Regents stop construction on Adams' new UGA office

ATHENS (AP) -- The University of Georgia has halted construction of a new office suite for Michael Adams, who steps down as president this summer but will remain on the faculty, at the urging of the agency that governs the state's public colleges.

University System of Georgia officials rejected the plans to build Adams an office, but not before workers had begun installing wall dividers to convert a classroom into office space at the Richard B. Russell Special Collections Libraries Building. They will have to undo the work and reconvert the space to a classroom, the Athens Banner-Herald reported.

Adams, who leaves the president's office June 30, will get an existing office elsewhere on the Athens campus.

"We felt it was better not to convert one of only two classrooms in the Russell Building to an office," said John Millsaps, spokesman for the university system's Board of Regents. "We did not state that Dr. Adams' office had to be in the Main Library, but he is moving into an existing office there."

Tim Burgess, UGA's senior vice president for finance and administration, had estimated building Adams an office suite would cost nearly $25,000.

UGA spokesman Tom Jackson said Adams agreed with the regents' decision on his office.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2013/5/261908