Franklin Circuit Court Judge Phillip Shepherd entered an injunction Friday afternoon temporarity blocking Gov. Matt Bevin’s plans to appoint a new board at the University of Louisville.
On June 17, Bevin abolished the University of Louisville board of trustees and created a new board with a “smaller, more efficient membership,” according to the governor’s office.
Shepherd ruled that Bevin and his attorneys did not provide a legal basis to prove the governor’s actions did not violate the state constitution.
The governor’s executive order bypassed statues that require cause and due process before removing trustees, he said.
Attorney General Andy Beshear said in a statement that the “governor does not have ‘absolute authority’ to ignore the Constitution.”
A statement from Governor’s Press Secretary Amanda Stamper suggested he will appeal:
“The circuit court ignored binding precedent from the Kentucky Court of Appeals, the plain language of the statute at issue, and a recent opinion from the Office of the Attorney General, that the Governor has authority to propose and temporarily implement the reorganization of the University of Louisville Board of Trustees. The Court’s abrupt altering of the status quo, just as the newly constituted University Board has begun to take constructive steps to put the University on a solid path forward, is neither in the best interest of the University nor the public.
“We are very confident that this temporary injunction is just that – temporary – and will be reversed on appeal.”
The new board reached an agreement this week for the immediate departure of beleaguered President James Ramsey.
It is not within my understanding how anyone with integrity would want to stay on the board after the disclosure of the problems.. But then, those are the people that created the situation so integrity will not come into play.