WSU conflict: Provost contends he was assaulted

PULLMAN — Outgoing Washington State University Provost Steven Hoch contended Wednesday that he was assaulted during a dispute with another campus administrator last month in events that preceded a decision that he would leave his position.

Hoch told the Moscow-Pullman Daily News that Greg Royer, WSU vice president for business and finance, had assaulted him.

Royer did not immediately respond to an Associated Press phone call and e-mail seeking comment. Hoch, who is on paid leave, also did not immediately return a message left at the provost's office.

Still, Hoch told the newspaper that incident was insignificant compared to another major issue at the university. He declined to elaborate.

The Seattle Times has reported that tensions about Hoch's role at WSU boiled over into a major argument at a staff meeting, followed by a physical altercation in a hallway.

The Times reported last Friday that Hoch said "I was the guy who was shoved" during a dispute with Royer.

WSU President Elson Floyd announced Friday that Hoch wouldn't return as provost, but as a history professor.

In a statement, Floyd said that after discussions with members of the university administration and senior faculty, he had decided it was not in the best interest of WSU that Hoch return as provost.

Hoch has been on paid leave since Sept. 23, less than two months after he was hired from the University of Kentucky. He will step down as provost Oct. 31 and take a tenured faculty position in the department of history on Nov. 1.

The Daily News said Royer was placed on administrative leave from Sept. 13-22. WSU spokesman James Tinney declined to confirm that, or anything else.

Tinney said Floyd was not available for comment late Wednesday. Floyd issued a written statement on Monday saying privacy concerns prevented the school from openly discussing the issue.

The university plans to release more information Oct. 22 in response to public records requests.

Tinney said the incident was reported internally, as required by university policy.

"It was looked into," he said. "When the records are released, I believe they will show that the university took appropriate steps to respond to the situation."

This week, WSU Police Chief Bill Gardner said his office was not investigating the incident because it had not received a complaint. Gardner could not be immediately reached for comment on whether the situation had changed.

Hoch will continue to draw his annual salary of $300,000 until he steps down from his provost position, and he will be paid $245,000 a year as a history professor.

The university approved Hoch's $245,000 salary, which is roughly the equivalent of three faculty salaries in the department of history.

Floyd said Hoch's salary as a tenured professor is based on a provision in his job offer from the university that stated he would get nine-elevenths of his provost's salary if he was to return as a faculty member.