Alabama State University

An Alabama university is barring its new president from living with any romantic interest in the campus home provided her as long as she remains unmarried.

A contract signed by Gwendolyn Boyd to become head of Alabama State University in Montgomery prohibits her from sharing her presidential home with any partner. The contract notes Boyd is single and requires her to live in the house. It says the no-cohabitation clause is in effect as long as Boyd isn't married.

The trustees of Alabama State University have approved a two-year contract that pays new President Gwendolyn Boyd $300,000 annually.

The board, including Gov. Robert Bentley, approved the contract unanimously Friday. It includes benefits, such as a president's home.

University spokesman Ken Mullinax said Boyd will start Feb. 1. She has been executive assistant to the chief of staff of the Applied Physics Lab at John Hopkins University.

She replaces Joseph Silver, who left in late 2012. He had an annual salary of $325,000, but only served a few months.

Democratic state Sen. Quinton Ross of Montgomery is seeking re-election after not being selected president of Alabama State University.

Ross was one of three finalists interviewed by the Alabama State trustees Friday, but they chose Gwendolyn Boyd from John Hopkins University.

Shortly after the selection, Ross announced he will run for a fourth term next year. Ross said he was thankful to be nominated to the Alabama State position, but he looks forward to continuing to represent his Montgomery County constituents.

The trustees of Alabama State University have selected Gwendolyn Boyd as the university's new president.

The board voted Friday after interviewing three finalists at the Montgomery university. The other finalists were retired Brigadier Gen. Samuel Nichols and Democratic state Sen. Quinton Ross.

Alabama State University trustees will soon vote on the next president of the university.

The trustees are scheduled to take up the matter at a meeting Dec. 20. A notice from the Alabama Secretary of State indicates that the board will meet to vote on the next president.

Members of a search committee last week interviewed three finalists for the job: state Sen. Quinton Ross Jr. of Montgomery; Gwendolyn Boyd of John Hopkins University; and retired Brig. Gen. Samuel Nichols Jr. of Virginia Friday afternoon.

A search committee has released the names of four finalists seeking the presidency of Alabama State University.

The list made public Wednesday includes state Sen. Quinton Ross of Montgomery and Gwendolyn Boyd of Montgomery, who had a long career at John Hopkins University.

The other finalists include retired Brig. Gen. Samuel Nichols of Virginia, a former deputy commander at Guantanamo Bay, and the business dean at George Mason University, Jorge Haddock.

State lawmakers have approved another $50,000 for the company conducting a forensic audit at Alabama State University.

   A panel of lawmakers on Thursday approved the latest request for money for the independent audit. The Montgomery Advertiser reports (http://on.mgmadv.com/1dM10Ag) that the increase could take the total cost for review up to $650,000.

   Jennifer Ardis, a spokeswoman for Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley, said the auditing process is taking longer because of difficulty in gaining access to needed information.

Federal judges are rejecting Alabama State University's appeal of a $1 million court judgment for sexual harassment.

The Montgomery Advertiser reported that the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the school in a 23-page decision on Tuesday.

Three former employees won more than $1 million total in a lawsuit that claimed two top administrators made numerous inappropriate comments and created a hostile work environment.

The president of Alabama State University says he's looking to implement a temporary smoking ban.

University President William Harris says that he's going to use executive authority to temporarily ban the use of all tobacco products on campus.

He says science has proven "that smoking causes grave difficulties to health," and university officials want students and staff to be as healthy as possible.

State officials have awarded Alabama State University with $800,000 in grant funding for the Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights Interpretive Center.

The funding will be added to an existing grant of $1.2 million.

Director of Alabama State University's National Center for the study of Civil Rights and African-American Culture says the center will be located near Hornet Stadium on the university's campus.

Organizers say they hope to open the center in time for the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery March in March 2015.

The board of the Alabama Public Historical Sites and Parks Improvement Corporation has authorized $1.2 million in bond money for a landmark voting rights center in the capitol city.

A new facility at Alabama State University will be home to the last stop on the route memorialized as the Voting Rights Trail, officials said Tuesday.

Finance Director Marquita Davis told Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey and House Speaker Mike Hubbard the center had been funded in 2001, but the project didn't get off the ground.

Officials say Alabama State University trustee Kathy Sawyer has resigned from the institution's board.

The Montgomery Advertiser reports (http://on.mgmadv.com/VlnTTq ) that Sawyer submitted a letter of resignation to Gov. Robert Bentley on Jan. 13.

She stated in her resignation letter that she was unable to fulfill her responsibility "in a manner that benefits both the university and me personally."

The week prior to being placed on administrative leave, former Alabama State University President Joseph Silver got into a public disagreement with two administrators about the university's annual Turkey Day Classic parade.

Alabama State University's board of trustees will meet Friday to consider the fate of embattled president Joseph Silver.

The Montgomery Advertiser reported the developments after it obtained an email sent from one trustee to the board chairman.

Silver has been on leave since Nov. 26, when the executive committee of the board took that action in an emergency meeting.

Immediately following that meeting, Silver claimed he was being punished for questioning several contracts currently in place at ASU that didn't benefit the school.

Three legislative leaders on education issues have asked Alabama State University for records of all contracts and payments to public officials or their immediate families.