Academic Affairs
University System of Georgia
Championing Academic Quality in the University System of Georgia
Academic Affairs promotes and ensures academic quality in the University of System of Georgia. The various departments within Academic Affairs work closely with USG institutions to ensure that the citizens of Georgia can pursue further studies from a rich variety of high-quality academic programs -- undergraduate, graduate, and professional -- to meet their interests and lifelong career needs. Through the creation of policies and collaborative work, Academic Affairs advises and provides leadership on all academic-related areas to the members of the System. Academic Affairs promotes excellence in the classroom, drives innovation in delivery and pedagogy, and supports quality instruction and curriculum across the state. With key responsibility for academic and student affairs policy and guidance, as well as opportunity to advance innovation and excellence in key areas, the office supports collaborative activities on campuses that advance the System's core mission.
Meet Dr. Ashwani Monga
As the Executive Vice Chancellor & Chief Academic Officer of the University System of Georgia (USG), Dr. Ashwani Monga leads an academic enterprise of 26 public universities with almost 365,000 students and 20,000 faculty. He oversees approval of academic programs, academic and research collaborations, faculty affairs, academic innovation, enrollment management, student affairs, student success initiatives and library services. In addition, he oversees several statewide entities: eCampus for online education, Georgia Film Academy, Georgia Archives, virtual library Galileo and the Georgia Public Library Service, which spans 408 public libraries.
He is a tenured full professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Dr. Monga has additionally served as interim president at the University of West Georgia, where his one-year tenure was marked by student-success initiatives, record-breaking enrollment and the university’s advancement into Division I athletics. Prior to his roles in Georgia, Dr. Monga was a tenured full professor at Rutgers Business School and served as the Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost of Rutgers University-Newark.
Dr. Monga has published in leading marketing journals, particularly on the psychology of time and money, and has co-authored a book, “Becoming a Consumer Psychologist.” He has held journal appointments as an Associate Editor (Journal of Consumer Psychology; Journal of Consumer Research; Journal of Marketing Research) and Editorial Review Board member (Journal of Marketing; International Journal of Research in Marketing).
Dr. Monga’s teaching spans undergraduate, M.B.A., Ph.D. and executive education programs. He has received teaching awards and been commended for his research excellence. In 2018, he was named a Marketing Science Institute Scholar, one of only 34 faculty selected worldwide. In addition, he has been honored with outstanding reviewer awards from the Journal of Consumer Psychology, the Journal of Consumer Research and the Journal of Marketing. He also received the Young Alumni Achievers Award from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, where he earned his MBA. His other degrees include a Bachelor of Technology degree from the National Dairy Research Institute in Karnal, India, and a Ph.D. in business administration from the University of Minnesota.
Departments within Academic Affairs
- Academic Affairs and Policy
Advances academic achievement, quality, and diversity through transformative practices, partnerships, and research.
- Academic Affairs and Student Success
Collaborates with and supports the USG, faculty and staff enabling student success.
- Academic Innovation
Academic Innovation is the incubator for transformation within the University System of Georgia, supporting innovation and collaboration at our 26 colleges and universities.
- Academic Programs
Responsible for information on University System of Georgia academic programs, degree waivers, certificates, accreditation, and major disciplinary areas.
- Adult Learner
Collaborates with USG institutions to develop and improve adult learner-focused services, policies, programs, and outreach to Georgia adults who are interested in completing college. Through consortium agreements and efforts, together USG institutions share resources, best practices and key learnings to facilitate improved college access, persistence and completion for adult learners.
- Enrollment Management and Student Affairs
Responsible for advising the Chancellor and the Board of Regents on all matters affecting student life and enrollment on the campuses of the 26 colleges and universities comprising the University System of Georgia.
- Faculty Affairs
Responsible for overall coordination of Board policies and procedures related to faculty and for other faculty-related personnel matters.
- Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Program (GEARUP Georgia) Grant
On behalf of the Governor’s Office, the University System of Georgia will administer the seven-year, $21-million-dollar grant awarded by US Department of Education.
- Georgia Archives
Identifies, collects, manages, preserves, publicizes, and provides access to records and information of Georgia and its people and assists state and local government agencies with their records management.
- Georgia Film Academy
The Georgia Film Academy is a collaboration of the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia created by state leadership to meet education and workforce needs for high demand careers in the Georgia’s film and creative industries.
