LITTLE ROCK — The Legislative Council on Friday signed on to the University of Central Arkansas' request to contract with a Massachusetts firm for temporary financial consulting.
The $78,636 contract with the Registry for College and University Presidents goes into effect Monday and lasts through Dec. 31.
UCA General Council Tom Courtway told legislators he's been doing the job since June 30.
"You are looking at the interim VP for finance - and I ain't qualified," Courtway said. "And Monday morning I'm going to be [on vacation] at Mount Rushmore."
He said the contract is needed because UCA now has no vice president for financial services. He said the university needs financial help until a new vice president is hired.
He said the firm, located in Peabody, Mass., specializes in temporary help for colleges and universities.
About 30 people have applied so far for the vice president's job, he said.
Courtway, a former lawmaker, said he knew legislators didn't like "sole source" contracts. But he said choosing among applicants would have taken a few months.
"I know this is unusual," he said.
He said the firm will "troubleshoot" and offer objective recommendations.
The interim finance director, Bunny Adcock, fulfilled a commitment to stay until June 30.
The council approved the request without debate or dissent.
Courtway said in an interview after the meeting that UCA didn't initiate a bidding process months ago to prepare to Adcock's departure because, at the time, Courtway was interim president and didn't feel like he could make that decision in that position.
The new president, Allen Meadors, started work July 1 and needed time to evaluate the situation, Courtway said.
UCA has faced a variety of financial issues after the resignation of Lu Hardin, the former president, on Aug. 28, 2008, and the retirement of Paul McLendon, the former vice president for financial services, two months later. Those issues included questions over a secret bonus for Hardin.
Meadors wrote in a letter to the Department of Finance and Administration that he has worked with the Massachusetts firm in the past. He wrote that it has a "long track record" of providing "highly qualified" people to help universities on a temporary basis.
Arkansas, Pages 12 on 08/22/2009