Students and faculty members around the state are reacting to news that Republican former Gov. Steve Fennessy: It's interesting the the letter was addressed to Sachin Shailendra, who at the time was chair of the Board of Regents, but is one of those members who redistricting kind of pushed out so he's no longer on the Board of Regents. Now to me, Eric, that sounds like a kind of an implied threat that appointing Sonny Perdue as chancellor could mean that we'd lose accreditation. So tell us, what does the job of chancellor of Georgia universities and colleges entail? A chancellors job is to defend the system against such bills, said Matthew Boedy, a rhetoric and composition professor at the University of North Georgia and the president of the Georgia conference of the American Association of University Professors. His nomination was transmitted to the U.S. Senate on March 9, 2017. I'm Steve Fennessy. His name is Sonny Perdue. Entitled President Trumps Affection for American Farmers, the episode featured the host and former White House press secretary competing to see who could lavish the most praise on Trump. Sonny Perdue was its sole finalist to become chancellor, a choice that has outraged some professors and led a. I understand that the Board of Regents, at least in its previous iteration, was not necessarily too keen on the idea of Sonny Perdue as the next chancellor, is that correct? Although it returned to last place in 2005,[26] Georgia rose to 49th place in 2006 in the combined math and reading mean score, including the writing portion added to the test that year. [44], Upon the end of Perdue's term as governor, many in the Georgia General Assembly condemned the project and Perdue after an advisory council (appointed by Perdue) began to funnel additional bond money to the project located in his home county. She currently produces the Georgia Today and Battleground: Ballot Box shows. Unquote. (Washington, D.C., April 25, 2017) - Sonny Perdue was sworn in as the 31st U.S. Secretary of Agriculture by fellow Georgian and Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Clarence Thomas in a brief ceremony today at the Supreme Court building. Jess Mador is our producer. But the threat is part of the latest controversy for the Board of Regents, which in October approved a new policy where universities can fire tenured professors with little to no faculty input. Very few Republican elected officials, operatives, donors and activists in Georgia have. Quite honestly, I've been in the private sector for 30 years. Eric Stirgus: Yeah it's an important issue because, you know, colleges and universities that do not have accreditation, they can their students cannot get federal financial aid that helps pay for tuition for a lot of college students. "The most important activity in which any governing board will be involved in is the selection of the CEO. Brian Kemp thinks so, and it looks like he's getting his way. I give him my full and total endorsement.". And then also there has been, through the congressional redistricting process, you know, because of some changes insome of the districts, you know, we've had two additional changes on the regents where two members are now no longer on the board and the governor has replaced another one of those members and all three of the members that he has replaced are people who have been, you know, very supportive of the governor in the past through campaign contributions and other ways. [61][62], In February 2020, Perdue endorsed putting a price on carbon dioxide, a climate change policy favored by many economists. Eric Stirgus: During his time as agriculture secretary there was, you know, there's been some criticism about his record, you know, concerning issues such as climate change. Inexpensive, too! You know, I've worked with him, but you know, I just didn't feel like, you know, he was the best person for the job. SteveFennessyis host of Georgia Today,a weekly radio show and podcast on Georgia Public Broadcasting thatexplains stories of interest to Georgians through the experience and perspective of the reporters covering those stories. Not satisfied with fighting to take food off the tables of poor families, Perdue also set his sights on farm workers. Perdue claimed a combined $511,800 in income from Perdue Inc., a trucking company; Houston Fertilizer & Grain Co., which manages commercial real estate in Bonaire, Ga.; and StarPort Logistics LLC. Like Trump, he's a former Democratwho ascended to political power (in Perdue's case, Georgia. Governor Perdue stood out for his impressive experience and leadership in public service as well as a vast understanding not only of Georgia and its communities but of the issues facing the university system as we move forward, Harold Reynolds, the chair of the Board of Regents, said in a statement on Monday. Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox. Higher education is where I wanted to have a real impact as governor, only to be stymied by twin recessions, he said in the board-issued statement. And I understand that he wasn't the biggest supporter of the idea of Sonny Perdue as chancellor. [News tape] FOX5: Students against Sonny have collected more than a thousand signatures on a petition on Change.org. So very excited to have the president standing with us and I'm a lot like him. A department spokesperson claims the 2017 agreement had to refer to the holding company at large, rather than those two firms in particular, because it was the legal entity that owned the businesses. [30], In 2001, Democratic governor Roy Barnes replaced the 1956 state flag, which incorporated the battle flag of the Confederacy, and which had been adopted by Georgia largely as a protest against desegregation. USDA said the reorganization of Perdues finances was cleared by career ethics staff, pointing to the secretarys 2019 financial disclosure that was signed by ethics officials. Some would say the most important job is, you know, making sure that money that comes from the state is sent to the schools and is being spent properly. [News tape] FOX5: Critics have questioned Perdue's experience, pointing out his lack of experience in the higher education setting. [42] The floods resulted in Perdue declaring a state of emergency in 17 counties. Perdue is a kind of an easy-going Southern version of the president he served so zealously. Kemp replaced them with two additional members. [24], On January 18, 2017, President Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Perdue to be United States secretary of agriculture. Steve Fennessy: So how do you get a job to be chancellor? . Founder and partner in an agricultural trading company,[4] Perdue served from 2012 to 2017 on the Governors' Council of the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, D.C.[3][5] He is the second secretary of agriculture from the Deep South; the first was Mike Espy of Mississippi, who served under President Bill Clinton from January 1993 to December 1994. Steve Fennessy: Matthew Boedy, a University of North Georgia professor and president of the Georgia conference of the American Association of University Professors, told the New York Times that, quote, "a chancellor's job is to defend the system against such bills. 260 14th St. NW RELATED: Oversight group isnt reviewing Georgia regents choice of Sonny Perdue. Steve Fennessy: So the faction that was opposed or is opposed to the idea of Sonny Perdue as chancellor seems to be getting smaller. Eric Stirgus: The chancellor is hired by the Board of Regents as a 19-member body, and all of those folks are appointed by the governor and so they serve seven-year terms. Kemp. The Board of Regents named Dr. Sonny Perdue the 14th chancellor of the University System of Georgia effective April 1, 2022. Eric Stirgus: Yes, I think the governor could certainly use this on the campaign trail and, you know, to, you know, David Perdue supporters and say, "Hey, look, you know, I've made Sonny Perdue, chancellor of the university system. [3], In 2004, Perdue sued the Environmental Protection Agency to block environmental regulations on reformulated gasoline. So, you know, it'll be interesting to see. In fact, for the next two weeks after the prayer, the state's epic dry streak grew worse. The regents hired another firm, and then it put Ms. McCartney as acting chancellor, and so there really hasn't been much movement up until, I guess, the last few weeks. Secretary Perdue has visibility into and control over the trusts and their underlying assets, and he continues to benefit from them despite the plain terms of his 2017 ethics agreement, Evers wrote to the inspector general. He also has largely avoided the sort of major scandals that have dogged many others in Trumps Cabinet. Steve Fennessy: OK, Sonny Perdue is, I think he's 75. How did we find out about that? Eric Stirgus: Yes, definitely. Republican Sen. David Perdue, a former Fortune 500 CEO, will face off against Democrat Jon Ossoff, a 33-year-old media executive, again in a runoff election Jan. 5. Earlier this week, Georgia's Board of Regents announced that Sonny Perdue was the sole finalist for the job. In the podcasts final episode before the election, released Oct. 29, Perdue hosted another MAGA loyalist, the high-living former Wall Street man and TV personality Larry Kudlow, the non-economist who Trump improbably chose to lead the National Economic Council. Eric Stirgus: Last March, we started hearing talk you know that Perdue was interested in the job or that some board members on the Board of Regents were interested in him becoming chancellor. The other election pits Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler against the Rev. Eric Stirgus: And then there's been issues that a lot of Republican lawmakers have been bringing up to in the Georgia Legislature in recent years about campus speech issues that they feel that, you know, students and groups cannot speak freely on college campuses, particularly conservatives. On January 18, 2017, President-elect Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Perdue to be Secretary of Agriculture. [46], In December 2004, Perdue bought $2 million worth of land near Disney World from a developer who he had previously appointed to the state's economic development board. We noticed you have an ad blocker on. [67], Perdue and his wife, Mary (ne Ruff), were married in 1972 after dating for four years. This is diversity and inclusion. You know, there was a faction of regents members who were not supportive of him at all. Sonny Perdue, of course, was a two-term governor of Georgia, as well as secretary of agriculture under former President Donald Trump. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has long been President Donald Trumps most effective advocate among rural voters. [70], Perdue is an avid sportsman. | J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo. The association has publicly condemned how the university system selected Mr. Perdue, a process that largely occurred in meetings without faculty input and closed to the public. His selection has angered professors concerned about academic freedom. 11/08/2018 02:42 PM EST. In April, before the Board of Regents selected Mr. Perdue, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges sent it a warning letter stating that the appointment of a former governor could place the accreditation of the institution(s) they govern in jeopardy.. The design of the 2001 Georgian flag was widely unpopular, being derisively named the "Barnes flag". Brian Kemp: That's why I'm looking forward to working with the members of the General Assembly this legislative session to protect our students from the divisive ideologies like critical race theory. He was there at the end. Like Trump, hes a former Democrat who ascended to political power (in Perdues case, Georgia governor) in a stunning upset. Governor Pierre Howard asking for more responsibilities, and Howard obliged. Economists in the USDA's research branch were told to include disclaimers in their peer-reviewed publications stating that the findings were "preliminary" and "should not be construed to represent any agency determination or policy". Steve Fennessy: So what happened then? And then a couple of months later, my colleague Greg Bluestein ran into him at an event and Sonny did say that he was interested in the position, if the regents would have him. [41] The next year, Georgia was affected by the September floods, which were the most severe in Georgia's recorded history. You know, I guess at the time, they sort of came to an impasse and there was a search firm that was hired to help with the process, but pulled out of the process. Perdue made his acting debut in "We Are Marshall," a 2006 film about the 1970 plane crash that claimed the lives of 75 Marshall University football players, coaches, supporters and staff.. Other issues addressed by Perdue include assisting rural communities, helping farmers operate with less regulation, increasing exports, passing the 2018 farm bill, and addressing crop damage caused by dicamba. Faster kill lines boost packer profits even as they put already pandemic-stressed workers under greater strain, while also making proper social distancing even more difficult. Eric Stirgus: You know, he's never spoken publicly about it. He stated that legitimate, measurable carbon trading could spur so-called carbon sequestration by giving farmers an incentive to innovate. And you know, for a lot of critics, you know, it did raise their concerns about all of this. Perdue restructured his original family trust into a new fund that he did not oversee, and the fund then sold off two of his businesses directly involved in agriculture the only assets that posed potential conflicts, according to a USDA spokesperson. Looking at the pandemic, they've also had to take on some additional responsibilities, such as, you know, managing coronavirus relief funds. The secretarys 2019 filing also shows nearly $140,000 in income from Soque River Conservation LLC, which holds land along the Soque River in northern Georgia and is held by a separate trust that Perdue first reported last year. Sonny Perdue issues state of emergency for 17 Georgia counties", "Perdue fails to disclose '04 purchase of land", "Trump to announce Sonny Perdue for Agriculture", "Sonny Perdue Sworn in as 31st U.S. Secretary of Agriculture", "Trump hires campaign workers instead of farmworkers at USDA", "Sonny Perdue is Trump's 'designated survivor' for State of the Union 2018", "Perdue tells second Iowa Ag Summit he wants to support new farmers", "Trump administration to return refined grains to school lunches", Many USDA workers to quit as research agencies move to Kansas City: 'The brain drain we all feared', ERS union predicts mass exodus ahead of relocation, 'Cut, Relocate, Eviscerate': Moving a USDA Research Agency Will Have Lasting Consequences, Employees Say, Economists flee Agriculture Dept. Personal: Perdue. At least he is out of the gate. Coronavirus-riddled slaughterhouses, in turn, emerged as primary vectors for spreading the pathogen to surrounding communities. [43], Beginning in 2007, Governor Perdue began to pursue