American University is a tuition-supported institution where many students work for meager hourly wages to make ends meet. Circumstances very often force them to take out loans to pay their tuition, loans they will be struggling to repay for many years after they graduate. ÿIn addition, their parents sacrifice to make it possible for them to attend. And our president, Ben Ladner, choses to live like royalty at their expense, and that of AU's faculty and staff. The Washington Post even reported evidence that he was interested in arranging for five million dollars in bonuses over the next five years so that he could maintain his lavish lifestyle when he steps down from the presidency. ÿWhen is enough, enough? Thankfully, the board of trustees (BOT) has voted him out.ÿBut there are manyÿ issues related to his departure that remain to be decided, and how the the BOT handles that is as important as their decision to remove Ladner. ÿ
If the members of the BOT had been conscientiously attending to their fiduciary responsibilities to the University over the Ladner years, we would not be in our current crisis.ÿYet in spite of that,ÿ right up to the Board's recent vote to remove him, too many members seemed inclined to continue business as usual -- even proposing that AU retain Ladner at an $800,000 salary, plus an additional $80,000 for his wife. Since he arrived at AU in 1994, ÿthe Board has increased Ladner's salary, on average, by over 15 percent annually without, it appears, any formal review.ÿ A governing arrangement where the President essentially appoints the Board, and is aÿ voting member of the Board, doesn't necessarily promote "checks and balances" or the most rigorous oversight ofÿ the President.ÿ
This has made Ladner one of the highest paid university presidents, while the BOT additionally permitted him to charge his lavish life style to AU for all these years.ÿThe board owes the university community -- students, faculty, staff and alumni -- an explanation, especially when the annual salary increments they recommended for our dedicated faculty and staff over the Ladner years have averaged about 3 percent, distributed through formal merit-based review procedures. At that percentage, Ladner's salary would be about one-third of what it is now. Disparate treatment of this magnitude suggests a board out of touch with the community it is meant to serve.ÿIt seems that even now, after arranging overly generous compensation, coupled with negligent oversight that permitted his excesses, a good number on the Board still support a generous severance package for Ladner.ÿWhat an awful message that would send the AU community and the larger community of which we are a part!
Ladner is in trouble because substantial, detailed information has been published showing a pattern of excessive compensation, lavish spending and unauthorized expenditures. It is difficult to understand how there would not be misfeasance, and, perhaps, malfeasance in his behavior - ÿconditions that could support termination with cause. ÿIn fact, Ladner should be grateful if he were to be permitted to leave without repaying all questionable expenditures since 1994 or having charges of dishonesty pursued by the University. ÿ
It is wrong to reward greed and self indulgence with even more unearned money that will come from our students and their families plus additional sacrifices by faculty and staff. A buy out would also siphon resources from our programs, thus requiring AU's students to pay more while receiving less. That is an unjustifiable outcome here when they have already paid for Ladner's excesses. Further, such action by our university would implicitly endorse the corporate greed exemplified by undeserved "golden parachutes" in recent years. ÿThe board certainly should not want to further associate AU with that!
We have a special opportunity now to serve as an enlightened example for needed reforms, here and elsewhere. ÿThe BOT should grasp this opportunity by separating Ladner from AU without buying him out with a severance package, thereby acting on principle rather than expediency. Only then can we begin to rebuild the confidence and faith in AU that is essential if our students, alumni and community are to again believe in, and support, the niversity.
Dr. Weiss is a professor in the psychology department. He has been a part of the AU community for 38 years.ÿ
