Mercer board endorses Underwood as chancellor, approves new student center for Macon campus

The board also approved the demolition of the Connell Student Center to make way for a new facility to serve students in Macon.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Mercer University’s Board of Trustees has endorsed the appointment of former President William D. Underwood as chancellor and approved plans for a new student center on the Macon campus, according to a news release from Mercer University.

The board also approved the demolition of the Connell Student Center to make way for a new facility to serve students in Macon.

President Dr. Penny L. Elkins, who took office as the university’s 19th president on Jan. 1, recommended Underwood for the role. The board unanimously endorsed the recommendation. Underwood currently holds the Tommy Malone Distinguished Chair in Trial Advocacy at Mercer Law School.

Elkins also recommended naming former President and Chancellor Dr. R. Kirby Godsey as chancellor emeritus, which the board unanimously approved.

She noted both roles are honorific and non-executive but can support university efforts, particularly fundraising.

“I am deeply grateful to both former presidents for their willingness to serve in these capacities,” President Elkins said. “Combined, they led the University for almost 50 years, and their wisdom, experience and relationships with Mercer constituents are an enormous resource to the Office of the President. I look forward to continuing to work with both of them to expand Mercer’s impact.”

In recognition of Underwood’s contributions, trustees also approved naming the new School of Medicine campus in Macon the William D. Underwood School of Medicine Campus. The facility will be located on Riverside Drive in downtown Macon.

Construction on the $100 million project is expected to begin this summer as part of a larger $400 million public-private development that will include loft apartments, offices, retail space and a new convention center.

The board also approved the creation of the Bill and Lesli Underwood Center for Global Impact, which will house the Mercer On Mission program and other international initiatives. The center will be based on the Macon campus but will serve all university campuses.

“Among the legacies that Bill and Lesli Underwood have left are an expansion of Mercer’s global impact through programs like Mercer On Mission and a more robust study abroad program, as well as a significant expansion of medical education and access to high-quality health care across the state,” President Elkins said. “The naming of these two important units of the University will appropriately honor their contributions, which will be felt for generations to come.”

“The opportunity and responsibility of serving Mercer has been the highlight of my career,” Underwood said. “I’m grateful for the many talented people I’ve worked with at the University, and I’m thankful to the trustees and President Elkins for their support of Lesli and me. It is deeply humbling.”

Trustees also approved plans to demolish the Connell Student Center, which was completed in the 1950s. The building will permanently close May 15 and is expected to be removed over the summer. Construction on a new student center is scheduled to begin in early 2027.

The new facility, part of the Building for BEARS (Belong, Engage, Aspire, Relax and Savor) project, will include a dining facility, gathering and meeting spaces, and Student Affairs offices. Additional information, including temporary relocations for services and offices, will be shared with the campus community in the coming days.

In other action, the board approved a record $337 million operating budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year, excluding federal research grants. The budget represents a 5.3% increase over the current $320 million operating budget.

Trustees also voted to limit tuition increases for Macon undergraduate programs to 3.5% for the 2026-27 academic year, continuing a trend of below-market increases. Several programs, including the School of Medicine, School of Theology, College of Pharmacy and School of Music, will see no tuition increase, while law students will see a 2.5% increase. Most other programs will see increases ranging from 1% to 3.7%.