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SALT LAKE CITY — Mary Beckerle, the Huntsman Cancer Institute director and CEO who was fired abruptly last week, was reinstated to her role effective immediately Tuesday.

University of Utah President David Pershing said the reversal was made after members of the university community "spoke out and made their perspectives known."

In a prepared statement, Pershing said it is "now time … to return to our mission of serving students, caring for our patients and pursuing critical research," noting that Beckerle was being reinstated "in that spirit."

The announcement came after a 1½ hour closed-door meeting of the U. board of trustees early Tuesday that included the senior vice president for health sciences at the U., Dr. Vivian Lee.

Board Chairman H. David Burton said Tuesday that the meeting was a "learning session for the board."

But he declined to say why Beckerle was fired in the first place, citing personnel issues. He also declined to say whether the board was satisfied with Pershing's and Lee's answers.

But he did say that the executive committee of the board was informed of and supported the decision last week to fire Beckerle. While the board of trustees does not have authority over personnel matters, its members can strenuously object or agree with administrative decisions.

"You always have 20/20 hindsight, don't you?" Burton said. "The issues, at the moment they were presented to us — we did not have any reason not to support the administration."

U. board of trustees vice chairman Phillip Clinger said communication problems meant that some board members outside the executive committee were not fully informed of the decision by Pershing and Lee to dismiss Beckerle.

Clinger said Tuesday that he took responsibility for that.

"Had I done a better job of communicating the message, we wouldn't have trustees right now feeling that they didn't know the whole story," he said.

This past week has been a very difficult one for me and my family, as well as for our community. What kept me standing ... was the tremendous, unimaginable outpouring of love and support for Huntsman Cancer Institute and for me personally. –Dr. Mary Beckerle, CEO Huntsman Cancer Institute

Beckerle said she was grateful to be reinstated and thanked her supporters for their voices, lauding Huntsman Cancer Institute for "the remarkably collaborative environment, the innovative ‘can-do’ spirit, the commitment to excellence, and the confidence that great things are possible" that she says exists there.

"This past week has been a very difficult one for me and my family, as well as for our community," she said in a prepared statement. "What kept me standing, in addition to the support of my family and my unwavering commitment to HCI, was the tremendous, unimaginable outpouring of love and support for Huntsman Cancer Institute and for me personally.

"I cannot express how meaningful it has been to receive the thousands of messages from friends, colleagues, patients, and our community."

Future of Lee, Pershing

It is unclear what Beckerle's reinstatement will mean for Lee and Pershing, who drew immediate and severe backlash for their decision to fire the prominent cancer researcher as director and CEO on April 17.

The announcement marked a stunning reversal for university administrators after a week of turmoil and protests.

As part of the announcement, Pershing said administrators changed the reporting structure of the Huntsman Cancer Institute so that Beckerle will now report directly to him, the president of the university, instead of Lee. It's the first time the institute's director will report directly to the university president.

University of Utah President David Pershing talks briefly to media following a board of trustees meeting Tuesday morning, April 25, 2017. (Photo: Daphne Chen, Deseret News)

Beckerle's dismissal last week ignited a furious reaction from Jon Huntsman Sr., the institute's namesake, who provided the funds to found the center in 1993.

Huntsman, who angrily called for Beckerle's reinstatement and called her firing a money grab, said he was pleased with the decision.

"They've done the right thing," he said.

The billionaire philanthropist last week threatened to sue the university and said that a planned $250 million donation from the Huntsman Cancer Foundation was on hold. At the time, Huntsman called for both Lee and Pershing to be fired.

Huntsman reversed his position on Pershing Tuesday, but he did not comment about Lee in a prepared statement.

"It should be noted that Dr. David Pershing is a man of integrity who recognized his mistake after receiving inaccurate information and immediately acknowledged it and reversed his decision accordingly. … We sincerely hope that Dr. Pershing will remain for many years as president of the university," Huntsman said.

Vivian Lee, CEO of University of Utah Health Care, leaves a board of trustees meeting in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, April 25, 2017. (Photo: Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)

"The Huntsman family and other donors are very pleased with the reinstatement of Dr. Mary Beckerle as CEO and director of Huntsman Cancer Institute," he said. "We are also appreciative to President David Pershing for recognizing the need of a direct reporting relationship for an institution the size and scope of Huntsman Cancer Institute."

