June 29, 2016
Temple University has announced it has cut ties with its provost, Hai-Lung Dai, a day after it was revealed that the college had, under Dai’s leadership, exceeded its financial aid budget for its merit scholarship program for 2016-17 by $22 million.
The news of Dai’s immediate departure from the position on Tuesday was reported by Philly.com, which noted that he had held the position since February 2013 and had been interim provost since summer 2012. An interim provost or successor has not yet been named.
Dai’s lawyer issued a statement to Philly.com on Tuesday calling the split “rash and completely unjustified,” though college officials did not confirm the financial aid shortfall as being the cause for the abrupt termination.
Rather they cited “personnel matters,” according to Philly.com.
Dai on Monday acknowledged that financial aid expenses “were larger than anticipated, but said that was because the university had attracted a lot of talented students with need," it stated.
Temple University said in a statement obtained by Philly.com that “all aid promised to students would be covered” and that it "had funds to adjust its proposed 2016-17 budget and cover the over-allocation of aid.”
Read more at Philly.com.
