The University

Overview

The University of West Georgia is a coeducational, residential, liberal arts institution located in Carrollton. A state university in the University System of Georgia, it enrolls students from most counties in Georgia as well as from other states and many foreign countries. 

The University is situated on the western side of Carrollton, the county seat of Carroll County and one of Georgia’s fastest growing industrial areas. Carrollton, an hour’s drive from Atlanta, serves a regional population of more than 114,500 as a center for retail shopping, medical and educational services, entertainment and recreational activities, and financial services.

History

The University of West Georgia originated in 1906, the date of the founding of the Fourth District Agricultural and Mechanical School, one of 12 such institutions established by the State of Georgia between 1906 and 1917. Twenty-five years later, Carrollton’s A&M School became West Georgia College, a junior college established by an act of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. Dr. Irvine S. Ingram, who had been principal of the A&M School, was named the institution’s first president.

In 1939, the College was authorized by the Board of Regents to add a three-year program in elementary education. In 1957, the institution was authorized to confer the B.S. degree in education, making it a four-year senior college unit of the University System of Georgia. Two years later, West Georgia College added the Bachelor of Arts degree in the fields of English, history, and mathematics.

During the following years, West Georgia College became one of the fastest growing institutions of higher learning in the South. From an enrollment of 576 in 1957, the institution’s student body now numbers 13,238.

In 1967, the Board of Regents authorized the initiation of a graduate program at the master’s level.

In 1983, the Board of Regents approved the External Degree Program as a cooperative effort between Dalton College and West Georgia. Since its inception, close to 400 degrees have been conferred through the center.

The Board of Regents in 1988 approved opening UWG Newnan, a joint effort involving the Newnan-Coweta Chamber of Commerce and other business, civic, and educational leaders in the area. In 2013, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia voted to approve the acquisition of the real property at 80 W. Jackson Street, the site of the historic Newnan Hospital facility. UWG began serving students from this new site in summer 2015. With an enrollment of just under 1,000 students, UWG Newnan provides a core curriculum, as well as full bachelor and master’s programs, and dual enrollment for high school students.

In June 1996, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia awarded the institution university status and officially changed the name of West Georgia College to the State University of West Georgia, and in 2005 it became the University of West Georgia.

The University has seen significant growth in recent years. Two phases of residential housing provide variety to on-campus students including the apartment-style Center Pointe Suites, the Oaks and the East Village Dining Hall, and Bowdon Hall. The Campus Center (student recreational facility), University Bookstore, and the Visual Arts Building provide more access to students, while the Coliseum and the Athletic Operations Building offer space for UWG’s expanding Athletics program. The gross asset value of the University’s facilities is proximately $300 million. The University has grown to nearly 645 acres.

Accreditations and Affiliations

The University of West Georgia is accredited with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate, masters, education specialist, and doctorate degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of the University of West Georgia.

The purpose of publishing the Commission’s address and contact numbers is to enable interested constituents (1) to learn about the accreditation status of the institution, (2) to file a third-party comment at the time of the institution’s decennial review, or (3) to file a complaint against the institution for alleged non-compliance with a standard or requirement. However, normal inquiries about the institution, such as admission requirements, financial aid, educational programs, etc., should be addressed directly to the institution and not to the Commission’s office.

Accreditations also include the following:

Organizations in which the University holds institutional membership include the American Council on Education, the American Chemical Society, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, the Council on Adult and Experiential Learning, the Council for Undergraduate Research, the National Association for Business Teacher Education, the National Association of Fellowships Advisors and the National Collegiate Honors Council.

The Campus

The University of West Georgia’s award winning campus is a unique blend of old and new. Boasting abundant trees, shrubs, and flowers, the campus is dotted with structures of the early 1900s as well as buildings exemplifying the most contemporary modes of architecture.

Front Campus Drive - a three-block-long expanse of rolling hills shaded by scores of towering oak, elm, and maple trees, features historic structures such as Kennedy Interfaith Chapel and Bonner House, two of the oldest buildings on campus. In 1964, after the Chapel was moved to the campus, the late Robert F. Kennedy dedicated it to the memory of his brother, the late President John F. Kennedy. The Bonner House, constructed in 1843 as a plantation home, is the oldest building on campus. The frame colonial structure has served various purposes through the years.

A modern academic complex composed of a renovated library, the Technology-enhanced Learning Center (TLC), as well as social science, humanities and math-physics buildings lies beyond Front Campus Drive. Other buildings in the area include the Richards College of Business; the three-story University Community Center; the Campus Center, which boasts a full gym, indoor track, and rock-climbing wall; the Townsend Center for Performing Arts; the Tanner Health System School of Nursing; the Biology Building; and the Visual Arts Building.

UWG also features some of the region’s most impressive athletic facilities. The Coliseum, with a capacity of 6,500 for athletic events, has hosted concerts, graduations and community events.

University Stadium, a 9,500-seat home to UWG football, anchors the university’s Athletic Complex. There are also football and soccer practice fields, as well as the Women’s Complex, which features competition soccer and softball fields.

The Village and suite-and apartment-style residence halls offer comfortable and convenient living options for students on campus. The most recent additions include Center Pointe Suites and The Oaks residential community.

The UWG Bookstore, conveniently located across the street from both the TLC and the Village, offers textbooks, spirit wear, snacks, and more.

The Tanner Health System School of Nursing building features state-of-the-art equipment in 64,000 square feet of technology-equipped space.

UWG recently completed a $24-million renovation and expansion of its Biology Building and constructed a new student health center that is twice the size of the previous facility.  The University is in the construction stages for a new building to house the Richards College of Business, Richards Hall.

