2024 Georgia Faculty Survey

Majority of Georgia Faculty Won’t Recommend the State, More than a Quarter Consider Leaving, AAUP Survey Finds

A survey of Georgia faculty conducted by the Georgia conference of the American Association of University Professors reveals a deeply negative picture of the state of higher education in the Peach State. The survey of more than 750 faculty highlights the significant impact of political interference and changes to tenure on faculty recruitment and retention.

The survey showed a majority of respondents [56.6 percent] would not recommend the state to colleagues. More than 25 percent [25.3] of respondents say they applied for a higher education job in another state since 2022. Those who sought new jobs listed several states in which they applied, especially in the South. The top five locations for faculty seeking to leave include three in the region: New York, California, Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida. More than a quarter [25.2 percent] plan to apply in another state this coming year. About 30 percent [30.7] of respondents said they don’t plan to remain in academia long term. 

The top issue grounding a desire to leave was salary [67.6 percent]. About 50 percent [51] named academic freedom while just under 50 percent [47.5] named the state’s broad political climate. About a third noted changes to tenure policies and lack of shared governance. [The University System of Georgia has been under AAUP censure since 2022 due to the erasure of tenure rights.] About 30 percent noted DEI issues and about 20 percent noted reproductive/abortion access [20.5] and LGBTQ+ issues [18.7]. Respondents could choose more than one issue. 

Respondents also said they have noticed large impacts on hiring due to attacks on higher education and tenure policy changes. Just under half (49.4) of the respondents said the number of applications was down and (47.1) opined the quality of applications had decreased. More than 40 percent noted hesitancy in applicant interviews (42.6) and offer refusals (41.7). About 15 percent [16.5] knew of no impact on hiring and retention. 

Hundreds of respondents noted in response to an open-ended question specific impacts on their jobs from attacks on higher education. One respondent wrote: “The atmosphere of fear, intimidation, retaliation, disrespect for faculty, disregard for faculty prerogatives in curriculum design, etc., etc. all have a negative impact on all of us.” Another wrote: “Many colleagues – myself included – have pulled back considerably, in terms of their investment in the university.” Another wrote: “I feel demoralized about my work. I struggle with teaching future educators about the current political situation in GA with a sense of hope and possibilities. It is hard to teach about the current situation and not have them run away from education.”

The survey was part of a larger survey of faculty in 12 states across the South: Georgia, North Carolina, Florida, Virginia, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas. Georgia faculty responses mirror those by colleagues across the South. More than 2,850 faculty responded to the larger survey. A similar survey of Georgia faculty was conducted in 2023. 

The survey was conducted from August 12 to August 30. It was distributed by social media and email. Survey respondents in Georgia were 75 percent white and 50.7 percent female. The overwhelming majority of respondents were tenured or on track for tenure. More than 90 percent reported working at a public institution of higher education. 

These findings serve as a wake-up call for policymakers and administrators, emphasizing the urgent need to address the concerns raised by faculty members. Failure to do so may result in a significant exodus of faculty and a decline in the quality of higher education in these states.