The policy was one of several canceled this year as part of a review of all campus insurance, according to Santiago, who said more than $100,000 was saved by eliminating unnecessary coverage.
WESTFIELD – One month after being sued by ex-president Evan S. Dobelle, Westfield State University trustees are seeking advice from the state attorney general’s office on whether they have enough liability insurance.
The board decided to contact the attorney general’s office last week after being briefed by vice president for administration and finance Milton Santiago, who canceled the board’s supplemental liability policy in July.
Santiago explained that the policy essentially duplicated the legal protection board members already receive under state law.
The policy was one of several canceled this year as part of a review of all campus insurance, according to Santiago, who said more than $100,000 was saved by eliminating unnecessary coverage.
Westfield State and other state schools purchased supplemental liability insurance for their trustees in 2008, according to Santiago, who was hired in January and previously worked at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston and College of Staten Island in New York.
He said it was the first time Westfield State had made such a purchase, and he was unsure why it was necessary since board members were already insured by the state.
“Your (supplemental policy) was the first I’ve ever seen,” Santiago told the board.
But several board members, including Steven P. Marcus and Elizabeth D. Scheibel, said the trustees were never notified about the cancellation, and only learned about it in the middle of the legal battle with then-president Dobelle.
Under pressure from the Patrick administration, the trustees voted Oct. 17 to place Dobelle on paid leave amid two state investigations into his travel and spending habits.
One week later, Dobelle responded by suing the university, three trustees, state Higher Education Commissioner Richard M. Freeland and others. He resigned Nov. 8, claiming the unpaid leave was one of several actions by the trustees that violated his contract and constitutional rights.
Marcus said he felt “very exposed” after learning the board’s insurance had been canceled, and asked why the board was never briefed on the matter.
Board chairman John F. Flynn III praised Santiago for saving the university money by eliminating the trustees’ apparently redundant liability policy.
But Santiago or someone else should have informed the board, according to Flynn, who said the trustees still had unanswered questions about insurance coverage.
Based on Flynn’s recommendation, the board voted to ask the attorney general’s office to review the trustees' coverage and recommend changes if necessary.