UNT board fires Health Science Center president

by Reeve Hamilton of The Texas Tribune

Scott Ransom apparently "ignored, disregarded, or violated" the board's directives.

University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth

FORT WORTH — The regents of the University of North Texas System fired Dr. Scott Ransom, the president of the University of North Texas Health Science Center, at a Friday meeting called expressly for that purpose.

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Ransom left the meeting without talking to reporters following the regents' unanimous vote.

The decision seems to stem from dissatisfaction with Ransom's behavior following an announcement that the system intended to review the possibility of merging the health science center and the system's flagship campus.

A letter from Jack Wall, the chairman of the board of regents, delivered to Ransom on Tuesday notifying him of Friday's meeting said Ransom's "decision to ignore, disregard, or violate" directives from the board not to cast aspersions on the proposal or the flagship campus had "caused considerable disruption and undermined [his] leadership."

The examination of the possibility of merging the two institutions was recently shelved by UNT System Chancellor Lee Jackson, who said that the system had more immediate priorities.

A former board member, Dr. Michael Williams, has been named interim president.