The pause in admissions testing caused by the COVID-19 pandemic will come to an end at four more public colleges and universities in Georgia starting with the fall of 2026.
University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue had telegraphed the coming changes last month, when he’d asked the state’s Board of Regents to maintain their half-decade waiver on admissions testing at 23 of the state’s 26 institutions.
But he said he’d talked with presidents at several other campuses about resuming testing over concerns about high school grade inflation.
On Tuesday, Perdue made his request based on those discussions: require an ACT or SAT score for admission to Augusta University, Georgia State University, Kennesaw State University and Georgia Southern University starting with the incoming freshmen in the fall of 2026.
The system already requires scores for admission to the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech and Georgia College and State University.
The new policy allows other state institutions to require a test score in the fall of 2026, as well.
Perdue reiterated his belief that neither high school grade-point averages nor standardized test scores are a perfect measure, but he said the two together are the best available predictors of a student’s capacity to achieve. He added that test scores can inform the kind of individualized learning that is becoming associated with the use of artificial intelligence in higher education.
“That’s really the future that’s coming here,” Perdue said.
The regents also approved spending more money, starting with Perdue’s pay.
They gave him a $50,000 raise beginning in July, when his annual compensation will rise to $522,500.
They also approved millions of dollars more for athletic and other facilities, including a $59.8 million track and field complex at the University of Georgia and a $15.9 million baseball field development at Georgia State. Both will be funded with the help of gifts and donations.
Near the close of the meeting, Perdue talked about the recent campus protests, praising the leadership of university presidents and the behavior of the “large, large, large majority of students.” He said that in these volatile times, campuses must be committed to free speech but must not condone disruptions.
Students who erect barriers and impede access to classes are trespassing and will suffer the consequences, he said. In his view, the point of college is to learn to confront conflict while learning how to “disagree agreeably.”
About the Author
