Benjamin Ladner

Dr. Benjamin Mance Ladner (born October 30, 1941, Mobile, Alabama) is an academic in the fields of philosophy and theology. He was president of American University from 1994 until October 2005.

He was previously been married to Carolyn Cooper, with whom he had two sons, David and Mark, and later remarried to Nancy Bullard.

Education

The son of Willie E. and Bonnie Ladner, Ladner attended Murphy High School in Mobile followed by undergraduate study at Baylor University. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts in 1963, Ladner went on to earn a Bachelor of Divinity from Southern Seminary in 1966 and, after completing his dissertation [http://wwwlib.umi.com/dissertations/fullcit/7124193 "Elizabeth Sewell: Poetic Method As An Instrument of Thinking and Knowing"] , his Doctor of Philosophy from Duke University in 1970.

During his professional career, Ladner has earned honorary doctorates from Elizabethtown College, Sookmyung Women’s University and Tashkent State Economic University.

Career

Ladner began his career in academia as a professor of philosophy and religion at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. While serving at UNC-Greensboro, Ladner won a Teaching Excellence Award and was nominated to the National Faculty for the Arts, Humanities, and Sciences, an association of university professors founded by Phi Beta Kappa, and served as its president for thirteen years.

American University

Ladner was appointed President of, and professor of philosophy and religion at, American University in 1994. After a string of short term presidents, Ladner's appointment is credited with bringing stability to the University after a period of turmoil and rapid turnover of presidents. [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/08/AR2005100801297.html "Dissecting Ladner's Legacy at the Helm of AU", Washington Post, P.A18, 9 October 2005] ] During his tenure, the University saw financial and academic growth, along with recognition as an international university, with several campuses and partnering universities around the world. The main thrust of Ladner's changes at AU were put into a " [http://www.american.edu/15pointplan/ 15 point plan] " in 2001, which was approved by the board. [ [http://veracity.univpubs.american.edu/weeklypast/012902/story_1.html, "Faculty named to governance task force", American Weekly, Sally Acharya and Kenny Lucas, February 29, 2001] ]

While in post, Ladner chaired the Board of Trustees of the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area.

In 2001, Ladner negotiated with the Chinese government for the release of Gao Zhan, [ [http://archives.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/east/07/26/china.scholar/index.html "'Spy scholar' says she can breathe free", CNN.com, July 27, 2001] ] after she was held while being charged as a spy for the United States. Later, it was discovered that Zhan was actually a spy for the People's Republic of China, and she was charged with tax fraud and espionage by the United States but charges were dismissed and she was placed in protective custody after she participated in a CIA operation. [ [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,501031208-552171,00.html "Double Cross?", Susan Jakes, Time Magazine, December 1, 2003] ]

In 2003, Ladner fired Susan Clampitt as the head of university-owned WAMU, due to donor and staff outrage [ [http://www.current.org/radio/radio0319wamu.html "Crisis seen in WAMU spending", Current, Dan Odenwald, Oct. 20, 2003] ] at fiscal mismanagement of the NPR affiliate. [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&contentId=A44450-2003Oct30&notFound=true "American U. Ousts WAMU Director Susan Clampitt", Jennifer Frey, Washington Post, P.C01, 31 October 2003] ] Clampitt later sued both Ladner and the University, [ [http://washingtontimes.com/news/2004/aug/17/20040817-094230-3240r/ "WAMU official contests her firing", Washington Times, 17 August 2004] ] claiming that Ladner had approved all of her financial decisions, which depleted a $4 million endowment for the station.

Resignation from presidency of American University

Ladner came under increasing criticism for his high salary, lavish lifestyle, and his frequent travels to visit partnering universities throughout the world.

The website [http://www.benladner.com/ BenLadner.com] was created by students at the University in 2002 to highlight these criticisms, specifically Ladner's salary. In September 2004, Ladner filed a complaint with ICANN, alleging that the website's prominent use of his name caused confusion for visitors, causing them to believe it to be his own personal website. [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14605-2004Sep11.html Washington Post, "AU President Challenges Web Site That Bears His Name", Amy Argetsinger, September 12, 2004, P.C01] ] ICANN ruled against Ladner [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50326-2004Oct21.html Washington Post, "AU President Loses Web Site Challenge", Karlyn Barker, October 21, 2004, p.B04] ] , refusing to remove the domain name because Ladner's name had no commercial value. [ [http://www.arb-forum.com/domains/decisions/305190.htm Benjamin Ladner v. Ben Wetmore, National Arbitration Forum, October 13, 2004] ]

In August 2005, "The Washington Post" reported on the opening of an investigation by the American University Board of Trustees into Dr Ladner's expenses. An anonymous letter to the board, later revealed to be from Ladner's fired driver Reginald Green, [ [http://chronicle.com/news/article/355/whistle-blower-who-brought-down-ladner-at-american-u-is-unmasked "Whistle-Blower Who Brought Down Ladner at American U. Is Unmasked", Chronicle of Higher Education, May 1, 2006] ] [ [http://www.examiner.com/a-94487~Meet_the_whistle_blower.html "Meet the Whistle-Blower", Examiner.com, 2005] ] alleged that Ladner had improperly used University funds for personal expenses. Ladner was placed on administrative leave by the Board pending the outcome of the investigation. On August 25, he was suspended from his post. On October 10, 2005, The Board of Trustees of American University announced that he would not return to American University as its president. The Board upheld the accusations of excessive use of university money for private spending. However some board members still believe that Dr. Ladner was wrongly accused. While Dr. Ladner was never criminally accused of anything, the federal investigation is ongoing.

Ladner was given a $3.75 million severance package, [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/24/AR2005102401888.html "Ladner's $3.75 Million Deal Severs Ties to American U.", Washington Post, October 25, 2005] ] causing two trustees to resign. [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2005/10/13/DI2005101301279.html Washington Post, "AU: President Ousted, Two Board Members Resign", October 14, 2005] ]

Former and current trustees, as well as current faculty and administrators, were called to testify at a March 2006 hearing by the U.S. Senate Finance Committee investigating fraud at nonprofit organizations. [http://media.www.theeagleonline.com/media/storage/paper666/news/2006/03/06/News/U.s-Senate.Seeks.Au.Input.On.Governance.Reform-1656010.shtml]

References

External links

* [http://www.theeagleonline.com/media/paper666/news/2005/09/29/News/Hundreds.Rally.To.Protest.Ladner-1003247.shtml Hundreds Rally to Protest Ladner] - "The Eagle", 29 September 2005
* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/02/AR2005080201947.html AU President's Expenses Examined] - "Washington Post", 3 August 2005
* [http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/people/1714.html Ben Ladner's Years of Living Lavishly] - "Washingtonian.com", 01 April 2006
* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/16/AR2005101601208_pf.html Deconstructing a Man of Contrasts] - "WashingtonPost.com", 17 October 2005