▁and ▁health ▁system ▁was ▁complete , ▁the ▁University ▁System ▁of ▁Georgia ▁( US G ) ▁Board ▁of ▁Reg ents ▁( B OR ) ▁approved ▁the ▁cons olid ation ▁of ▁G H SU ▁and ▁August a ▁State ▁University , ▁and ▁Az z iz ▁was ▁selected ▁found ing ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁resulting ▁new ▁university . ▁The ▁joining ▁of ▁a ▁primarily ▁gradu ate ▁and ▁professional ▁level ▁research ▁university ▁with ▁select ive ▁adm issions ▁standards ▁with ▁a ▁primarily ▁under grad uate ▁level ▁university ▁with ▁an ▁access ▁mission ▁was ▁described ▁as ▁" one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁complex ▁cons olid ations ▁undert aken ▁in ▁[ Ge org ia ], ▁... ▁if ▁not ▁in ▁the ▁country ." ▁ ▁The ▁US G ▁B OR ▁identified ▁am bit ious ▁goals ▁for ▁the ▁new ▁university : ▁to ▁increase ▁opportun ities ▁to ▁raise ▁education ▁att ain ment ▁levels ; ▁improve ▁access ibility , ▁regional ▁identity , ▁and ▁compatibility ; ▁avoid ▁dup lication ▁of ▁academic ▁programs , ▁while ▁optim izing ▁access ▁to ▁instruction ; ▁create ▁significant ▁potential ▁for ▁econom ies ▁of ▁scale ▁and ▁scope ; ▁enh ance ▁regional ▁economic ▁development ; ▁and ▁stream line ▁administrative ▁services , ▁while ▁maintain ing ▁or ▁impro ving ▁service ▁level ▁and ▁quality . ▁On ▁January ▁ 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁the ▁US G ▁B OR ▁approved ▁the ▁cons olid ation ▁of ▁G H SU ▁and ▁August a ▁State ▁University ▁to ▁create ▁Georgia ▁Reg ents ▁University ▁( GR U ). ▁ ▁Upon ▁cons olid ation , ▁GR U ▁became ▁Georgia ' s ▁new est ▁compreh ensive ▁research ▁university