Texas Southern University’s (TSU) board of regents has terminated its president Dr. Austin Lane — who was suspended in January — for several contract violations, such as allegedly not reporting allegations of fraud in the university admissions process and directing a former law school dean to “engage in acts that violate university policy,” reported the Texas Tribune.
Dr. Austin Lane“The Board’s determination to propose the termination for cause was made after conducting a detailed and ongoing investigation concerning troubling issues which have arisen during your term of employment,” the trustees wrote in an official letter to Lane.
According to the letter, Lane had also “directed excessive entertainment expenses to be paid through the TSU Foundation rather than the university entertainment expense reimbursement process” outlined in his contract.
Lane, who was at the meeting in which the motion to terminate him passed 6-1, called all the allegations false. In an interview with the Houston Chronicle, he said, “They didn’t mention anything that links anything to myself or any of my administration team. You didn’t hear one fact that they were able to prove with anything they said today.”
The board of regents has given Lane 30 days to “cure” the allegations, if he is able.
