Georgia after 16 years. He said he plans to continue to be involved with the Athens community and teach and write at UGA as well as fundraise for the university. The president's retirement took effect June 30, 2013. Education Adams graduated from Chattanooga High School. Adams holds a B.A. in speech and history from David Lipscomb College, 1970; M.A. in communication research methodologies from Ohio State University in 1971; and a Ph.D. in political communication from Ohio State University in 1973. To support himself during the OSU years, he served as minister at the Indian Springs Church of Christ in Columbus. In May 2012, Adams announced that he would be stepping down as UGA president the following year. Struggles and Controversies In the summer of 2002 President Adams claimed to have been offered the presidency of Ohio State University and a salary between $850,000 and $1,000,000. Adams submitted to the UGA foundation a letter allegedly turning down the offer and asked for the foundation to match it. In response, the foundation increased Adams's salary. After reading published reports of this alleged offer James Patterson, chair of Ohio State's presidential search committee, "flatly denied" that Adams was either a candidate or a finalist for the position. In October 2003, a forensic audit by Deloitte & Touche, LLP criticized Adams's stewardship. Charges included but were not limited to (i) expenditures for which Adams later reimbursed the University of Georgia, (ii) a stipend given to his wife, Mary, (iii) Adams's oversight of the purchase of an ecolodge in Costa Rica, (iv) and a secret payment by Adams to former football coach Jim Donnan. In March 2004 the faculty senate of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, the largest college in the University of Georgia, passed a vote of "no confidence" in Adams. Additionally, in a 2004 statement the faculty senate expressed concern about the decline in excellence during Adams' tenure. Athletics Involvement Adams has served as the chair both of the Southeastern Conference and the NCAA. During his tenure as President of the University of Georgia, he was heavily involved in the UGA athletics department. Advocacy of NCAA football playoff On January 8, 2008, Adams made national news when, as chairman of the NCAA executive committee, he advocated establishing an eight-team playoff for an NCAA football national championship. Adams, citing the influence of the television networks and commissioners of the various conferences