THE STORY SO FAR
- Earlier: Kennesaw State University president Dan Papp announces his retirement May 10, after 10 years leading the university. Three weeks later, University System of Georgia auditors release a report citing financial policy violations by Papp involving compensation, annual leave and car-allowance payments. Two additional reports find additional policy violations by top administrators in the university's Auxiliary Services and Operations division responsible for dining services.
- The latest: Incoming interim president Houston Davis makes several leadership changes; relieves four administrators of duties, names three interim chief.
- What's next: Papp is set to retire June 30. Auditor reports have been turned over to the Georgia Attorney General's office.
The Kennesaw State University administrator implicated in a recent audit detailing conflict of interest and ethics policy violations has resigned, and four high-ranking officials have been fired.
Randall Shelton, former assistant vice president for Auxiliary Services and Programs, the division responsible numerous campus services including dining and food services, resigned after he was placed on administrative leave. His resignation came two days before school officials were set to take further “employment actions, up to and including termination” against him, they informed him.
The other four were fired by the incoming interim president, Houston Davis. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution requested information about administrative changes made at the university after Davis announced three new interim leaders earlier this week.
Davis replaces outgoing president Dan Papp, who retires from KSU on June 30. Papp was also implicated in a separate auditors' report for a series of financial policy violations. He abruptly announced his retirement three weeks prior to the reports being published.
Shelton was placed on administrative leave, June 2 — the day the auditors' reports were released — "based on serious deficiencies in your job performance," says a letter from Papp and Davis and received by the AJC. Six days later, Shelton resigned in a letter to Papp, although he maintained he had performed his duties without deficiencies and without intentionally violating any policies and procedures of KSU or the University System.
“However, given the nature of the allegations contained in the special review, which does not contain a full and complete representation of the issues identified and after careful consideration and consultation with legal counsel, I have decided to resign from my position,” Shelton says in his June 8 response letter, two days before school officials were set to take further action against him.
The four KSU administrators Davis fired are:
- Randy Hinds, vice president for operations and chief information officer and chief business officer
- Maria Britt, associate vice president for operations
- Flora Devine, general counsel/special assistant to the president
- Rodney Bossert, assistant vice president, human resources
While working at KSU, Hinds and Devine were members of Papp's cabinet. Both Britt and Bossert reported to Hinds, and Shelton reported to Britt.
The administrators were relieved of duty June 6, the same day as the letters from Davis. Their employment with KSU is set to officially end July 1.
The changes come as Davis begins his transition with a new leadership team.
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