I have always believed in the power of higher education to serve the public good, never private or politicized interests. I was chosen to serve as the president of the University of Central Florida for my proven ability to cultivate change and lead the university’s strategic growth into the future. From my years as provost there, I envisioned an institution grounded in integrity, community and excellence — core values every higher education institution should ascribe to.

Shortly after taking office, though, I learned of deceptive financial practices that existed far before my time. As soon as I found out that operating funds had been misdirected to capital projects on campus — a violation of state rules — I immediately notified the board of trustees, launched an internal review, implemented new internal checks and balances systems, increased transparency, and made serious personnel changes including the termination of the university's longtime CFO. The following year, the state allowed similar funds for other campus projects, reversing the prior rules.

Leadership is about making difficult choices for the good of the most people, not for yourself, especially in times of crisis. Although I took significant corrective actions at the time, the university and I continued to suffer political fallout and substantive threats to the university’s budget, governance and effectiveness. Ultimately, I made the decision to resign to protect the university and its student body, faculty members and staff from further political damage. While it was the most difficult decision of my career, I did it to protect the integrity and reputation of an impactful institution and the people it serves.