University spokesperson Molly C. Watson said the 11-member board will likely review the investigation report compiled by the law firm of Fish & Richardson in executive session.
WESTFIELD – Two weeks after Westfield State University President Evan S. Dobelle’s resignation, school trustees will get their first look Monday at the latest investigation into his travel and spending.
Responding to mounting criticism of Dobelle’s financial practices, the board of trustees suspended the president with pay Oct. 17 and hired a Boston-based law firm to review his spending for airline tickets, hotels, restaurants, limousines and other items.
Dobelle announced his retirement Nov. 8, abandoning a two-month battle with state Higher Education Commissioner Richard M. Freeland, who froze $2.2 million in state funds to emphasize his dissatisfaction with Dobelle. The campus funding has since been restored.
University spokesperson Molly C. Watson said the 11-member board will likely review the investigation report compiled by the law firm of Fish & Richardson in executive session.
The firm had tight deadline and a large volume of material to cover, Watson said, adding that several decisions – including whether to release the report – have not been made yet.
“The report is everyone’s priority,” she said.
“There is definitely a possibility that any discussion about status and outcomes will be done in executive session,” she added.
In October, trustees held a 10-hour, closed-door meeting with the Dobelle before voting to place him on paid leave. Two weeks later, he responded by suing the university, the trustees, Freeland and other defendants, stating they violated his contract and his constitutional rights.
The suit, filed in U.S. District Court, is pending.
At today’s meeting, the board will also consider appointing a temporary successor to Dobelle, who was hired in December 2007 and served previously as president of Trinity College and the University of Hawaii.
Elizabeth Preston, vice president for academic affairs, has been handling Dobelle’s duties since he announced his retirement Nov. 8.
The school’s auditing firm, O’Connor & Drew of Braintree, will also present the results of its annual audit at the meeting.
The campus power struggle erupted in August after an O’Connor & Drew report offered the first official summary of Dobelle’s extensive travel, including trips to England, Spain, Austria, Cuba, China, Hong Kong, Thailand and Vietnam, along with 15 visits to San Francisco.
The auditors concluded that Dobelle often charged personal expenses to university credit cards, and criticized Dobelle and other officials for routinely violating travel and credit card policies.
In response, Dobelle said the travel benefited the university, and any personal expenses billed to the university were later reimbursed.
The board is considering reducing the number of credit cards issued to Westfield State employees from 40 to about five, and booking all travel from one office, rather than allowing individuals to arrange their own trips.
The meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the Horace Mann Center.