Seton Hall's lone finalist for presidency withdraws from consideration
Published: Wednesday, June 09, 2010, 10:00 PM
SOUTH ORANGE — The lone finalist for the presidency of Seton Hall University said tonight he is withdrawing his name from consideration for the post, amid a brewing controversy among university officials over his alleged demands.
"I’ll be withdrawing my candidacy," Monsignor Stuart Swetland, professor of Christian ethics at Mount Saint Mary’s University in Maryland, told The Star-Ledger. "I wish Seton Hall well in its search for a new president ... I’ve discerned right now that God has other things that he wishes for me to do."
In recent days, several university officials said that during preliminary negotiations, Swetland asked for a yearly salary of nearly $300,000. The current president, Monsignor Robert Sheeran, makes approximately $31,000, which is consistent with the low salaries many priests and nuns are paid to run Catholic colleges.
Officials at the Catholic university also said Swetland was seeking a long list of other perks, including a three-year severance package. The officials did not want to be identified because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the confidential negotiations.
Swetland tonight denied making the salary request and said he was disappointed details of the