Chancellor Erroll Davis said in a letter to Gov. Sonny Perdue that the veto is necessary to protect academic integrity. But the bill's sponsor said the chancellor's real concern is money.

In the letter, Davis said it would be ``a step backwards'' to sign the legislation, which would give 24 hours of college credit to high school seniors who complete the two-year International Baccalaureate diploma program, now offered at 22 Georgia high schools.

The proposal ``sends a clear signal that the Legislature is willing to substitute its political judgment for the academic judgment of university officials. If this bill is not vetoed, we will be subject to a clear reputation risk in the national marketplace,'' Davis' letter said.

But Rep. Bill Hembree, who chairs the House Higher Education Committee, said, ``The chancellor sees a student as a revenue source, and the longer they can keep the student, the more money they can gain ... And that is wrong. Sometimes we need to look beyond the revenue sources ... and look at what's best for the students.''

University System spokesman John Millsaps said in an e-mail, ``It is extremely rare for the University System to be in the position of requesting a veto and it is not a step that is taken lightly.''

Perdue's press secretary, Bert Brantley, said in an e-mail, ``We don't give comments on a bill before the governor decides and announces one way or the other.''

Perdue has until May 30 to veto or sign the bill.

Under Hembree's proposal, IB students could spend less than four years in college. A greater number of students would finish college ``in a timely manner,'' and less money would be spent on HOPE scholarships, Hembree said.

But, Davis says in his letter, ``an IB diploma simply does not equate to 24 hours of university level work.''

Three states have similar laws mandating IB college credits. Hembree said his bill is based on a law that passed two years ago in Texas.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)