MUNCIE — For eight years, transcripts of interviews containing the truth about Blaine Brownell's 3½-year tenure as Ball State University president were locked up in Bracken Library.
Obtained by The Star Press in 2011, the transcripts confirmed that Brownell was fired, contrary to what the public was led to believe by Brownell and the university's board of trustees.
The last straw might have been Brownell's failed attempt to change the appearance of Charlie Cardinal, BSU's athletics mascot, although there were any number of other things he did that could have pushed the board's patience beyond the limit.
They included an alleged lack of enthusiasm, disregarding the board's wishes regarding the hiring of a new athletic director, keeping a retired athletic director on the payroll, delegating too much of his authority to vice presidents, lack of effort in fundraising, vacationing in Florida when he was supposed to be making a budget presentation to state legislators and overdoing his international travel.
Will the truth about the resignation of BSU President Paul Ferguson, who also had disagreements with trustees, be told some day by historians of the university?
Ferguson's exit "does seem similar to what happened with Brownell and with President Jerry Anderson (1979-81), who at least got to stay on for a while as a 'consultant,' " says retired BSU distinguished history professor Tony Edmonds. "I would say that probably the board and President (Ferguson) had conflicting views on their respective roles. I am not sure the details of the resignation will ever come out, but I would argue that they should … This ain't a case of military or intelligence secrets whose disclosure could threaten American security. I would hope that Ball State would refrain from such contracts with future presidents."
Ferguson's severance contract with trustees includes a year's salary, two months of paid sabbatical leave, maintaining confidentiality of discussions that led up to his resignation, and a mutual non-disparagement clause.