Courier-Journal: U of L’s Ramsey apologizes over Felner incident
‘A lot of individuals’ hurt, U of L chief acknowledges
University of Louisville President James Ramsey offered apologies this week to those hurt by former education dean Robert Felner, telling the school’s Faculty Senate that “I should have never let that happen.”
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“I do understand — fully understand — didn’t appreciate it soon enough, but I fully understand that there are a lot of individuals who have been hurt,” Ramsey said during the Wednesday meeting.
The Courier-Journal obtained an audio tape of the meeting through an open-records request.
“There are a lot of individuals who have been deeply scarred, and a lot of individuals who are very disappointed in their university. I am deeply regretful of that, and I alone have to take responsibility for that, and I do. … I should not have ever let that happen, and it did happen,” Ramsey said.
The Faculty Senate, which is composed of 70 members, including a student representative, is the faculty representative body at the university. It is responsible for reviewing policies and documents affecting the faculty and making recommendations to the administration.
Felner, who resigned from U of L on June 30 to become chancellor at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, is the focus of a federal investigation that was sparked by his alleged misappropriation of a $694,000 grant at U of L. No charges have been filed.
The investigation was triggered by the university, which handed the matter over to federal investigators.
Felner backed out of the Wisconsin job after the federal investigation became public June 20. U.S. Attorney David Huber has indicated the investigation could continue into October.
The investigation brought to light issues surrounding Felner’s leadership at U of L’s College of Education and Human Development and at other institutions he worked at before coming to Louisville in 2003.
Former faculty, staff, students and alumni have complained that Felner harassed, intimidated and retaliated against those who did not agree with him.
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