University System of Georgia (USG) Chancellor Sonny Perdue revealed that Dr. Ashwani Monga, currently the Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer for USG, will assume the role of interim president at the University of West Georgia (UWG) beginning on August 19. This appointment follows UWG President Brendan B. Kelly’s announcement in June that he will become president of the Arkansas State University System, overseeing seven institutions. The leadership transition will begin prior to Kelly’s departure at the end of August.
Chancellor Perdue expressed gratitude to Dr. Monga for stepping into this interim role during a pivotal time. He highlighted Monga’s prior administrative experience at Rutgers University and his academic leadership within USG over the past two years as key assets that will bring stability and strategic insight to UWG as the search for a permanent president commences.
Dr. Monga will resume his position as executive vice chancellor at USG once the search for UWG’s new president concludes. In his role as USG’s chief academic officer, Monga oversees various system-wide initiatives, including academic programs, enrollment management, student affairs, student success, faculty research, and several state-wide educational services such as the Georgia Film Academy and the Georgia Public Library Service. He also holds a faculty position at the Scheller College of Business at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Dr. Monga expressed his gratitude to Chancellor Perdue for the trust placed in him to lead UWG during this interim period. He acknowledged the significant work done by President Kelly and expressed his eagerness to collaborate with UWG’s faculty and staff to continue advancing the university’s mission and supporting student success.
Before joining USG, Dr. Monga served as provost and executive vice chancellor at Rutgers University—Newark, where he was the chief academic officer. He has also held teaching positions at the University of Minnesota, University of Texas at San Antonio, Koç University in Turkey, and the University of South Carolina. Dr. Monga has made significant contributions to research in consumer behavior, with a particular focus on the psychology of time and money. His work has been extensively published in top marketing journals, and he is also the co-author of the book “Becoming a Consumer Psychologist.”
Dr. Monga’s academic credentials include a Ph.D. in business administration, specializing in marketing with minors in psychology and statistics, from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. He also holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad, India, and a Bachelor of Technology degree from the National Dairy Research Institute in Karnal, India.
