Tom Loftus, Morgan Watkins, and Andrew Wolfson

The Courier-Journal

FRANKFORT, Ky. - Gov. Matt Bevin announced Friday that embattled University of Louisville President James Ramsey will step down, and in a sweeping act of executive power, the governor also fired the university's divided board of trustees and will replace it with members of his own choosing.

Former trustees who sought Ramsey's ouster said they were guardedly pleased with the announcement he is apparently leaving but concerned that legal challenges could delay his departure indefinitely.

Ramsey was on a university-sponsored river cruise in Europe and didn't respond to emails seeking comment. But in a letter to the governor, he said "upon a legal restructure of the Board of Trustees, I will immediately offer, to the newly appointed board, my resignation/retirement as president of the University of Louisville."

Legal experts said it is unclear whether Bevin, who acted using executive orders, has the authority to fire an entire university board. State law gives Kentucky governors broad discretion to use executive orders to reorganize state agencies, but no court has ever ruled whether universities are covered by that statute, and no governor has attempted to reorganize a college board since the current framework for appointing boards of trustees was enacted in 1991.

In a statement, Attorney General Andy Beshear said state lawmakers mandated that university boards be independent and that his office is reviewing Bevin's actions.

Ordering the termination of trustees and explaining Ramsey's departure, Bevin cited news stories in recent months "and frankly years" that have "shed less than the best light on the university and the commonwealth as a whole." He also said the current board, which has feuded over Ramsey and other issues, is "operationally dysfunctional."

One of Ramsey's strongest supporters, former Trustee Ron Butt, said he hopes Ramsey will remain as president.

“He will offer his resignation, but the new board doesn’t have to take it,” Butt said.

Dr. Jody Prather, a trustee who sought Ramsey’s ouster, said: “I hope it means there will be real change at the top," but it “sounds very possible that Ramsey would stay.”

Bevin, though, told reporters that Ramsey "will be standing down," though the timing will depend on decisions made by the new board. "It could be effective immediately. He is willing to do that."

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Larry Benz, who until Friday was the board's chair and had sought Ramsey's resignation, said: "I am supportive of Gov. Bevin's actions and desire to give the University of Louisville a fresh start."

In one executive order, Bevin removed the current 17 governor appointees - all of whom were appointed by Bevin's predecessor, Gov. Steve Beshear.

Bevin said the new board will have only 10 gubernatorial appointees, which will come from a list of 30 names he has asked the Governor's Postsecondary Education Nominating Committee to nominate within two weeks. The three trustees who represent faculty, staff and students are not affected by the order and will continue to serve with the 10 new members.

In a second executive order, Bevin appointed an interim board of three people who will serve until the new board can be appointed in two weeks. They are Ulysses "Junior" Bridgeman, Bonita Kay Black and Dr. Ron Wright, all of Louisville.

Bevin said there was no particular controversy or "tipping point" that drove him to Friday's actions. He thanked Ramsey and the former board members for their service.

He said the university is vastly improved from when Ramsey took over 14 years ago, although Bevin declined to directly respond to a question over whether he asked Ramsey for the resignation.

"I have had conversations for many months with many people, including President Ramsey," Bevin said. "He and I have had multiple conversations about what is in the best interest of the university."

State Sen. Morgan McGarvey, D-Louisville, criticized Bevin's move as an "incredible overreach by the governor, and it's going to result in flushing out the good with the bad."

McGarvey said Bevin's orders conflict with a state statute that says the university's board must have 17 members.

U of L history professor Tracy K'Myer, a former chair of that department, said in an email that she is "appalled by the apparently illegal maneuver by Gov. Bevin to remove all the members of the Board of Trustees" and believes it is a "politically motivated effort to undermine the independent governance of U of L."

"I've been a vocal critic of President Ramsey and would be happy to see him step down, but there is no guarantee that will happen," she added.

Bevin's move also could attract the attention of the body that accredits U of L, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Its principles say a university’s governing board must be “free from undue influence from political, religious or other external bodies." The organization also says the governing board must has a policy “whereby members can be dismissed only for appropriate reasons and by a fair process.”

But state Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, praised Bevin's move as a bold step.

"It was something that needed to happen with all that has occurred," Stivers said. "I appreciate President Ramsey for his leadership. ... However, I do believe it is time for a fresh start, as Gov. Bevin has stated."

Several community leaders, including the Rev. Kevin Cosby, senior pastor of St. Stephen Baptist Church, hailed Ramsey's performance.

Cosby, who is also president of Simmons College, said that with Ramsey's help, Simmons created a program that allows students to transfer to the university to complete degrees, which in turn has helped revive the historically black college. He said history would remember Ramsey as a "phenomenal, visionary leader."

Bill Samuels, a former board member and the chairman emeritus of Maker's Mark, said he hopes the community can heal from a divisive, painful episode, and that while he admires Ramsey, it is time to move on.

Hired in 2002, Ramsey has been credited with helping dramatically increase the university's academic standards for incoming freshmen and its graduation rate. He also led fundraising drives that have transformed the campus and its athletic facilities.

But over the past two years, his leadership has come under attack over embezzlement scandals and other embarrassments, including an FBI investigation of its top health care executive and an NCAA investigation into allegations that men's basketball players and recruits were provided with dancers and prostitutes. The university also has been criticized for offering buyouts to top officials in exchange for their silence, and Ramsey's compensation has been questioned.

Reporter Tom Loftus can be reached at (502) 875-5136 or tloftus@courier-journal.com. Morgan Watkins can be reached at mwatkins@courier-journal.com. Andrew Wolfson can be reached at (502) 582-7189 or awolfson@courier-journal.com

What's the law say?

Here's what Kentucky law says about the University of Louisville's Board of Trustees:

» The board consists of 20 members, 17 of whom are appointed by the governor.

» The three other members include one person from the teaching faculty who's the chief executive of the ranking unit of faculty government; a permanent staff member who's the chief executive of the staff senate; and the current student body president.

» The governor's appointments must include proportional representation of the state's racial minorities.

» The board can include one graduate of the institution who resides outside the state.

» Board members may be removed by the governor for cause, which includes neglect of duty or malfeasance in office.