Sam Olens

Early life and education

Olens was born in Miami, Florida, and raised in New Jersey.

Career

Politics

He was elected to the Cobb County Commission in 1998, serving until 2010. He was the commission's chairman from 2002 to 2010. Since 2004, he has served as the chair of the Atlanta Regional Commission. In 2009, he stepped down from that position.

Olens defeated state senator Preston Smith to win the Republican nomination for attorney general. In the general election, he defeated former Dougherty County District Attorney Ken Hodges.

Olens joined forces with legislators to advocate for a stronger human trafficking law in Georgia. HB 200 went into effect on July 1, 2011.

Olens worked alongside legislators to pass a re-write of Georgia's Open Meetings and Open Records Laws. HB 397 was the result in the 2012 legislative session, and was signed by Gov. Nathan Deal on April 17, 2012.

Olens delivered a primetime address on national healthcare reform and federal regulatory overreach to the Republican National Convention in Tampa on August 29, 2012.

President of Kennesaw State

In mid-September 2016, sources close to the University System of Georgia (USG) leaked information that Olens might be on a short list to appointment as president of Kennesaw State University, in Kennesaw, Georgia. The university's previous president, Dr. Daniel S. Papp, retired on May 10, 2016, and the University System of Georgia's Chief Academic Officer Dr. Houston Davis was appointed as acting president pending a replacement. Many university staff and student groups objected to the potential appointment, citing Olens's lack of university experience, previous support of Georgia's controversial attempt to ban same-sex marriage, the lack of a national search, and the lack of accountability and transparency in the process through which Sam Olens was chosen. This resulted in multiple campus protests, petitions, and letters from staff to the University System of Georgia administrators.

On October 3, 2016, Hank Huckaby, the Chancellor of the University System of Georgia, sent an open letter to all faculty and students of Kennesaw State University with a confirmation that Olens was indeed being considered for the role of president. On October 4, 2016, Olens participated in an "open interview" before a USG open session of the Board of Regents’ Executive and Compensation Committee, at which time he formally requested the job. Later that afternoon, the USG Chancellor once again notified the Kennesaw State University of the status of Olens's request via email, minutes before a protest, to ask that the university community keep an open mind. Included in the email was a letter from Olens to the Board, in which Olens specifically cited his previous experience as Cobb County Commissioner and his ties to the community. The Board voted on the matter on October 12, 2016, and Olens became Kennesaw State's fourth president under a unanimous vote. His tenure officially began on November 1, 2016.

A formal complaint was filed to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission by several faculty members who believe that discrimination was evident in Olen's appointment, as three women applied to the position but were apparently not considered.

On December 14, 2017, Olens announced his resignation after bowing to behind-the-scenes pressure from conservative Georgia politicians and mishandling protests by cheerleaders.

Electoral history

References

References

1. "LegalNewsline {{!}} state attorney general news, state supreme court news".
2. Stirgus, Eric. "Sam Olens set to start tenure as KSU president Tuesday". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
3. Saporta, Maria. (21 February 2018). "Former Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens joining Dentons law firm".
4. Galloway, Jim. (November 6, 2010). "Sam Olens breaks through an ancient Georgia barrier". [[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]].
5. "Attorney General Sam Olens to leave office, lead Kennesaw State University".
6. [https://web.archive.org/web/20161016023809/http://gov.georgia.gov/press-releases/2016-10-12/deal-appoints-carr-attorney-general Deal appoints Carr as attorney general (Office of Georgia Governor Nathan Deal News Release-October 12. 2016)]
7. "Biography of the Attorney General". State of Georgia.
8. (November 1, 2010). "Atlanta Forward: Sam Olens, Republican for attorney general". [[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]].
9. "Attorney General-elect Samuel S. Olens (GA)". [[Project Vote Smart]].
10. (August 11, 2010). "Night of primaries reaps decisions in four states". [[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]].
11. Bluestein, Greg. (November 3, 2010). "Olens defeats Hodges to win Georgia attorney general race". [[The Daily Citizen (Dalton).
12. "Attorney General Olens Recognizes National Human Trafficking Awareness Day".
13. "Senate Passes HB 200 Combating Sex Trafficking".
14. "HB 397 - Georgia's Updated Sunshine Laws".
15. (10 August 2014). "Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens to speak at GOP convention".
16. Bluestein, Greg. "Kennesaw State group targets Sam Olens, while supporters mount a defense {{!}} Political Insider blog".
17. Stirgus, Eric. "Sam Olens to interview for Kennesaw State presidency". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
18. Yu, Elly. "Amid Protest, Sam Olens Begins KSU Presidency".
19. "Faculty file complaint against Sam Olens becoming KSU president". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
20. (December 14, 2017). "KSU President Sam Olens to resign in February". [[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]].