Kaleb Poor
Staff Writer
Wava Tully has resigned her position with the University of Wyoming Board of Trustees, said Trustees chairman Dave True.
“Unfortunately, we just had a trustee resign for… family reasons, I’ll just say it that way,” said True at a meeting of the Associated Students of the University of Wyoming (ASUW) Tues. evening.
Tully, from Lusk, was reappointed to the board in Feb. and was less than nine months into her six-year term. Her resignation precedes meetings of the Board of Trustees throughout this week.
“My resignation is based upon family commitments,” Tully told the Branding Iron. “Being on the Board of Trustees and representing this area of the state was a great experience. The board’s dedication and service to UW remain in good hands.”
Tully’s resignation follows a letter sent by Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon to the trustees on Sept. 12. In his letter, Gordon said he was “concerned that at this juncture in UW’s history, the university’s essential mission is not well articulated nor well appreciated.”
The trustees have come under close scrutiny in recent months following the mysterious dismissal of Laurie Nichols as UW’s president earlier this year, and the revelation of the trustees’ investigation into Nichols preceding her dismissal. Several Wyoming news organizations have since sued UW over records related to that investigation.
The now-vacant trustee position will be filled when Gordon makes an appointment to the position and they are approved by the Wyoming Senate. This will be Gordon’s second opportunity to make such an appointment.
Tully was one of four Democrats and five total non-Republicans serving on the Board of Trustees before her resignation. Regulations dictate that one-in-four Trustees must belong to a political party other than that of the sitting governor, meaning Gordon will have free reign to appoint a member of any political party.
The Trustees began meeting Wed. and will continue meeting through Fri. Topics to be discussed include UW’s housing plan and the search for a new president, among others. The Board will also hear public testimony today beginning at 11 a.m. in the Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center.
