Opinions of Lu sought at meeting

A meeting of the University of Central Arkansas Board of Trustees, dubbed "unprecedented" by chairman Randy Sims, allowed representatives of both the school and the community to come forward and voice their opinions of UCA President Lu Hardin.

In light of recent events, including a privately approved $300,000 bonus for Hardin and a memo from administrators supporting it, which Hardin later admitted to writing, Sims said he felt more communication was necessary.

"Too much has gone on and we haven't had a chance to get together," Sims said after the meeting. "I thought it would just be a good idea to get the board together and talk things out. People had opinions and they were good and bad and I think that was healthy."

The meeting, held Wednesday in the university's boardroom, brought forth leaders of various organizations in Conway and within UCA. Although the people who spoke were representatives of organizations, each represented himself or herself individually.

Sims said the meeting was called quickly, stating the board members and speakers were not notified until Tuesday afternoon. He also said the individuals asked to speak were both suggested to him and asked directly by him.

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"There was no rhyme or reason to who was asked, just having leaders of different organizations was the main purpose," Sims said.

However, at least one person felt there were particular reasons some of the speakers were asked to attend the meeting.

"It seemed like many of these people were specifically invited to offer their endorsements for President Hardin," Dr. Kurt Boniecki, president of the UCA Faculty Senate, said. "But I am happy that they sought input from the SGA (Student Government Association), Staff Senate and Faculty Senate."

Sims said he hopes the input to the board continues from all areas of the community.

Barbara Anderson, UCA executive vice president and one of the three UCA officials named on the memo written by Hardin, admitted to not knowing about the memo, but said she recognized much of the terminology within it.

The memo, which Hardin said was distributed during a regular May meeting, listed talking points and suggestions to encourage the president to stay with the university. These suggestions included the acceleration of a $300,000 bonus not due to Hardin until 2010 and a $150,000-per-year deferred-compensation package. The board approved the acceleration during the May executive session, but has not yet voted on the deferred compensation. Hardin has since returned the money, stating it will not be repaid until private funds are available and staff and faculty receive raises.

According to Anderson, calling Hardin's memo plagiarism would be a stretch because of previous meetings to discuss the incentives.

"I did recognize the information in the memo, through questions asked of me and others together and separately," Anderson said.

She said these meetings included Jack Gillean, vice president for administration, and Paul McLendon, vice president for finance, whose names were also listed on the memo, and Rita Fleming, director of human resources.

Although Anderson said she did agree with the majority of the memo, she said the statement that the deferred compensation would not be subject to the Freedom of Information Act was not something she supports.

"We did not talk about that," Anderson said. "If you had asked me, I would have questioned that."

Boniecki, who is a professor of psychology, said during the meeting the revelation of the memo in question and the fact that Hardin wrote it created a "sense of outrage from many faculty members."

"I don't like where I am right now," Boniecki said during the meeting. "I'll just say I wish we weren't here today. I wish that memo didn't exist."

He went on to say the Faculty Senate has not met and is not calling for the resignation of Hardin, as has been rumored. However, he said everything he has heard from the faculty is predominantly negative, adding some have asked the senate to consider a confidence vote.

"What I'm hearing is people say that their trust in the president has been broken," Boniecki said.

Carol Daves, president of UCA's Staff Senate, also spoke at the meeting Wednesday and brought with her several opinions of the school's staff.

She read one staff member's request for the "pattern of unethical behavior that has seemed to grow" to come to an end and comments from others who believe Hardin's integrity has been called into question.

Daves said it is her personal opinion that Hardin has been a strong leader, but also said the recent events will be hard to overcome.

"It will take a good amount of good character and open activity to win back the trust that has been lost," Daves said.

Student Government Association President Drew Aylesworth represented the UCA students during the meeting and told the board the relationship between SGA and Hardin has been a good one. However, he said he has heard from students that the controversy that began with the president's bonus has "tarnished" UCA.

Ross Honea, who is a member of the UCA Foundation's board of directors, said any decision to request the resignation of Hardin would be "foolish."

"That blows my mind because a third of the faculty and a third of the staff wouldn't have a job had it not been for the work of President Hardin to build this university," Honea said.

He went on to say if the $300,000 bonus awarded to Hardin was divided among the university's employees, that would only mean an extra $150 a year for each person.

"The fact that he received a $300,000 bonus does not severely impact compensation faculty or staff might lose," Honea said.

Honea said the 19-member board of the UCA Foundation recently tabled a motion recognizing its support for Hardin because there was not a significant number of its members present at the time.

Sims also read letters in support of Hardin from Jack Bell, assistant to Mayor Tab Townsell, and Brad Lacy, president and CEO of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce. Roy Whitehead, business professor and former UCA general counsel, and Pam Spikes, business professor, also expressed their support for the president and the board through teleconferences during the meeting. Harold Helton, a member of the UCA Alumni Association and local attorney Frank Shaw, were also present at the meeting to offer their supportive words to Hardin.

An executive session also took place after the comments were made and after resuming an open session, Sims said the board would take no action at that time. Sims said the board will meet again in September, although the date is yet to be determined.

(Staff writer Jessica Bauer can be reached by e-mail at jessica.bauer@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1236. To comment on this and other stories in the Log Cabin, log on to www.thecabin.net. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)