Michael Adams, the former president of the University of Georgia, will take over Aug. 1 as chancellor of Pepperdine University.
In his new role, Adams — who led UGA from 1997 to 2013 — will focus on strengthening the university’s endowment, raising funds for new projects including a new events center with a basketball arena, and advising Pepperdine President Andrew Benton and other young administrators.
Adams served as vice president for university affairs at Pepperdine from 1982 to 1988. Returning to the private school in Malibu, Calif., is an “opportunity for service,” Adams said during an interview Thursday. He has agreed to remain in the new position about three years and then re-evaluate the school’s needs, Adams said.
“I have had a number of other opportunities to go lead other institutions or systems, but this is not a CEO job, it’s a No. 2 job,” he said. “Having been a college president for 25 years, I feel I’ve done my Christian duty in that job. This is an opportunity to maybe make a contribution to a Christian institution that I care about.”
Adams has most recently held the titles of president emeritus and Regents’ Professor at UGA. During his tenure as president, UGA won recognition from U.S. News and World Report as one of the country’s top 20 public research universities.
“Mike has strong ties to Pepperdine and has contributed to almost every major discussion in higher education over the last 30 years,” Molly Corbett Broad, the president of the American Council on Education, said in a statement Thursday.
Adams plans to keep his residence in Athens and return to Georgia’s flagship institution to teach in the future. As a noted leader in higher education, Adams also plans to continue his work with national organizations, including the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges and the National Collegiate Athletic Association, where he serves on the infractions committee.
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