Trustees of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City, Mo., approved a severance package Oct. 8 for a vice president earlier placed on administrative leave over conflict with the seminary’s new president.
Terms of severance for Michael Whitehead, vice president for business affairs since 1995, were not disclosed. The action took place behind closed doors at a special meeting requested by 13 of the school’s 34 trustees to investigate allegations of irregularities by Phil Roberts, president of the seminary, since February.
Those charges, circulated among board members this summer in an email from Mississippi trustee Gary Peek, involved improper use of seminary funds for personal travel and a lack of communication between the president and trustees.
A trustee leader said that issues brought to the table in the called meeting were “resolved,” according to Baptist Press. A statement released after the meeting said trustees “affirmed support” of Roberts and looked forward to his official inauguration in late October.
Roberts told Associated Baptist Press that Peek apologized in the meeting and withdrew his charges. Peek declined to comment to an ABP reporter after the meeting.
An informed source requesting anonymity said Peek apologized only for the manner of airing his concerns but believed it was his responsibility as a trustee to ask for information. The source said concerns remain about the seminary’s administration including turnover in the business office leaving no one in place with an accounting degree or experience. (ABP)
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