NC State blocks part of Mary Easley’s job

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — An academic center that was to be run by former first lady Mary Easley has been put on hold by North Carolina State University because of budget problems.

The move has the effect of blocking Easley from doing a large part of her controversial job, The News & Observer of Raleigh reported Friday.

Easley, who has worked at N.C. State more than three years, last summer was given the new position and an 88 percent pay raise to $170,000 a year. That job and how she got it has come under scrutiny of university officials and a federal grand jury.

Easley initially was hired when her husband still was governor to run a speakers series at the Raleigh campus.

Terri Lomax, vice chancellor for research and graduate studies, announced the moratorium Thursday during a meeting of senior administrators. The meeting was called to start planning for a possible double-digit budget cut.

Lomax said the moratorium on academic centers wasn’t aimed at Easley, who also teaches.

“A moratorium made sense now because we have an extreme budget problem, and we don’t think it’s the right time to be starting these up from scratch,“ she said.

Attorney Marvin Schiller, who represents Easley, declined comment Thursday on the action.

Several university system leaders have called on Easley to resign her position, but Schiller said last week she will continue to perform her duties and that she had received excellent job reviews.