Dean of University of Toledo health school to resign post

4/12/2007

The head of the University of Toledo's college of health and human services - who was convicted in February of drunken driving - announced he will step down as dean, a university spokesman said yesterday.

Jerome Sullivan, 59, of Delta, Ohio, who has been dean for seven years and worked at UT for 36 years, resigned his position in a March 30 e-mail to university officials, UT spokesman Tobin Klinger said.

Mr. Sullivan has had at least one previous drunken-driving conviction.

The resignation as dean is effective May 6. Mr. Sullivan is paid $145,126 annually, according to the university's most recent budget figures.

"He is stepping down as dean, but is not leaving the university," Mr. Klinger said. "He is going to take an administrative leave and then take it from there."

Mr. Klinger said Mr. Sullivan could take a teaching position.

Mr. Sullivan, who previously was coordinator of the respiratory therapy program at UT, could not be reached for comment last night.

Margaret Traband, an associate dean at the college of health and human services, will become interim dean, Mr. Klinger said.

He declined to comment on Mr. Sullivan's most recent drunken-driving conviction.

Mr. Sullivan's attorney, Christopher Hallet, also declined to comment on the case.

Mr. Sullivan was sentenced in February in Maumee Municipal Court for operating a vehicle while intoxicated on U.S. 20-A and State Rt. 2 on July, 1, 2006.

According to court records, he was fined $488, court costs, and sentenced to 180 days jail time with 160 days suspended, and three years of probation. His license was suspended for 270 days.

The Maumee court received proof last month that Mr. Sullivan had completed a DUI program. The suspension on his driver's license was lifted on March 28, according to court records.

Mr. Sullivan also was arrested in January, 1991, for driving while intoxicated, according to Sylvania Municipal Court records. He was fined $400 plus court costs.

When the health and human services department was made a full-fledged college in April, 1999, Mr. Sullivan was named its interim dean. He was permanently assigned to the post the next year.

Mr. Sullivan has been at UT since 1971, holding a variety of posts in the department of health and human services and serving as the department chairman for 10 years.

Mr. Sullivan also served as dean of UT's former community and technical college.

His awards include the Jimmy A. Young Medal from the American Association for Respiratory Care for his long-term contributions and achievement record. He was awarded the association's highest honor in 1996.

Mr. Sullivan is the second high-ranking UT official to recently face criminal charges.

John Nutter, former UT associate vice president of strategy and institutional research, was found guilty last month of criminal sexual charges for downloading and viewing pornographic material involving minors on the computer in his UT office.

He too resigned his post.

Staff writer Meghan Gilbert contributed to this report.

Contact Ignazio Messina at:

imessina@theblade.com

or 419-724-6171.