University of Georgia President Michael Adams says the campus will continue to follow a state policy banning illegal immigrants from enrolling despite a vote by faculty and staff calling for its repeal.

"The University of Georgia will follow all state laws and rules as well as the Regents' policy," Adams said Thursday.

The university's faculty and staff council voted Thursday to urge the Board of Regents to overturn the policy. The vote is largely symbolic and does not change the UGA administration's enforcement of the statewide rule.

The policy bars any public or university that has rejected an academically qualified applicant in the prior two years from accepting illegal immigrants. It applies to: the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Georgia State University, Georgia Health Sciences University and Georgia College & State University.

Illegal immigrants can still attend any of the system's other 30 schools but have to pay out-of-state tuition.

Tags: University of Georgia, Board of Regents, illegal immigrants, University of Georgia President Michael Adams