By Michael Walsh
According to Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, the Connecticut State University System Board of Trustees broke state law when it gave CSUS Chancellor David Carter the power to fire university presidents.
Blumenthal issued a report today to a legislative committee with findings that the board violated state laws when it gave Carter the power and authority. In addition, Blumenthal also says that the board improperly rewrote human resource policies in 2007.
According to Blumenthal, only the full board of trustees has the power and legal ability to fire a university president and change human resource policies.
“State law is clear. Only the full CSUS board can change personnel policies and terminate presidents,” Blumenthal said in a statement. “University boards of trustees are entrusted with the ultimate authority on key leadership decisions – a powerful and essential check assuring wise and efficient stewardship. Such authority should not and cannot be delegated.”
Blumenthal stated in a press release that in 2007 the 18-member board “nonetheless improperly delegated its authority to rewrite personnel policies to its eight-member executive committee.”
In Oct. of 2009 the board then wrongly gave Carter the power to terminate university presidents. Carter, who announced his decision to retire from his chancellor position last week, then used that power on Nov. 17, 2009 to fire the current Southern Connecticut State University President Cheryl Norton, a decision that fell under some scrutiny. Norton, informed of Carter’s decision to let her go, resigned in a deal that keeps her paid full salary through May 31, 2011.
In his report, Blumenthal recommends that the CSUS Board of Trustees review its decision to delegate authority of power to Carter to make sure that it complies with state law. He also recommends that the full board review and then vote on the improper executed decisions regarding the human resource policies that were written in 2007. Blumenthal also recommends in his report that the legislature change the law to clarify that the full board must vote on human resource and any terminations or suspensions of university presidents.
According to Blumenthal’s office, they’ve discussed the matter with Carter in the last month. Blumenthal reports that the full CSUS board then voted to reclaim its authority to write personnel policies and took initial steps to reclaim power to terminate university presidents.
“I am pleased that the full CSUS board heeded my call to reclaim its statutory authority to set personnel policy,” Blumenthal said in a statement. “I hope that the board will reassert its statutory power to terminate university presidents, a core management function that cannot be legally delegated.”