President of Savannah State University
Encyclopedia
The President of Savannah State University
is the chief operating officer of the university. The position is sometimes called the chancellor
or rector
, at other American
college
s and universities
.
There have been twelve presidents and six acting presidents in the history of Savannah State University.
Savannah State University
Savannah State University is a four-year, state-supported, historically black university located in Savannah, Georgia. Savannah State holds the distinction as the oldest public historically black university in Georgia...
is the chief operating officer of the university. The position is sometimes called the chancellor
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
or rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
, at other American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
s and universities
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
.
Current president
The current acting president of Savannah State University is Dr. Cheryl Davenport Dozier who has held the position since May 9, 2011.List of the presidents of Savannah State University
| Richard R. Wright Richard R. Wright Richard Robert Wright, Sr. was an American military officer, educator and college president, politician, civil rights advocate and banking entrepreneur. Among his many accomplishments, he founded a high school, a college and a bank... |
1891–1921 |
| Cyrus G. Wiley Cyrus G. Wiley Cyrus Gilbert Wiley served as president of Georgia State Industrial College for Colored Youth from 1921 and until 1926 succeeding Richard R. Wright.-President:... |
1921–1926 |
| Benjamin F. Hubert Benjamin F. Hubert Benjamin Franklin Hubert served as president of Georgia State Industrial College for Colored Youth and Georgia State College from 1926 until 1947.-President:... |
1926–1947 |
| James A. Colston James A. Colston James A. Colston became the first African-American to serve as president of a college in the state of New York and was among the first to lead a predominately white college when he was named president of the Bronx Community College in 1966.Dr... |
1947–1949 |
| Timothy Meyers | 1949 |
| William K. Payne William K. Payne William Kenneth Payne served as president of Georgia State College from 1949 until his death in 1963.-Early career:... |
1949–1963 |
| Howard Jordan Jr. Howard Jordan Jr. Howard Jordan, Jr. served as president of Savannah State College from 1963 and until 1971.-Biography:... |
1963–1971 |
| Prince A. Jackson Jr. Prince A. Jackson Jr. Prince Albert Jackson, Jr. served as president of Savannah State College . During the 1970s, he collaborated with the University System of Georgia and Armstrong State College in Savannah to develop an integration plan between the formerly all-white Armstrong State and Georgia State, a... |
1971–1978 |
| Clyde W. Hall | 1978–1980 |
| Wendell G. Rayburn Wendell G. Rayburn Dr. Wendell Gilbert Rayburn served as president of Savannah State College from 1980 and until 1988.-President:Dr. Rayburn was the eighth president of Savannah State College.... |
1980–1988 |
| Wiley S. Bolden | 1988–1989 |
| William E. Gardner Jr. William E. Gardner Jr. William E. Gardner, Jr. served as president of Savannah State College from 1989 until 1991.-Biography:... |
1989–1991 |
| Annette K. Brock | 1991–1993 |
| John T. Wolfe Jr. John T. Wolfe Jr. Dr. John T. Wolfe Jr. served as president of Savannah State College from 1993 until 1997.-Education:Wolfe graduated from St.Philip Basilica High School in Chicago, Illinois in 1960. He earned a BS.Ed. from Chicago Teachers College in Chicago in 1964. In 1972 he earned a M.S. in English Education... |
1993–1997 |
| Carlton E. Brown Carlton E. Brown Carlton E. Brown is president of Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia, a position he assumed on August 1, 2008. He served as president of Savannah State University from July 1, 1997 until December 31, 2006.-Education:... |
1997–2006 |
| Julius Scott | 2007 |
| Earl G. Yarbrough Sr. Earl G. Yarbrough Dr. Earl Glenn Yarbrough Sr. is the president of the Savannah State University since May 30, 2007.-Education:A native of Wichita, Kansas, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in industrial education from Wichita State University in 1969... |
2007–2011 |
| Cheryl Davenport Dozier | 2011 |
There have been twelve presidents and six acting presidents in the history of Savannah State University.
- Richard R. WrightRichard R. WrightRichard Robert Wright, Sr. was an American military officer, educator and college president, politician, civil rights advocate and banking entrepreneur. Among his many accomplishments, he founded a high school, a college and a bank...
(1891–1921)
An American military officer, educator, politician, civil rights advocate, and banking entrepreneur, who served as president from 1891 to 1921. During this term as president enrollment increased from the original 8 students to more than 400 and the curriculum was expanded.
- Cyrus G. WileyCyrus G. WileyCyrus Gilbert Wiley served as president of Georgia State Industrial College for Colored Youth from 1921 and until 1926 succeeding Richard R. Wright.-President:...
(1921–1926)
Wiley was a 1902 graduate of Georgia State Industrial College for Colored Youth. During his term as president the first female students were admitted as boarding students on the campus.
- Benjamin F. HubertBenjamin F. HubertBenjamin Franklin Hubert served as president of Georgia State Industrial College for Colored Youth and Georgia State College from 1926 until 1947.-President:...
