Fired TSU president fights to get job back

Friday, April 28, 2006

Ted Oberg
More: Bio, abc13.com News Team, E-mail

(4/28/06 - KTRK/HOUSTON) (KTRK) -- She's fired, but not ready give up the fight. Former Texas Southern University President Priscilla Slade is taking her fight to the courts.

Slade's lawyer filed a lawsuit in Harris County civil court late Friday afternoon. The TSU board of regents fired Slade about a week and a half ago following claims she used university money to pay personal bills.

Dr. Slade's lawsuit, filed just before the courthouse closed Friday, alleges Dr. Slade didn't get a chance to tell her story before losing her job. In sports it would be like ending the game before the home team bats...and Dr. Slade says that's not what her contract calls for.

Dr. Slade is still in Houston and until recently, her attorney tells us, was hoping to convince the regents she should get her job back. That attorney, Ron Franklin, met with us Friday.

"This woman is entitled to a hearing," he told us.

Franklin says the TSU Board of Regents ended this discussion over Slade's job before the process should have been over. On April 17, the TSU board voted to fire Slade, but TSU rules give her 30 days to appeal.

"We were hard at work on the defense of her case," said Franklin.

In an exclusive interview with Eyewitness News' Melanie Lawson weeks ago, Slade seemed ready to fight. But before the university ever held a hearing, Slade's attorney found an agenda for a TSU retreat this weekend, where TSU regents were to discuss laying the groundwork for a successful presidential search.

"If I know before a trial begins that the jurors have already decided everything and are trying to decide whether or not to cut off her head or hang her, why would I go through that scam," said Franklin.

TSU tells us it hasn't seen the lawsuit and won't comment. As for the workshop this weekend and discussion about a presidential search, the workshop was canceled. TSU isn't talking about what may or may not have been on the agenda.
(Copyright © 2006, KTRK-TV)

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