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 June 21, 2007

ABAC PRESIDENT’S OFFICE MOVES TO EVANS HALL

TIFTON—For the first time in the 99-year history of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, the ABAC president’s office is located in a building other than Tift Hall. 

ABAC President David Bridges moved his office to Evans Hall, the former health center, this week.  The move is the first step toward the revitalization of the three original buildings, Tift, Lewis, and Herring, on the front of the ABAC campus.

“There is a time and place for everything,” Bridges, who will celebrate his first anniversary as the ABAC President on July 1, said.  “We cannot address the existing structural and environmental issues with people working inside Tift Hall.”

Tift Hall housed administrative offices as well as classrooms when the area high school called the Second District A&M School opened on Feb. 20, 1908.  One of the highlights of the college’s year-long 100^th birthday celebration will be on Feb. 20, 2008.  Bridges hopes the rehabilitation process on the building is well underway by then.

“The University System (of Georgia) is providing valuable assistance in engineering and environmental work on all three of these buildings and with the relocation of offices,” Bridges said.

The ABAC business office and public relations office have also moved out of Tift Hall into Evans Hall.  Other ABAC relocations include the human resources and payroll offices from Tift Hall to the J. Lamar Branch Student Center, the Arts Connection office from the first floor to the second floor of the Carlton Center, and the student life and housing offices from the student center to the John Hunt Town Center at ABAC Place.  In early July, the academic affairs office will move to the student center, the institutional research office will move to the Carlton Center, and the procurement office will move to Weltner Hall.

Bridges realizes that many visitors will continue to come to the front campus looking for information. 

“Every campus has to have a front door,” Bridges said.  “We’re going to build an ABAC Information Center which will help direct our visitors during the rehabilitation process.”

The Information Center will be located on the front circular drive of the college between Lewis Hall and the Health Sciences building.

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