Irvine Sullivan Ingram Library

https://www.westga.edu/library/

Ingram Library is located in the center of campus and offers four floors with varying noise levels - from social to quiet - with group study rooms and other collaborative work areas, instructional spaces, soft seating for study, a lactation room, and a Starbucks. Computers and an array of equipment to support student learning and production are available for check-out.

Ingram Library provides online and onsite collections and services to meet the research and educational needs of the UWG community. Library users have access to an extensive range of electronic and print materials selected to support the University’s academic programs, to University System of Georgia resources through GIL (GALILEO Interconnected Libraries) Express, and to an academic version of GALILEO which is an online library of databases, full-text electronic journals, and reference resources. In addition, the Library’s Resource Sharing department provides users with access to materials  through a global network of libraries and institutions. Ingram Library is also a depository for federal documents, housing a collection of United States government publications. The University is a member of the Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education (ARCHE), which allows students, faculty, and staff to utilize the resources of other member libraries in the Atlanta area. Special Collections in Ingram Library includes archival collections, rare books, and other unique materials. Its mission is to gather, preserve, and publicly share primary sources to advance teaching, learning, scholarship, and community engagement in service to the University of West Georgia, regional community, scholars, and members of the general public.

Onsite and online library faculty and staff assist students in the research process and help connect them to research materials and collections. This includes working with students to increase their information literacy skills and to help them effectively engage with relevant information resources. The library provides a variety of learning pathways, including the credit-bearing course LIBR 2100 - Information Literacy and Research   and course or topic-specific workshops.

Thomas B. Murphy Holocaust Teacher Education Training and Resource Center

The Thomas B. Murphy Holocaust Teacher Education Training and Resource Center, on the second floor of Ingram Library, is the only Holocaust center in the United States devoted to teacher training located in a state-supported institution. The Center is administered by the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust. With the study of the Holocaust as a catalyst, the Center encourages and supports human understanding and dignity by developing programs to open minds and hearts to the appreciation of all of humankind. The Center’s multimedia resource collection includes books, videotapes and archival and electronic materials, augmented by resources available within the collections of Ingram Library. Working collaboratively with academic departments and state and regional organizations, the Center provides curriculum development assistance, teacher conferences, staff development seminars, exhibits, and other programs.

Information Technology Services

http://www.westga.edu/its/

Information Technology Services’ (ITS) central office and Service Desk are located on the 2nd Floor of Cobb Hall on Front Campus Drive.  TechWest (Student Information Technology Services), is located on the first floor of Ingram Library.  Tech West provides IT assistance and support for current students’ personal computers and mobile devices.

ITS provides technology leadership and support to all areas of the University community. ITS offers a wide variety of technical services from the support of your University student account to the planning and maintenance of the campus technology infrastructure. This includes:

• The campus wireless network (SecureWest)

• computer labs

• classroom technology

• collaborative services and email powered by Google

• Microsoft 365

• OneLogin Protect, and

• Banner - the student information system

Office of Education Abroad

UWG’s Office of Education Abroad provides advising and support for all students who are interested in learning more about making study abroad a part of their degree programs. Located on the first floor of Mandeville Hall, the office helps students identify appropriate education abroad programs from those offered by UWG departments, by the University System of Georgia, and by our institutional exchange partners. It also provides counseling on preparation for travel, course selection, and ways to finance study abroad. In addition to help for students, the office assists academic units interested in developing partnerships with universities around the world. Services for faculty include guidance for those interested in developing study abroad programs relevant to their disciplines and support for those interested in sponsoring visiting scholars from abroad. The office sponsors activities and workshops for students and faculty related to education abroad and campus internationalization.

The Antonio J. Waring, Jr. Archaeological Laboratory

http://waring.westga.edu

The Antonio J. Waring, Jr. Archaeological Laboratory is a unique facility within Georgia. As part of the University’s Anthropology Department, it holds a large collection of historic and prehistoric artifacts from archaeological sites all across Georgia. The collections curated here for governmental and private agencies provide essential research data for the West Georgia faculty, as well as for visiting scholars from across the country, and also offer undergraduate students at West Georgia special opportunities for academic training and research experience. Anthropology majors and other undergraduate students are encouraged to enrich their academic experience through laboratory and field research methods courses in which they participate directly in active research projects under the direction and supervision of archaeologists on the faculty at the University. Once they receive basic instruction, many students also elect to participate in sponsored archaeological projects as undergraduate research assistants.

The University of West Georgia Alumni Association

Graduates of the University of West Georgia constitute the largest single constituency and represent the most valuable resource for the University. Membership in the Alumni Association is open to all former students of the University of West Georgia, the State University of West Georgia, West Georgia College, or the Fourth District Agricultural and Mechanical School. A volunteer-driven 36-member Board of Directors works closely with the professional staff to develop and support opportunities that steward the relationships between alumni and the University. The Association informs alumni of institutional plans, progress, opportunities, and needs.

Through the Alumni Relations and Annual Giving department, communication with alumni is achieved through the Alumni Den, email and mailed communications, and the Forever West digital monthly newsletter. Major activities sponsored by the Alumni Association include Alumni Weekend, Homecoming, local/regional/national events, CDI Alumni Annual Roundtable, and many other reunions and special events that involve thousands of alumni each year.

The University of West Georgia Foundation

The University of West Georgia Foundation, Inc. (Foundation) is a Georgia charitable corporation. It receives and manages private contributions (gifts) made for the benefit of the University of West Georgia. The Foundation has been recognized as an organization exempt from Federal Income Tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and gifts to the Foundation are deductible as provided for in section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code. The Foundation encourages both restricted (specific purpose) and unrestricted (general use) gifts from donors.

The University of West Georgia Athletic Foundation

The University of West Georgia Athletic Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization that strives to support a preeminent intercollegiate athletics program at the University of West Georgia by providing student athletes the opportunity to achieve excellence in academics, community service, and athletic competition.