7/26/2019 Taylor Lawsuit

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JUNE 15, 2016

Statement from University of the Cumberlands

University of the Cumberlands has been working with Dr. Taylor for nearly a year to tryto reach an agreement about his continuing role after he chose to resign as president of theuniversity. The university has offered Dr. Taylor a compensation package valued at over$150,000 a year for part-time employment. Dr. Taylor has refused to budge or negotiate and hasinstead filed a suit insisting that he and Mrs. Taylor be paid nearly $400,000 every year under an

arrangement that would require the university to pay them for as long as either of them is living,whether or not they do any work for the university.

The university could not agree to use students tuition payments and the faithful supportfrom its donors in such an irresponsible manner. The university exists to provide an opportunityfor students of all backgrounds, especially those in the Appalachian region, to have a collegeeducation. The university does not exist to unfairly benefit a single individual, no matter howlong he has served the university.

The document that Dr. Taylor has offered to the court as an agreement was notdisclosed to the board of trustees until more than eight months after Dr. Taylor ceased to serve as

the universitys chief executive officer. After looking into the circumstances surrounding thatdocument, the university is strongly of the opinion that the document was never shown to theBoard of Trustees before it was signed, nor properly approved by the Board.

The university worked very hard to resolve this disagreement with Dr. Taylor. He hasrefused both negotiation and mediation and instead chosen a federal courthouse as the means forresolving the conflict. It is sad that Dr. Taylor has chosen to attack the university to which he hasdevoted so much of his life and energy. The university will continue to conserve the funds whichhave been entrusted to it, accomplishing its educational mission for the benefit of its students andthe community. It will vigorously oppose any effort to divert its resources for the unjustenrichment of a private individual.

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