University of Louisville may part ways with former interim president
Morgan Watkins, Louisville Courier JournalPublished 5:31 p.m. ET Oct. 2, 2018 | Updated 5:36 p.m. ET Oct. 2, 2018
Interim President Greg Postel answers questions about hiring of Vince Tyra as athletic director, as well as hiring a head basketball coach.
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The man who led the University of Louisville when it was rocked by a federal investigation into basketball recruiting may soon be out of his high-profile job.
The University of Louisville plans to seek candidates for Greg Postel's job as executive vice president for health affairs. Postel, who used to be the university's interim president, has a contract that runs through May 15.
In August, the university asked executive search firms to submit their proposals for how they can assist President Neeli Bendapudi in "identifying and recruiting qualified candidates" for Postel's job.
The search firms' proposals were due in September, according to the university's request, which also noted that U of L's board of trustees must approve anyone recommended by Bendapudi.
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University spokesman John Karman said Tuesday that the school is evaluating the proposals and that there will be a national search for Postel's job.
"University national searches aided by search firms often take five to nine months to complete," he said. "It is regularly the case that a search will begin while an incumbent is still in place to provide transitions between permanent leaders rather than having interim appointments in between."
Postel, who joined U of L's medical school in 1994, said Tuesday afternoon that this is not the time to discuss his "long-term future."
"I continue to work hard for the benefit of the university in my position as executive vice president for health affairs, and I will continue to serve in this role to the best of my ability,” he said.
Bendapudi said in a statement Tuesday that she appreciates Postel's continued service.
“Dr. Postel has done so much for the university, which is why the board rewarded him with a guaranteed contract for one year," she said. "It is important for the university to conduct national searches for these high-level positions, just as we have committed to do with the provost and general counsel positions during the second year of their two-year terms."
Earlier:
Postel gets $100K bonus and $950K job as health affairs chief
Also:
A year later, recruiting scandal still looms over Louisville basketball
A home Postel owns in Louisville's Mockingbird Valley area has been put up for sale, according to zillow.com. Zillow's listing for the seven-bedroom, seven-bathroom house says it has been posted on the website for more than 50 days and is being offered at a price of about $2.9 million.
The Jefferson County Property Valuation Administrator's website says the property, which covers more than two acres, has an assessed value of nearly $2.2 million.
Karman confirmed Postel's house is up for sale. "That doesn't necessarily mean he's leaving the community," Karman said.
The board of trustees voted unanimously in April to appoint Postel as the university's permanent executive vice president for health affairs. Postel originally was appointed interim executive vice president for health affairs in December 2015, according to U of L's website. In January 2017, he was named interim president of the university.
Postel took over the top job from Neville Pinto, who was named acting president after longtime President James Ramsey resigned amid controversy in 2016. Pinto left to become the president of the University of Cincinnati.
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With Postel as president, Louisville's men's basketball program became ensnared in a recruiting scandal that involved an FBI investigation. Soon afterward the team's coach, Rick Pitino, as well as longtime athletic director Tom Jurich were fired. (U of L reached a settlement with Jurich in May, but a lawsuit Pitino filed against the University of Louisville Athletic Association is still ongoing.)
Postel formally stepped down as interim president in May when Bendapudi officially began working for the university. Postel had been one of the finalists for the permanent job.
He earns an annual salary of $950,000 and was awarded a $100,000 bonus as thanks for his temporary service as the university's top official, according to an April 19 appointment letter to Postel from board Chairman J. David Grissom.
The letter said the term of Postel's appointment as executive vice president for health affairs would be for a minimum of one year. After that, he would serve "at the pleasure of the Board of Trustees," the letter said.
Morgan Watkins: 502-582-4502; mwatkins@courierjournal.com; Twitter: @morganwatkins26. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/morganw.