Emails between board of trustees obtained by The Johnsonian in a Freedom of Information Act request show that trustees believed they were acting in former president Dan Mahony’s “best interest” by keeping quiet about his departure.
On May 3, 2019 Chairman Glenn McCall thanked the board in an email for remaining quiet on the matter.
“I want to thank each of you for your thoughtfulness and willingness to keep these matters confidential. It is in Dan’s best interest as well as Winthrop’s that we do not make public comments that may impede Dan’s ability to secure a new position,” McCall wrote.
“By maintaining confidentiality, I believe we can work together to make his final year at Winthrop a productive, meaningful time for the university.”
In an earlier email sent on the same day, McCall wrote that the board “must look to a new leader with a different skill set.”
“… Winthrop now needs to focus on the critical issues of enrollment growth, major gift fundraising/capital campaign, new and market-driven academic programs, and strengthening the ties to the local community as well as our State leaders and our national leaders,” McCall wrote.
Vice President and Secretary to the Board of Trustees Kimberley Faust sent an article to the Executive Committee of the board about the firings of four university presidents with little notice.
Vice-Chair Kathy Bigham responded and said it was “interesting to see how other institutions have handled their change in leadership.
“It also makes me feel we have been extremely fair to our president by giving him a year without an announcement to strengthen his ability to get another presidency and to avoid being named in articles like this,” Bigham said. “Actually, this was in his best interest and not necessarily the best for Winthrop.”
On Dec. 5, 2019, Faust asked that the trustees check their email accounts for any emails pertaining to Mahony’s contract for a FOIA request filed by The Johnsonian.
Faust references an article published by The Johnsonian and an email from Faculty Representative Dr. Adolphus Belk querying the status of Mahony’s contract.
“With both Aldophus’ message and the Johnsonian article, it is now public knowledge that Dan’s contract was not renewed. You, as Trustees, were able to keep this information confidential in Dan’s best interests but the faculty and students have chosen to publicize it potentially harming Dan’s relationship with his new Board,” Faust wrote.
