With his retirement as president of Slippery Rock University, William “Bill” Behre leaves behind a colorful history, and among those colors are some shades of gray.

In May 2022, two former members of Behre’s cabinet independently alleged that the institution was misrepresenting financial data to the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE).

Those members were Abbey Zink, former SRU provost and vice president of academic affairs, and Amir Mohammadi, former senior vice president for administration, global engagement and economic development, and chief innovation officer.

Concerns raised by Mohammadi in February 2022 were sent via email, and detailed his concerns about the financial instability of the university, lack of financial transparency, and concerns about the affordability of the new engineering program.

The email was sent to SRU’s council of trustee members, Behre and PASSHE chancellor Dan Greenstein, according to Butler Eagle reports.

On April 4, it was announced that Zink was no longer in her position as provost, and that Michael Zieg would serve as acting provost. According to reports, Mohammadi was terminated April 20, the same day results came in from PASSHE’s forensic review of the university’s financials.

Zink claimed she was removed in “retaliation” for bringing light to serious issues.

Zink said Behre informed her she was being removed as provost and had two options: to take a temporary position and resign in two months, or be fired for cause.

Zink said she would not sign any documents without an attorney, and that she wanted union representation. To this, she said Behre informed her that she didn’t have a tenured position and could not have union representation.

According to Zink’s offer letter, when she was hired at the university in 2019, she signed to have a position in the English department at the institution.

On April 25, Zink sent in her resignation from the provost position to PASSHE and SRU. In it, she said she looked forward to serving as a faculty member in the English department.

“And on (April) 26, I got a letter from the president saying he doesn’t accept my resignation, and you’re fired ... essentially,” she told the Eagle.

In Behre’s letter, he said it was in SRU’s best interest to “terminate (her) services.”

In the statement she released May 6, Zink said the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties filed a grievance on her behalf. That grievance ultimately was denied.