Sonny Perdue to retire as University System of Georgia leader

Dive Brief:

• Sonny Perdue on Wednesday announced his intention to retire and step down after four years as leader of the University System of Georgia.
• USG’s board said it will launch a national search for Perdue’s replacement with support from former state higher ed leaders and an executive search firm. Perdue will stay on as chancellor until his successor is named.
• Under his leadership, USG saw three conservative years of fall enrollment highs, according to the board. He also had a strong influence on the system’s university leadership, installing 14 presidents during his tenure, the board said.

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Dive Insight:

Perdue was new to the higher education sector when chosen to head up USG in 2022. During a nearly four-decade-long political career, he had served as the head of the Georgia state senate, Georgia’s governor for two terms and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture under the first Trump administration.

USG oversees all 25 of the state’s public colleges, as well as Georgia’s public library system and its archives agency.

Under Perdue, USG became one of six Southern public university systems that established the Commission for Public Higher Education in 2025. The nascent accreditation agency, which is championed by conservatives and in the process of seeking federal recognition, aims to increase accountability, allow for collaboration with neighboring states, and drive “meaningful innovation,” Perdue said at the time.

He also recommended the merger of East Georgia State College and Georgia Southern University, a plan the USG boardapproved last April. Since the start of 2026, East Georgia State has operated as a campus of Georgia Southern and is now led by that university’s president.

“Serving as chancellor has been one of the most impactful roles of my life, and stepping away is not a decision I make lightly,” Perdue said in a statement Wednesday. “As I prepare to retire, I’m grateful for our presidents, faculty and staff, our students and the many communities that make up this remarkable system.”

USG Board Chair David Dove praised Perdue for his student-focused leadership.

“His push to keep college affordable, expand access and modernize the system has opened doors for thousands of Georgians who might not otherwise have pursued higher education,” Dove said in a statement.

According to the board, a 2024 independent audit found that inflation-adjusted tuition at USG has declined by roughly 24% since 2017. USG on Tuesday approved a 1% tuition increase for in-state undergraduates and a 3% increase for those from out of state.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp similarly lauded Perdue’s tenure, noting the system’s enrollment increases and the chancellor’s advocacy for scholarship and financial aid expansion.