UPDATE: ISU Board of Trustees accepts President’s resignation, supports multi-million dollar rebuild of fire-damaged farm

NORMAL (25 News Now) - The Illinois State University Board of Trustees has accepted the resignation of University President Dr. Terry Goss Kinzy.

Kinzy resigned Tuesday to pursue other opportunities.

Kinzy was named ISU’s 20th president less than two years ago. She was also the school’s first female president.

The board also appointed Vice-President of Academic Affairs and Provost Aondover Tarhule to serve as interim president until June 2024. Tarhule’s base salary for his new job will be $375,000 a year, which is the same as Kinzy was making at the time of her departure.

Goss Kinzy will also receive a severance package, amounting to 20 weeks’ pay or $144,000. She will be able to keep living at the president’s house and use her university-owned car for another four months.

ISU says information about the search for a new president will come at a later date.

Trustees approve ISU Farm rebuild

Also on Friday, ISU’s governing board authorized up to $3 million in spending to “acquire and/or lease the proper equipment, animal supplies, and other operational needs” for the university’s farm in Lexington, according to an ISU staff report.

About 2/3rds of the beef barn was destroyed by fire on Nov. 18. Staffers said in the report that the cause of the fire is undetermined.

A farm manager was credited for saving all of the cattle.

ISU expects its insurer to pay for the entire project, except for a $100,000 deductible.

The university wants the farm up and running again in time for the fall semester.

Copyright 2023 WEEK. All rights reserved.