IPST and Georgia Tech consider joining forces.

Jim Ferris, president of the Institute of Paper Science and Technology [IPST], recently announced that the Institute was studying the possibility of merging with Georgia Institute of Technology [GIT]. The growing relationships between IPST and Georgia Tech and changes within the paper industry led to discussions about the wisdom of considering an alternative structure for the relationship between the two institutions. Ferris explains, "IPST has been a private graduate school since 1929 with a long and proud history of service to, and support from, the U.S. paper industry. However, our industry is going through unprecedented change brought on by rapid consolidation and globalization. Of the 53 member companies that supported IPST in 1998, 15 have been involved in mergers and another four are currently in the final process of merging.

"Most every merger reduces the future revenue of the Institute and we expect the rate of mergers to continue or increase further," he continued. "As a result, the IPST Board of Trustees has asked us to explore the potential for merging IPST with Georgia Tech."

The study of a possible merger has been sanctioned by the Chancellor of the University System of Georgia and the Board of Trustees of IPST. In response to this directive, an IPST/Georgia Tech task force to study the merger option has been created to consider issues that would have to be resolved, and recommend a proposed framework that would lead to long-term success for an IPST within Georgia Tech. Chaired by Charles Liotta, vice provost for Research and dean of Graduate Studies at GIT, the task force will include faculty and administrators from both Institutions.