Huntsman had attacked Pershing in multiple interviews last week, saying he "should have been let go a long time ago" and that he "has not been on top of it at all" with regard to Lee's management of the medical school.

Huntsman could not be reached after the announcement Tuesday to answer questions about whether any lawsuits are still planned, whether negotiations about the donation have been reactivated, or his position on Lee. On Friday, Huntsman called her "the most unethical, undisciplined woman in the world."

U. spokesman Chris Nelson said Tuesday that Pershing "stands behind Dr. Lee in her role as senior vice president."

In a brief meeting with the press after the morning meeting, Pershing thanked the Huntsman family for "everything they have done for the university" and said the university wants to "reaffirm our support for cancer research. … No doubt about that at all."

Nelson also described Pershing as apologetic about how Beckerle's dismissal was handled and given the chance, "would have done things differently."

Angry donor

Huntsman also noted some lingering frustration with the board of trustees on Tuesday.

"We will continue to build and keep Huntsman Cancer Institute in the forefront as an outstanding and nationally recognized comprehensive cancer care center," he said. "Notwithstanding our disappointment regarding the University of Utah board of trustees’ lack of fiduciary oversight, we are all anxious to move forward, as in the past, with a hope and a prayer that we will conquer cancer as soon as possible."

Huntsman also reiterated his support for Beckerle and said he appreciates the outcry of others when she was fired.

"Our hearts go out to the cancer patients and all those who work at the Huntsman Cancer Institute … together with students and others who expressed their support during this past week," he said. "We have the greatest admiration and love, as do scientists throughout America and the world, for Dr. Beckerle."

Healing the divide

Nelson said Tuesday that the rift between Huntsman Cancer Institute and the rest of the school "was … unfortunately kind of public." Pershing wants to heal the divide, he said.

"I think the president would say (reinstating Beckerle) is the first step in doing that. … It's unfortunate that this was as public as it was, but we're looking forward to moving forward with them," Nelson said.

Pershing himself did not agree to an interview Tuesday.

Nelson declined to reveal more about Beckerle's firing in light of her reinstatement.

"That remains a personnel issue that we just don't talk about," he said.

The Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City is pictured on Tuesday, April 25, 2017. Mary Beckerle, the former Huntsman Cancer Institute director and CEO who was fired abruptly last week, was reinstated Tuesday. (Photo: Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)

Susan Sheehan, chief operating officer of the Huntsman Cancer Foundation, said Tuesday that she's eager for all sides to put what she termed a "hurtful" week behind them.

"We want to eradicate cancer from the face of the Earth, she said. "Let's look at that as the goal and let's move forward."

Sheehan said she feels badly for Huntsman Cancer Institute patients and their loved ones who may have experienced "terrible distress and pain" over the last several days of turmoil and uncertainty.

"I think today was a great beginning toward healing. … We're so sorry that this transpired," Sheehan said.

Kathy Howa, a breast cancer survivor who was treated at Huntsman Cancer Institute and who marched Monday to demand that Beckerle be reinstated, said she rejoiced at hearing the news that Beckerle was back in her position. Patients there are familiar with Beckerle because of her devoted and compassionate leadership, Howa said.

Related:

'We support Beckerle:' Dozens hold another protest for fired Huntsman Cancer Institute CEO As a survivor of ovarian cancer who beat the disease in 2009 after treatment at Huntsman Cancer Institute, Laurie Fraser feels she can speak from experience about what the organization has accomplished under the leadership of Dr. Mary Beckerle.

"They are not too big up there where they don't stop and … talk to patients," she said. "They see how they're feeling, they get personal with them. That's what they do up at Huntsman and that's what Mary is all about."

Howa said she felt like the widespread show of support for Beckerle helped her cause and that the university was responsive to people's outrage.

"It felt like they were really listening to us and I think they were listening to Jon Huntsman, who should have a lot of respect by all," she said. "It takes an army … (and) all of us together made it happen."

Beckerle said she wanted the passion from the past week to show through in the lifesaving work of her colleagues.

"We will now harness all the energy, commitment and goodwill that was manifest in the last week to advance the lifesaving mission of Huntsman Cancer Institute. … We are also deeply grateful to the Huntsman family, the Huntsman Cancer Foundation, and all of our donors for their continued confidence and faith in us. We will fight and defeat this disease," she said. "We will not let you down."

Contributing: Ladd Egan

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