Slippery Rock University is restructuring its leadership cabinet and assigning new duties to a vice president who sued the school in December, saying discrimination against his Iranian roots and Muslim religion derailed his bid to become campus president.
In a statement issued late Sunday afternoon, the school's president announced that Amir Mohammadi, vice president for finance and administration, will become "senior vice president for administration and economic development."
The statement said Mr. Mohammadi had accepted the new duties.
"This is a critical position that will help identify new sources of revenue and promote a culture of innovation that positions SRU squarely within broader entrepreneurial ecosystems," Slippery Rock President William Behre said in a statement. "He will work to expand the University’s partnerships regionally and beyond to promote economic growth and develop strategies to link programs to workforce needs.
"He’ll also provide leadership for large-scale international partnerships and serve as the institution’s chief contract negotiator across all segments of the University,' he added.
Mr. Behre became president last year after a failed search that had included Mr. Mohammadi as a candidate deadlocked and was reopened.
Slippery Rock officials had no immediate comment Monday on the status of the federal lawsuit, what if any change in salary will accompany Mr. Mohammadi's new position and whether he will continue to directly oversee university budgeting and finances.
James Lieber, an attorney for Mr. Mohammadi, was traveling Monday and not immediately available. A spokesman for the State System of Higher Education also could not be reached.
In December, Mr. Mohammadi claimed in a federal lawsuit that discrimination against his Iranian origin, his Muslim faith and his race blocked him from SRU’s presidency in fall 2017 and later at Clarion University.
The case before the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania alleges that despite a three-decade-plus career in academia and successful leadership at Slippery Rock, he was subjected to discriminatory acts and retaliation.
Named by Mr. Mohammadi as defendants were the university, the State System and Robert S. Taylor, a Slippery Rock trustee and member of SRU’s presidential search committee.
Mr. Mohammadi, then 59, asserted that Mr. Taylor tried to impede his candidacy through bullying during committee sessions, by falsely claiming a conflict of interest and breaking search confidentiality rules by leaking that allegation to news outlets including the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Mr. Taylor was both a member of the search committee and a member of the school's Council of Trustees.
Mr. Mohammadi emerged as a leading candidate in Clarion University's presidential search last year, but he did not receive the job.
In his statement, Mr. Behre said Mr. Mohammadi's new title is not the only change.
"I also felt it important to flatten reporting lines, so I have direct access to information critical to successfully achieving our strategic initiatives. This will entail having enrollment services, human resources and institutional research join the cabinet and report directly to me,” he said. The new cabinet, which reports to the president, includes himself, Mr. Mohammadi, Philip Way, provost; Rita Abent, chief communication and public affairs officer; Carrie Birckbichler, chief data officer; Molly Mercer, chief financial officer; Tina Moser, chief of staff; Lynne Motyl, chief human resources officer; Amanda Yale, chief enrollment management officer, and Edward Bucha, executive director of the SRU Foundation. He will attend cabinet meetings as an ad hoc member.
Both Slippery Rock and Clarion are among the 14 members of the State System of Higher Education.
Bill Schackner: bschackner@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1977 and on Twitter: @Bill Schackner
First Published: April 15, 2019, 2:58 p.m.
