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Oregon Health & Science University Board decides to table appointment of Nate Selden as president

Asked by Kotek to hold off before naming a replacement for Danny Jacobs, OHSU board members have done so
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COURTESY OF OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY
October 25, 2024

The Oregon Health & Science University Board of Directors has voted to hold off on naming Nate Selden to replace outgoing President Danny Jacobs.

Jacobs yesterday announced his departure citing personal reasons. It's unclear if it's connected, but on the same day a former dean filed a $6.2 million lawsuit accusing the school and Jacobs of engaging in a cover-up while making the ex-dean the fall guy.

The OHSU Board of Directors had planned to replace Jacobs immediately in a meeting today, one day after his departure was announced, but now Gov. Tina Kotek urged members to slow down. In what board Chair Chad Paulson described as a "robust discussion" held in a secret meeting held before its public meeting, the board — which is appointed by the governor — did just that.

Kotek had issued her statement after OHSU announced its plan to immediately replace Jacobs with Selden.

“The Governor believes the timeline put forward to appoint a new president compromises the future of the institution and that it would be a mistake to push through a decision of this magnitude without appropriate due diligence,” according to the statement released by her office.

Following the meeting, Kotek Press Secretary Anca Maticka shared a response to the board's decision: “The Governor believes that the process to appoint the next OHSU president merits transparent deliberation and appreciates that the board applied her feedback.”

On Thursday, David Jacoby, the former dean of the School of Medicine, sued the university for removing him as dean and making “false and defamatory” statements about Jacoby to falsely accuse him for failing to handle the up-skirt photo scandal that racked the school early this year. 

The suit portrayed Jacobs as playing a central role in covering up for the people who'd actually mishandled student complaints. It says Jacoby was falsely blamed for giving a $46,000 bonus to the doctor who took the photos, when it was actually Jacobs who approved it.

An outside consultant’s report eventually blamed Jacobs for unfairly faulting Jacoby.


 

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