The Georgia Board of Regents voted without opposition Tuesday afternoon to name former two-term Gov. Sonny Perdue the chancellor of the state’s public university system.
The appointment concludes a contentious yearlong search process that divided many faculty members, students and some former regents members on the idea of putting Perdue at the head of the University System of Georgia, which includes the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, and Georgia State and Kennesaw State universities.
The chief criticism was Perdue lacks administrative experience in higher education. Supporters countered his stewardship of state government, along with serving four years as U.S. Agriculture Department secretary, made Perdue, a Republican, well-qualified for the job.
