CJ Day-Staff Writer
Britt Bardman-Staff Writer
New documents acquired by the Casper Star-Tribune allege that former University of Wyoming President Laurie Nichols was verbally abusive to staff and students during her time at the institution.
Nichols said in a statement, “My contract was apparently not renewed due to two employee complaints.”
Nichols said she never treated employees in an abusive manner, but said there was tension after “eliminating positions and cutting resources” following the Trustees’ direction to cut the university’s budget by $42 million.
In the statement issued Tuesday afternoon, Nichols said she was unaware of the “secret” investigation.
“The Trustees decided to hide these complaints from me and never ask for my response. Instead for months, I was led to believe I would be at UW for another 3 years,” she said.
She said the secretive nature of the investigation caused her to pass on two other university presidential positions, since her renewed contract with UW was “signed and done.”
One document obtained by the Casper Star-Tribune and WyoFile recounts an encounter where a staffer restrained one of Nichols’ dogs after it jumped on a student who was catering an event at Nichols’ house. The student disliked dogs, but had worked at Nichols’ house before with no problem.
“Laurie Nichols approached me and began yelling at me to send [the student] home,” the staffer said according to Casper Star-Tribune and WyoFile reports.
“She raised her voice very loudly while telling me that it was unacceptable to bring anyone into their home who is allergic to cats or afraid of dogs and that it is a privilege [sic] to work in their home and we know perfectly well that they have pets and having someone work there who is afraid of dogs was not acceptable.”
Nichols said the reports from these documents include “no findings, no recommendations, no reports nor even a summary of allegations or conclusions.” In response to the UW catered event, Nichols said “…my personal property was stolen from my home during UW catered events…the employee’s accounting about what supposedly happened with my dog and an international student is not at all accurate.”
The Casper Star-Tribune and WyoFile also obtained documents concerning Nichols’ dismissal after a protracted legal battle between those news organizations and the university. According to the Casper Star-Tribune and WyoFile, these documents seem to show a pattern of verbal abuse from Nichols prior to her firing in March, though some have expressed concern over the speed at which the investigation into Nichols occurred.
Many of the documents contain HR complaints about Nichols. One staffer described an encounter with Nichols as leaving her “destroyed and humiliated”, while another said “words don’t describe the volatile nature of this conversation” in response to another argument with Nichols.
According to the documents obtained by the Casper Star-Tribune and WyoFile, other staff described Nichols as a “dictator” and said that after an incident with Nichols, she had a panic attack and ‘threw up all weekend.” That staffer later left the university due to the conflict.
“I am very disappointed that I was given zero opportunity to try and work through the issues…I would have gladly taken the opportunity to learn and improve. But I was never given the chance,” Nichols said.
After the Board of Trustees became aware of the allegations against Nichols, they worked quickly to investigate. According to the Star-Tribune, HR first became aware of employee’s problems with Nichols on Jan. 28. By Jan. 29, the Board of Trustees were informed, and on Jan. 30, the head of HR recommended that the Board of Trustees meet with UW’s general counsel. In mid-February, the Board of Trustees launched an independent investigation into the allegations against Nichols.
The Board of Trustees hired Flynn Investigations Group, an investigations firm based in Colorado, to conduct the investigation into Nichols. Nichols said she was never contacted by Flynn to respond to the allegations, which could be in conflict with 2016 UW regulations which state that those under investigation have the right to a response.
The policy she cited was university policy 4-2016-1, which requires an investigative report be prepared at the conclusion of the investigation and shared with all parties. Nichols said “that would have included me,” concluding that the Trustees did not follow their own policy. Nichols said she is “bothered that two employees had concerns that were hidden from me. However, I continue to wish the people of Wyoming nothing but the best.”
“I have initially reviewed the documents that were released by the court this morning. As I have previously stated, I intervened in the lawsuit since I was unaware of any investigation or records about me. My intent was never to try and hide the records- I just didn’t know what they were, and I was asking for a chance to see them first. I was not given that opportunity, so the public is seeing them for the first time today, just like me. Likewise, the public is learning, just like me, that my contract was apparently not renewed due to two employee complaints.
