The University of Central Arkansas situation may come to a head today.
The Board of Trustees will meet at 4 p.m. Up for discussion: Whether to “roll over” over President Lu Hardin’s five-year contract — that is add a fifth year now that the first year of the five-year pact has been completed.
Expected: A strong statement from the UCA Faculty Senate, reportedly meeting this morning. That could range from anything from a call for censure to a call for termination.
A primary issue with the Senate will be the memorandum that Hardin wrote over the name of other administrators backing the terms of a new deferred compensation plan for the president.
But a growing issue in the community is a question about favoritism by Hardin for friends and UCA officials — such as special housing for children and grandchildren of connected people — Trustee Michael Stanton, Republican leader Sheffield Nelson, state Sen. Gilbert Baker — and a favor done by UCA staff for a campaign event for Sen. Gilbert Baker.
Some of those favoritism allegations are discussed in an article in this week’s edition of the Times. We’ve posted it early on account of today’s events.
Hardin, so far, has given every indication of standing fast in the turmoil that initially arose because of a pay bonus arranged without public announcement. Pressure has been growing in some quarters for a resignation, an idea mentioned in an editorial in this week’s Times as an option the Board might welcome.
UPDATE: Sen. Gilbert Baker has sent other senators a note about our article this morning. It’s on the jump. It’s misleading in a number of respects, the most obvious being his assertion that single-family housing is equally available to all married students at UCA. It is also untrue that the Times didn’t make an effort to call Baker. He called us back today, in fact, in response to a message left on his phone. His innuendo about our reporter hardly bears comment. But, for the record, John Williams knocked on the door, asked permission to ask questions and was invited in. Finally, no rumors were spread. Only facts. Read them and form your own opinion.