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President Scott Gordon and Stephen F. Austin State College have “mutually agreed” to half methods, in accordance with a tweet the college posted Sunday night time, which famous that “it’s in one of the best curiosity of each events for the employment relationship to finish.”
The Board of Regents reached the choice after a four-hour government session Sunday afternoon, throughout which it named Steve Westbrook, a former vp for college affairs, interim president.
The board didn’t give a motive for eradicating Gordon, who turned president in fall 2019. However the Texas Tribune reported that the board granted Gordon an $85,000 pay increase final April—plus $25,000 a yr for the following two years—even because the establishment grappled with financial pressures stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Dealing with a price range shortfall for 2020, Gordon referred to as for voluntary retirements, tutorial cuts and employees furloughs.
College students, school and employees turned indignant after they discovered in August about Gordon’s pay increase—particularly since school acquired no wage will increase final yr because of price range constraints, the Tribune reported.
In September, Gordon returned the increase. However just a few days later, school handed a decision of no confidence within the president, accusing him of bullying workers and exhibiting “unreasonably impatient conduct each in private and non-private.” Additionally they objected to cuts he made to the category schedule, cramming 16-week programs into eight weeks.
Nonetheless, after calling a particular assembly in late September, the board took no motion in opposition to Gordon. It requested him solely to restore his relationship with the school.
Sunday’s assembly was totally different.
“I’m relieved that the Board of Regents has taken the required steps to maneuver our college ahead,” Matthew Beauregard, a math and statistics professor who chairs a number of departments, wrote in an e mail to the Texas Tribune. “I’m hopeful that this announcement will reinforce the unity amongst tutorial affairs as we transfer by this era of transition.”
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