Valdosta State University history

However, no funds were appropriated for it until 1911 when the state allocated $25,000.

The school opened as South Georgia State Normal College (SGSNC) in January 1913, with three college freshmen and 15 sub freshmen.

Professor George was also the long-time director of the Mary Turner Project, a program dedicated to raising awareness of the 1918 lynching spree in Lowndes County which included the death of Mary Turner.

In 1922, the school became a four-year college and the legislature changed the name to Georgia State Women's College

In 1926, the Alumnae Association of Georgia State Womans College, formerly South Georgia State Normal College, held a "Ceremonial of Being Glad for our College" as part of the first Thanksgiving Homecoming.

Doctor Frank Robertson Reade assumed the job of acting president in 1934 and on Doctor Pound's death became president.

Doctor Reade served until 1948, he was followed by Doctor Ralph Thaxton, who came from the University of Georgia, where he had served as professor, Dean, Director of Admissions, and Registrar.

Soon after Doctor Thaxton began his service, the Board of Regents, acting on the advice of a committee which had examined the whole University of Georgia System, declared that in 1950 GSWC was to become a co-educational – Valdosta State College (VSC).

In 1953 VSC acquired the property of the former Emory Jr.

Doctor Thaxton retired in 1966, and Doctor S. Walter Martin, former president of Emory University and Vice Chancellor of the University System of Georgia, assumed the presidency.

Valdosta's Project Change, one of only four such programs set up in the nation was established in 1991 in order to help combat friction between different racial and ethnic groups.

In fall 1998, Valdosta State University adopted the semester system, along with other units of the University System of Georgia.

In December 2001 Hugh Bailey retired after twenty-three years as president of VSU. He was succeeded by Ronald M. Zaccari, former president of West Liberty State College in West Virginia.

In January 2002, Doctor Ronald M. Zaccari assumed the post and during his time in office VSU updated its infrastructure to accommodate student population growth, including the construction of four new dormitories and two parking decks.

In 2003 VSU offered a total of fifty undergraduate majors, twenty-three master's degrees, nine educational specialist degrees, and doctorates in education.

Doctor Patrick J. Schloss became the President of VSU in 2008 and was in office during the opening of a new Student Health Center, Georgia Residence Hall, and Student Union.

The September 8, 2010 edition of the Valdosta Daily Times noted that Hayden Barnes won his legal battle against past university president Doctor Ronald Zaccari.

Doctor William J. McKinney was announced as the new VSU president in 2012.

In June 2014, George had sent a similar open letter to Governor Nathan Deal and all of the state legislatures through his university email account.

In late January 2015, the independent investigation announced that President McKinney did no wrong regarding Mark George.

To accomplish this initiative and many others, VSU created the Division of Student Success in Spring 2017 and hired Doctor Rodney Carr as the Vice President for Student Success in Summer 2017.

The faculty-led task force was formed in Fall 2018 and immediately began examining current VSU practices and considering recommendations for specific High Impact Practices (HIPs) that the University should implement.