Alabama State University reaches severance deal with President

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama State University trustees have approved a deal to pay the school's president $650,000 to leave a job he held for just three months. The Montgomery Advertiser  reports that Joe Silver will be paid between now and January 2014. The severance deal is the latest development of a very public controversy on the historically black university. Trustees placed Silver on administrative leave in November, but never offered a reason. Many student and alumni have criticized the board. Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley attended Friday's governing board meeting and said he would appoint a search committee for a new president. Bentley chairs public university governing boards around the state by virtue of his office. But the governor typically does not take such a public role in campus affairs.