Lexy Gross

@lexygross

The dean of Indiana University Southeast's school of business was arrested early Thursday morning in Louisville after officers allegedly found him passed out in the driver's seat of a car and in possession of drugs.

Alan Jay White, a Floyds Knobs resident and listed online as dean and associate professor of finance at IUS, was found slumped over the wheel of a car at around 2 a.m. Thursday morning at Rowan and 11th streets in Louisville, according to the Louisville Metro Police arrest report. The vehicle was still in drive, and White was woken up by police and asked to get out of the car.

Officers found a folded dollar bill "with an unknown white powder" in White's pants pocket, as well as "a small pink straw commonly used to sniff narcotics." Officers also found Ambien, which is a controlled substance.

He was arrested on two charges of possession of a controlled substance, in the first and third degrees. According to court records, White was arraigned on Friday and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. on June 9. White also posted bond Friday.

Rachel Terlep, a spokeswoman at IUS, said the university is aware of the issue and "will monitor it closely as the judicial process ensues."

"Because this is a personnel matter, the university will have no further comments," the university's statement read. Terlep didn't say if White was working Monday, and White did not respond to an emailed request for comment.

White was also served an arrest warrant Thursday for a theft by unlawful taking or disposition of property between $10,000 and one million dollars, a Class C felony charge in Kentucky.

According to the complaint warrant, White allegedly failed to return a 2015 Mazda rental car from Payless Car Rental in late October 2015. The warrant says White kept making promises to return the car, but failed to do so. The company tried to repossess the car with a wrecker, but White told the driver he returned the car and the complainant said its whereabouts were unknown.

When White was arrested Thursday morning, officers wrote that he was driving a 2009 Mazda registered in Kentucky.

White was named dean of the school of business in 2007, according to his LinkedIn page, and was also an assistant professor of finance at Murray State University in the late 90's. Louisville Business First wrote a profile of White in 2010, where he discusses the path that led him to New Albany and his changing role at IUS.

Reporter Lexy Gross can be reached at 502-582-4087 or via email at lgross@courier-journal.com. Reporter Matthew Glowicki contributed to this story.