Regents approve Morehead as next UGA president

Presidential pay

When Jere Morehead becomes president of the University of Georgia in July he will earn $550,000 in total compensation. Here's what the presidents of Georgia's research colleges will earn this fiscal year:

Institution … President … Total Compensation

Georgia Tech … Bud Peterson … $756,666

Georgia Health Sciences University … Ricardo Azziz … $650,000

Georgia State … Mark Becker … $550,000

University of Georgia … Michael Adams … $1,260,318

NOTE: Adams’ earnings include a one-time deferred compensation of $600,000.

Source: University System of Georgia

ATHENS — The next president of the University of Georgia said Monday the campus is on the verge of becoming “one of the greatest public universities in the United States.”

For that to happen UGA must focus on its academic mission while demonstrating that it can operate as a “lean machine” as the economy struggles to rebound, Jere Morehead said.

The state Board of Regents approved Morehead as the new president Monday. He starts July 1 and will replace Michael Adams, who is stepping down June 30 after leading the college for 16 years.

He will earn $550,000 in a total compensation package that includes base salary, allowances and deferred compensation. That puts him on par with what Georgia State President Mark Becker will receive this year, but is less than what Georgia Tech President Bud Peterson earns.

Morehead, the current provost, said he will appoint a transition team and evaluate the college’s strengths and weaknesses.

He will contemplate changes to how the college is structured so that it is less bureaucratic and more responsive to the needs of students, faculty and staff. He will also prepare for a major capital campaign. Fundraising will be key, he warned, as UGA can’t assume it will receive sufficient money from the state and federal government.

“While the University of Georgia faces economic challenges, if we focus on our academic priorities we will reach new heights,” Morehead said.

He provided few specifics, noting UGA currently has a sitting president. Morehead said there will be plenty of time for him to discuss key issues in-depth once he takes office.

His hire wasn’t a surprise since he was the sole finalist. The University System of Georgia spent about $207,000 on the national search for the next UGA president.

Morehead, 56, said becoming president is a “dream come true.”

He graduated from the university’s law school and has spent most of his career at the college. He started as a faculty member and after holding several administrative positions currently serves as provost, overseeing instruction, research, public service and outreach, as well as student affairs.

The regents didn’t need to bring in an outsider to shake things up, Gov. Nathan Deal said in a statement. UGA has made “tremendous strides” under Adams, and Morehead will take the school to the next level, the governor said.

“His mandate from the Board of Regents and me is not to maintain the status quo; it is to push to reach new heights for the University System’s flagship,” Deal said.

His challenge will be to build on the reputation UGA has created for itself and the state. The university is routinely ranked among the top 25 public colleges in the nation. That standing has helped lift the state’s higher education reputation and has attracted employers to Georgia.

Regents Chairman William “Dink” NeSmith said Morehead’s learning curve will be small and in many ways “he has already hit the ground running.”

NeSmith and Chancellor Hank Huckaby both spoke of Morehead’s love for UGA and the state.

He’s a Bulldog fan in a professional and personal capacity. He meets monthly with the athletic director and his staff, for student athletes’ success in the classroom and on the field shouldn’t be mutually exclusive, he said.

And he’s a constant presence at athletic events both on campus and at away games.