Knoxville College will start the fall semester with a new president. Barbara Hatton was fired after being in charge for eight years.
Campus security officers say she didn't want to leave Monday when she was terminated. She sped off campus quickly after a police officer had to ask her to leave her office. Officers said she had locked herself in.
Trustees made the announcement of her dismissal shortly after Hatton drove off. Under her leadership, enrollment dropped, the school is still unaccredited, and it is being sued by professors and a student worker. They say they haven't been paid in months.
"Believe us. The board is working very hard to ensure that happens," said Ronald Damper, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the college. "They need their money, and we understand that."
Students like Aaron Gray say they're looking forward to the change.
"I'm glad we got rid of the old in this case, and we're coming in with the new Knoxville College," he said.
Trustees say Knoxville College needs new leadership to help it raise money and get out of its financial crisis.
For now that new leadership comes from Dr. Robert Harvey. He is interim president. Harvey is a former professor and dean at the school.
Posted By: Reginald Culpepper
Tuesday, August 30th 2005 at 3:51PM
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