Controversial furniture moved out of former TSU president's home

(6/25/06 - KTRK/HOUSTON) (KTRK) -- It's moving day for Dr. Priscilla Slade. Crews took furniture out of the west Houston home -- furniture investigators say she bought using TSU money without permission.

As we reported last month, Dr. Slade has decided to sell the 6,000 square foot home, and apparently the home has been sold. The new owners are moving in on Monday. Although the move is not unexpected, it is being done in a hurry.

Dr. Slade was not around on Sunday when movers started loading up the items at the center of the university scandal. The former TSU president is being investigated for hundreds of thousands of dollars of purchases for her home she made with university money. They are purchases the TSU board of regents said were not permitted under her contract when they voted to terminate her last month.

Matt Tabrizi lives just a few houses down from Dr. Slade. While he doesn't know what to make of the pending litigation, he does welcome the move.

"There was a lot of traffic coming and going," he said. "So it's good to know that that's going to settle."

Dr. Slade has maintained she used the money legitimately because she often entertained potential donors at her house. She is suing TSU, claiming the board violated her due process.

"She has mixed feelings about it," admitted Dr. Slade's attorney Mike DeGuerin. "It would have been the perfect house for what it designed to do, and that is to meet with the heads of other universities and what have you."

For now, the university-bought furniture will be put into storage. It will eventually be handed over to the new TSU president once he or she is named.

As for Dr. Slade, she is now living in a much more modest house while she waits for the case to be resolved. She is still being investigated by a Harris County grand jury. TSU is conducting a nation-wide search for Dr. Slade's replacement.
(Copyright © 2006, KTRK-TV)

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