LSU law school Dean Alena Allen will serve her last day in the top job on Sept. 19, when she will transition to a full-time law school faculty position, the university said Friday in a .
LSU praised Allen's "visionary leadership, steadfast commitment, and remarkable accomplishments"ย โ a change in tone since her demotion at the Paul M. Hebert Law Centerย was late last month.
Just two weeks ago,ย LSU Interim Executive Vice President and Provost Troy Blanchard met with Allen to tell her the LSU Board of Supervisors had decided to โmake a change in leadership at the law schoolโ because โthey were just going a different direction," according to Allison Jones, Allen'sย attorney.
The following day, Allen threatened to sue LSU over alleged whistleblower retaliation, racial and gender discrimination and violations of LSU policy if the school refused to engage in mediation. In a demand letter, Jones accused the the LSU Board of Supervisors of engaging in "systematic discrimination and retaliatory conduct" against Allen after she raised concerns about "irregularities" in the LSU law school's finances.
That same day, without giving Allen advance warning,ย Blanchard sent an internal LSU email announcing the university would soon launch a national search to find a new dean to replace her, Jones said at the time.
On Friday, Jones said an "amicable resolution resolved all claims."
"The agreement is a result of good-faith negotiations between Dean Allen and the administration of LSU," she said.
LSU did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the deal or what prompted the university's search for a new law school dean.
"To serve as the first permanent woman and person of color to lead the Law Center has been the honor and privilege of my lifetime,"ย Allen said in a statement Friday. "I am proud of the progress we have made together, and I look forward to contributing to this community as a teacher and scholar."
Among Allen's accomplishments that LSU lists in its announcement Friday: Improving the law school's U.S. News and World Report ranking to its highest in a decade at No. 84, increasing first-year enrollment, recruiting 10 new full-time law faculty members and increasing tuition revenue 50%.
Jones said Allen will remain a tenured full-time faculty member at the law school.
"She will continue teaching the courses that she currently teaches, and then she will continue supporting the law school in every way possible," she said.
Allen held her position as dean through an at-will employment arrangement but also joined the law school as a tenured faculty member, Jones said.
Jones also said that while there are other terms to the agreement, she couldn't discuss them.
Blanchard, the interim provost, sent an email Friday to law school faculty and staff announcing a search for an interim law school dean.
"I am conducting an internal search for the Interim Dean of the Paul M. Hebert Law Center. The Interim Dean will serve in this capacity until a national search has been conducted for a permanent Dean," Blanchard said.
Candidates can apply by Sept. 17 or be nominated and must hold the rank of professor with tenure.
