FAYETTEVILLE — A draft version of Joe Steinmetz' resignation announcement referred to him remaining as a University of Arkansas, Fayetteville faculty member but the former chancellor's final message to campus said nothing about future plans.
Steinmetz, 66, on June 17 in an email sent to students, faculty and staff said he would step down effective the next day.
Email records from university staff members released under the state's public disclosure law include discussion from earlier that day about the forthcoming announcement from Steinmetz.
"These would fit our headline template: Steinmetz to Conclude Service as Chancellor; Will Remain on Faculty," Mark Rushing, a UA spokesman, wrote in an email on the afternoon of June 17. He went on to list another possible "headline": "Steinmetz to Conclude Service as Chancellor; Will Continue to Teach."
Bill Kincaid, a campus attorney last week named by UA System President Donald Bobbitt as acting chancellor for the university, in response to Rushing wrote: "I would be inclined to stop after "Chancellor" given the stated duration."
The email discussion, held minutes before 3 p.m., took place as the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees were winding down a meeting to discuss an unspecified personnel matter.
A later text message exchange between Steinmetz' chief-of-staff and the UA's top financial officer followed at 5:41 p.m.:
"Message to campus about to go out. Effective tomorrow," texted Laura Jacobs, formerly staff chief for Steinmetz and now in a similar role for Kincaid.
"Any changes to message besides effective date," replied Ann Bordelon, the university's top financial officer.
"No return to faculty," Jacobs answered back.
Steinmetz, in the message sent out to campus, referred to "challenges" in managing a university "in today's polarized society," stating that "I need to do what's best for my family and I feel ready to make way for others."
His resignation came after the appearance of photos online purported to be of Steinmetz that a state senator said he had seen.
Rushing, in a statement the day after Steinmetz' announcement, said Steinmetz has said that he is not in the posted photos and that they were instead "Photoshopped."
State Sen. Bob Ballinger, R-Ozark, has said that a legislator was told of a Twitter handle supposedly linked to Steinmetz. The Twitter account is now deleted.
"It appears that he was involved in some things that are pretty embarrassing for the university if they turn out to be legitimate," Ballinger said the day after Steinmetz announced his resignation.
Days before the resignation of Steinmetz, text messages from university staff members provided under the state's public disclosure law show some discussion about images.
"Was dealing with a gross twitter account using Joe's face. It has been taken down," went one text message dated June 11. Other staff messages referred to questions from journalists at TV station KNWA about the images.
Nate Hinkel, a UA System spokesman, in a statement Thursday said that Steinmetz' "resignation happened quickly and there are some details still being worked out related to other aspects of his employment with the University."
Hinkel added that Steinmetz' compensation "as chancellor" ended on June 18.
Steinmetz earned a base salary of $464,000 and yearly deferred compensation of $250,000, according to Department of Education records.
"Obviously, he will receive payment for what he had earned as of the date of his resignation, but beyond that, he did not receive any additional compensation in exchange for resigning as chancellor," Hinkel said.