UCA faculty senate seeks trustee’s resignation

CONWAY — The University of Central Arkansas’ faculty senate has voted to ask a school trustee to resign over a deal with a food vendor that offered the school a $ 700,000 donation that was contingent upon a contract extension.

The faculty senate voted Thursday to ask trustee Scott Roussel to resign over the deal with Aramark, which was first reported by the Arkansas Democrat- Gazette.

The newspaper reported Friday that the senate voted 18- 2 in favor of Roussel’s resignation. The senate said Roussel did not

tell other trustees that the gift from Aramark was contingent upon the university automatically renewing its contract with the vendor for seven years.

The Aramark contract also led to the resignation of former UCA President Allen Meadors, who stepped down Sept. 2. Meadors said last fall that he thought the trustees knew the $ 700,000 gift came with conditions.

Prosecutors are now reviewing the case to see if any laws were broken. Roussel did not respond to calls or emails seeking comment.

University officials never formally accepted the Aramark donation, but the school did approve a new 10- year contract with Aramark earlier this month. The trustees said the new Aramark contract was vetted by a committee and thoroughly negotiated.

Kevin Browne, the faculty senate’s president- elect, recalled that Roussel said his failure to mention the contract tie- in was an honest mistake.

Regardless, Browne said, it was “an egregious, costly mistake” and one for which “you should be held accountable in your job. We would be.”

Some faculty members said the senate should hold off on voting until prosecutors finish their investigation.

Roussel was criticized for telling other trustees and the public that Aramark’s $ 700,000 offer was a “godsend.” The donation would have paid for further renovations on the UCA- owned president’s house.

Thursday’s vote was nonbinding and will be sent to UCA President Tom Courtway.