Bowden's resignation called action of solo renegade trustee

The Auburn Plainsman AUBURN, Ala. (U-WIRE)-- Auburn University's Board of Trustees faces closer scrutiny as questions remain unanswered about board involvement with Terry Bowden's resignation. Inquiry initially rested on what possible foreknowledge any members of the board had concerning Bowden's immediate future as head football coach. When seven of 12 board members told The Auburn Plainsman they had no information concerning Bowden's job security, inquiry narrowed its focus to the micromanagement of the board by one man -- Robert Lowder. Trustee John Denson, who has been on the board for 18 years, said, "I heard it [Bowden's resignation] on the radio. As far as I could tell, it was the action of one trustee -- Bobby Lowder. Bobby Lowder had a problem with Bowden." "This was not trustee action. This was the action of one of the trustees alone. I haven't heard if any of the other trustees were involved," Denson said. "There was no collective trustee action. It was completely out of the blue. I wasn't consulted. This has never been brought up at a board meeting," Denson said. "I was never contacted in any way." Glenn Howze, chairperson of the University Senate and a professor of rural sociology, said, "As far as I know, the only trustee that had any input in [Bowden's resignation] is Bobby Lowder. "This is another example of board involvement at a level that is grossly inappropriate. The board has an important role to play, but it is not the hiring and firing of football coaches," Howze said. David Hagan serves as chairperson of the Advisory Committee to the College of Science and Mathematics and has tracked the board's voting records for the last six months, he said. "Robert Lowder fired Terry Bowden utilizing the threat of his board majority," Hagan said. "The other trustees were not even contacted during this critical period." Hagan said bloc voting takes place and that Lowder has "bought and paid for" board members, thereby eradicating a pretense of Auburn having an effective Board of Trustees. "The only problem with Auburn is its dysfunctional Board of Trustees. Auburn has one problem -- Bobby Lowder," Hagan said. To questions of bloc voting being present in the board, Howze said, "Definitely, yes. [Lowder] seems to have the support of Spina, Barron, Tatum, Samford and Richardson at all meetings. "This is another example of too much involvement of the board -- or one board member -- than there should be." Trustee James Tatum's wife Dana serves on the Board of Directors for Colonial Bank, which is owned by Lowder. When asked if this represented a conflict of interest considering her husband's position on Auburn's board, Dana Tatum said, "I have no comment. All matters concerning the board must be addressed by my husband." James Tatum was unavailable for comment. Trustee Paul Spina also banks with Colonial. However, he also has accounts with Regions Bank, AmSouth Bank and SouthTrust Bank. Spina confirmed that he did take "a sizeable loan out from Colonial Bank at one point in time," but he added that he had "an unblemished credit record," and that "no one tells him how to vote, least of all Bobby Lowder."