Click here for documents from the public records release WSU President V. Lane Rawlins asked Charlene Jaeger to resign from her position as Vice President of Student Affairs.

While original reports stated that Jaeger requested leave, official records indicate her request was made only after Rawlins urged her to resign.

A settlement agreement formed between Rawlins and Jaeger, obtained by The Daily Evergreen through a public records request, states she will receive one year of full pay and benefits to pursue other options.

“I met again with you at your request to discuss your wish for my departure from the Vice President for Student Affairs position,” Jaeger wrote in an Employee Transition Agreement letter to Rawlins, which was also obtained through the public records request. “At the end of that meeting you offered me a contractual framework to effect my departure. I agree to accept the entire framework that you offered as long as details of the final letters are consistent with our discussions of framework.” Jaeger was asked to resign by Rawlins during the summer, according to her letter. Rawlins and Provost Robert Bates would not comment on why Jaeger was asked to resign.

As per her agreement with Rawlins, Jaeger then requested a year’s paid leave on July 25. The request was approved on Aug. 2, according to an e-mail from Rawlins to Jaeger.

“I received your request for a year’s professional development leave starting in September of 2005,” Rawlins wrote. “I understand your desire to pursue some professional development opportunities and I am approving the leave, with full pay and benefits, as we discussed.” Jaeger’s full pay for the year amounts to $142,000, according to the Washington State Office of Financial Management Web site.

Her resignation and a formal approval by WSU is scheduled for early December, according to the agreement. The letters have already been written.

“Dr. Charlene Jaeger has resigned from her position as Washington State University’s Vice President of Student Affairs to pursue personal and professional interests,” states the announcement of resignation that will be released over winter break. “She remains a member of the WSU team, currently on leave until September 2006.” Jaeger has listed her Pullman home for sale and is planning to move to the East Coast, said Charles Jaeger, Charlene Jaeger’s husband.

Charlene Jaeger was not available for comment.

As an attachment to the agreement, Rawlins provided a full letter of recommendation in which he states that Jaeger is qualified for executive level positions at any university or similar organization.

“She was selected from a strong pool because of her extensive experience and strong recommendations from her former employers,” Rawlins wrote in the letter of recommendation. “She is highly qualified for this position.” Jaeger requested the leave based upon her accomplishments during her four years at WSU, according to her request to Rawlins. The listed accomplishments are: raising the average GPA of incoming freshmen, working to pass the mandatory $86 million CUB renovation fee, creation of the Community Based Service Learning Program, the Freshman Focus program and a transformation of the student campus into one that does not involve irresponsible use of alcohol.

Jaeger’s dismissal was originally referred to as a “professional leave” which brought questions about Jaeger not qualifying for the professional leave regulations as outlined by the Provost. The payment Jaeger is receiving does not fit within the definitions of leave. Instead, it is considered part of the settlement agreement.

Rawlins has the power to grant a settlement agreement on behalf of the university because of common law, inherent authority of state institutions and interpretation of the state constitution, said Sylvia Glover, assistant attorney general and WSU council.

However, no state law or school policy directly addresses paid leave through a settlement agreement, Glover said.

Click here for documents from the public records release