I-Team: Former UNC chair keeps pension after scandal
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- The former chair of UNC's former AFAM Department Julius Nyang'oro and his secretary Deborah Crowder would ultimately walk away from any potential criminal charges.
They not only get to keep their freedom, but also their pensions.
It's a sore spot for UNC leaders and fans alike.
According to a spokesperson for the State Treasurer, "there is no statutory provision under which criminal charges - without a conviction - would impact a state retiree's benefit."
Crowder retired from UNC in October 2009. Since then, she's received a monthly check for $1,916.35.
Nyangoro retired three years later. Because he participates in an Optional Retirement Plan with a private vendor approved by UNC, the amount of his payout is private.
A state employee can forfeit their pension, if convicted of a felony.
That provision went into effect December 1, 2012, five months after Nyang'oro retired from UNC.
So he still would've collected a check -- even if he'd been convicted of fraud.
State employees with the Optional Retirement Plan are exempt from the felony rule.
UNC System President Tom Ross admits there's nothing the University can do.
"So I don't know whether it serves any purpose for us to comment on whether it's a good thing or a bad thing," said Ross. "I do think it's natural for all of us to sort of want to extract some sort of price out of somebody when something this bad happens."
Ross added that perhaps the only trade off was their cooperation with the investigation.
"I would say that I think we wouldn't have gotten to where we are without them ultimately agreeing to cooperate," he said. "District Attorney Mr. Woodall made that possible. So I'm forever in his debt for making it possible for us to talk to them."
