Sullivan University has placed its president on administrative leave, according to an email sent to faculty and staff.
This comes less than two weeks after The Courier Journal reported on the university eliminating positions, downsizing its campuses and selling its only residence hall.
Sullivan University president Tim Swenson was placed on leave, “effective immediately,” according to an email with the subject line “Leadership Update” sent to Sullivan University employees Aug. 4 and obtained by The Courier Journal.
The email ― sent by Jill Long, the special assistant to Chancellor Glenn Sullivan ― was sent on behalf of Jeff Biggs, who serves as chairman of Sullivan’s board of directors. Neither Biggs nor Long immediately responded to a request for comment from The Courier Journal.
“This decision was made to allow time for a review of internal matters and to ensure the process is handled fairly and without disruption,” the email on behalf of Biggs said.
Reached by phone and asked about being placed on administrative leave, Swenson said: “I have no comment.”
The university is part of a system, with campuses locally and in Lexington. It also previously had learning centers in Fort Knox and Louisa, in far eastern Kentucky. Swenson was named its president in September 2022.
Glenn Sullivan, the son of founder Alva Ray Sullivan and a member of the board of directors, was named acting president, according to the email.
“We understand this news may prompt questions, but please know that this is a standard organizational procedure, and we are committed to maintaining the privacy of all involved,” the email stated. “Out of respect for the process, we will not be sharing additional details at this time.”
In a wide-ranging interview with The Courier Journal in late July, Swenson addressed Sullivan’s many changes, including re-opening its bakery off Bardstown Road. That interview covered the university’s sale its lone residence hall, the reduction in its workforce, its overall financial stability and an email naming the founder’s grandson and chancellor’s son, Mason Sullivan, to a prominent administrative position within the university’s system before he obtained his master’s in business.Mason Sullivan, the system’s Vice President of Business and Communication, also did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Courier Journal. Marketing manager Emily Kunkel, who previously facilitated the interview with Swenson, is no longer with the university.
Prior to being named president, Swenson served as an associate provost and executive dean of the College of Business and Technology, according to Sullivan University’s announcement when the institution named his new role in 2022.
Swenson graduated from Bellarmine University in 1984 and received his MBA from the university in 1988.
Stephanie Kuzydym is an enterprise and investigative sports reporter. Reach her at skuzydym@courier-journal.com or on social at @stephkuzy.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Sullivan University puts President Tim Swenson on administrative leave
