Lombardi Faces Inquiry

Thursday, August 26, 1999

Lombardi faces inquiry

By JANET MARSHALL
Sun Tallahassee Bureau

TALLAHASSEE - The chief inspector general of the State University System is investigating an allegation that outgoing University of Florida President John Lombardi misused state resources, Chancellor Adam Herbert said Wednesday.
Herbert declined to elaborate on the nature of the allegation or reveal whether it relates to the 1997 wedding of Lombardi's daughter at the president's state-owned house on the Gainesville campus.
Citing the state's whistle-blower act, Herbert also declined to say who brought the complaint.
''All I can say is that it relates to the utilization of state resources,'' Herbert said. ''The inspector general will be conducting a full and thorough investigation.''
Herbert said the allegation was not a factor in the president's departure or in the negotiations leading up to it.
''I have no evidence at this point that there has been a misuse of funds by the president,'' Herbert said. ''The only thing I can tell you is the question has been raised in a specific area, and we are required by law to, and will, investigate that specific issue.''
Lombardi said he was unaware of an official investigation, but he had heard allegations that he improperly hired UF workers to staff his daughter's wedding.
''We certainly did pay people who were on the state payroll to work on the wedding, but when they worked for us, they were not on the state payroll,'' Lombardi said. ''They were on their own time, either on weekends or vacation.''
He said he didn't know of any other allegations that might prompt an investigation.
''We're happy to have everybody review everything,'' Lombardi said. ''We try to abide by the rules and the laws and everything. We have people check everything. If they miss something, they miss something.''
A list of expenses related to his Lombardi's daughter's wedding shows the president spent $73,612 on the October 1997 wedding. It's not clear whether those checks and charges covered the entire cost of the wedding.
Earlier in the week, Herbert had declined to confirm the existence of an investigation. He spoke of it Wednesday in a press conference he called to discuss the events leading up to Lombardi's resignation.
First in a prepared statement and later in response to questions, Herbert dismissed suggestions that Lombardi was forced out.
''Was President Lombardi asked to resign by the chancellor of the State University System of Florida?'' Herbert said. ''No. Was he threatened to submit a resignation by the chancellor or by regents? No.''
Herbert, echoing Lombardi's comments from Tuesday, said the president chose to resign and first approached Herbert with the idea several months ago.
Herbert acknowledged he didn't encourage Lombardi to stay.
''No, I didn't say that,'' Herbert said. ''Nor did I say, 'John, you should seriously think about (resigning).' ''
In the past few years, Lombardi came under fire for a series of incidents that ultimately cost him the support of some regents and prominent UF alumni. He nearly lost his job after referring to Herbert, who is black, as an ''Oreo'' in December 1997.
After powerful alumni intervened, Lombardi was put on probation for six months.
But not long after that ended, he drew criticism again, this time from two visiting law school deans who described him as an ''immature bully.''
Most recently, Lombardi found himself in trouble for granting five-figure raises to four top administrators without informing Herbert. The $28,789 raise to Provost Elizabeth Capaldi boosted her salary package to $260,000 - $5,000 more than Herbert makes.
Did the raises anger him?
''Yes, they did,'' Herbert said, adding, ''There's little I can do about it.''
But Herbert downplayed the significance of the raises in Lombardi's resignation, saying the president's decision should be considered in a broader context. The average tenure for a president in a major research university is five years, he said. Lombardi's tumultuous tenure lasted nearly 10 years.
''The pace, as you know, is brutal,'' Herbert said. ''The inevitability of making enemies is inescapable.''
Though speculation continues about the reasons for Lombardi's departure, Herbert said regents are shifting their attention to the search for a replacement.
Lombardi's resignation takes effect Nov. 1. He will return to the classroom as a tenured history professor Nov. 2.
Herbert said he wants to appoint an interim president from outside Florida, someone with experience leading a major university.
''I think it would be helpful to all members of the university to have someone come onto campus who has no prior involvement with the institution,'' Herbert said.
The process of finding a permanent replacement is expected to take at least seven months and will take place as the University of South Florida also looks for a new president. Betty Castor resigned that post in July to head a national teaching standards board. A new USF president should be named in early March, said Keith Goldschmidt, spokesman for the university system. UF's announcement should come a few months later, he said.
Herbert said he expects the pool of candidates will be different for each job and that both searches will be somewhat difficult because of Florida's open records laws and the highly ''politicized'' nature of the state. Candidates will need solid academic backgrounds in addition to political skills, he said.
''But I am convinced that these two positions will be regarded as plum positions,'' Herbert said.

Staff writer Carrie Miller contributed to this report.

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