Update: Former TSU President was tried
in a Harris County Criminal Court recently.
The jury could not agree on a verdict,
and a mistrial was declared on Oct. 12, 2007.
The District Attorney wants to
retry her.
Perform google search for
news stories in the Houston Chronicle
and elsewhere.
Aug. 1, 2006, 3:15PM
Former TSU chief Slade indicted
By MATTHEW TRESAUGUE
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle
A Harris County grand jury indicted former Texas Southern University President Priscilla Slade today on two
charges of criminally misusing university money for her private benefit, officials said.
The grand jury's three-month investigation also led to indictments for three former TSU employees, including
Quintin Wiggins, who earlier this year resigned as chief financial officer, for their roles in making purchases of
furniture, landscaping services and a security system for her private residences.
Also indicted were Bruce Wilson, who was senior vice president of administration, and Frederick Holts, the
university's senior safety system engineer.
The charges against Slade carry a potential punishment of five years of probation to life in prison, and a fine of
as much as $20,000. A judge has set her bail amount at $100,000.
Slade has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and has said all of her spending benefited the university.
The indictment comes three months after TSU's governing board fired Slade for spending hundreds of thousands
of school dollars on her private home.
The board's inquiry, conducted by the law firm Bracewell & Giuliani, found that Slade and Wiggins failed to follow
university policies and state laws, including "long-accepted principles prohibiting the use of public money for
private gain," to buy more than $280,000 in furniture, landscaping and security equipment for her house.
A recent audit also found that Slade spent nearly $650,000 over the past seven years on personal purchases not
allowed under her contract. She has denied any wrongdoing.
Slade used school funds for $86,467 in home furnishings, $138,159 in landscaping services and $56,000 in
security-related equipment. After regents questioned the expenses, she reimbursed TSU for the landscaping bill,
which includes a security gate, masonry and tree removal at her 17,675-square-foot property.
The Bracewell & Giuliani report concluded that Slade authorized the landscaping work without first knowing how
she would pay for it. That Slade did not ask for the regents' prior approval created an appearance that she
intended for the university to cover the costs, the lawyers' report said.
Wiggins told investigators that he did not know TSU paid for the landscaping work at Slade's house. But two staff
members contradicted his statement, saying he told them that university would take care of the bill, the report said.
matthew.tresaugue@chron.com