Ohio State is still searching for a university president in the wake of Kristina Johnson’s departure. Credit: Casey Smith | Lantern File Photo
Seven months after former Ohio State President Kristina Johnson’s resignation was announced, a signed agreement between the former president and the university was released revealing that Johnson cannot speak negatively about the university.
Additionally, the agreement prevents the board of trustees and related employees from making “derogatory or disparaging” statements against Johnson.
Under the terms of the “comprehensive release,” Johnson was to receive $278,100 and one year of her $927,000 base salary, paid in monthly installments after her final day on May 7, 2023. Johnson also voluntarily resigned her position as a tenured professor in the College of Engineering and Department of Computer Science and Engineering by signing the release.
The document was obtained through a successful legal challenge against the university filed by Jessica Langer, The Lantern’s former editor-in-chief. This is the second time The Lantern has won a public records lawsuit against the university since 2019.
Langer requested the university provide “a copy of any contract, memorandum of understanding, non-disclosure agreement or other signed document between the university and/or the Board of Trustees and University President Kristina M. Johnson related to her resignation, cessation or separation of her employment from Ohio State University, ” according to The Court of Claims of Ohio. It was originally denied due to attorney-client privilege.
Johnson was given 21 days to consider signing the agreement, as well as a seven-day revocation period, according to the document. She signed the release on Nov. 13, 2022.
Johnson announced she would leave on Nov. 29, 2022, after the Columbus Dispatch published an article revealing her resignation. University spokesperson Ben Johnson said there is still no information on her replacement.
More than half a year later, a full explanation into her motivation for leaving has yet to be provided by her or the university.
This is a developing story that we will continue to update when we receive further information.
