× Thanks for reading! Log in to continue. Enjoy more articles by logging in or creating a free account. No credit card required. Log in Sign up {{featured_button_text}}

Texas A&M’s outgoing Provost and Executive Vice President Karan Watson has been removed from her position after an internal audit found significant conflict of interest issues tied to business dealings her spouse had with the university, according to documents obtained by The Eagle.

The investigation is likely to trigger sweeping changes throughout A&M System universities and agencies by prohibiting spouses and close family members of senior administrators from doing business with the System.

Over the last seven years since Karan Watson took over as provost, Nancy Watson — owner of a conflict resolution company in Bryan-College Station — was paid $438,733 by the university for training services. The audit highlighted the $9,838 she was paid by the provost’s office and the $105,767 from the Office for Diversity, which reports to the provost.

Though the inquiry found the arrangement violated the A&M System’s ethics policy and cited five areas in which the provost failed to comply with the code of conduct, it did not find any evidence that she pressured or tried to influence staff to hire her spouse, according to a six-page document from the auditor, which answers to the A&M System Board of Regents.