William Frawley was fired as president of the University of Mary Washington yesterday, almost three weeks after consecutive DUI charges against him.
He started the job last July.
UMW's 12-member board of visitors unanimously voted to fire him "for cause" after meeting in private for nearly five hours.
That means Frawley, 53, will stop getting paid immediately.
He made $305,000 annually.
Rector Bill Poole read a short statement after the meeting, saying he thought the board's decision was in UMW's best interests.
The board can fire Frawley with cause for several reasons, such as conduct "detrimental to the interests of the university," according to his contract.
Poole said the incidents involving Frawley "reflected badly on the university," but wouldn't say which contract clause was violated.
University officials told one of Frawley's attorneys about the decision before the board's vote, Poole said in an interview with reporters.
They aren't in a rush to find a replacement, he said, and may discuss the presidential search at a July retreat.
In the meantime, Vice President Rick Hurley will continue to serve as acting president.
"We have a good team in place," Poole said.
Before Frawley came aboard, the average tenure of a UMW president was 16 years.
Frawley was put on paid leave April 12 after being charged with driving under the influence twice in two days. The board has since held several special meetings to discuss his future.
He's scheduled to appear in court this month in Fairfax County and in July in Fredericksburg. In a recent statement to UMW students and faculty, Frawley said he was recovering from a serious heart disorder.
Just before the vote, the board opened access to the meeting.
As members cast their votes with somber expressions, some high-ranking faculty members looked surprised.
But UMW biology professor Stephen Fuller, who is president of the faculty senate, said he wasn't taken aback by the news.
Frawley never denied the charges against him in his statement, he noted.
"I don't think you can have a college president doing the things he has done and then maintain any kind of sense of decorum, any kind of relationship with alumni," he said.
Student Government Association President Krishna Sinha called Frawley an innovator and said his firing was tragic.
"Hopefully, they'll pick someone who is as competent," he said of the board's next choice for president.
"Maybe they'll find someone better, who knows."
Political science professor Elizabeth Larus said she admired Frawley's initiatives, such as his support for expanding foreign language offerings.
"Without him being the driver, I don't know what's going to happen" to some of his ideas, she said.
Psychology professor Denis Nissim-Sabat said it was a sad day for UMW.
But, "If they fired him with cause, they must've had the facts to support that decision," he said.
(posted by gousa, May 1, 2007 9:17 am) nbsp Frawley got himself into this mess and he got the consequence that he deserved.
Would those who blame his critics claim a different result minus the blogs and newspaper? If so, I am glad that those days are over. If he so deserves a 2nd chance, then he should have no problem obtaining that chance with another school.
The college presidency, though, is not one for rehabilitation services. (posted by homegrown, May 1, 2007 8:11 am) nbsp with the cell phone? Mr Frawly is no longer at MWU and deserves at this point to be left alone.
That goes for gratuitous name-calling by posters. In my opinion, it's not a day for gloating - it's over and it's sad. (posted by savedbygracealone, May 1, 2007 7:48 am) nbsp What do you think?
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