Wheeling Jesuit University president, Fr Julio Giulietti, S.J., has been fired two days after seeking a face-to-face meeting in October with board members. Giulietti, the eighth Jesuit priest to lead the college, was relieved of his position Wednesday following a meeting of the WJU Board of Trustees, which is comprised of priests from the Jesuit community, The News-Register reports.
On Thursday, the Board of Trustees released a statement indicating Giulietti's "departure" and that J. Davitt McAteer, current university vice president, would serve as acting president. The board did not offer a reason for the action.
According to the statement, Giulietti was leaving the university "to continue pursuit of his ministry, which has focused on spirituality, faith, personal development and international outreach."
In the next few weeks, the WJU Board of Directors, which consists of lay members from the community and several Jesuit priests, will form a search committee to select a new president.
Board of Directors President William Fisher on Thursday said board matters are private and he could not comment on what took place.
Attempts to reach members of the Board of Trustees were unsuccessful Thursday.
Giulietti, who is on vacation, maintains that some of the evaluations made about him by Board of Directors members contained "inaccurate statements." He also said he was very distressed to learn that his firing came before his yearly evaluation - slated to include comments from staff, faculty and students this fall - was completed.
"The board's desire to micromanage the university has gotten out of control. They seem to have a poor understanding of the Jesuit education," Giulietti said.
He noted that WJU, despite monetary debt of about $35 million, remains highly successful. Giulietti pointed to the fact that the school is expecting a larger enrollment in the freshmen class this fall and other programs are growing.
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