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Monday, January 31, 2005
A UGA booster? Yes! A graduate? No
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Editor’s note: In a weak moment, Patti Ghezzi’s editor gave her a day off today (she helped cover the ice storm). But that doesn’t mean we won’t give readers their daily “Get Schooled” vitamin. This item was filed by assistant education editor Dana Tofig.
There’s little question that newly reappointed Regent Donald Leebern cares about the University of Georgia.
He’s publicly supported UGA’s current president, Michael Adams. He’s donated time and money to the university. And recently, he got in a little tepid water (not quite hot) for distributing bottles of wine with UGA logos all over them, a violation of state policy. Yes, Donald Leebern is a Bulldog.
But he’s a bulldog without a degree.
Late Friday, as most news organizations (including this one) were in a “here-comes-the-ice” frenzy, Gov. Sonny Perdue’s office dropped a press release announcing three appointments to the Board of Regents, which oversees the state’s public colleges and universities.
A brief bio of each appointee was included, including one for Leebern. His bio listed the liquor distribution businesses he owns and the various organizations he belongs to. And it ended with this line: “He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia.”
Almost. But not quite.
Arlethia Perry-Johnson, a spokeswoman for the state Board of Regents, confirmed today that Leebern, who played football at UGA, did not graduate from college. He fell a few credits short. In fact, Leebern does not have a degree at all. Perry-Johnson said her office was unaware that the Governor’s office was putting out a release and therefore had no hand in writing it.
The governor’s office says there was a misunderstanding that led to the error in the press release, and the information has been corrected for future reference.
A question: Should those serving on the Board of Regents be required to have a college degree of some type?
