UC Suspends Huttenback, Cuts Off Salary

SAN FRANCISCO —  Former UC Santa Barbara Chancellor Robert A. Huttenback on Friday was stripped of his $84,000-a-year salary and suspended from the faculty pending an appeal of his conviction for embezzling university funds spent on improvements to his private home.

The action by the UC Regents means that Huttenback would become the first tenured professor to be dismissed in the 120-year history of the UC system if he loses all his state court appeals, officials said.

However, the regents rejected a harsher recommendation from UC President David P. Gardner, current UC Santa Barbara Chancellor Barbara S. Uehling and a faculty review committee that Huttenback be immediately dismissed from his history professorship no matter the outcome of the appeals.

Nevertheless, Huttenback and his attorney blasted the decision. They contended that the regents caved in to pressure from taxpayers and politicians who have expressed outrage that someone found guilty of such a felony could continue to draw a UC paycheck for a year after his conviction.

Denies Wrongdoing

As he did during his trial, Huttenback repeated his contention that he ordered what prosecutors said was $250,000 worth of work done to his house only to make it suitable for official entertaining that raised millions of dollars for the campus. He also said that university rules about the use of a chancellor’s discretionary funds are vague and that a university financial officer had approved the spending.

“The fact is I never violated any university rules and I did what I did for the betterment of the university,” Huttenback, 61, told reporters at the regents meeting. He said he will be destitute without his salary, faces enormous legal bills and has very little chance of finding other employment.

“I’m unhappy, I’m unpleased, I’m annoyed,” said Huttenback, who appeared disheveled but in control of his emotions.

George Kieffer, former head of the UC Santa Barbara alumni organization and a former regent, sat by Huttenback’s side during his press conference. “I’m afraid the university action is taken largely because of unfair and ignorant public opinion,” Kieffer said.

Debate Apparently Heated

The debate on Huttenback’s pay took place behind closed doors and apparently was heated. According to UC general counsel James Holst, the move by Gardner and Uehling to irrevocably terminate Huttenback was defeated 15 to 8, with one abstention. The vote to suspend pay pending appeal then passed 21 to 2, with Gardner abstaining and Regents Clair Burgener and Meredith Khachigian voting no, consistent with their support of the previous motion.

Gardner, Uehling and Holst held their own press conference not long after Huttenback’s. The former chancellor remained in the back of the room, listening to their comments but out of their view.

The UC administrators declined to comment in detail about Friday’s votes, other than to say that Huttenback’s conviction was proof that he violated the faculty code and could be fired. They said it was still unclear whether the pay suspension also means a stoppage of medical insurance and other benefits for Huttenback.

Asked about criticism that the university took too long to review the case, Uehling responded: “I think it’s comforting in a way that a person in this situation gets such due consideration.” At this, Huttenback shook his head in seeming disgust.

Hopes for Unity

Uehling added that she hopes that the Santa Barbara campus and community, which have been divided by the scandal for three years, would now turn attention to more positive matters.

Huttenback complained that he was given little time to plead his case with the regents and was not allowed to make an official defense in public. But Gardner disputed that, saying that the case already was much reviewed and documented before Friday, including a lengthy hearing by a UC Santa Barbara faculty committee that unanimously recommended two weeks ago that Huttenback be immediately dismissed.

Huttenback became chancellor in January, 1978, and resigned in July, 1986, but returned to teaching. He was convicted last July of embezzlement and tax fraud and received a sentence of $60,680 in fines, five years of probation and 1,000 hours of community service. His wife, Freda, was convicted of embezzlement. In September, Uehling banned Huttenback from the classroom but kept him on salary until Friday.

In his appeal, Huttenback is expected to attack the credibility of a crucial prosecution witness, Holger Chris Ferdinandson, a former campus buildings manager who was convicted of making kickback arrangements with contractors and using UC funds to fix up his own house. In the past, Ferdinandson served prison terms for other crimes.

Agree With Decision

On the Santa Barbara campus, a number of professors expressed agreement with the regents’ decision.

“It would be premature to make a decision on Huttenback’s teaching status now, because the judicial process has not been completed,” said Glen Wade, a professor of electrical engineering. “It would be an injustice to take away his tenure at this point, if later his appeal is upheld.”

In other business Friday, the regents rolled back an earlier 10% increase in student education fees to 3% because of the larger-than-expected state funding for the university. Excluding room, board and books, a California resident will pay $1,476 to attend the university this year, about $100 less than previously expected. However, the regents did not change the 17% hike in tuition for out-of-state students, who will pay $7,300. The changes take effect in the fall.

Gordon reported from San Francisco and Corwin from Santa Barbara.