CONWAY, Ark. – The president of the University of Central Arkansas lost his job Friday after he failed to tell school trustees that a food services company’s proposed $700,000 donation to renovate his university-owned house came with strings attached.
Allen C. Meadors met with the board of trustees a day earlier to apologize for not telling them the money was conditional on the renewal of Aramark’s contract with Central Arkansas.
Meadors is the second university president in a row to leave under pressure. Lu Hardin resigned in 2008 after trustees questioned his bonuses.
Board president Scott Roussel said Meadors called him after Thursday’s meeting with the trustees and offered his resignation. The board met Friday to negotiate the terms of a buyout. They appointed the school’s general counsel, Tom Courtway, to take over temporarily.
Meadors will be paid his $225,000 salary through the end of 2013. Private donors will pay that salary starting in July 2012. Roussel said that money has not yet been raised.
“There’s a few people that have said they will make sure the money is raised,” he said.
Roussel, who said he knew about the full details of Aramark’s contract and also apologized Thursday, said he wouldn’t resign.
