An independent investigation has found that Louisiana College’s president intentionally misled the institution’s administration and Board of Trustees about a divinity-school gift from a major donor, and misused money on expenses related to the college’s projects in Africa, according to The Town Talk, a Louisiana newspaper.
The Baptist-affiliated college’s leader, Joe Aguillard, faced vocal opposition from faculty members when he was appointed president, in 2005. Last year two of the college’s vice presidents filed whistle-blower complaints against Mr. Aguillard, leading to the independent review, which was conducted by a law firm in New Orleans.
The firm’s inquiry corroborated the complaints of the two campus officials, according to the newspaper. However, a special committee of the college’s board that reviewed the matter concluded that Mr. Aguillard had not acted improperly. Mr. Aguillard told the newspaper that documents exonerating him of the accusations had been ignored by the law firm, a charge that one of the firm’s partners denied.
The chair of the board’s special committee told the newspaper that “there is a lot of evidence that these were all misunderstandings and not fraudulent actions.”
The foundation whose money Mr. Aguillard was accused of misusing has cut off its support for the college, according to the newspaper, because foundation leaders believe Mr. Aguillard’s actions to be unethical.
