Former Central State President Challenges Arbitration Decision

Black Issues in Higher Education, Nov 11, 1999

WILBERFORCE, Ohio -- The former president of Central State University last month challenged an arbitration panel's ruling that would have forced him to repay about one-third of the severance pact he reached with university officials in 1995.

Dr. Arthur E. Thomas filed an appeal in Greene County Common Pleas Court contending he should not have to give back $102,286 of the $325,000 settlement. The action means the case likely will go before a jury, possibly in February.

In his appeal, attorney Larry James argued that the arbitration panel's award "is against the manifest weight of the evidence and is contrary to law."

But attorneys for the state want Thomas to repay the money, saying the settlement was excessive. The disputed payment is mostly for accrued vacation time and sick leave. State auditors say such payments are illegal.

Thomas has testified the time was well earned because he virtually never took sick or vacation leave and worked "from dawn to dusk" on behalf of Ohio's lone historically Black public university.

He served as a top administrator there for 18 years, 10 as president. Thomas resigned as the university came under increasing pressure from legislators, higher education officials and then-Gov. George Voinovich.

They blamed the university's much-publicized financial problems on Thomas. But a lengthy criminal investigation yielded no indictments and officials acknowledge there is no evidence Thomas or others lined their own pockets with university funds.