University System of Georgia (USG) Chancellor Sonny Perdue today named USG’s Chief Operating Officer Teresa MacCartney as interim president of Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW), upon the departure of President Neal Weaver this May.

Weaver announced he would be stepping down May 10 after nearly seven years. He was named president of Stephen F. Austin University in Texas by the University of Texas System on March 18.

The leadership transition between MacCartney and Weaver will begin prior to his departure.

“Georgia Southwestern State University experienced record enrollment under President Weaver’s leadership, and we wish him continued success in Texas,” Perdue said. “We’re grateful to Teresa for temporarily stepping into this role and know the university will keep thriving in the interim. As an integral part of the university system’s leadership team, she’ll provide deep institutional knowledge and consistency while we consider next steps.”

As COO, MacCartney currently oversees the system’s overall operations for all 26 of USG’s public colleges and universities. This includes defining and evaluating solutions for USG objectives in the departments of Information Technology, Cybersecurity, Real Estate and Facilities, Legal Affairs, Human Resources, Safety and Security, Leadership and Institutional Development as well as Strategic Implementation.

MacCartney previously served as USG’s executive vice chancellor for administration (2019-2021) and as acting chancellor (2021-2022).

“I’m grateful for Chancellor Perdue’s confidence in me and am looking forward to being on campus and working with GSW’s outstanding faculty, staff and students,” MacCartney said. “As someone who grew up in Cairo, I am very familiar with this region. It is an honor to help guide GSW during this transition and continue the initiatives that have made it one of the top universities in the South.”

Before joining USG, MacCartney served as Georgia’s chief financial officer as well as executive director of the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget. She has held a number of other leadership roles throughout state government, including with the Georgia Student Finance Commission and the Georgia Department of Education. In the past, she has served on various boards including as chairman of Leadership Georgia and on the Board of Directors of the Georgia Lottery Corporation. Currently, she serves on the board of the Georgia Higher Education Facilities Authority.

MacCartney earned both a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a Master of Public Administration degree from Georgia Southern University. She lives in Cobb County with her two children, William, a high school junior, and Brooke, a senior who will attend the University of Georgia in the fall.

About GSW

Georgia Southwestern State University is a state university located in historic Americus, Georgia. The undergraduate and graduate degree offering institution is ranked as one of the most affordable colleges in the nation. GSW enrolls over 3,400 students and boasts a 16:1 student-teacher ratio with an institutional focus on academic success. For the last three years, GSW was voted the “best place to work” in Sumter County, and counts among distinguished alumni the late Griffin Bell, former U.S. attorney general, the late former First Lady Rosalynn Carter and former U.S. president and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Jimmy Carter.