Ohio University's president became interim director of the university's Office of Legal Affairs Friday, a position he expects to fill for two weeks until he appoints a more permanent, but still interim, director.
OU President Roderick McDavis will supervise the office's day-to-day administrative operations in the wake of its former director's retirement. Assistant Attorney General David Bhaerman will field legal questions in the office as they arise. OU expects to appoint an interim director in about two weeks.
The assistant attorney general will handle legal questions until an interim director is chosen.
McDavis, who earned a doctorate in counselor education from the University of Toledo in 1974, is not a lawyer and lists no legal experience on his resume. In an e-mail to several Legal Affairs staff attorneys provided by OU, McDavis wrote he would consult with Rebecca Albers, section chief for Education in the Attorney General's office, on major issues in the Office of Legal Affairs.
John Burns, who held the director's position for 36 years, announced his retirement, effective Jan. 1, in December.
McDavis ceded control of OU's day-to-day academic operations to Kathy Krendl, executive vice president and provost, in May so he could focus on fund raising.
Attorney General Marc Dann and McDavis must jointly approve the interim director's appointment and the eventual appointment of a permanent director.
Although Burns retired two weeks ago, he has continued work on several cases, including a former professor's defamation lawsuit and an open-records case stemming from computer security breaches in 2006.
Burns, who earned a $158,848 yearly salary, is working as an unpaid volunteer on those cases, according to Linder's e-mail.
Legal Affairs employs seven people and has a $600,000 annual budget.
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Dave Hendricks
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McDavis will temporarily direct Legal Affairs
