The longtime president of the Kansas University Alumni Association has been placed on administrative leave with pay.

Fred Williams, who has been president since 1983, was asked to resign the post but refused, sources said Thursday.

“I was given no reason,” Williams said. “I was simply told I was put on suspended leave with pay and was asked to leave the Adams Alumni Center immediately. No reason for it. No length (of time).”

Jennifer Sanner, the association’s senior vice president for communications, declined to comment. She said the association would issue a statement today.

“That will all be explained,” Sanner said. “We can’t confirm any information, and we will wait and make that announcement (today).”

Several members of the executive board either did not return phone calls or declined to comment, referring questions to Linda Duston Warren, the national board chair who lives in Hanover. A staff member at Warren’s office said she was out of the office all week, and her home telephone went unanswered.

The board of directors met May 21 and Saturday to approve the decision, sources said. At that time, each agreed to not say anything publicly about the decision.

Williams said he was called to the Adams Alumni Center at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, when Warren told him he was being placed on administrative leave.

Williams’ attorney, Roger Stanton of Prairie Village, declined to confirm the association asked his client to resign, but added: “He will not resign, and he has not resigned. That’s emphatic.”

“This is terribly surprising because he’s done a good job and has a good national reputation,” Stanton said. “You can imagine it’s somewhat unusual.”

KU alumni association

Stanton said he had been in contact with the association’s attorneys but had yet to hear a reason why Williams was placed on administrative leave.

“We’re in the dark,” Stanton said. “I’ve asked them over and over and over for reasons. We’re waiting to see what we want to do once we can review what their legal position is. He’s on suspension with pay, and there’s not much he can do. He’s out there in limbo.”

Relations between Williams and other university administrators have long been strained, sources said.

And there have been past efforts by members of the executive committee and board to make changes in the association’s leadership and structure.

According to documents filed with the Internal Revenue Service, Williams was paid $173,000 in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2002. No updated salary information was available.

Williams was named to lead the Alumni Association in 1983. He replaced Dick Wintermote, who had been director since 1963.

Williams previously was director of alumni affairs and development at Slippery Rock State College in Pennsylvania. He is a graduate of the University of Indiana.

The Alumni Association, which has more than 45,000 members, is an affiliate of KU. Its programs include storing alumni records, playing host to alumni events throughout the country and around the world, supporting local alumni chapters, publishing the Kansas Alumni magazine and playing host to Kansas Honors Program events for high school seniors.