In addition, the Governor has significant influence over the amount of money that higher education receives during the budget process. A long-time university administrator said that when Georgia has had a Governor that understood higher education, things have happened. Many attributed Miller's experience as a college professor before entering politics as one reason that he has been so supportive of higher education. His second inaugural speech focused exclusively on education issues. This commitment is most evident in his designation of lottery funds to education, and specifically through his creation of the HOPE scholarship program, which has now become a model for a national scholarship effort.
All seats are up for reelection every two years.
The General Assembly is in session 40 days every year. According to one respondent, the high turnover of legislators over the last four to six years has left no towering figures for higher education in the General Assembly. In general, however, the Assembly was described as supportive of higher education. The key positions in the General Assembly for higher education, according to one legislative staff member, include the Speaker of the House, the Lieutenant Governor, the chairs of the Appropriations Committees, and the chairs of the Higher Education Committees. At the time of our visit there was a good relationship between the University System of Georgia and the General Assembly, and reportedly good communication between the chancellor of the University System and the key legislators.