the goal of making Georgia the "bass-fishing tourism mecca". The reallocation entailed raising the companys holdings of highly valuable wetlands credits while lowering its portion of much cheaper stream credits. Steve Fennessy: There's something else going on here. [24], In mid-2003, Perdue purchased 101 acres (0.41km2) of land next to his Houston County, Georgia, home. Enlivened by these bald lies, and perhaps feeling a competitive spark, Perdue replied that Trump is the embodiment of the amazing spirit that built this country. He sounded quite satisfied after a year spent campaigning for his boss while inflicting lasting damage to poor people and food-system workers during a deadly pandemic that the administration did so very little to control. It's us but for your ears. I'm joined by Eric Stirgus, who covers higher education for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. How is that number arrived at? Mr. Perdues appointment as chancellor would also limit his contributions to the campaign of David Perdue, his cousin and a former senator who is running against Gov. Sonny Perdue may soon head up Georgias public university system. The commitments entailed moving his holdings into a new trust and agreeing not to serve as a trustee or beneficiary of the fund. And then also, you know, maybe among some who might be interested in working for the university system. He served two terms,. Secretary Perdue was just chastised for his abuse of tax dollars for political purposes by ethics authorities, so we cannot take these claims at face value, he said. [24] The State Ethics Commission ruled against Perdue twice, finding that he had taken improper campaign contributions from donors including SunTrust Banks and that he had improperly used one of his family business's airplanes on the campaign, for which the commission fined the sitting governor. Kemp is sort of paying back a favor. According to the Georgia government's website on Confederate History Month, they also participated in the manufacture of products for the war effort, built naval ships, and provided military assistance and relief efforts"[38] The proclamation was criticized by historians for its historical inaccuracies,[39] although there were, in fact, African-Americans who served the Confederacy. Perdue is a kind of an easy-going Southern version of the president he served so zealously. Mother Jones was founded as a nonprofit in 1976 because we knew corporations and billionaires wouldn't fund the type of hard-hitting journalism we set out to do. DECATUR The Washington Post on Tuesday published a story that Archer Daniels Midland Co. sold a grain storage plant valued at millions of dollars to Sonny Perdue for $250,000 weeks after he . [46] Perdue failed to disclose his ownership of the property in required financial disclosure forms. [31] The choices were a modified version of the First National Flag of the Confederate States of America, with the Georgia State Seal prominently displayed inside a circle of 13 stars, or the flag created in 2001 by the Roy Barnes administration. [News tape] parent at recent school board meeting, 11Alive: "I don't know how or why this would be debated.". Why isn't he going back to his farm? Steve Fennessy: Chancellor of the University System of Georgia it's one of the most coveted jobs in higher education. "There is one thing we know for sure: Sen. David Perdue will be . Sonny Perdue on Confirmation to Lead Dept. This is Georgia Today. Steve Fennessy: But in the state of Georgia, I would think that, at least of jobs that are sort of in the employ of the state of Georgia, there are few that are more prominent or important than chancellor. His committee assignments included Ethics, Finance & Public Utilities, Health & Human Services, Reapportionment, and Economic Development, Tourism & Cultural Affairs. Brian Kemp: Obviously, this is huge for our campaign. Eric Stirgus: Publicly, I don't think he's said one way or another right now. The Perdue USDAs largesse to large-scale farmers and agribusinesses went beyond cutting wages and protective measures for their workers. Eric Stirgus: I think it's been a mix of both. Secretary Perdue did nothing wrong when he complied with his ethics agreement and followed the advice of career ethics officers at USDA (at considerable personal expense) to restructure his trusts.. Eric Stirgus: Yeah, I mean, and that's the argument that many of Kemp's team has said. Perdue will begin his duties as the 14th chancellor on April 1, according to a press release from USG. So we have not had a chancellor at least, a non-interim chancellor for at least seven or eight months, right? And then also, I think, you know, there's been some criticism that he's not the best qualified person for the position. "[37], According to a March 5, 2008, proclamation by Perdue, "Among those who served the Confederacy were many African-Americans, both free and slave, who saw action in the Confederate armed forces in many combat roles. American Oversight is now calling on the inspector general to investigate