By Alabama Public Radio
Auburn, AL – Auburn University has hired a full-time attorney who has ties to a trustee and to past involvement in controversies at the school. Attorney Jon Waggoner comes to Auburn from the Atlanta office of trustee Jack Miller's law firm. Waggoner conducted an unpaid investigation last fall into allegations that two Auburn trustees tried to change grades for students. He's been hired at a time when interim President Ed Richardson has told Auburn administrators to cut staff and save money. And at least one Auburn professor is questioning whether the hiring will look bad to the school's accrediting agency. The agency put Auburn on probation last year, saying trustees were overly involved in the school's day-to-day operations.