- Georgia FinTech Academy
The Georgia FinTech Academy brings together the fintech industry and the University System of Georgia, offering education and training on a wide range of fintech topics and career pathways. The Academy’s structure allows employers to partner with multiple USG institutions, whether in close proximity or elsewhere in Georgia.
- Georgia Public Library Service
Responsible for administrative support to Georgia’s public libraries; develops and implements statewide policies, procedures, and programs; and encourages reading, literacy and education through the continuing support and improvement of Georgia’s public libraries. Operates the Georgia Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled.
- Healthcare Education
Healthcare Education is dedicated to healthcare programs that will train our future healthcare professionals through a comprehensive curriculum that integrates clinical practice, research, and community engagement, with a special focus on creating a skilled healthcare workforce for Georgia.
- Library Services (GALILEO)
Supports University System of Georgia libraries and other libraries in Georgia in collaborative efforts to provide high quality services to students, faculty, staff, and citizens, as well as offering affordable and open educational resources.
- Teaching and Learning Excellence
Promotes the success of both faculty and students through the implementation of evidence-based teaching methods. The office provides support to USG institutions as assist their faculty to enhance the learning experience for their students.
- Veterans and Service Members
Dedicated to helping current/former military personnel and their families make the transition from active duty to higher education a smooth and seamless one.
Academic Affairs Resources
- Academic and Student Affairs Handbook
Policies and procedures that affect the day-to-day operation of the office of the chief academic officer.
- Academic Calendars
Application and registration deadlines, course start and end dates, drop/add, and recess dates for all USG institutions.
- Academic Common Market
A cooperative tuition reduction agreement among participating Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) states.
- Accreditation
The USG Accreditation Support webpage provides a spectrum of resources as it pertains to BOR bylaws, policies, procedures and evaluations; evidence of the BOR’s policy making and governance role and compliance with the requirements specified in SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation, Section 4: Governing Board.
- Active Articulations
Per BOR Policy 3.3.5 and associated sub-sections, the USG and TCSG have articulation agreements in place to expand opportunities for post-secondary degree attainment in Georgia.
- Advisory Committees
Academic and Administrative Advisory Committees of the University System of Georgia.
- Affordable Learning Georgia
This initiative promotes student success by supporting the use and creation of affordable alternatives to expensive commercial textbooks used on college campuses. Since ALG's inception in 2014, our programs have saved students more than $124 million in textbook costs, affecting more than 960,000 student course enrollments. All 26 USG institutions have participated in Affordable Learning Georgia's Textbook Transformation Grants, with more than 800 applications received and 522 funded projects. ALG partnered with USG's eCore program to ensure that 100% of required course materials in those courses are available at no cost to students.
- Athletics
The Office of Athletics is charged with supporting the work of the Board of Regents’ Intercollegiate Athletics Committee, coordinating the review and submission of athletic program proposals to “establish an intercollegiate athletics program, expand its current intercollegiate athletics program, make a change in conference that requires significant program or resource expansion, or change competition levels” as referenced in Board Policy 4.5.5 Authorizations and Approvals.
- Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation (CIDI)
An initiative to remove barriers and provide access to knowledge for individuals with physical, sensory, and learning print-related disabilities.
- College 2025
In recent years, many have raised questions about the cost and mission of public higher education. New forms of instruction, technology, and student learning are all challenging long-held views of public higher education. To address these challenges, Chancellor Steve Wrigley announced the College 2025 Initiative to inform the future direction of our public higher education system and allow Georgia to maintain its position as a state that is responsive to the educational needs of its citizens.
- Complete College Georgia
Supports campus efforts to improve student access to and graduation from institutions of higher education in Georgia.
- Curriculum
Resources for support of the common features of University System of Georgia curricula.
- GA Transfer
GA Transfer is a partnership of the University System of Georgia, the Technical College System of Georgia, the Georgia Independent College Association, the Georgia Student Finance Commission, and the Georgia Department of Education, created to encourage Georgia student to complete their college degrees by making transfer information more transparent and easier to access. We support not only tools for students to use to obtain information about college credit and exam to course credit, but also offer tools to campuses to obtain recruiting information and to support dual enrollment course approval.
- International Education
The International Education mission is to strengthen the global dimensions of teaching, learning, research, and service throughout the University System of Georgia.
- Momentum Approach
Momentum provides a framework for understanding how institutions can maintain student progress toward a degree. A key component of the Momentum Approach was the intentional engagement of the whole campus community in support of student success.
- Regents Centers for Learning Disorders
Services and resources for students with learning disorders.