Shortly after being hired as President, I was directed by the Trustees to cut the University’s budget by $42 million dollars. Even at the end of my tenure, I was still managing the impacts of the cuts that I had been instructed to make. Naturally, people do not like losing their jobs, being short-staffed or having departments inadequately funded.
I can accept that people may have had criticisms of me as a boss. Frankly, as a boss of thousands of employees of the only university in the state, you expect that not everyone will like you or what you do, especially when you are eliminating positions and cutting resources. But to be clear- I never treated anyone in an “abusive” way. As a part of my initial contract, I insisted on a mid-term evaluation which occurred in 2018. Nothing of this nature was ever remotely disclosed or implied.
I sorely regret that the Trustees decided to hide these complaints from me and never ask for my response. Instead for months, I was led to believe I would be at UW for another 3 years. I wanted to continue as UW’s President. The documents confirm that the terms of my renewed contract were negotiated and finalized with the Trustees. During the time of this secret investigation, I was being recruited for two other university presidential positions. I passed on them because my renewed contract with UW was negotiated and done.
The redactions of the records make it very difficult for me to really understand the substance of the complaints. The media will undoubtedly cut and paste certain words and statements for their articles. Of the reported 100 pages released, the majority are duplicates of each other and very few contain anything of substance.
But when you look through the actual documents, it is completely unknown who was interviewed, when they were interviewed, what they were asked and what they actually said. There is only one employee statement and only a few pages of HR notes containing disjointed comments. There are no findings, no recommendations, no reports nor even a summary of allegations or conclusions. There are billing entries by this firm that indicate employees were interviewed. However, there are no notes that the interviews even occurred. Unequivocally, I can say that I was not interviewed, let alone told about the complaints or investigation.
Had I been asked about these concerns, I could have presented other background information for consideration. For example, I could have offered that my personal property was stolen from my home during UW catered events which took place at the exact same time as the statement made by the one employee. I reported the incident and theft to the Trustees in early 2018. The employee’s accounting about what supposedly happened with my dog and an international student is not at all accurate. There were witnesses at the catered events. Certainly, an investigator could have talked with them, had I been asked. What’s also unusual is that the statement is dated January 26, 2018 and HR’s notes of reviewing the situation are February 5, 2018. The complaint was made and known by UW well before my formal evaluation was performed and it was never once mentioned. More so, this complaint is over a year before I started and finished negotiating my renewed contract with the Trustees. The Trustees were well aware of this situation before they chose to finalize my renewed contract.
If I had been asked, I could have also described that in early 2019, at the directive of the Trustees, I was working with the Trustees and the legislature on a matching appropriation request for the College of Agriculture. I was trying very hard to coordinate efforts, and I was concerned that the Foundation may get in front or ahead of the campus and legislative request. Timing was very critical for the success of the match request. There were some people at the Foundation who disagreed with the timing and strategy. I could have provided this context for consideration of the concerns that were made as well.
The complaints themselves are not what trouble me the most. While I disagree with what I think has been alleged about me (it’s difficult to tell), I am very disappointed that I was given zero opportunity to try and work through the issues. I would have absolutely met with the employees and tried to create a resolution. If they wanted to remain anonymous, I would have respected that too, but regardless, I would have worked to solve the problem on a larger scale. If HR or the Trustees felt I needed coaching or leadership development, I would have gladly taken the opportunity to learn and improve. But I was never given the chance. During my time as President, I watched the Trustees give far less attention or care to far more serious and egregious complaints made against other University employees than the two which have apparently made against me. And never did the Trustees react or respond like they have with me.
The released records admit that the Trustees did investigate me pursuant to University policy 4-2016-1. This policy was even given by UW to the investigator as the “policy that governs this type of investigation.” This policy requires the person who is subject of a complaint to be given notice and an opportunity to respond. The policy requires certain procedures to be followed in the investigative process. This policy requires an investigative report to be prepared at the conclusion of the investigation and shared with all parties- that would have included me. It’s clear the Trustees did not follow their own policy, despite paying a Colorado company thousands of dollars.
I am in a good place at this time. I am working at a wonderful institution with wonderful people. Yes, I am bothered that two employees had concerns that were hidden from me. Yes, I am very disappointed in how poorly I was treated by the Trustees. However, I continue to wish the people of Wyoming nothing but the best.”
Dr. Laurie Nichols, 2/4/20
