and Learning Center and its first student residence halls, a $100 million housing complex that includes suite-style living spaces with private bedrooms as well as classroom space and study areas. The addition of the residence halls transformed the college from a commuter-only college into a residential campus. More than 5,300 students enrolled for the 2010 fall semester. The new GGC Student Center opened in January 2011. Georgia Gwinnett College was selected as a College of Distinction for 2010-2011. Also in 2011, the college completed a new laboratory facility to serve its dramatically expanding enrollment.

As of 2011-12 academic year, GGC has over 8,000 students. Enrollment increased by over 5,000 students from the prior academic year. The college hired more than 180 new full-time and part-time faculty members meet the demands of the enrollment increases and also added five additional five to its twelve degree programs and forty areas of study. The college also expanded student life opportunities when it added an athletics program. The USG Board of Regents approved the selection of construction and design firms for the college's planned $25 million Allied Health and Science facility in January 2012. The project was included in the fiscal year 2013 budget and awaits approval from Governor Nathan Deal; if approved it could open as early as 2014.