Temple Univ. Board Of Trustees Seeks Dismissal Of President Neil Theobald
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Temple University Board of Trustees issued a vote of no confidence in the school's president, Dr. Neil D. Theobald. The announcement was made on Tuesday in a message that went out to faculty, students and staff.
According to the board, they will seek Theobald's dismissal at a meeting that is set to take place on July 21.
Temple dismissed University Provost Hai-Lung Dai in late June following the discovery of a $22 million deficit in Temple's financial aid budget. Temple Law School Dean JoAnne Epps was appointed to take over for Dai and the board approved that hire today.
At the time of Dai's dismissal, the school did not explicitly say that the deficit was the reason. Dai released a statement on Wednesday claiming that someone leaked allegations that he was behind the sexual harassment of Temple employee, shortly before he left the University.
He called the allegations an utter fabrication and claims he was maligned. Dai's statement read in part, "I will not rest or retreat until I have pursued every avenue available to me, including through a court of law, to restore my good name."
Dai explained that the matter is currently under investigation by the school.
The board ultimately decided that the deficit was Theobald's responsibility and that he should be held responsible, leading to this vote.
It was announced that the board presented Theobald with the opportunity to resign. He refused to do so and the board is moving forward with his dismissal, meaning that Temple will be losing two of its top officials in a matter of weeks.
The board announced that former Acting Temple President and current chancellor Richard Englert is their choice for acting president which could be announced at the meeting. A search is expected to follow for a permanent successor.
Theobald became the 10th president in Temple history in 2012, following five years as the senior vice president and chief financial officer for Indiana University.