After a mere two months in the position, Alabama State University president Joseph Silver was placed on paid administrative leave this week, sparking protests by students who are demanding a state investigation into the reasons for the abrupt action.
According to John F. Knight Jr., Alabama State’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, a three-member executive committee of the Board of Trustees met on Nov. 26 to discuss Silver’s performance.
“The committee placed Dr. Silver on administrative leave with pay, pending further actions by the Board of Trustees,” Knight said adding that a full meeting of the board was scheduled for Nov. 29. The meeting has since been postponed at the request of Gov. Robert Bentley, but not yet rescheduled, according to a board source.
Knight said he wasn’t free to discuss the specific reasons the executive committee placed Silver on leave. “I can only say that there was some dissatisfaction among board members about his leadership,” Knight said.
However, Silver says he came across “questionable and troubling” information about the university’s finances. He released a statement on Wednesday in which he said, “In reviewing the financials, contracts and other pertinent information of Alabama State, I discovered some items I considered questionable and troubling, at best, and a conflict of interest at the least. When I asked for clarifications, I did not get answers. When I asked for supporting data, the data was withheld.”
Silver added,” I was placed on administrative leave because I raised a few probing questions and I refused to go along to get along. That is not my operating style.”
Knight said he was not aware of improprieties or irregularities. “He needs to say what he is talking about instead of making a lot of vague statements.”
