The plan to make Attorney General Sam Olens the new chief of Kennesaw State University is inching closer to reality – but it's not a done deal yet.
Two people with direct knowledge of the negotiations say it’s likely that Olens will ascend to the presidency of the Cobb County school, but both stressed the talks are ongoing. One of them added that the discussions hit a bumpy patch in the last two weeks.
Olens has stayed mum on whether he will step down this year to take the reins of the school, which has faced troubling financial questions that emerged just as the former president retired. The Board of Regents has declined comment, too.
Rumors are swirling still at the Capitol, and even Olens' decision to return a portrait of himself prompted a new wave of speculation. And some Kennesaw State faculty have already raised an alarm.
Gov. Nathan Deal would select Olens’ replacement if he takes the gig, and a leading contender is economic development commissioner Chris Carr, who is a close ally of the governor and a former top aide to U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson. But his promotion does not seem imminent, judging by his status on the State Bar of Georgia website. It lists his law license as “inactive” but with good standing.
More: On Sam Olens and the rumors of his imminent Kennesaw State takeover
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