Position Profile

Joseph Winthrop Holley founded Albany State University in 1903 as the Albany Bible and Manual Training Institute. The institution first received financial support from the state of Georgia in 1917. Designated as an agricultural and teachers training college, the institute was renamed The Georgia Normal and Agricultural College and in 1932, became part of the newly formed University System of Georgia.

Granted four-year status and renamed Albany State College in 1943, the school’s enrollment increased, and the college began offering its first graduate programs in 1981. The Board of Regents granted the institution university status in 1996, at which time it was renamed Albany State University.

As ASU continued to grow, so did a newly established junior college in the Albany area. Founded in 1963, Albany Junior College provided students in Southwest Georgia and beyond access to higher education. When doors officially opened in 1966, 620 students enrolled in the institution. In 1987, the USG removed the word junior from all of its two-year institutions and the College became Darton College.

As part of its mission to serve its students and the region, Darton College committed to expanding its programs in nursing and the health sciences, expanding to 13 programs. As a result of this and other initiatives, such as the expansion of online programs, enrollment more than doubled after the year 2000. In this period, the campus facilities also grew, including the addition of a 427-seat theater and a massive physical education complex, among other improvements. In 2012, upon USG approval of the College’s first four-year program, in nursing, the institution’s name was changed to Darton State College.

On November 10, 2015, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia voted unanimously to begin the process of consolidating Albany State University and Darton State College. The newly established university retains the name Albany State University and unifies the distinction, values, and missions of the two institutions.

The next President will be charged with building upon the abundant legacy of academia excellence, community engagement, and student success that has solidified the institution for the past 121 years.

Albany State is the largest HBCU located in the state, located in the center of Southwest Georgia. Albany is beautifully positioned on the banks of the Flint River. Incorporated in 1838, Nelson Tift founded the city and named it after the capital of New York. It is the hub of Southwest Georgia for culture, shopping, education, healthcare, and recreation. Albany is a great place to live, work and play.

Albany has developed a diversified industrial economy, which includes Procter & Gamble, Molson Coors, and Mars Chocolate North America. Since 1994, over $800 million has been invested into the community by local industries. The healthcare and education systems along with the Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany are the largest employers in the region. Manufacturing, transportation, tourism and retail trade are also important foundations of Albany's economy. 

Albany is the heart of the southern portion of Georgia's Southern Rivers Region.  Known to many as the Artesian City, lying below the land around Albany is the Floridian Aquifer, an ocean of fresh water that feeds the area’s rivers and creeks while fueling its economy.

With Albany State University located close to the Downtown area, it offers a total of 410 Acres across all three campuses (East, West, and Cordele) contributing to the pipelines of professionals, local and beyond.

The next President will be a pivotal steward in preserving the campus and investing in the University’s development and growth in the community.

Albany State University’s academic programs are organized into the following colleges (1) the Darton College of Health Professions; (2) The College of Business, Education, and Professional Studies; and (3) College of Arts and Sciences. These colleges collectively offer more than 60 undergraduate and graduate degrees.

ASU fosters a student-centric learning environment by promoting and nurturing intellectual curiosity, personal growth accountability, and global engagement. Students are supported through robust academic support, faculty mentorship, and professional advising as they gain experiences towards self-discovery and professional growth.

The University is a leader in academic innovation with the selection of 48 majors and 28 minors in health and human performance, criminal justice, education, social work and more. As an innovative leader in nursing, ASU is launching a Nursing and Health Sciences Simulation Facility on campus to support and enable collaboration with other programs in the region. The space will be an active learning area with a simulated hospital environment. Additional rooms will include active learning areas with simulated environments in clinic and home healthcare settings, and administrative offices.

The university is also committed to supporting the STEM workforce by offering students and faculty the ability to receive trainings and certifications through the Cybersecurity Leadership Center in collaboration with International Business Machine Corporation (IBM).

