Why WVU won't fire Garrison? Too costly

by: Carnacki

Wed May 21, 2008 at 09:26:26 AM EDT

West Virginia University President Mike Garrison could receive severance of up to $255,000 if the university's governing board winds up firing him over the turmoil generated by a master's degree improperly granted to Gov. Joe Manchin's daughter.

Under his contract with the university, Garrison is entitled to a sizable severance payment should the university's board of governors fire him without cause. Just how much money he would get depends on when the board fires him.

Click here for a PDF of Garrison's contract

If the board votes to fire Garrison before June 30 - around the time of his annual review -- without cause, he'll be entitled to a severance payment of $255,000, according to his contract. That's equal to a full year's salary.

If the board fires Garrison after June 30, but before his contract expires on June 30, 2010, he'll be entitled to a severance payment equal to half what his salary is at the time he's fired.

Garrison is scheduled to give a full report to the board on June 6 on how he plans to implement controls to prevent the scandal over the degree granted to Heather Bresch from ever happening again.