Politics
Politics

Sam Olens to interview for Kennesaw State University presidency

By
Oct 3, 2016

Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens will interview Tuesday for president of Kennesaw State University, state officials said.

“There has been speculation about this for some time, and up until now, I have remained silent on the matter. Initially, I was planning to conduct a national search to find the next president of Kennesaw State,” University System of Georgia Chancellor Hank Huckaby said in a statement to KSU students and faculty Monday. “Yet, through sincere and earnest conversations with Mr. Olens, I now believe he should be considered at this time.”

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has reported that there's been speculation for months that Olens may become president of the rapidly-growing Cobb County-based university. Olens was chairman of the Cobb County Board of Commissioners before becoming attorney general in 2011.

Some students have drafted a petition to stop Olens from getting the job, citing his role in defending in court Georgia's same-sex marriage ban.

Gov. Nathan Deal would tap Olens’ replacement if he becomes KSU’s president.

Read Maureen Downey's column about why some at KSU are upset about Olens potentially beoming president.

About the Author

Eric Stirgus joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2001. He is the newsroom's education editor. Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Eric is active in the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists and the Education Writers Association and enjoys mentoring aspiring journalists.

Follow Eric Stirgus on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

“That kind of sustained, targeted harassment is deeply disturbing,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene, R-Ga., posted on social media. “I truly feared for my life, as I do with all of the death threats I receive.” (Rod Lamkey Jr./AP file)

Credit: Rod Lamkey Jr./AP

Maryland man charged with threatening MTG

The offices of U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene allegedly received eight threatening phone calls from a Maryland man from Oct. 2023 until Jan. 2025.

Georgia’s residential solar market braces for a cloudy future

The "big, beautiful bill" eliminates the residential solar tax credit, a key incentive for homeowners to adopt the technology.

DATA SURGE

As data centers flock to Georgia, state lawmakers haven’t pumped the brakes

There's growing frustration with the rapid growth of data server farms and the huge amounts of energy they use. But lawmakers haven't been able to pass any bills to stop them.

The Latest

“That kind of sustained, targeted harassment is deeply disturbing,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene, R-Ga., posted on social media. “I truly feared for my life, as I do with all of the death threats I receive.” (Rod Lamkey Jr./AP file)

Credit: Rod Lamkey Jr./AP

Maryland man charged with threatening MTG

Big money floods Georgia campaigns ahead of 2026 midterm battle

DATA SURGE

As data centers flock to Georgia, state lawmakers haven’t pumped the brakes

Featured

“Our members cannot be bought off,” General President Sean O’Brien said in a social media statement, calling UPS' offers “illegal and haphazard.” (Hyosub Shin/AJC 2023)

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC

UPS offers unprecedented buyouts for drivers

The Teamsters union, which represents about 340,000 UPS employees, is urging its full-time members to reject the offers.

Longtime south Atlanta flea market set for massive mixed-use makeover

The developer is planning one of the largest projects in Atlanta’s Southside, a more than $500 million project near Greenbriar Mall.

MARTA chief Collie Greenwood retiring early

MARTA CEO and General Manager Collie Greenwood is leaving “because of immigration and personal matters” and has elected early retirement.