UI Associate VP telecommuting into work during remaining time here

Hunter
8/26/19

The Associate Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion who resigned earlier this month will be allowed to telecommute into work while he searches for an outside opportunity.

The Daily Iowan reports that the terms of his separation agreement also allows TaJuan Wilson the opportunity to hunt for another job during work hours while he works with the vice president for External Relations at the University of Iowa.

The separation agreement, which was signed August 9th by Wilson, UI business manager David Keift and Chief Human Resources Officer Cheryl Reardon, stipulates that Wilson must be available for consultation if needed.

The agreement was signed off on by University President Bruce Harreld, Board of Regents Executive Director Mark Braun and Kayla Burkhiser Reynolds of the state’s Attorney General’s Office three days later.

The DI also reports that the agreement contains a provision that waives Wilson’s right to take legal action against the state, the university, the regents or any of their affiliates, and is not entitled to receive damages, quote, “relating to this subject matter.”

Wilson is also entitled to use up to half of the $15,000 provided in his original contract for professional development and conferences until his short tenure at the University ends. He will not be required to reimburse the $25,000 the University provided him for relocation, although the original contract stipulated that if he left the position within the first year he must return those monies.

Wilson will formally leave the University of Iowa no later than January 31, 2020 and if Wilson engages in any consulting work, it is not to be for the University of Iowa or any of its units, per the agreement.

Media Relations Director Anne Bassett tells the paper that they paid over $103,000 to the search firm Isaacson Miller to recruit Wilson.