New NAU online president left Iowa under fire

By Barbara Soderlin, Journal staff | Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Previous Page

Share

• del.icio.us
• Digg
• NewsVine
• Fark

Print

Email

National American University’s new online division president resigned as president of an Iowa college in August after a picture was published of him partying on a boat with his son and several young women.

Bob Paxton, 53, also was controversial in Iowa for his administration’s involvement in transcript fraud at the college.

NAU moved in the last two weeks to hire Paxton anyway, based on his experience and skills, said Ronald Shape, chief operating officer and chief financial officer.

“At the end of the day, when we looked at all the information surrounding Mr. Paxton, it was his record and his experience and his accomplishments that led the university to offer him the position,” Shape said.

Paxton is in the process of moving to Rapid City and will start Jan. 15 in the position of distance learning campus president. The former online president, Blake Faulkner, left after a 14-year career with NAU to become president of a Kansas City college, Shape said.

Paxton resigned his post with Iowa Central Community College after the Des Moines Register published the photo of him at a July 4 party at Lake Okoboji, about 90 miles east of Sioux Falls. Paxton, in swimming trunks, was holding the spout of a mini keg of Coors Light above a woman’s mouth, as other young women in bikinis apparently drank vodka.

Paxton initially denied he had been at such a party but later acknowledged it, saying the keg was broken and that he had done nothing wrong.

While the Iowa Central board of trustees was supportive of Paxton, the community debated about appropriate conduct for public officials, and the controversy led Paxton to resign.

When he did, he received a compensation package of $400,000 plus health benefits, the Register reported.

It wasn’t the first controversy for Paxton. In 2002, he and three other Iowa Central officials were indicted and went to court over charges they provided false grades to athletes to keep them eligible for their sports teams. Paxton was indicted on two counts each of felony misconduct in office, falsification of public records and tampering with public records, according to the Webster County Clerk of Courts. Some of the charges were dropped before a trial could take place, and ultimately, charges against Paxton were deferred, the Register reported, under an agreement in which Paxton accepted responsibility for the fraud and agreed to several terms, including enforcing changes at the college to tighten grading and eligibility procedures.

All six charges have now been dismissed, the clerk of courts said. The other three college officials pleaded guilty and were penalized, but Paxton did not fire them, the Register reported. Paxton himself was not disciplined by the college’s board, a decision that was controversial in the Fort Dodge, Iowa, community where the college is located.

Paxton told the Journal he decided to resign in August because the controversy surrounding the photograph had put the focus on him and taken it away from students, where he said it belongs. He now regrets the incident.

“People who know me know that it’s not me,” he said. “I do regret it. I wouldn’t do it again. … I shouldn’t have put myself in that position.”

Shape said NAU online campus staff have been told about Paxton’s hiring and about his controversial past.

He said they were told “that the incidents surrounding Bob Paxton were not reasons to not offer him the job.”

Shape said employees who have concerns should bring them to him or to Paxton.

Paxton said he aims to build trust with his new colleagues.

“One of the first things I will do is spend a lot of time with the staff,” he said. “I want to get to know the staff, for them to get to know me. I think they’re going to find I’m very supportive, and I’m going to provide people with the tools to get their jobs done.”

Paxton said he will have an open door and will be “visible” and “interactive.”

“I’ll build up high levels of trust,” he said. “I’m very open about both things. I’ve made a mistake in my personal life which I’ll forever regret. At the same time, I have 30 years of great credentials. I’ll be with them every step of the way to take the college to the next level.”