Vision
Georgia Gwinnett College will be a premier 21st Century Liberal Arts college where learning will take place continuously in and beyond the confines of the traditional classroom. Its cornerstones will be innovative use of educational technology and a commitment to an integrated educational experience that develops the whole person. Georgia Gwinnett College will be a wellspring of educational innovation. It will be a dynamic learning community where faculty engagement in teaching and mentoring students will be the hallmark. It will be a driving force for change in student success. As such, it will be a model for innovative approaches to education, faculty engagement with students and highly efficient student, facility and administrative services.
Mission
Georgia Gwinnett College provides access to targeted associate and baccalaureate level degrees that meet the economic development needs of the growing and diverse population of the northeast Atlanta metropolitan region. It emphasizes the innovative use of technology and active-learning environments to provide students enhanced learning experiences, practical opportunities to apply knowledge, increased scheduling flexibility and a variety of course delivery options. Georgia Gwinnett College’s outstanding faculty and staff actively engage students in various learning environments serve as mentors and advisors and assist students through programs designed to enhance their academic, social and personal development. Georgia Gwinnett College produces contributing citizens and future leaders for Georgia and the nation. Its graduates are inspired to contribute to the local, state, national and international communities and are prepared to anticipate and respond effectively to an uncertain and changing world.
Operating Principles
Georgia Gwinnett College is committed to:
- Continuous review, assessment, change and experimentation
- Holistic development of students
- Building partnerships with its business and community constituents
- Developing a workforce of highly competent teachers and staff who are also action oriented and innovative
- Innovatively integrating technology into educational experiences
- Diversity and building a multicultural environment to prepare students to succeed in a global society
- Being the community of choice to work for faculty, administrators and staff
- Providing a supportive work environment that encompasses involvement, open communications, a spirit of collegiality and an appropriate reward system
History of Georgia Gwinnett College
Early History
In October of 2004, the University System of Georgia Board of Regents voted to create a new four-year college in Gwinnett County. In March of 2005, the Georgia General Assembly passed Senate Resolution 33, authored by Sen. Don Balfour, establishing a new college in Gwinnett County, later signed by Gov. Sonny Perdue. In September of 2005, the Board of Regents hired Dr. Daniel J. Kaufman, a retired Army brigadier general, as the college’s inaugural president. A month later, the Regents voted to name the institution, “Georgia Gwinnett College.”
GGC opened its doors to 118 students on August 18, 2006, as the nation’s first four-year public college founded in the 21st century and the first four-year public institution created in Georgia in more than 100 years. It welcomed its first freshman class in 2007 and graduated 17 students at its inaugural commencement ceremony in 2008. In January of 2009, GGC held its first winter graduation ceremony, and that spring, it graduated 38 students. It added a summer commencement ceremony in 2013.
In 2009, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges granted Georgia Gwinnett its initial accreditation in record time, giving the college the ability to apply for research grants and awards from foundations for students and faculty members, and expand its degree programs. More than 3,000 students enrolled for the 2009 fall semester.
In 2010, GGC celebrated the opening of its new Library and Learning Center and its first student residence halls, transforming the commuter college into a residential campus. More than 5,300 students enrolled for the 2010 fall semester. The new Student Center opened in January 2011, and a new laboratory building opened that summer. GGC’s enrollment reached 9,400 in fall 2012.
The 2012-13 academic year was the Grizzlies’ first season of official intercollegiate competition in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and marked the completion of the varsity athletics facilities.
President Kaufman departed GGC for the presidency of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce in July 2013, and Dr. Stanley C. “Stas” Preczewski, formerly vice president for Academic and Student Affairs, served as interim president for about a year before being named president in May 2014. In fall 2014, the College opened its new Allied Health and Sciences building, home of the School of Science and Technology, and the newly formed School of Health Sciences and its nursing program.
The College celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2015 with a year-long “GGC10” observance. As it enters its second decade, GGC will build upon its success in upholding its unique mission and vision.
Today
Today, the college enrolls almost 12,000 students. It is ranked as the most ethnically diverse Southern regional college by U.S. News & World Report (2015, 2016), which also ranks GGC as producing the fifth least student debt among Southern regional colleges.
Georgia Gwinnett offers 15 bachelor’s degree programs and more than 40 concentrations. Its students score it among the nation’s top colleges in several areas of student engagement, a critical predictor of student success. Studies commissioned by the University System of Georgia indicate that GGC has contributed more than $1 billion to the local economy, including creation of more than 3,000 jobs.
GGC’s innovative practices, caring culture and extremely affordable tuition are changing the game in higher education and changing the future for students at all levels, of all ages and from all walks of life. Its groundbreaking, four-year college model changes how educators facilitate and support student learning and is characterized by its integrated approach to attention, affordability and access.
Hours of Operation
Georgia Gwinnett College is open for classes between the following times:
Monday through Friday - 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Saturday - 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Sunday - 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Administrative Offices at Georgia Gwinnett College are open between the hours of
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Fitness Center-Monday through Thursday - 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Friday - 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Saturday - 9:00 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Observation of Religious Holidays By Students
In accordance with the University System of Georgia policies and procedures, Georgia Gwinnett College provides students the option of observing religious holidays unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the college. Students who miss class to observe a religious holiday during scheduled class times must make arrangements in advance with the faculty member. Faculty should be sensitive to the student issues regarding religious holidays and are encouraged to provide an alternative option for making up class work.
This policy is aligned with that of the USG Academic Affairs Handbook, Section 2.1, “Semester System, Uniform Academic Calendar, Cancellation of Classes, and Religious Holidays.” An excerpt dealing with the observance of religious holidays by students is provided below:
Religious Holiday Schedule
Decisions as to which religious holidays are covered by institutional policy are left to the discretion of individual USG institutions since the characteristics of the student body and faculty may vary considerably among institutions.
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