(1926–1947)
During his tenure as president the college became a full-time degree granting institution (1928).
- James A. ColstonJames A. ColstonJames A. Colston became the first African-American to serve as president of a college in the state of New York and was among the first to lead a predominately white college when he was named president of the Bronx Community College in 1966.Dr...
(1947–1949)
During his term as president Savannah State became accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)Southern Association of Colleges and SchoolsThe Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
. and the college’s land-grant status was transferred to Fort Valley State CollegeFort Valley State UniversityFort Valley State University is a historically black university located in Fort Valley, Georgia. It is also a unit of the University System of Georgia and a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund...
(1949).
- Timothy Meyers (1949)
Acting President
- William K. PayneWilliam K. PayneWilliam Kenneth Payne served as president of Georgia State College from 1949 until his death in 1963.-Early career:...
(1949–1963)
The college received its first accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and SchoolsSouthern Association of Colleges and SchoolsThe Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
and the name was changed to Savannah State College during his tenure.
- Howard Jordan Jr.Howard Jordan Jr.Howard Jordan, Jr. served as president of Savannah State College from 1963 and until 1971.-Biography:...
(1963–1971)
The first master's degree program was developed at a Savannah college during his tenure.
- Prince A. Jackson Jr.Prince A. Jackson Jr.Prince Albert Jackson, Jr. served as president of Savannah State College . During the 1970s, he collaborated with the University System of Georgia and Armstrong State College in Savannah to develop an integration plan between the formerly all-white Armstrong State and Georgia State, a...
(1971–1978)
As the second alumnus to become president of Savannah State (Cyrus G. WileyCyrus G. WileyCyrus Gilbert Wiley served as president of Georgia State Industrial College for Colored Youth from 1921 and until 1926 succeeding Richard R. Wright.-President:...
was the first), he was responsible for the establishment of the Naval Reserve Officer Training CorpsNaval Reserve Officer Training CorpsThe Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program is a college-based, commissioned officer training program of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps.-Origins:...
and WHCJ at Savannah State, and the institutionalization of the Title III program.
- Clyde W. Hall (1978–1980)
Acting President
- Wendell G. RayburnWendell G. RayburnDr. Wendell Gilbert Rayburn served as president of Savannah State College from 1980 and until 1988.-President:Dr. Rayburn was the eighth president of Savannah State College....
(1980–1988)
His administration implemented the Desegregation Plan mandated by the Georgia Board of RegentsGeorgia Board of RegentsThe Georgia Board of Regents oversees the University System of Georgia as part of the state government of Georgia in the United States. The University System of Georgia is composed of all state public institutions of higher education.-History:...
and he led the institution through the first major building program since the 1970s.
- Wiley S. Bolden (1988–1989)
Acting President
- William E. Gardner Jr.William E. Gardner Jr.William E. Gardner, Jr. served as president of Savannah State College from 1989 until 1991.-Biography:...
(1989–1991)
His tenure as president saw unprecedented enrollment growth (13 percent) for the college and he successfully led the College to SACSSouthern Association of Colleges and SchoolsThe Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
accreditation. Additionally, he developed a plan to reestablish a teacher certification program at the college.
- Annette K. Brock (1991–1993)
Acting President
- John T. Wolfe Jr.John T. Wolfe Jr.Dr. John T. Wolfe Jr. served as president of Savannah State College from 1993 until 1997.-Education:Wolfe graduated from St.Philip Basilica High School in Chicago, Illinois in 1960. He earned a BS.Ed. from Chicago Teachers College in Chicago in 1964. In 1972 he earned a M.S. in English Education...
(1993–1997)
During his tenure the Board of Regents of the University System of GeorgiaUniversity System of GeorgiaThe University System of Georgia is the organizational body that includes 35 public institutions of higher learning in the U.S. state of Georgia. The System is governed by the Georgia Board of Regents. It sets goals and dictates general policy to educational institutions as well as administering...
granted the school university status (1996) and the institution was renamed Savannah State UniversitySavannah State UniversitySavannah State University is a four-year, state-supported, historically black university located in Savannah, Georgia. Savannah State holds the distinction as the oldest public historically black university in Georgia...
(1996).
- Carlton E. BrownCarlton E. BrownCarlton E. Brown is president of Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia, a position he assumed on August 1, 2008. He served as president of Savannah State University from July 1, 1997 until December 31, 2006.-Education:...
(1997–2006)
The eleventh president of Savannah State University.
- Julius Scott (2007)
Acting President
- Earl G. Yarbrough Sr.Earl G. YarbroughDr. Earl Glenn Yarbrough Sr. is the president of the Savannah State University since May 30, 2007.-Education:A native of Wichita, Kansas, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in industrial education from Wichita State University in 1969...
(2007–2011)
Former president of Savannah State University.
- Cheryl Davenport Dozier (2011–present)
Acting President