Albany State continues to engage globally earning the NASFA: Association of International Educators Senator Paul Simon Award for Outstanding Campus Internationalization in 2023. To further this engagement, the university is preparing to launch ASUGlobal to enhance educational outreach to students around the world. 

The University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, masters, and specialist degrees in areas which include education, health profession, and STEM.

Albany State University attracts and prepares a diverse student population to be effective contributors to a globally diverse society through its focus on high quality instruction, scholarship, research, service, and community involvement. In the fall of 2023, the University enrolled a total of 6,599 students (9 6,070 undergraduate and 529 graduate students) who participate in more than 50 student organizations including clubs, sororities and fraternities. Of these students, 89% are Georgia residents, and 82% identify as Black/African American. ASU’s vibrant Greek life includes all nine of the National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations, helping students build lasting and meaningful bonds that will benefit them far into their personal and professional lives.

Athletics are a vital component of the ASU student experience, and the University holds membership in the NCAA Division II (as members of the SIAC). Cloaked in blue and gold, the Albany State University Golden Rams and Lady Rams proudly compete in the following sports: Baseball (men), Basketball (men and women), Cross Country (men and women), Football (men), Track & Field (men and women), Softball (women), Tennis (women), Volleyball (women), and Cheerleading (men and women).

Foundational to a sense of belonging, the University’s many traditions, including first-year programming, are viewed as rites of passage by the passionate and thoughtfully engaged student body. Athletics invigorates the entire ASU community; student-athletes, athletics directors and staff, the student body, and alumni. The resilient and familial “Ramily'' boosts ASU’s pride and draws recognition and support from a wide circle of supporters.

Students feel that they can, “graduate with excellence” from ASU and are supported in their ambitions by faculty and a variety of counseling, mentoring, and training supports which complement the classroom experience and further prepare students for success in the job and post-graduate markets.

Albany State University’s over 200 faculty members and 500 staff members are committed and talented, supporting the development, advising, counseling, and mentoring of ASU students and contributing to the University’s familial, personalized approach to student enrichment and development.

Many members of the dedicated and skilled staff have long, distinguished service records at the University and are deeply committed to the wellbeing of the students and the University’s future. Beyond their work in the classroom and campus, ASU faculty and staff are committed to supporting the institution through the Annual Faculty/Staff Giving Campaign, which supports need based and merit scholarships, academic and student support programs, and community outreach programs. ASU’s faculty and staff are actively engaged in the community, thoughtfully stewarding civic engagement and volunteerism efforts in the city and beyond.

Albany State University alumni are thoughtful and engaged stewards of the traditions and history of the university, working to position the institution for future growth, sustainability, and success. The Albany State University National Alumni Association (ASUNAA) was organized in 1946 and incorporated in 1975.  Today the association has 22 chapters and 942 members worldwide.

ASU’s alumni are instrumental in sustaining the legacy of the university through their active support for and contributions towards annual Founder’s Day and Homecoming events, and leadership around a variety of fundraising and scholarship initiatives to bolster financial and community support for the school.

Albany State University is one of the University System of Georgia’s 26 higher education institutions. USG is governed by a 19-member Board of Regents, five of whom are appointed by the governor from the state-at-large, and one from each of the state’s 14 congressional districts. The board elected Dr. Sonny Perdue as Chancellor in 2022. He serves as the system’s chief executive officer and chief administrative officer.

The policies of the Board of Regents are for the governance, management, and control of the university system. The administrative actions of the Chancellor provide autonomy for each institution. The executive head of each institution is the President, whose appointment is recommended by the Chancellor and approved by the Board.

As a public institution, ASU receives funds from the state of Georgia. The university has a general operating budget of $141,735,664, including approximately $25,994,331 from tuition revenue and $ 37,520,316 from state appropriations (July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024).

The Albany State University Foundation, Inc. is a Georgia non-profit corporation with the purpose of receiving, investing, and administering the private support of the University. The next President will work in partnership with the Foundation to oversee and execute an efficient fundraising operation that secures novel and stewards existing regional, national, and international corporate and philanthropic support for the University.

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