whether Perdue improperly participated in any such decision, given his ethics pledge to stay out of any matters that might have a direct and predictable effect on the financial interests of the assets in his trusts. The state's Board of Regents on Wednesday named a veteran finance official as the acting chancellor of Georgia's public university system, stalling former Gov. [9], Perdue was born in Perry, Georgia, the son of Ophie Viola (Holt), a teacher, and George Ervin Perdue Jr., a farmer. The United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry overwhelmingly approved his nomination on March 30, with a 191 vote. USDAs unprecedented farm subsidies have also fueled criticism that taxpayer dollars are being used to keep farmers and ranchers in Trumps corner ahead of the election especially as the president repeatedly touts the money at campaign rallies as his own personal gift to agriculture. [48], During meetings with Georgia state port officials, then-Governor Perdue discussed his family business's use of a terminal, then started a new export company in Savannah soon after leaving office. [23], In January 2003, Perdue signed an executive order prohibiting himself and all other state employees from receiving any gift worth more than $25. Perdue served in the U.S. Air Force, rising to the rank of captain before his discharge. Steve Fennessy: How unusual is it for a letter like that to be written? We're a nonprofit (so it's tax-deductible), and reader support makes up about two-thirds of our budget. They range from Georgia State University, which has the most students in the system, like about 53,000 students; Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State both of those schools have about 40,000 students each and then University of Georgia. Terms of Service apply. Former US Secretary of Agriculture and former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue were named chancellor of the University System of Georgia by the Board of Regents today (USG). As governor from 2003 until 2011, he celebrated the states legacy of chattel slaverysigning 2009 legislation making April Confederate History and Heritage Month, honoring the more than 90,000 brave men and women who served the Confederate States of America. He was an early adopter of race-motivated voter suppression, signing into law one of the nations first strict ID laws. [News tape] WSB: As governor, Perdue's record on education is also being called into question. Perdue will not improve the state of education as chancellor - he will only ruin it.. The Perdue USDA also insisted that federally funded grocery boxes distributed by food banks contain a letter signed by Trump, touting the administrations coronavirus response. And so now he's no longer on the regents. There's been a lot of different issues that colleges are facing regarding social issues and political issues. Subsequently, the trust sold off AGrowStar LLC and Pro Ag Products LLC (none of the other assets posed any conflict of interest with his duties as Secretary of Agriculture). This is the golden rule do unto others.". Perdues spokesperson also rejected the watchdog groups request for an investigation as politically motivated. He later served as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and was named chancellor of the University System of Georgia in 2022.. Background and Education [23] Prior to Perdue's becoming governor, no state agency had compiled an inventory of what assets were owned by the state. On March 1, 2022, the Board of Regents of University System of Georgia appointed Perdue as the system's 14th chancellor, effective April 1, 2022. Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer Eric Stirgus: The chancellor is sort of the person who makes sure all the trains run on time, so to speak. Her name is Theresa McCartney, and she worked under Mr. Wrigley. But her critics have said thatwhat she calls a COVID Crime Wave and her handling of the firing of Atlanta police officer Garrett Rolfe, who shot Rayshard Brooks last summer, made her vulnerable if she had chosen to run. David Perdue now a U.S. senator to . Opponents of the choice say Perdue's appointment would jeopardize academic freedom across the systems 26 campuses. Conley. George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III[1] (born December 20, 1946) is an American veterinarian, businessman, politician, and university administrator who served as the 31st United States Secretary of Agriculture from 2017 to 2021. [News tape] WSB: He called being named a finalist a quote wonderful capstone to a career in public service. Dr. Sonny Perdue bio. After Perdue took office, in 2003 and 2004, Georgia moved up from last place in the country in SAT scores. Or are they sometimes coming from outside it? The property (in Estill, South Carolina) had originally been purchased by ADM for 5.5 million dollars, and independent assessments and government tax assessors agree on that as a fair range; however, AGrowStar was offered the property for US$250,000, a fraction of its value. [6] His nomination was approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee by a 19-1 voice vote on March 30. Senator David Perdue (R-GA) abstained, as they are first cousins. Eric Stirgus: There was some support on the regents, but not enough support to get him across the finish line to be named as chancellor. [2] He previously served as the 81st governor of Georgia from 2003 to 2011; Perdue was the first Republican to hold the office since the Reconstruction era.