Georgia officials OK merger of historically black university

ATLANTA (AP) Albany State University, a historically black university in southwest Georgia, will merge with Darton State College.

The University System of Georgia's Board of Regents voted Tuesday to approve the consolidation. Chancellor Hank Huckaby says Albany State will remain a historically black college or university.

The proposal is the seventh consolidation within Georgia's public university system since 2011, when there were 36 schools in the university system. It's the first time a historically black institution has been affected.

The merged school will be named Albany State University. The former interim president of Albany State University will lead the new institution.

According to the system, Darton State College enrolled 5,471 students this fall, nearly 3 percent lower than last year. Albany State University enrolled 3,492 students, down 10 percent since last fall.