Departing FAU fundraiser gets $578,000 in severance pay after 1 year on job
By Scott Travis, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
April 4, 2007
Barely a year into a six-year contract to serve as Florida Atlantic University's chief fundraiser, Lawrence Davenport is leaving with $578,000 in severance pay.
The figure is raising eyebrows among some in the university community, who wonder whether an often cash-strapped state institution can afford the expense.
"That's an enormous amount of money," said Roy Levow, a computer science professor at FAU's Davie campus who sits on the board of trustees. "We'd much rather see it directly supporting the university."
It's unclear whether the university is legally required to pay the severance package to Davenport, who was executive vice president and director of the FAU Foundation. His contract states that if he is fired, he receives two years of pay, as long as he remains unemployed. But he is entitled to no severance pay if he leaves voluntarily, the contract states.
Davenport could not be reached Tuesday, despite an attempt by phone.
FAU President Frank Brogan said Davenport was not fired but is leaving because he wants to pursue a job as a university president elsewhere. He was a finalist to take over Florida A&M University but lost out to James Ammons. Davenport's goal had the potential of colliding with the university's plan to start a major capital fundraising effort that could take four or five years, Brogan said.
"We're parting company amicably," Brogan said. "He's allowing us to move on to have someone to replace him who will be consistent throughout the capital campaign. We thought it's best to go ahead and honor the severance package, even though it's a resignation."
Generous severance packages are not unusual for university administrators, particularly in the area of development, said Claire Van Ummersen, vice president of the Washington, D.C.-based American Council on Education. She said an 18-month severance package is common.
"This may be a little longer, but it's not out of sight," she said. "Remember, it's done when they're working hard to attract individuals and to keep them."
But the large payment outraged one donor and former board member on the FAU Foundation.
"I think it's deplorable," said Herbert Gimelstob, who has given more than $1 million to the university. "I don't understand it. It's so hard to raise money, and they're just going to give it away."
Such large buyouts may irk some individual donors but probably won't concern many from the corporate world, Van Ummersen said. For one thing, they've seen the golden parachutes that are given to many CEOs.
"They understand it's sometimes important to move on," she said.
Davenport isn't the first chief fundraiser at FAU to face scrutiny. Four years ago Carla Coleman pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of falsifying records. She admitted to doctoring documents to quietly give her boss, former FAU President Anthony Catanese, a red Corvette as a going-away present.
Davenport came to FAU as chief operating officer in 2004 from Hale House, a prominent New York City children's organization. He had been an assistant secretary of education and energy during the Reagan administration and deputy chief of the House of Representatives' support staff, among other posts.
He began filling in as fundraising chief in August 2005, after Ann Paton resigned to go to Barry University. Davenport was given a six-year contract in January 2006. Brogan said donations have increased since Davenport has been in charge of fundraising. He has secured commitments of nearly $30 million, Brogan said.
"I am proud of the accomplishments we have achieved together," Davenport said in his resignation letter. "The university is a stronger institution because of these efforts."
