News        from ABAC

Michael D. Chason Director of Public Relations ABAC 30 -- 2802 Moore Highway Tifton, GA 31793-2601 Phone 229-391-5055 Fax 229-391-5056 mchason@abac.edu

IMMEDIATE SEPTEMBER 8, 2005

CALL RECOUNTS FIRST YEAR AS INTERIM PRESIDENT OF ABAC

TIFTON—It was a year ago when Tom Call’s life at Abraham Baldwin College changed with one phone call.

That was the day when ABAC President Mike Vollmer left to take the position of Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Call was serving as Vice President for Student and Enrollment Services at ABAC at the time. University System Chancellor Thomas Meredith called and asked him to serve as Interim President of the college beginning Sept. 15, 2004.

Call said every day since then has been a highlight. “At Homecoming, I learned a lot I thought I already knew about ABAC,” Call said. “I gained a new perspective and depth about the college itself and its alumni. The Expo Luncheon was another plus. It was the biggest crowd I had ever talked to – 1,000 people.”

In the course of his year at the helm of ABAC, his impressions of the role he was selected to take on did not change. “It was not the impressions that changed. I knew what I was getting into and had an idea of what needed to be done,” Call said.

What did change, however, was the perspective. “The perspective changed when the time originally allotted as Interim President was lengthened,” Call said. “We didn’t just sit on our hands. We kept ABAC moving in every aspect that we could to make it that much more comfortable for the next president of the college.”

During the past year, ABAC has installed a new phone system called Voice Over Internet Protocol, initiated construction on the new Health Sciences Building, brought men’s golf back to the intercollegiate sports scene, and most importantly of all, officially applied for State College status within the University System of Georgia.

Call said the University System has given ABAC the go-ahead to continue developing plans to offer four-year degrees on the campus. He hopes State College status with limited four-year degree offerings will be the next step.

Call expects the search committee for the new president to be selected in early 2006. He hopes the new president can take over July 1.

“My service to the college is simply to make what contributions I can and keep ABAC thriving until a permanent president can be chosen,” Call said.

Call joined the ABAC faculty as an instructor in the Division of Agriculture and Forest Resources in 1981.  He was promoted to Assistant Professor in 1985 and became an Associate Professor in 1993.  In the summer of 1994, Call served as Acting Chair of the division.

In 1995, Call was selected as Interim Registrar.  He became Registrar in 1996.  In 2001, Call became the Interim Vice President for Student and Enrollment Services.  In 2003, Call was selected for the Vice President’s position.

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