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.

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Meet Dr. Costas Spirou

Dr. Costas Spirou currently serves as Interim Chief Academic Officer for the University System of Georgia (USG). Working closely with the USG’s 26 public colleges and universities, he oversees the system’s academic enterprise, which includes academic innovation, student affairs and enrollment management, student access and success initiatives, faculty development, academic collaborative programs, distance education, academic libraries, the Georgia Film Academy, the Georgia Public Library Service, and the Georgia Archives. Spirou was previously Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Georgia College & State University where he holds a faculty appointment in the College of Arts and Sciences.

In 2017, Dr. Spirou was named a Fellow by the American Council of Education and spent the 2017-2018 academic year in the Office of the Provost at Georgia Tech. His research interests and scholarship center on public policy and mayoral leadership, economic development and higher education, urban affairs and governance. He has also written about downtown revival, the politics of stadiums and convention centers, and urban tourism. Dr. Spirou has authored or co-authored six books, most recently, Anchoring Innovation Districts: The Entrepreneurial University and Urban Change (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2021); The Many Futures of Work: Rethinking Expectations and Breaking Molds (Temple University Press, ed. 2021); and Building the City of Spectacle: Mayor Richard M. Daley and the Remaking of Chicago (Cornell University Press, 2016). He is editor of the Johns Hopkins University Press “Higher Education and the City” book series and holds a PhD from Loyola University Chicago.

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.

  • African American Males Initiative

    The University System of Georgia's (USG) African-American Male Initiative (AAMI®) is a system-wide initiative designed to increase the number of African-American males who complete their postsecondary education from any of the USG institutions. Its mission is to provide an integrated program model of academic and social tools that support students around adopting a positive mindset to successfully complete classes, elevate their cumulative GPAs, matriculate through each academic level and graduate.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.