Can it get any worse? The selection of Dr. Steven Leath as the new president of Auburn University is not being received by the Auburn nation with a lot of accolades. The response from Iowa emails indicate the departure of Leath from Iowa State University, where he currently is president, is being well received. What is wrong with this picture?

The Gadsden Times carried a story in its March 21 edition by the Associated Press about Leath’s selection at Auburn. It stated, “Trustees unanimously selected the 59-year-old Leath to replace Jay Gogue, who is retiring.” The Associated Press mentioned that Iowa State University decided not to file criminal charges against Leath following an investigation into whether he broke the law with his use of school aircraft, which was extensive.

The mere hint of criminality should have sent all kinds of red flags to the Auburn search committee. Was the search committee, led by trustee Raymond Harbert, even aware of Iowa State’s investigation of Leath? If the committee was aware of certain transgressions, how did they reconcile the fact that Leath had blatantly used university aircraft for personal service?

But it gets worse. A follow-up commentary in the March 24 Gadsden Times by Associated Press writer Ryan J. Foley, with the headline “New AU president was dogged by conflicts,” states that Leath had a history of testing ethical boundaries that earned him serious criticism. Once again, that’s a red flag that should have received the attention of at least one of the search committee members.

The article states among the issues were his questionable use of university airplanes, a land deal criticized as a conflict of interest and the hiring of well-connected people without searches. Foley stated that the university made decisions that appeared to show favoritism, including hiring a former lawmaker who had given Leath free flight lessons. Leath also hired a prestigious Des Moines law firm to handle litigation concerning the university, when state lawyers were normally used. This same firm helped Leath form a limited liability corporation to buy a piece of land in central Iowa.

Even with this negative baggage, the search committee unanimously approved Leath as Auburn’s next president. Unbelievable!

The question that begs for an answer is this: Did the search committee have all available information when they made their “unanimous” decision?” If they had all the information gathered by the Associated Press, how could Leath’s selection be justified?

If the search committee had no knowledge of Leath’s inequities and problems, and they were known only by the chairman of the committee, Harbert, Leath’s selection should be nullified and a new search initiated. If the problems with Leath’s credentials were known to both the committee and Harbert, and he remained the selection, then we have institutional control problems.

To me, and many thousands of Auburn graduates, Auburn is a special place. My Auburn degree opened doors of opportunity that would otherwise have been closed. I consider Auburn University to be an elite institution of higher learning. and I have an equal appreciation for the University of Alabama. Both schools dignify this state, and have had a long line of outstanding presidents. It saddens me to think Auburn could break that exceptional lineage.

The selection process of the Auburn president should be re-opened, with the understanding that the person chosen must have impeccable credentials. The school deserves no less.
