Texas newspaper decries university regents' closed-door meeting

By The Associated Press

06.19.02

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WICHITA FALLS, Texas — The Wichita Falls Times Record News has sued Midwestern State University regents for holding a closed-door meeting in which they decided to fire school President Henry Moon.

Editor Carroll Wilson called the four-hour meeting a flagrant violation of open-meetings law.

"I felt we had no choice," he said of the lawsuit filed June 14. "My contention is that basically they decided to ignore the law. They decided to do what they wanted to do."

Board members concluded the June 11 meeting by voting unanimously to fire Moon, effective July 15.

The board already had put Moon on administrative leave with pay last summer, reduced his annual salary to $65,000 and ordered him out of the president's mansion.

The moves came after regents received complaints from staff members and faculty who accused Moon of misusing taxpayer funds, bypassing university and state policies and abusing employees.

Moon denies the allegations.

The lawsuit asks that the regents' actions following the executive session be overturned. It also seeks damages for any legal fees the newspaper incurs from filing the suit.

Wilson said the regents met in private despite a request from Moon's attorney that all discussions about his client be held in open session.

Board attorney Roger Lee declined to comment, saying the state attorney general's office would handle any response.

A spokesman for Attorney General John Cornyn declined comment, but said his office was responsible for defending lawsuits filed against state agencies like the university.

Moon was hired in May 2000 to replace Louis Rodriguez as MSU president.