Students at the University of Georgia could soon have a new “one-stop shop” for a variety of important services ranging from registration to financial aid to housing, offering easier access and more streamlined support throughout their time at the university.
As part of ongoing efforts to enhance the student experience on campus, the new service model would offer UGA students one centralized place—most likely virtual or hybrid, but also with a physical component—to learn about the services they need, such as class registration, tuition/fees, financial aid, meal plans and housing, from the time they submit their application through graduation and beyond.
“I was very pleased that Niche recently ranked the University of Georgia second among colleges and universities with the best student life in America, but we are constantly looking for ways to improve the student experience,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “We want to make a large research university seem less bureaucratic and more student-friendly. Having one place for students to learn about the services they may need while on campus provides convenience and can eliminate frustration with not contacting the right office the first time.”
Morehead appointed 10 UGA leaders from across campus to a cross-functional task force charged with strategizing how to operationalize the various services under a “one-stop shop” model. Their goal is to provide a preliminary report of findings and recommendations by Dec. 20.
Chaired by Michelle Cook, Senior Vice Provost for Diversity and Inclusion and Strategic University Initiatives, the members of the Task Force on Student Support and Services include:
- Eric Atkinson, Associate Vice President, Student Affairs
- Tim Chester, Vice President for Information Technology
- Bryson Henriott, President of the UGA Student Government Association
- Brett Jackson, Associate Vice President for Auxiliary Services and UGA Foundation Chief Financial Officer
- Linda Kasper, Executive Director of University Housing
- Lisa McCleary, Senior Director, Bursar and Treasury Services
- Marisa Pagnattaro, Vice President for Instruction
- Alton Standifer, Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the President
- Scott Williams, Executive Director, UGA Career Center
By utilizing a flat rate tuition model and eliminating course and lab fees which are prevalent at many other institutions, UGA already has taken key steps to reduce costs and complexity for students in areas in which they may have questions.
