SC State trustees meet as senators want to fire them

ORANGEBURG, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina State University trustees say they are not going to talk about suspended President Thomas Elzey’s employment because he has retained a lawyer.

The trustees released a statement at the end of Thursday’s board meeting saying they wanted to give Elzey’s lawyer time to review what has happened. Trustees say they will talk about Elzey’s status again Wednesday.

Elzey was placed on administrative leave by trustees on Monday, 11 days after they said they backed his leadership. He is still being paid. The university would owe him about $400,000 if he was fired without cause.

Also on Thursday, a committee approved a plan to cut more than 20 faculty positions, about a dozen administrators and nearly $400,000 from the athletics department. The plan now moves to the whole board.