ATLANTA – Faced with declining enrollment, Georgia officials are combining a historically black stateuniversity with a two-year state college that also has a high minority student body, creating what they expect will be a stronger institution that retains its black majority and avoids the criticism that has met similar proposals in other Southern states.
Some advocates for historically black colleges and universities are even hailing the move.
Albany State University’s 3,500 students will join with Darton State College’s 5,500 students under the plan approved Tuesday by the state Board of Regents.
Staunch opposition to mergers in Mississippi and Louisiana in recent years may have provided a free lesson to Georgia officials as they considered Albany State, experts said this week.
Albany State University’s name, majority-black status and its interim president all will remain in place as the two institutions merge.