[3]. Georgia Today is a production of Georgia Public Broadcasting. Steve Fennessy: How Gov. He left in June. "[35], In 2006, Perdue signed a law that gave Georgia "some of the nation's toughest measures against illegal immigrants. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, it was a plum post for the political novice, which he used as a springboard that helped propel him to a US Senate seat in 2014. Eric Stirgus: He has some interest in the job because, you know, he realizes the importance of higher education to the state's economy. Steve Fennessy: Initial discussion about the possible candidacy of Sonny Perdue for chancellor for next chancellor of the University of Georgia System, the president of SACS, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Belle Whelan, sends a letter to the chair of the Board of Regents of Georgia. [News tape] 11Alive: He tweeted, "Brian Kemp is running for governor of the Great State of Georgia. In 2018, while Perdue was secretary, Soque River Conservation asked the Army Corps to modify the credits held by the company in a way that could boost its value by nearly $3 million, the groups estimate. Steve Fennessy: So there's a school of thought that Gov. He won the 2002 Georgia gubernatorial election, defeating Democratic incumbent Roy Barnes 51% to 46%, with Libertarian candidate Garrett Michael Hayes taking 2% of the vote. Steve Fennessy: What did you think when you first heard about that? You know, then there are many others outside the metro area. Undeterred by the pandemic-led spike in hunger, Perdue also doubled- and tripled-down on a long-held goal: boosting work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that would eliminate food aid forat least 1.2 million peopleabout a third of them households containing senior citizens, nearly a quarter with children, and 11 percent with a disabled person, according tononpartisan think tank Mathematica. The former Georgia governor has a background in agriculture. Mitch Daniels of Indiana has led Purdue University since 2012. [56] The attrition rate was particularly high in the Resource and Rural Economics Division (90%) and in the Food Economics Division (up to 89%). Eric Stirgus: There are 26 institutions in the system. Eric Stirgus: You know, it's a pretty important job in the state of Georgia. He had even served as the 81st Governor of Georgia, and his tenure was from 2003 to 2011. [1][10] He grew up and still lives in Bonaire, an unincorporated area between Perry and Warner Robins. Then the pandemic hit, ripping through migrant farm worker communities, who toiled on with little in the way of protective gear or opportunities for social distancing. But last year,. The COVID-19 crisis served as yet another opportunity to promote the political fortunes of his boss, without impeding his pursuit of a pro-agribusiness, anti-worker agenda. Eric Stirgus: No, not officially, you know, because they are personnel decisions that the board makes. Caught in the middle of a Republican overhaul of education, teachers feel under attack, Senate bill cracks down on local school boards' ability to eject disruptive parents from meetings. The credits are meant to offset the environmental impact of land development and they can be bought and sold on the marketplace. The USDA's press office rejected CNN's request to interview Ziska, but not Politico's, where he went on to describe the department as internally fearful of Perdue's open skepticism towards climate change, which, according to Ziska, has led officials to "go to extremes to obscure their work to avoid political blowback". after feeling punished under Trump, "Economists flee Agriculture Dept. [54] In December 2018, he changed the nutrition standards for school lunches to allow more refined grains, allow milk with added sugar, and increased sodium. All Rights Reserved. There is no conflict of interest in becoming a trustee of a trust that contains no conflicting interests.. Eric Stirgus: It was pretty newsy for us. And besides the national prominence afforded any state governor, Perdue garnered widespread attention for his actions in 2007 during the worst drought in Georgia's history. [13], In 1971, Perdue earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, and worked as a veterinarian before becoming a small business owner, eventually starting three small businesses. Janet Napolitano of Arizona, a Democrat, later ran the University of California system, and former Gov. Eric Stirgus: Yes. The new law saved Perdue $100,000 in state taxes. Feb. 15, 2022 Georgia's public university system said on Tuesday that former Gov.