TSU Board of Regents fires Dr. Austin Lane

HOUSTON - Texas Southern University Board of Regents fired President Dr. Austin Lane with a 6-1 vote during a special meeting Tuesday night.

Dr. Lane was originally placed on administrative leave with pay in January.

FOX 26 was inside the Special Board of Regents meeting Tuesday night, where the crowd was heated, voicing their thoughts over the firing of Dr. Lane. 

We learned that officials with the TSU's Board of Regents and law enforcement were conducting multileveled investigations: one internal and the other an external criminal investigation. Those areas include admissions, enrollment, financial aid, scholarship protocols, and standards. 

The board concluded that Dr. Austin Lane failed to appropriately act on information about allegations of fraud committed by a former Thurgood Marshall School of Law employee, including evidence of a student payment for admission. 

The investigation also found that Lane tried to conceal excessive entertainment expenses. 

According to a statement from the school, Dr. Lane was informed that members of the TSU board, Chief Internal Auditor and external Board Counsel had been in contact with law enforcement due to confirmed improprieties in the admissions process at the school.

At least one admissions university employee was terminated.

The Board concluded that Dr. Lane failed to appropriately act on information about allegations of fraud committed by a former law school official, including evidence of a student payment for admission. The investigation also found attempts to conceal excessive entertainment expenses "through a process inconsistent with Dr. Lane’s contract that would have prevented Board scrutiny of such expenses."

The Board says an external federal investigation continues.

Dr. Lane now has 30 days to dispute the claims held against him and provide additional information and evidence.

If he chooses to proceed there will be a due process hearing and possible mediation.

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