Ladner Package Outrages AU Campus

"A good settlement is one that both sides are unhappy with," Gottschalk said. "That's what we have."

Late Monday, the university's deans issued a terse statement saying the financial arrangement was unacceptable. Some of the individual schools met yesterday to pass their own judgment.

The School of International Service Council unanimously voted no confidence in the trustees, called on them to resign and asked for reforms in governance. The council asked them to rescind the severance package or recover the funds and voiced support of efforts by members of the AU community to enjoin the board from moving forward with the settlement.

The faculty of the Washington College of Law voted to condemn the settlement, calling it a waste of university assets and a betrayal of the school's educational mission.

The Kogod School of Business faculty passed a resolution saying it was disappointed with the departure package and wanted the board to focus on a new governance system that would be more inclusive of school constituencies and be more transparent.

The School of Communication faculty expressed its deep concern over the settlement, particularly the $950,000, "especially if this money is being given to him so he can repay the university for his excessive spending."

The communication faculty also admonished the board for its lack of stewardship of the university and urged trustees to create an independent panel to study the governance structure, asking for more transparency and accountability.

Several board members reached last night declined to comment on the faculty votes.