Six Degrees of Michael Adams

Somewhere there is a kid who didn't go to college asking himself, "how can I be on the Board of Regents one day?" You might be tempted to tell that kid that if you want to be on the governing body of the University System of Georgia, you should become knowledgeable about higher education issues, and it wouldn't hurt to be the graduate of a college or university, or even Georgia Tech. But, that would be naive advice. Because we all know that the road to the Board of Regents is paved with crony gold, but not necessarily diplomas.

No doubt in pursuit of job security, a Regent reluctantly recently turned himself in to the State Ethics commission for "inadvertently" violating Georgia's campaign contribution limits.

Like a fatter, more evil Kevin Bacon, there are just a few degrees of separation between Michael Adams and most dishonorable activity in Georgia. For example, the recent guilty plea of former State School Superintendent Linda Schrenko.

When you're compiling your night list of people to whom you are appreciative for allowing Michael Adams to destroy everything he touches remain president at UGA, include Board of Regents Chairman Tim Shelnut next to Don Leebern's name.

Regent/Adams Apologist Shelnut discovered his "inadvertent" ethics violation while preparing to be a witness in Schrenko's just-concluded federal corruption trial. Like fellow Regent/Adams Apologist Don Leebern, Regent Shelnut also does not have a college degree. I'm sure that fact is merely coincidental to why he & Leebern are complicit to allowing an undistinguished scholar and poor fundraiser from a small, obscure college to continue to run the state's flagship university in spite of behavior that would have been unbecoming more honorable men.

According to Bill Shipp (which admittedly is the factual and persuasive equivalent of beginning a sentence 'according to Furman Bisher'), Shelnut was "characterized by federal investigators as mighty cozy with former state school Superintendent Linda Schrenko. Shelnut’s name has surfaced as a money handler in the federal corruption trial against Schrenko."

So, hats off to Tim Shelnut. Stay Classy. Thanks for nothing.

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