President Jere W. Morehead began his tenure as the 22nd University of Georgia President on July 1, 2013.  Under his leadership, UGA has risen in the rankings of the best public colleges and universities and has completed a series of initiatives to enhance student learning and success, including a requirement for experiential learning for all undergraduates.

Additionally during President Morehead’s tenure, the University completed the most successful capital campaign in its history and established the UGA Innovation District, through which students and faculty partner with industry leaders to create products and enterprises that strengthen Georgia’s economy. UGA has increased its research expenditures by more than 50% over the past decade and has been ranked first or second in the U.S. for research-based products reaching the marketplace for the past seven years.

In keeping with his focus on student success, President Morehead launched the ALL Georgia program to support students from rural areas and created the Double Dawgs program, which enables students to save time and money by earning an undergraduate and graduate degree in five years or less. Demand for a UGA education has more than doubled during the past decade, with a record 43,000 applications submitted for a spot in the incoming Class of 2027.

President Morehead has served the University of Georgia for more than 35 years in both faculty and administrative roles. Before becoming President, he was Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost from 2010 to 2013. Prior to 2010, he held several key administrative assignments, including Vice President for Instruction, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Associate Provost and Director of the Honors Program, and acting Executive Director of Legal Affairs.

He is the Meigs Professor of Legal Studies in the Terry College of Business, where he has held a faculty appointment since 1986. He is a co-author of several books and book chapters, including The Legal and Regulatory Environment of Business, and he has published scholarly articles on legal topics ranging from export controls to jury selection. He has served as Editor-in-Chief of the American Business Law Journal.

President Morehead currently serves as Co-Chair of the University Leadership Forum, a national initiative led by the Council on Competitiveness. Additional service includes membership on the boards of the Georgia Research Alliance, Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, and Emory University Candler School of Theology.

He is President of the Southeastern Conference (SEC); Chair of the SEC Executive Committee; Chair of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Board of Directors; and a member of the NCAA Division I Administrative Committee, NCAA Board of Governors, and National Football Foundation Board of Trustees. He previously served on the NCAA’s Presidential Forum; Working Group on Name, Image, and Likeness; and Federal and State Legislation Working Group.

In 2021, he received the Chief Executive Leadership Award from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education District III for outstanding leadership and service in support of education. He has received several University-wide teaching awards, including the Josiah Meigs Award—UGA’s highest honor for teaching excellence, the Richard B. Russell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, the Teacher of the Year Award in the Terry College of Business, and the Lothar Tresp Outstanding Honors Professor Award. He also earned the UGA School of Law’s premier honor for alumni, the Distinguished Service Scroll Award.

President Morehead holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgia State University and a law degree from the University of Georgia.