KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The University of Tennessee has finalized a $1.33 million settlement with ousted chancellor Beverly Davenport, formally ending her employment at the school after a tumultuous tenure that lasted less than 1 1/2 years.
The Board of Trustees’ audit and compliance committee held a conference call Tuesday, approving a separation agreement announced Friday.
“As I leave, I want to thank all of those people I had the opportunity to stand alongside in doing this noble work,” Davenport said as part of a statement delivered via Twitter. “Higher education is no small feat. It is not for the weak, but it has indeed been one of the great privileges of my life to have served as the eighth Chancellor of the flagship campus of the University of Tennessee.”
Five of the six audit and compliance committee members voted in favor. Waymon Hickman couldn’t participate due to an illness in the family.
“I think I along with all the trustees were very hopeful when we hired our first female chancellor, it was going to be successful,” committee member Sharon Pryse said. “I’m sorry it was not a successful outcome.”