ALAMOSA — According to public settlement documents, the Adams State University Board of Trustees agreed to jointly pay former ASU President Beverlee McClure and her attorneys, King & Greisen, LLP, a $250,000 lump sum on March 27 before her resignation on March 31. The document states that the payments will be made within 30 days of signing.

“The amount was negotiated and mutually agreed upon to accomplish the goals of the two parties,” said ASU Board of Trustees Chair Cleave Simpson in a phone call on Monday. “[The settlement] is one that’s respectful of Dr. McClure and responsible to the university.”

McClure, who was placed on leave on February 12 when the two parties “agreed that the priorities of the current board are no longer congruent with the priorities of the president,” was first hired in June of 2015 with a base salary of $205,000. In April of 2016 the board unanimously voted to renew her contract through July 2019 with the same salary and possible bonuses based on performance.

The source of the monies came from ASU’s general fund, the same fund that recently closed the gap in an $800,000 budget shortfall and made $2.7 million worth of cuts and layoffs to address the university’s financial concerns.

Simpson stressed, however, that the $2.7 million in cuts are part of the university’s next fiscal year, which starts on July 1, 2018 and runs through June of 2019.

“But it’s the same general fund,” said Simpson.

None of the payments made to McClure are designated as wages, salary or back pay, according to the settlement, though Simpson stated that “the remaining value of her existing contract was part of the consideration in the negotiation.”

According to Simpson, McClure had an estimated $18,000 in deferred compensation remaining this year and $48,000 in deferred compensation for 2019.

Also included in the settlement is the transfer of a 2015 Jeep and Dell Latitude E7450 laptop to McClure. Both were purchased in June of 2015 when McClure started at the university and were considered part of her contract.

“There were so many trips to Denver required and I suspect when the original contract was written that was identified as...part of her compensation: base salary, housing provided and a vehicle,” said Simpson. “It was a university vehicle purchased on her behalf for her role as president.”

Simpson didn’t know the value of the car or computer. “Each side could probably value each one of those items differently...I don’t even know what the range might have been.”

McClure did not respond to a request for comment.